The Willowwood Foundation, in partnership with the Morris County Park Commission, is proud to present the 8th Annual Tubbs Lecture, featuring Louis Bauer, Founding Director of Greenwood Gardens and former Director of Horticulture at Wave Hill Gardens in New York. He will speak about flowers, trees and shrubs that make an old garden look new and modern.
The Tubbs Lectures are presented in honor of the Tubbs Brothers, owners and developers of the Willowwood Farm property that eventually became the Willowwood Arboretum.. Read about their history on our About Willowwood page.
Light refreshments will be served after the lecture in the Historic Tubbs House.
It is the dawn of a new year. Another year of growth, of progress, love, and of course, gardening!
There is not one moment in the gardens at Willowwood that is uninteresting; even in the absence of the raucous colors of flowers abuzz with pollinators that grace us in the growing season one can find interest. Now is the time to enjoy the structure and textures of the garden: bark, fruit, buds (as they swell in anticipation of spring, or perhaps a warm spell). Some structural interest is unexpectedly whimsical, such as the remaining sporophylls of sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) or the fruit of the appropriately named blackberry lily (Iris domestica). (Click the images to enlarge them).
Iris domestica
Onoclea sensibilis
Even in this time of dormancy flowers can still be found at Willowwood, like this ‘Christmas Gold’ witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), a selection of our native species with especially dense flowers and a light, spicy aroma.
Hamamelis virginiana ‘Christmas Gold’
A look to the meadows will reveal numerous winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata), their branches upright and studded in red fruit, as in the case of the straight species. An exception is the ‘Winter Gold’ cultivar whose fruit instead reads more like a pale vermillion: this difference can be especially striking when planted along its red-fruited sisters.
Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Gold’
Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Gold’
Ilex verticillata
In Pan’s Garden you will find the perfumed blooms of Viburnum farreri, a more unusual selection that flowers in bursts from November to February. The aroma of these is best admired while seated on the back porch of the Tubb’s House during a sunny winter day, where we would love to see you visiting. Willowwood Arboretum is open 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset. Please check the Morris County Park Commission website (Willowwood Arboretum | Morris County Parks (morrisparks.net) for more information for planning your visit.
Seward Johnson, La Promenade, 1995 The Seward Johnson Atelier Inc
Dear Friends of the Willowwood Arboretum,
Autumn is in the air at Willowwood where fall’s finest blooms are complemented by the ten Seward Johnson’s sculptures scattered throughout the arboretum. If you have not yet seen this Living Sculpture Exhibit, be sure to pay a visit before it winds down in November. A whimsical experience and beautiful gardens await for fantastic fall foliage photos opportunities! Click here for more information on this beautiful exhibit.
The Willowwood Foundation’s fall fundraiser concert, “Sounds for Sculpture”, added “living sound” to celebrate the Seward Johnson sculpture exhibit on September 10, 2023 at The Willow School. Internationally renowned jazz vibraphonist, pianist and composer, Christian Tamburr, and his amazing band members: Griffin Fink, Tatum Greenblatt, Carmen Intorre, Jr., and Oscar Perez performed “The Awakening.”
Tatum Greenblatt Playing TrumpetTatum Greenblatt, Carmen Intorre Jr.. Griffin Fink, Oscar Perez and Christian TamburrChristian Tamburr and Band
A lovely musician’s reception was held at Willowwood’s historic Stone Barn after the performance along with an opportunity for guests to tour the sculptures.
Willow School Workshop
The day after the concert, Willow School students enjoyed a musical workshop led by Christian and his musicians. Students responded enthusiastically to both the music and the musicians’ questions. At the close of the program, one youngster held up his hand to inquire when the group would be coming back to perform again! Our sincere thanks to The Willow School staff for providing the beautiful concert venue and assisting to make the “Sounds for Sculpture” fundraiser a success.
Many thanks to our corporate sponsors below with heartfelt appreciation for their generous support in helping the Willowwood Foundation continue to thrive.
Elberon Development Group
Simon Quick Advisors
Habba Madaio & Associates LLP
Peapack-Gladstone Bank
Sussex County ARC
The Willowwood Foundation supported another positive event on September 14th, at Willowwood Arboretum. The Sussex County ARC participated in a Horticultural Therapy program led by Morris County Park Commission staff members Ann Fahey and Gwen Montgomery. Participants created beautiful floral arrangements and demonstrated that Horticultural Therapy is a wonderful way to bring people of all abilities closer to nature while creating a safe social, educational, and recreational environment.
For a glimpse at our busy month, check out our photo montage and be sure to carve out some time to visit Willowwood soon. Wishing you a colorful fall!
Take a stroll through 19th century France and learn how the Impressionists changed the art world forever. Learn a Victorian craft: yarn pom-poms! Children and adults will be instructed on the handicraft’s unusual French history and go home with a handmade pompon of their own. Topics include Caillebotte’s Paris Street; Rainy Day (1877), Renoir’s Two Sisters on the Terrace (1881), and Claude Monet.
Dates: November 11
Time: 10 am – 11 am and 1 pm – 2 pm
Age: All ages.
Where: Willowwood Arboretum, 300 Longview Road, Chester Township, NJ 07930
Cost: $15 per person.
Contact: Preregistration is required. For more information, call 973.326.7601.
