Berkshire Garden Style: Wrapping Up & Giving Thanks

It’s closing time. The shed (aka Garden Palace) is full. The pop-up nursery is packed up and put away. The unheated greenhouse is choc full of plants I don’t know where to put..the houseplants are situated indoors and ready for me to fuss with them throughout the winter…bulbs are planted, dahlias are dug..deer fencing is up! Containers are stowed. I got myself a turkey from Baldwin farm https://baldwinfarm.com in West Stockbridge and I’ve cleared my schedule for this week after Thanksgiving for - in order of priority - lots of time in bed, lots of cups of tea, lots of snuggle time with the doggies, hikes with dear friends and more rest…

While I’m not a big fan of making a big deal of the holidays and I shy away from the pressure of giving thanks only on Thanks-giving, I genuinely want to give thanks to the people who hold me up and carry me through from March through November. Those people are my fabulous Garden Team - Katy, Rachel, Morgan, Randy, Harry, Emma, Sarah and Khat, and so here goes...

Katy - you are the toughest and smartest outdoors woman I know with the most tender touch with plants. You manage your workload masterfully and you have a supreme eye for the Viridissima style! Your work has such integrity and grace.

Rachel - god how many years has it been?! 15 and going strong! Your loyalty and dedication humbles me; your work is impeccable and you can read my mind. We’ve been through it all - together.

Morgan - congratulations! on your first full season. It feels like you’ve been here all along. I still cannot believe that you ran the entire length of the Appalachian Trail Massachusetts non-stop in 29 hours. To top it off, your academic background and experience contributed to all the weird and wonderful ways that Viridissima is growing and sharing this year! You are superhuman.

Randy - ten minutes early every day. Rain or shine, you always show up. Your respect for nature comes through in your work with trees and stones; you’re the best transplanter and the Viridissima pups adore you.

Emma - we miss you! It’s always so great to have you around in the interim between your time at school. It has been a pleasure and an honor to see you grow from a freshman in high school to a senior in college. You always have the best attitude and can show up ready for work even after your daily 5 mile run! It’s awesome to have a Lenox record holder as part of our team. I wish you the richest life beneath the sea and on the trails!

Harry - so glad you decided to trade corporate life for land work and city life for the North country woods. So glad you decided to commit a season of your time to helping Viridissima grow. You’ve built some beautiful dead-laid hedges that are holding up very well. Your inquisitive thoughtful nature was such a great addition to our team and there will always be a place here for you.

Sarah - you hold it all together from watering, feeding and organizing the nursery to inspiring me to save more seed to helping to get the workroom all set up - you are the magic behind the scenes…your humble steadiness and ingenuity humbles me. Can’t wait to felt cashmere sweater holes and mend work pants with you this winter!

Khat - thanks mom!! You started it when you named the business. (well, you really started it when you gave birth to me in an isolated cabin in the rugged coastal hills of Southern Oregon!) In so many ways you are the foundation of this business. Thank you for planting the seeds of inspiration and passing them on to me to cultivate.

Bodi and Rio - The Viridissima Pups - thanks for reminding me to ease up and laugh when I take myself too seriously. Thanks for snuggling me even when I felt un-snugglable. Thanks for policing the vole situation in the meadow.

We are a close and tight unit. We made it through one. historical. garden season - a pandemic, an election, humans still fighting for their rights. We weathered it together. Here’s to another season of Building Beauty.