News from the Garden

Issue 31 I June 2025

Summer sweeps in.

The dreamy, damp days of spring feel like long ago. Now the garden is bursting with new growth, new programs, and new visitors. Our team has been busy clearing runnels, weeding beds, propagating and up-potting new plants for the nursery, and planning cool things for summer and fall. Justin, Hadley, and Kent attended the American Public Garden Association meeting in Denver, rubbing elbows with best-in-class horticulture experts. We learned a lot, listened a lot, and had some good time bonding with each other and leaders in the field.

A big shout of gratitude to our new members. Welcome to our tribe. You help us sustain our operations and demonstrate community investment to our donors. Plus you get access to over 300 reciprocal gardens through our American Horticultural Society Garden Network partnership. If you missed the spring membership drive it’s ok. It’s never too late to join!

The arts have been a big focus this month. We hosted the SebArts Incubator artists for Art at the Source, offering them the opportunity to show their work in the garden. We also just had Laura Hernandez stay at WHG for a week-long residency. Laura is a multimedia artist from Oaxaca, Mexico. She brought a few pieces of her new works on paper with her and finished another while she was here. On a whim, we decided to put up a simple exhibit in the barn which will be up through July. 5th. Her work explores humanity’s existential search for meaning and the intersection of our origins and our destiny. Come see it if you can!

Upcoming programs.

If you’re late in planning your 4th of July weekend, look no further than Chrissy Huhn’s Lumen Printing workshop on Saturday, July 5th. Chrissy is an accomplished visual artist, teacher, and cultural heritage professional. Her work has been exhibited at galleries and museums across the US, and she has been awarded artist residencies at Kala Art Institute, Mojave National Preserve, Santa Fe Art Institute, and Joshua Tree National Park. We think she’s great and has incredible chops. Make a plan to come learn from her! Or join us for Natalie Joy Tremblay’s Cyanotype class (a fan favorite) on 7/19 if you’re into botanical blueprints.

We’re also launching a new partnership with our friends at Clayfolk in Occidental. Two weeks of summer camp for 5-10 year olds with clay play, natural crafts, garden walks, and experiencing the sites and sounds of Western Hills.

It’s a month of photographic process programs and hands on play!

Justin’s Hort Report.

"Editing." It's a word we hear often from writers, graphic designers, and filmmakers. But did you know it's also used in garden design? Since our Horticulture Advisory Committee helped flesh out our Curatorial Vision this spring, the concept of "editing" has been on our minds here at Western Hills.

Part of the charm of our garden is the wild, naturalistic, "overplanted" feel, where plants from all over the world intermingle with one another and form a dense layering from groundcover to canopy. But over many years and several owners, some of our collection is now overgrown, blocking what could be beautiful vistas. Some plants just don't go well together, whether it be a clash of colors or textures, creating a sort of dissonance. And others have simply been planted in the wrong spot for their light and moisture needs.

Hence the need for "editing:" deciding in a given area which plants stay, which plants go, and what pruning treatments we might employ to enhance the aesthetics and the health of our beds. With the help of the Committee, we're making some bold decisions, like removing some extra-large Phormiums to give more space and prominence to neighboring plants. It's an exciting time here at Western Hills, where we're feeling empowered to make editing decisions that will ultimately improve the beauty and allure of this special place.

Supper Series

We’re already looking toward fall when we launch our annual fundraising campaign. In preparation (and because we like to host dinner parties) we’re organizing a three part supper series: one in August, September, and October. Each gathering will bring a local chef and a winery to the garden for a 25 person dinner in the Commons. If you’d like to be the first to know when reservations open up, become a member or join our Insiders Invite list through the link below. Let’s bread bread together soon.

Green.

The color green symbolizes growth and renewal with qualities of harmony, balance, and calm. Early summer is full of verdant lushness. Layers and layers of green textures that soothe the soul, especially important in our turbulent times. These photos were taken by David Dynak, Hadley’s dad, while he was here visiting recently. We love sharing the garden with family, friends, and visitors! Plan a time to come enjoy.

Shout outs.

You may recall a couple of months ago when we did a shout out about LAND/scape, the public art project happening in Occidental this summer.

The Occidental Community Council received a grant from Creative Sonoma to activate town with a mural on two sides of the Community Center and flags that stretch from one end of the downtown corridor to the other. The Council chose Sebastopol-based artist Hunter Franks to lead the project’s design and installation.

The mural will be inspired by community-submitted photographs that reflect Occidental’s unique landscape. The Community Council (of which Western Hills Garden is a part) is hoping for a large number of submissions from full-time and part-time residents and visitors. Additional details below and on the Occidental Community Center website.

Please take a moment and share one of your Occidental photos today!