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Finding place.͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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You know it when you feel it. That sense of awe and ease. A gasp of delight and a full breath that moves oxygen deep into your lungs. A feeling of contentment and connection to the past, present, and future. A knowingness that this is where you should be, for a moment, or for a lifetime. The idea that you are somewhere that brings you peace, comfort, and calm. We hear from visitors time and time again that this is their experience (though maybe not their exact words) when they come wander, wonder, and discover at Western Hills Garden. For us, the month of August has been about slowing down and finding our place here. Literally, figuring out where all our things from Berkeley should go — why did we move cables, old electronics, and clothes we never wear? But more importantly, settling in to our new home and our intention to lovingly share it with others as much as possible. It’s rewarding to live somewhere with such a history. People come by because they knew it back in its early days, and it holds special meaning for them in ways we can only imagine. It’s equally rewarding as the current stewards, to see the look on people’s faces when they visit for the first time. The surprise and joy they express about the collection, the meandering pathways, the various garden “rooms”, and the funky buildings is almost always visible. The secret sauce of linking people, plants, and place with possibility is what guides our work. Possibility in the moment – “What’s around the corner?” “What kind of plant is that?” “I feel so relaxed.” To possibility in the future – “I want to grow that.” “Those colors make me want to paint.” “I want to share this with my family and friends” We are running Western Hills as a nonprofit botanical refuge. It is an honor to build on and extend its legacy as a sanctuary, source of inspiration, and site for creative expression and learning. Come find your place in the garden. Keep scrolling to learn more about what’s ahead for fall.
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The fall program schedule is fire.
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SEPTEMBER 14, 2024: 10-2pm Collective Curiosity Journaling with Jennifer Stuart Jennifer is an extraordinary teacher and during her next WHG class participants will explore the garden and its many layers of meaning (color, texture, light, sound, shape, scent, species, and metaphor) using a process called collective curiosity journaling. You’ll leave with a beautiful journal documenting the experience.
$100 – simple vegan lunch, hot/cold drinks, and snacks served. |
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OCTOBER 6, 2024: 11-3pm BioEuphoria: Mark Making with Natural Objects with Jessica Williams and Debi Gollan Spend time in the garden with this mindful and creative practice which will foster deep connections with the natural world and inspire expansive thinking. Participants will contemplate the shapes and textures of the collection and then use found objects to make stunning representational marks with Sumi and walnut ink.
$100 – simple vegan lunch, hot/cold drinks, and snacks served.
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OCTOBER 7, 2024: 10-2:30pm Pine Needle Basket Making with Judith Thomas. Judith is an accomplished basket maker and a Waldorf handwork teacher trainer. Spend time with her in the garden coiling and stitching long pine needles into a small basket while learning about the history of this artform. $100 for adults, $50 for children over age 10 with an adult.
Simple vegan lunch, hot/cold drinks, and snacks served. |
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OCTOBER 10, 2024: 5-6:30pm Book Talk with Obi Kaufmann: The State of Fire A very special evening with poet, artist, and author Obi Kaufmann in conversation with Janelle Kellman, former Sausalito Mayor and co-founder of the Center for Sea Rise Solutions. They will share words about one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century, and offer wisdom, perspectives, and predictions for the future. $50 (includes a copy of Obi’s book). Check out the options to add on a simple dinner to your ticket or join us for an intimate pre-event reception. |
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OCTOBER 26, 2024: 10-12:30 Dried Flower Crown Workshop with Hannah Muller Meet Full Belly Farms’s Hannah Muller of the infamous Wreath Room and learn to make a dried flower crown adorned with items from Western Hills Garden.
$40 for adults, $20 for children with an adult. |
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OCTOBER 26: 3:30-5pm Book Talk with Hannah Muller: Designing with Dried Flowers Listen to Hannah talk about her background as a second generation Full Belly farmer, what she’s learned about dried flowers as a floral artist, and get some hot tips on how to work with dried flowers yourself.
$60 (includes a copy of Hannah’s book).
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Preview our online auction.
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Our fall fundraising campaign is off to a great start. If you missed the news last month, we set an ambitious goal to raise $300,000 by the end of the year to replenish our operating runway, support our growing staff, and fund some critical infrastructure improvements including a water storage tank and an ADA accessible restroom. This week we received a commitment from one donor of a $25k donation for three years to help seed our campaign and encourage others to offer multi-year gifts of support as we continue to grow. We are humbled by this generosity and excited that others might consider this approach. In addition to major donor cultivation, a membership drive, and small donor appeal, we’re holding an online auction the last two weeks of September. Bidding opens 9/15 and will close 9/30. You can preview the items now and bookmark the page so you can keep up to date on your bids. There is stunning art from folks who have taught or stayed here in residence along with many exclusive garden experiences and adventures in other places. We hope you find something that excites you to bid on! 💚
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11/2 – Save the date for HONOR.
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The fourth seasonal celebration in our year long collab with Adrian Chang and Chris Lewis of Morihouse will happen on November 2, 2024. We opted to push past the fall equinox and focus on the role our human and nonhuman ancestors play in our lives for Dia De Los Muertos. The name of the event is HONOR. Expect a gorgeous meal, music, art, garden tours, and reflective activities. Mark your calendars now. Tickets will open up in September, and will sell out fast. Come visit before then if you can too. Despite the heat, the garden is showing signs of fall. Trees are starting to turn, seedpods are falling, and seasonal shrub pruning is in full swing!
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Western Hills Garden is a fiscally sponsored nonprofit organization with a mission to link people, plants, and place to possibility. Support our work by visiting the garden, becoming a member, spreading the word about us, or making a tax-deductible donation.
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If you’re receiving this newsletter, you either opted into emails or were on a list shared with us by the previous owners. We hope you appreciate monthly News from the Garden.
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