The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens is thrilled to begin its 2025 season of art exhibits with a dual showcase by painter Doug Bloom and sculptor Justin Perlman. Their show, “Contrast,” will be on view beginning Friday, March 14.
An opening reception will be held on Sunday, March 16 from 1 to 3 p.m.
This exhibition is a dynamic interplay of artistic perspectives—Bloom’s ethereal abstract watercolor landscapes meet Perlman’s sculptural narratives. Together, their works create a visual symphony of fluidity and form, inviting visitors into a space where nature, memory, and imagination collide.
The exhibit will be on view through Sunday, April 6. Check our social media for weekly open hours: @judyblackpark on Instagram and Facebook.
The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens
One Green Hill Road
Washington Depot, CT 06794
https://judyblackpark.org/art
Art Workshop: Watercolor Workshop: Peonies
Presented by: Betsy Rogers-Knox
June 13 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
In June, Hollister House Garden’s peonies become star attractions. Venture out to the garden with watercolor instructor Betsy Rogers-Knox to take a detailed look at the exquisite ‘Mrs Franklin D. Roosevelt’ awarded the American Peony Society’s Gold Medal in 1948. Then return to the barn for a step-by-step watercolor class and learn how to use layered washes of color to capture the beautiful pastel shades of this peony. A simple template will be provided for those who prefer not to draw their own. All skill levels are welcome and personal instruction will be provided. Class size limited to 12.
Suggested Materials List – Peonies in Watercolor
Betsy Rogers-Knox is an award-winning watercolor artist enchanted by the full lifecycle of plants and their habitats. She holds a certificate in botanical illustration from the New York Botanical Garden. Her work has been widely exhibited and is held in the permanent collection at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Library in London and at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.
HHG Members $90
Non-members $120
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
Watercolor Workshop: Peonies
Art Workshop: Botanical Cyanotypes
Presented by: Madge Evers
June 7 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Magical and simple, cyanotypes are a camera-less technique that results in graphic blue and white prints. Developed in 1842, cyanotype utilizes specially treated paper and sunlight to create dreamy, evocative images. We will use this alternative photographic process together with pressed plants to make beautiful botanical cyanotypes. All supplies will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring objects or pressed plants with interesting silhouettes from home to use in their compositions. Class size limited to 15 students.
Materials fee (required):$15
Madge Evers is an educator, gardener, and visual artist whose practice involves foraging, the cyanotype process, painting, and book making. Recent exhibitions include Harvest, Forage, Found at the Danforth Museum, Nor’easter at the New Britain Museum of American Art, and a solo show at the Brattleboro Museum in Vermont. Artist residencies in Ireland, Virginia, Maine, and at Chautauqua and Mount Auburn Cemetery have allowed Madge to interact with new landscapes and their histories. Madge lives and works in western Massachusetts where she is working on a book about the cyanotype process that will be published by Hachette/Storey in 2026.
HHG Members $90
Non-members $120 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
Botanical Cyanotypes Workshop
Friday, June 6th 6-8pm
Evening in the Garden
As the light fades and day turns to evening, enjoy the company of friends and neighbors and see the beauty of the garden in a different light while enjoying a glass of wine.
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
Family Day June 1, 1-4pm.
Join us in the garden for a special afternoon of fun and exploration celebrating our youngest gardeners and friends!
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
Art Workshop: The Gardener’s Herbarium: Pressing Flowers
Presented by: Lisa Zurles
May 31 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Herbariums have been used for centuries to document and preserve plant species for scientific study. Today pressing plants serves both botanical and artistic purposes. Explore the history of herbariums and the art of flower pressing in this fun workshop. Learn techniques for pressing and preserving plants, and explore ways to use your specimens- whether for creating botanical artwork, building a personal herbarium, or as a special way to document your home garden. You will put together your own 8×10 inch wooden flower press, practice some basic pressing skills and learn what you need to start your own pressed plant collection. (Class size limited to 15.)
Lisa Zurles is Hollister House Garden’s education manager, a native plant enthusiast and a Connecticut Master Woodland Manager. She learned to press plants at the Native Plant Trust, where she studied botany and horticulture as part of their Native Plant Studies Certificate program. She loves sharing the joy of plants and the myriad way plants and flowers enrich our lives.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Materials Fee (required): $30
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
The Gardener’s Herbarium: Pressing Flowers
Barn Talk: Hollister House Garden Tree Walk
Presented by: Christopher Roddick
May 31 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Trees have been around for few hundred million years and are some of the oldest, tallest, and largest living things on the Earth. But the reasons behind their success are just starting to be understood. Join arborist Christopher Roddick for a tour of the Hollister House tree collection, exploring the science and natural history of trees. We’ll cover the identification of some common native trees as well as a few rare ones and hear how they adapt and responded to changes in the environment over time. We’ll discover how trees form fungal partners and interspecies networks to communicate and stay healthy. And finally, we’ll talk about how we can be better stewards of the land we share with these wonderful ancient beings.
Note: This is an outdoor walking tour starting at 9:00am. Dress for the weather and walking on uneven terrain, and periods of standing. Group size limited, early registration suggested.
Christopher Roddick is an arborist who practices Conservation Arboriculture. This holistic approach to tree and land care uses a modern understanding of tree and soil biology, ecology, and organic practices as a base for maintenance and cultivation decisions. For over 28 years he was the head arborist and foreman of grounds at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He is the author of The Tree Care Primer, a guide to the care of young, mature, and veteran trees. When he’s not working in Litchfield County and the Northeast, he is often on an expedition, traveling to the Neo-Tropical forests where he helps conducts canopy research as both a climber and a really bad camp cook.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
Hollister House Garden Tree Walk
Barn Talk: Designing with Containers in the Landscape
Presented by: Roberta DiBisceglie
May 17 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Whether you have a sprawling estate or a cozy backyard, container plantings offer a versatile way to elevate your outdoor space and celebrate the changing seasons. In this presentation you will learn the essentials of designing and planting container gardens. Learn how to choose the right vessels, select the perfect plants and ensure their health throughout the year. Explore fabulous and unexpected plant combinations and discover creative ways arrange them for maximum visual impact throughout the landscape. Join designer Roberta DiBisceglie of Columbine Gardens as she shares her professional tips for creating unique, high-impact container gardens with multi-season functionality.
Roberta DiBisceglie, a third-generation horticulturist, trained at the New York Botanical Garden’s School of Professional Horticulture and has been managing landscapes for over 20 years. She is a consultant for the Norwalk Pollinator Pathway, a NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professional, and serves on the Advisory Board of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association. Roberta established a mentorship program for students of the School of Professional Horticulture and has mentored students in the Norwalk public schools since 2016. In 1998, she founded Columbine LLC, a landscape gardening and design firm. A passionate reader of fiction and poetry, she lives with her husband and their cat Zack near the Long Island Sound.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
Designing with Containers in the Landscape
Barn Talk: Deer Resistant Plants for the Northeast- and Deterrents That Work!
Presented by: Gregg Tepper
May 10 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Deer browse is one of the biggest challenges confronting northeast gardeners. Is there anything the deer won’t eat? Well, if a deer is hungry enough, it will try to eat almost anything. But there are wonderful plants and shrubs, both native and non-native, that have proven to be deer resistant. Join horticulturist Gregg Tepper for an entertaining and informative lecture inspired by his recent co-authored book, Deer-Resistant Native Plants for the Northeast. Gregg will share his experience landscaping with deer-resistant plants as well as strategies for rebuffing deer. Get the inside scoop on natural, safe and truly effective deer repellents as well as a new product that can eliminate buck rub on shrubs and small trees. Be inspired by beautiful, deer-resistant plant combinations, pick up cultivation tips and learn about newer, cultivated varieties of native plants now on the market.
Gregg Tepper is a professional horticulturist, lecturer, consultant, and life-long native plant enthusiast. He is the Senior Horticulturist for the Arboretum at Laurel Hill, a 265-acre property that encompasses two historic cemeteries in Pennsylvania. In response to heavy deer pressure, Gregg has developed a strategy for maintaining beautiful and resilient gardens using deer-resistant plants and effective deer repellents. He previously served as Director of Horticulture at Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware, and was Director of Horticulture at Delaware Botanic Garden where he was instrumental in developing the garden’s initial horticultural mission and implementing a two-acre meadow designed by Piet Oudolf. Gregg is co-author (with Ruth Rogers Clausen) of Deer Resistant Native Plants of the Northeast.
HHG Members $30
Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
Deer Resistant Plants for the Northeast- and Deterrents That Work!
Barn Talk: Flowering Vines
Presented by: Charlie Nardozzi
May 3 10:00 am – 11:30 am
There’s nothing like the stunning beauty of flowering vines. Their height, depth and color add so much visual interest to a landscape. Yet vines are often overlooked as a key component in a garden. Garden expert Charlie Nardozzi will introduce you to a variety of common and uncommon vines including woody vines, perennials and annuals. You will learn how to utilize support structures and provide the necessary care for plant health and maximum blooms. In addition, Charlie will offer some design and companion plant suggestions and share tips for overwintering tender vines. Take your garden vertical this year with flowering vines.
Charlie Nardozzi is a Regional Emmy® award winning, nationally recognized garden writer, speaker, radio, and television personality. He has worked for more than 30 years bringing expert gardening information to home gardeners through radio, television, talks, tours, on-line, and the printed page. Charlie delights in making gardening information simple, easy, fun and accessible to everyone. He’s authored seven gardening books, has three gardening radio shows in New England and a TV gardening segment in his home state of Vermont. He speaks at flower shows, garden clubs and gardening organizations around North America and leads garden tours to Great Britain and Europe as well.
HHG Members: $30
Non-Members: $40 (includes admission to the garden)
Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793 United States
Flowering Vines
