Launched in 2008, North Bridge Magazine is a twice-yearly publication tailored to Acton, Carlisle, Concord, Lincoln, Sudbury & Wayland residents and edited to enrich the experience of living in six of Massachusetts' most desirable communities.
Issue link: http://northbridgemagazine.epubxp.com/i/490312
Katharine Dhar. "As with the garden locations, we're keeping the identity of the artists a secret until the day of the tour," says Dhar. "I can only say that we are excited about connecting local art to these settings." Tour organizer Deb Van Walsum also stresses the gardeners' renewed emphasis on eco-friendly trends like permaculture and sustainable garden management. "This year one of our scouts came back just brimming over with ideas she's anxious to try at home," she says. "Visitors will discover ideas and tricks they can use in their own landscapes." Carlisle gardeners are implementing what they've learned about land stewardship in the face of climate change. For example, many gardens on recent tours apply permaculture principles described in Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway, including: ★ Improved water management such as rain gardens and drip irrigation ★ Organic weed controls such as composts and sheet mulches, which save the cost of fertilizers and minimize disturbance to the plants' root zone ★ Wildlife-friendly plantings and structures (as well as tips to protect plantings from wildlife damage!) "Lots of organic mulch, plenty of compost tea," says Carlisle farmer Leslie Thomas of Sweet Autumn Farm, featured on the 2013 tour. "We want to grow nutritious food as well as beneficial natives for a robust ecosystem. And we like to stress that all plants — not just trees — sequester carbon, so we can grow great food and still do our part to heal the planet." "It's a great learning experience," adds club member Tammy Erickson, whose Black Brook Farm garden was also featured in 2013. "The owners like to prepare plot maps and source lists, with specific ideas to help you become a better gardener. You might even want to bring a little notebook to jot down your ideas." ★ F O R I N F O R M AT I O N A N D R E S E R VAT I O N S , see carlislegardenclub.org or email joeths@comcast.net. J ust as April showers bring May flowers, June brings garden tours. And peeking into others' treasured garden space is a thriv- ing tradition in our local area. In Carlisle, the biannual Garden Club tour is a relative new- comer to the circuit, dating back only to the 1990s. Offered in odd years only, the 2015 Carlisle tour will showcase six distinctive gardens on Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13. In each garden, the owners combine their personal gardening vision and skills to invigorate their historic New England landscapes. The Carlisle tour adds an exciting twist this year, using displays of local artists' stone carving, welded sculptures, and ceramic art in the gardens. Visitors will also have an opportunity to visit with artists painting en plein air. The artists have been selected with the help of well-known Carlisle artist and curator Bonnie Miskolczy, and the installations are being coordinated by Garden Club member 44 ★ north bridge magazine ★ S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 Carlisle Country Gardens Tour to Showcase Local Artists BY JOETH BARL AS last but not least