Frog Hollow showcases 'Art in the Garden'

Author: Tamara Hilmes

Ed Burke can tell you whether aqua dianthis or stachys byzantina would best complement your foundation, or which type of groundcover will work best around your deck. If you schedule a consultation, for just $150 he can devise a plan to redesign your entire landscape. But Burke, the owner and designer of Rocky Dale Gardens, thinks his clients get the most benefit if he has the opportunity to "teach you to see what [he] sees" in terms of garden design.

Burke taught local gardening enthusiasts how to apply the nature patterns of the surrounding landscape to their own private gardens in his lecture titled "Learning to Look," the second in a series of lectures on Art in the Garden presented by Frog Hollow Gallery.

At first glance, the showroom at Frog Hollow last Saturday looked relatively the same as always. The same six-foot-tall dog sculpture greeted visitors as they entered the gallery still filled with canine artwork from a prior event, but a table of complimentary cookies and tea had appeared next to the register and a slide projector surrounded by a small clump of chairs was set back into one of the gallery's nooks. A small group of middle-aged women sat in the chairs waiting with notebooks and pencils in hand. Ed Burke stood in front of the projection screen, prepared to begin his second lecture at the gallery.

Burke's lecture, designed to teach amateur gardeners how to apply an artist's eye to their planting endeavors, began with a series of slides. Through images of natural landscapes, Burke began to enlighten his audience of six on how to recognize patterns and layers within nature.

"When you look at the natural environment," explained Burke, "you begin to discover a lot about natural patterns, which you can then apply to your own garden."

Along with showing examples of patterns in quaking aspen growth and rock ledges, Burke also shared images of past projects completed by his landscape design firm. Using before-and-after photos of a Wisconsin property, Burke illustrated how, through attention to layers, a backyard could be transformed from mundane to magnificent.

"We turned something that you could take in one fell swoop into something beautiful and mysterious," said Burke. "And it was all done through layers."

Layers, as Burke explained, can be anything from a distinct horizon line above a mountain range to a three-tier garden leading from a deck down to a lawn.

Burke went on to show examples of other projects that he has worked on - from a Japanese Garden in Wisconsin to the landscape design for a new property on the banks of Lake Champlain. When Burke introduced a slide of a Vermont residence with an Alpine Garden, the audience went wild, asking questions about the plant's "winter interest" and whether stachys byzantina would grow out on Quaker Street. Burke replied that it would depend on what zone the home is located in, and the women nodded their heads in agreement.

Burke seemed most in his element when describing the colors, textures, repeated patterns and shapes of Rocky Dale, the garden and nursery in Bristol that he owns and operates.

"We specialize in unusual and hard to find plant material," explained Burke. "We are especially well-known for our conifers."

Along with owning and operating Rocky Dale, Burke also owns a garden design, installation and maintenance firm in Minneapolis, which he has overseen since 1985. Despite traveling back and forth and being chained to technology with a constant stream of emails and phone calls, Burke manages to handle both his nursery and his design studio. When he is not busy at work managing both operations, Burke enjoys teaching others his trade.

"I really enjoy talking about gardening," said Burke. "I mean this kind - not how deep to plant your bulbs."

Members of the Middlebury community seemed to enjoy the free advice as well. Marielle Blais, a Breadloaf alum and Middlebury resident, attended Burke's first lecture on "Why Garden?" and came back for this one.

"I saw the flyer at the Co-op, and since I'm interested in gardening, I decided to attend," said Blais. "I also visited Rocky Dale after I saw it listed in Great Nurseries in New England, a book I received as a gift."

Blais recently purchased a house in Middlebury in need of landscaping, which prompted her interest in the lecture.

"Before I didn't have a place to garden," explained Blais. "Now I have a reason to shop for plants."

Excited about planning her own garden, Blais was thrilled with the opportunity to get advice from an expert like Burke.

"It was really great to see that he was willing to do this," said Blais. "He is one of the people who makes Vermont beautiful."

Blais' reaction is what Gallery Manager Rob Hunter hoped to see when he devised the Art in the Garden lecture series. The series is just the first of many that Hunter hopes to hold at Frog Hollow.

"When I took over the gallery my initial idea was to constantly have lectures," said Hunter. "I want to have lectures on topics such as 'Art of Beekeeping' and 'Art of Farming.' This is just the first in the series."

Hunter was thrilled with Burke's performance, but was disappointed with the overall turnout.

"It is just too bad that more people have not come out to hear him speak," said Hunter. "There have been some loyal followers who attended the last lecture and this one, but I would like to see double the attendance."

As the lecture came to an end, Burke offered one last bit of advice to his audience.

"Look for layers and negative space when designing your landscape," said Burke. "When you leave here you are going to see so much more than before - it is just a matter of paying attention to your surroundings. And remember, a garden is a living organism - it's not like laying down a linoleum floor."

Burke will offer more free gardening advice in his two upcoming lectures "What Color are Your Gloves," on May 12, and "Solving the Garden Puzzle," on May 19. Both lectures will be held at Frog Hollow at 2 p.m. Burke can also be found at Rocky Dale, which will be open for tours starting with its Open House next weekend.