When Mike McGrath was 26 years old, he met a 22-year-old woman he described as “stunning,” who changed his life forever. She had fond memories of visiting her grandmother’s farm and picking raspberries until she
Casey McCarthy
Mentioning algae or algal blooms around Chautauqua Lake might drive people to take up torches and pitchforks in the vein of Frankenstein. Courtney Wigdahl-Perry, assistant professor of biology at SUNY Fredonia, will douse these torches
JOSÉ VALLE / DESIGN EDITOR A home is nothing without a solid foundation. Hemlock trees, one of the oldest and third-most populous tree species in New York, provide just that for countless insects, plants and
Sally Cunningham describes gardening as a transformation tool for communities and individual spirits. Cunningham, a garden expert and writer out of the Buffalo, New York, area, will discuss the techniques that have changed her city
“Not all is doom and gloom,” Roger Tory Peterson once said. “We are beginning to understand the natural world and are gaining a reverence for life — all life.” It is this understanding and appreciation
Conservation, physical well-being and the chance to embrace nature are just three things that Chautauqua Rails to Trails brings together. The organization is part of a national entity that has supported the development of rail-trails
For humans, hypertension, high blood pressure and other ailments are known as “silent killers.” Technology and medicine have helped humans detect diseases; however, animal populations do not have that resource. For the birds of this
Chicken of the Woods Garrett Taylor, mycologist and professional chef, said his love for mushrooms began because he simply enjoyed eating them. Taylor will discuss this passion and teach attendees how to identify mushrooms around
A photograph by Elmore DeMott shows her mother holding a Queen Anne’s Lace. DeMott has spent almost two years photographing a flower a day in a project called “Flowers for Mom.” Pain is unavoidable in
Residents and visitors of Chautauqua often speak of the impact the community has on their lives. They are left with a desire to return as often as possible, and Rosemary Rappole leading her third consecutive
The Bird, Tree & Garden Club celebrated the anniversary of the Arboretum’s original 1917 dedication on Sunday, July 8. The land was originally donated by Bird and Tree Club founder, Henrietta Ord Jones, whose cottage
Chautauqua is often described as a Victorian village, but Bob Jeffrey hopes to dispel this rumor in preparation for the upcoming House and Garden Tour. “The reality is we started much earlier than that,” Jeffrey
Few aspects of Chautauquans’ private homes hold more pride and care than the gardens and flowerbeds that help transform the landscape of the Institution each season. Around the grounds, much of the public work rests
Chautauqua Institution’s designation as a national landmark on June 30, 1989, came as little surprise to those who have visited or live on the grounds. A place of architectural and historical importance, the Institution offers
An image from the Chautauqua Archives shows what is thought to be the establishment and initial planting of the Bird, Tree & Garden Club Arboretum in 1915. Henrietta Ord Jones is thought to be
Around the grounds of the Institution, natural, literary and cultural worlds are blended together. Author Marta McDowell has made a career of doing just that with her works. For McDowell, writing about authors and their