A Tribute to an Apple Tree
We had an unhappy surprise on a recent Tuesday morning: the magnificent apple tree near the Livermore Pavilion had abruptly split its trunk and tipped over during the night, revealing a hollow core that had been rotting for some time. Garden Manager Michael Bogart quickly consulted with tree experts, but the conclusion wasn’t good: the […]
Another season of Exploring Habitats
Second-grade classes in Marin County schools have a wonderful hands-on education opportunity here at Marin Art and Garden Center. A group of dedicated volunteers with the Marin Master Gardeners has developed a field trip program that dovetails with the science curriculum covered in second grade, and makes the most of the area of the grounds […]
Beautiful Bedfellows
It was all hands on deck earlier this month as staff and volunteers worked together to add new plants to our showpiece garden beds. Just below the Fountain Pond, our Sun Garden features many perennials that are especially attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. This area really hits its high notes in August and […]
The Butterfly Effect
By Ramona Krucker, Gardener The Butterfly Cottage, nestled under the English Oak near The Studio, has recently been claimed by a future butterfly for pupation and hibernation purposes. We first noticed the pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) chrysalis attached by the back door about six or seven weeks ago. Previously, there had been sightings of fully […]
Keeping it Natural in the Garden
By Michael Bogart Garden Manager Organic and pesticide free. Those words are nice to hear, and even nicer to practice. As you visit our gardens, you can be assured that there are no chemicals and everything we grow is organic. When we practice this method of gardening it ensures the health of everyone, from […]
The Garden as a Community
The garden is a great place to learn. Of course you learn horticultural practices and plant names, but there are life lessons to be found amongst the oaks and salvia! For example, The Marin Master Gardeners’ “Exploring Habitats” program works with schools to teach insect and animal habitats and more. Taking inspiration from them, we […]
Garden Allies, Up Close & Personal
By Ramona Krucker, Gardener Have bugs ever eaten your flowers or chewed on your leafy greens? Then you know how how hard these little creatures can make a gardener’s life. At a recent event at Marin Art and Garden Center, local author and entomologist Frédérique Lavoipierre shared insight and fun hands-on approaches to learning about […]
Geraniaceae’s Robin Parer
We’re lucky to have one of the foremost experts on the Geraniaceae family—that’s geraniums and pelargoniums for the uninitiated—as a friend and neighbor here at the Center. Robin Parer runs a local nursery specializing in these varied and delightful flowering plants, and not long ago shared an article on scented geraniums with us. She herself […]
The Women in my Garden
March is Women’s History Month, and a fitting time to acknowledge the fundamental role that women have played in the establishment of Marin Art and Garden Center. In 1945, Caroline Livermore and a group of conservation-minded women came together to preserve this space at the heart of Marin, to ensure that it remained a community […]
Introducing Michael Bogart
If you’ve visited the gardens since the summer, you’ve seen the work of Garden Manager Michael Bogart, who joined the staff here in August 2021. We’re delighted to have him on board! Michael is from the farmlands of southeastern Michigan. He grew up working in the fields and farmers’ markets, mowing lawns in the summer […]
