Oak Spring Garden Foundation

10/13/2026

In this month's episode of the Oak Spring Podcast, we sit down with botanical artist and plant ecologist Lara Gastinger to explore the deep intersection of art, science, and nature observation. From her early days exploring Virginia’s landscapes to illustrating over 1,300 species for the landmark 'Flora of Virginia,' Lara shares her journey into becoming a full-time botanical artist. She dives into the origins and philosophy of her signature "Perpetual Journal" practice – a simple, weekly ritual of documenting the changing seasons over 25 years. Lara offers practical advice on overcoming the pressure of perfection, building a sustainable sketching habit, and using nature journaling as both a tool for personal mindfulness and a form of advocacy for local biodiversity.

Later in the conversation, Lara takes us behind the scenes of her recent Supertrees Expedition to the American West, where she served as the official traveling artist documenting ancient Bristlecone pines, massive Sequoias, and towering Redwoods. She reflects on the creative challenge of capturing the immense scale, age, and beauty of these living giants using a custom accordion-style sketchbook. Whether discussing the vibrant sap on a pinecone or the joy of recognizing repeat seasonal shifts in your own backyard, Lara inspires us to pause, look closely at the natural world, and start recording the beauty around us today.

Listen to the full episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-seeing-nature-journaling-ancient/id1732771406?i=1000796141527

You can also subscribe to download our monthly episodes on your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

10/13/2026

10/08/2026

10/06/2026

Step behind the scenes of Oak Spring’s latest Gallery Exhibition, ‘Painting the Tulip: Beauty, Science, and Speculation.’

Join us on October 16th from 3-5pm for an exclusive afternoon exploring the fascinating world of tulips through the Oak Spring Garden Library’s rare collections and the eyes of featured artist Sarah Horowitz.

Guests will enjoy a guided tour of the Oak Spring Garden Library, featuring a special curated display of rare tulip-related materials from our collection that are not included in the main exhibition. They will also get insights from Sarah Horowitz into her delicate watercolors, copperplate etchings, and fieldwork documenting historic tulip cultivars from Bayntun Flowers in Wiltfordshire, England.

We’ll also explore how Rachel “Bunny” Mellon brought her love of tulips into the landscape at Oak Spring, creating sweeping, tapestry-like plantings. The afternoon will conclude with a seasonal fall drink, casual conversation in the Gallery, and time to browse the Oak Spring gift shop.

📅 October 16
🕒 3–5 PM
📍 Oak Spring Garden Foundation

More information and tickets: https://www.osgf.org/programs-and-events-calendar/2026/10/16/painting-the-tulip-behind-the-scenes-tour-and-conversation-with-artist-sarah-horowitz

Photo 1: Six studies of tulips, by Gerard van Spaendonck (Dutch, 1746-1822)
Photo 2: Artist Sarah Horowitz
Photo 3: Etching of Tulipa “Archeron” 1913 from Historic Tulips, by Sarah Horowitz
Photo 4: Two tulips and two irises, by Johanna Helena Herolt (German, 1668-1723)

10/05/2026

A day spent creating with plants is a good day. As one of the the winners of our Summer Solstice Auction, Trish and her friends joined our LEO team for a special natural dye party in the Biocultural Learning Garden.

We made paint palettes from plants, created flower pounded artwork, and experimented with cyanotype prints (with a little help from UV light when the clouds kept the sun at bay). After lunch, the afternoon continued with indigo-dyed Shibori scarves and custom leather journals.

From garden to artwork, every part of the day is offered a new way to see, and make something, with the natural world around us. We had such a wonderful time hosting Trish and her friends!

10/02/2026

We are honored to announce that in 2027 and 2028, Oak Spring Garden Foundation will be granting a Residency and Award in Botanical Art in Honor of Ruth A. Stiff and Rory McEwen. These awards will recognize outstanding botanical artists whose career and artworks have contributed meaningfully to the fields of botanical art and illustration, and will include a $5,000 individual grant and a three-week residency at Oak Spring. The award is named for two key figures in the field of botanical art: Ruth A. Stiff and Rory McEwen.

Ruth A Stiff was a prominent art curator, author, and Curator of International Exhibitions for the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew – as well as a dear friend of Oak Spring. She was instrumental in the development of ‘Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature,’ a major exhibition which toured the United States in 2024 and 2025.

Rory McEwen was a ground-breaking Scottish artist and musician whose innovative botanical works pushed the boundaries of the field. Through his botanical art Rory McEwen explored new ways to celebrate the inspirational beauty of the natural world.

Applications for the 2027 award are open from now until November 11th, 2026. Visit osgf.org/stiff-mcewen-award or see the link in our bio to learn more and apply.

Photo 1: Group of Allwoods Carnations, 1961-1962, by Rory McEwen.
Photo 2: Ruth A. Stiff at Marchmont, Edinburgh.
Photo 3: Rory McEwen

10/01/2026

Did you know your garden could become your palette? In the Biocultural Learning Garden (BLG), Garden Manger Megan Larson grows plants that do more than fill a garden bed–they become sources of color for artists and local youth and seniors.

From marigolds and cosmos to Japanese indigo, eucalyptus, and madder root, Megan shares some of her favorite dye plants and a few tips for growing, harvesting, and transforming them into natural color.

Swipe through to see the plants alongside the fabrics and yarns they helped dye. We hope this inspires you to do a bit of plant dye research and grow your own! Also check out osgf.org/youth-education or visit the link in our bio for free local programming utilizing these plants for crafts and more!

09/30/2026

What a wonderful day at Rokeby Farm!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 3rd Annual Rokeby Community Festival last Saturday. We had our best turnout yet, and it was wonderful to see so many friends, families, neighbors, and visitors come together to celebrate the start of fall with a day of fun.

The beautiful weather included a bit of wind– but that just gave us an opportunity to pull the kites out. There was also so much else to see, including hay rides, a craft market, pop up exhibits, food, drink, music, and storytelling.

A huge thank you to the musicians, artisan vendors, community partners, volunteers, staff, and – of course – our guests who showed up and made the day so special. We’re already looking forward to gathering with you again next year!

09/29/2026

September brings a beautiful mix of rust and golden color, texture, and late summer abundance to the Formal Garden. This month’s plant highlights include Goldenrod, Blanket flower, French marigold, Silverleaf sunflower, and more. They all add their own character to the garden as the summer color and temperatures turn toward fall. 🌻🍁🍂

And this month’s From the Records is Artemisia ludoviciana ‘Valerie Finnis’. Named in tribute to renowned English gardener, plantswoman, and photographer Valerie Finnis, this cultivar is prized for its striking silver foliage and received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 1994.

Mrs. Mellon had a particular fondness for plants with silver foliage, believing they “reflected sunlight or moonlight.” 🩶🌙She used silvery-blue and grey foliage to soften surrounding colors and create a glowing, luminous quality in the garden. Head to the link below to see the full plant list:
https://www.osgf.org/gardens

09/28/2026

This September, Charlotte Lorick | Forgotten Flora takes us inside the Rokeby Wildlife Garden to check out all the different species of goldenrod we’ve got growing.✨

It’s a beautiful late-season bloom that provides an important source of food for pollinators. Check out the full species list below and stay tuned next month for everything Aster!

1- Solidago rigida, Stiff goldenrod
2- Solidago altissima, Tall goldenrod
3- Euthamia graminifolia, Flat-top goldenrod
4- Solidago odora, Licorice-scented goldenrod
5- Solidago rugosa, Wrinkleleaf goldenrod
6- Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’, Fireworks goldenrod
7- Solidago nemoralis, Gray or Old-field goldenrod
8- Solidago juncea, Early goldenrod