The weather forecast was COLD AND WET on Saturday, March 25th at Sonnenberg Gardens as 20 of our hardiest met to hear the UNTOLD STORY OF FREDERICK FERRIS THOMPSON.
Sonnenberg Gardens Director, David Hutchings, met with us before he headed out to do some chainsaw work. He told us about upcoming events at Sonnenberg including a visit from
Claudia West.
We began our tour through the greenhouses with Sonnenberg's Volunteer and Education Coordinator, Pam Gangloff. First through the future Rain Forrest...
Then passed the orchids... (
Sonnenberg's Orchid show is April 21-23, 2017)
and the succulents...
and into the conservatory...
We then settled for a bit in the warm and dry Head House where volunteers meet on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to assist around the gardens. It was here that Barb Stahl did a wonderful job sharing with us the research that she has put together about Frederick Ferris Thompson.
Barb combed through years of Frederick's diaries to find numerous accounts showing that he was a naturalist and that he kept good company with the Canandaigua Botanical Society founding member Dr. Jewett. Barb created two books that she gifted to the Canandaigua Botanical Society filled with entries from 1864-1881.
After our time with Barb we were invited to walk the garden grounds with Pam and Barb.
Our gratitude to Barb and Pam for a wonderfully warm welcome to Sonnenberg. Our hopes are to continue into research with Sonnenberg using Canandaigua Botanical Society records. Anyone interested in helping out in this endeavor should let us know at canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com.
If you are interested in becoming more involved with Sonnenberg please contact volunteers@sonnenberg.org or check out http://www.sonnenberg.org/volunteer/
You may also plan to attend
the volunteer recruitment event on April 22!
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