Events & News
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Shrubbery Planted at Dorchester Historical Society
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June 2011 – A new phase of the COG-designed master plan for the Dorchester Historical Society (DHS) was planted this summer by COGdesign Planting Brigade’s horticultural trainees. A collection of mixed shrubs, or Shrubbery, popular during the 19th century, now defines an interpretive area of the DHS landscape. COG’s designers Carolyn Cooney and Jane Coutre selected era-appropriate plant material with ornamental features to enhance the visitors’ experience.
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Project Sheet
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Gore Place Farm in 21st Century
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May 2011 – COG’s designer Danielle Desilets was asked by Gore Place staff to “provide a place to experience the history of the estate and to re-establish a connection with the land” belonging to this federal era estate on the Waltham/Watertown border. Her resulting master plan for the estate’s four acres of farmland separates contemporary farming practices from the areas of historical interpretation, provides some privacy for the resident farmer, and defines new access points and patterns for visitors.
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Project Sheet
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Symphony Park Concept Approved
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February 2011 – After a series of community meetings and Boston Parks Department design review, the Fenway Civic Association (FCA) has a new concept for improving the usability and appearance of Symphony Park. According to FCA member Marie Fukuda, COG’s designers Jon Pate and Lisa Esterrich developed a concept for the park that was sensitive to the needs of the neighbors, including students and a large elderly population, and addressed improved access for all.
> Project Sheet
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Roxbury Y Groundbreaking
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July – August 2011 – The teens breaking ground for the new Roxbury Y garden had a challenging task, but A Yard and A Half Landscaping made short shrift of installing the garden’s structure! Plants arrive in September.
Your $10 contribution will help plant the garden!
>> Support a square foot
>> Project Sheet
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Roxbury Y Garden Turns Green
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September 2011 – Staff and volunteers from the Roxbury YMCA, COGdesign, and the local community planted hundreds of leafy trees, shrubs, and perennials to further the vision of a new green space in this urban neighborhood. The ribbon cutting will be part of the May Fair in the garden!
>> Project Sheet
>> Help Support the Garden
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Skills Training Benefits Sites
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2010 growing season -- For ten weeks in the spring and in the fall, horticultural trainees from the Pine Street Inn took part in COGdesign's skills training program. Planting Brigade Coordinator Renee Portanova combined lessons with skills application at community sites. > Project Sheet (PDF)
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Garden of Hope Beckons to All
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June 2010 -- Located in the northeast corner of Boston City Hall Plaza, the new Cancer Garden of Hope is a destination for those seeking a place to honor loved ones and a welcome retreat for visitors to this historic district. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino welcomed supporters to the garden opening.
> Project Sheet (PDF)
> Read the story in Design New England: Hope Grows
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High School Students Visit Embassy Park
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May 2010 -- Waltham High School art students inventoried Embassy Park on Moody St. in preparation for making scaled models of a re-imagined park. Photo by Kathy Tarantola for COGdesign.
> Embassy Park Project Sheet
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CONVERSATIONS with COGdesign
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2010 -- When Ethne Clarke stepped into the editorship of Organic Gardening in early 2010, she transformed the venerable magazine and subscriptions have increased. She reveals her philosophy guiding the new OG to Jane Roy Brown.
>> Conversation with Ethne Clarke
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Embassy Park Design Competition
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Professional 1st Place: Herrera Nielsen Design, Brooklyn, NY
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High School Students Visit Embassy Park
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May 2010 -- Waltham High School art students inventoried Embassy Park on Moody St. in preparation for making scaled models of a re-imagined park. Photo by Kathy Tarantola for COGdesign.
> Embassy Park Project Sheet
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Trees Repaired for Roxbury YMCA
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November 2009 -- Dead tree limbs, overhanging a new garden spot at the Roxbury YMCA, posed a serious obstacle to the project. During it's annual Day of Service, Hartney Greymont, Inc. came to the rescue.
>> Story and Photos
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Nursery Garden Diary
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2009 -- COGdesign's Nursery Garden was a swimming pool, then a vegetable garden, then a weedy mess. Now it's on its way to becoming a glorious garden full of hardy perennials suitable for community greenspaces. Garden manager Stephanie Leonard takes us through the 2009 growing season.
>> Garden Diary
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Lynden Miller in Boston
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Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Lynden Miller, successful NYC public garden designer, told an enthusiastic audience that her work, like that of COGdesign's, was an essential part of softening city life and improving neighborhoods.
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DOG PARK Groundbreaking
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September 2009 — Boston's newest dog recreation space, designed by COGdesign, will be open for canines soon.
>> Read more with photos
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CONVERSATIONS with COGdesign
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Dr. Tony Recasner describes to Jane Roy Brown how a garden in New Orleans teaches, nurtures, and heals.
>>A School in a Garden
> More Conversations with COGdesign
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COGdesign in
Design New England
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July 2009 — Pathway To Healing, in the July/August issue of Design New England magazine, spotlights COGdesign's work with The Children's Room in Arlington, MA. Story by Carol Stocker.
>> Read more
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Nira Rock on
Chronicle
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July 2009 — Chronicle features Jamaica Plain's Nira Rock, a COGdesign project,
for your Staycation!
>> Watch the video
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Peace Garden, Ronan Park
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A Video by John Coyne.
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New Garden
for Solace
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May 2009 —
Hydrangeas, blueberries, daphnes, roses ... a new garden to soothe the heart for The Children's Room.
>> Read more with photos
(PDF)
Photos by Kathy Tarantola.
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Catalog for Philanthropy Picks COGdesign
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January 2009 — The nationally
recognized Catalog for Philanthropy has selected
COGdesign to join its roster of worthy philanthropic
organizations.
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Lynden Miller in Boston
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Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Lynden Miller, successful NYC public garden designer, told an enthusiastic audience that her work, like that of COGdesign's, was an essential part of softening city life and improving neighborhoods.
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Designing for Special Youth
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November 2008 —
Planning and design for a nonprofit serving brain injured adolescents starts with a community design workshop.
>> Read more
(PDF)
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Design Coaching for
Master Gardeners
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October 2008 -- A team of COG designers provided landscape design instruction to low and moderate income homeowners for a new Master Gardeners program in Boston.
>> Read More
with Photos (PDF)
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Project Sheet (PDF)
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Touring
Urban Wilds and Gardens
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September 2008 -- Tour goers rode buses for a guided tour of selected COGdesign projects in Brookline, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, and Roxbury.
>>
Read More with Photos (PDF)
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ABC Garden
Party
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June 2008 – As a special thank you for their generous support, members of COGdesign’s Augusta Bailey Circle were invited to a private tour of Board President Roger Jeanty’s inspired gardens featuring a moss garden, a Japanese maple collection, and a unique mandala garden.
Photos by Kathy Tarantola. >> Pictures
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Spring
Cleaning at Jenks House Garden
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May 2008 -- Under the direction of landscape designer
Sally Muspratt, COGdesign Planting Brigade volunteers
planted and mulched to refresh the gardens at
Jenks House, a permanent residence owned and managed
by Pine Street Inn in Brookline. The Jenks House
terrace garden will be featured on COGdesign's Urban
Wilds & Gardens bus tour in September.
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Plant Sale
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COGdesign's first annual plant sale was a hit!
In 2010, watch for more choice trees for the home landscape, hardy perennials, and shade plants!
Proceeds benefit the Nursery Garden.
To become a Nursery Garden volunteer or to make a gift to support the garden, send a message to
info@cogdesign.org.
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Waverley
Place Greenhouse
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November
2007 -- COGdesign Advisory Board member Chuck
Sherzi, Jr. demonstrates pruning techniques to
Landscape Institute students during in situ
class at the Waverley Place Greenhouse in Waltham.
>> View
the Project Description (PDF)
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Project
Showcase 2007
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Grassroots & Public
Solutions:
Nira Rock & North Point Park
November 2, 2007
at the Landscape Institute
Cambridge, MA
>> info
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Roger Cook Hosts ABC
Party
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June 2007 -- Landscape contractor and co-host of TV's This Old House, Roger Cook introduced COGdesign's Augusta Bailey Circle members to one of his special places.
>> more
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Ronan Park -
UPDATE
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June
2007 -- Friends of Ronan Park in Dorchester spruce up the Peace
Garden for the summer!
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Nira Rock -
UPDATE
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April 2007 -- After two years of planning and removing invasives at Nira Rock in Jamaica Plain, new plants go in the ground!
>> see recent photos
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COGdesign
Project on NECN
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COGdesigner
Jennie Smith and Alejandra St.Guillen talk
with Chet Curtis on NECN. >> 
Watch
the full video (7m35s) |
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Garden of
Hope in the Boston Globe
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Alejandra St. Guillen stood next to
the lot on Francis Street in Mission Hill that
will soon become a memorial garden in honor of her
sister Imette. (Globe Staff Photo / Evan Richman) |
Garden of hope to bloom
Parcel to be transformed in honor of slain student
By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff | March 22,
2007
It is a barren lot wedged between two three-deckers on
a Mission Hill street that is often clogged with honking
cars and shrieking ambulances headed for Brigham and
Women's Hospital... >>
full article
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Seeking Students' Visions
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February
2007 -- Students at the Neighborhood House Charter
School in Dorchester create fanciful models and plans,
under the direction of COG designer Anne Smith, in
anticipation of a new courtyard design. >>
see
more photos
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Dudley Sq.,
Roxbury
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February
2007 -- Community members meet with Dudley
Sq. Main Street Director Joyce Stanley and COG
designers Julie Bodner and Marybeth Leu to
discuss plans for a new, green gateway into the
Roxbury neighborhood.
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Project
Showcase 2006
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October 2006 -- Social Justice and
the Transforming Quality of Gardens highlighted
the development of green space as a means of promoting
urban tranquility. Community activists described local
projects and participated in a spirited panel
discussion.
>> More
>> Program
(PDF, 3Mb)
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MHS Awards
Gold to COGdesign
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Elm Bank, Wellesley, October 2006 -- At a gala celebration, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society presented a Gold Medal to Lucia
Droby, COGdesign Executive Director, for her efforts to build an organization that provides an outstanding community service. In her remarks, Droby acknowledged the contributions to the organization of co-founder Rosalie Johnson and accepted the award on behalf of “the hundreds of designers and volunteers whose work serves as a catalyst for community action and environmental improvements.” Visit
www.masshort.org
for details.
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Nira Rock in
Jamaica Plain
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November 2006 -- Nira Rock in Jamaica Plain, once a haven for drug use, now appeals to neighbors and adventurers!
>> More
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Children's
Museum in Easton
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October
2006 – The
installation of the new Outdoor Learning Center at the Children's
Museum in Easton is underway!
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COGdesign
WINS at N.E.
Spring Flower Show
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March 2006 – COGdesign’s exhibit of
community-based design projects at the New England
Spring Flower Show was the recipient of a Bronze Medal
and the Roger Dane Trophy, awarded by the Mass.
Horticultural Society! >> Press
Release
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COGdesign in
LandscapeOnline.com
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Landscape Design Group Matches Volunteer
Designers with Community Projects
>> Read the
full article here.
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COGdesign in
the Boston Globe
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“Landscape designers spread seeds of charity. Everyone wins!”
As described in The Boston Globe by garden writer Carol Stocker,
Life At Home, Nov. 10, 2005.
>> Read the
full article here.
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PROJECT
SHOWCASE 2005
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Easton: Touring Richardson, Olmsted, Steele, and
New Visions
Docent Kasara Martin regales COG designers Ginnie Norman and Lelia Weinstein at Gate Lodge, designed by H.H. Richardson; landscape by
F.L. Olmsted. Photo by Lance Bukoff/Accent Photography. |
>> More
Photos
>> See
the Sites
>> Press
Release (PDF)
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Outdoor Learning Center Opens
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September 2005 – The new courtyard space at the Mitchell School in Needham was greeted with great enthusiasm by the whole school community. Students, staff, and parents expect the new Outdoor Learning Center to enrich the classroom curriculum and provide hands-on opportunities for lessons and practicing good citizenship. The courtyard was designed by COG designer Alice Evans. Parents Martha Bassett and Judy Chin lead the initiative. Photo by Andy Caulfield.
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Fran
Hintsa
Memorial
Garden
Project
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July 2005 – Friends of Community Living
Network (CLN) help to remove plants from the former
home of Fran Hintsa, a devoted supporter who died unexpectedly last winter. The plants will become
part of a new garden, named in her honor, at CLN’s
second affordable housing site for seniors in Newton. The landscape design was created by COG
designers
Sarah Kish
and Janice Reilly
.
>> More
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Horticulture Features COGdesign
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Take a look at the April issue of Horticulture
magazine for a terrific article about
COGdesign! (northeast issue only). Click
here for a PDF version of the article. |
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Children’s
Museum in Easton Charrette
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June 2005 – COG designers, museum staff and board
members, and community participants explored the site of a
new Outdoor Learning Center. A day-long community design workshop encouraged
creative brainstorming for the project.
>> More
>> North
Easton Architecture on Tour
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ABC
Garden
Party
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Resident gardener Steve Voegelin
guides the
Augusta Bailey Circle
members through the spring flowering wildflower garden.
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Each spring, COGdesign says thank
you to its most generous donors – members of the
Augusta Bailey Circle
– with an invitation to a private garden party.
In May 2005, guests were invited to spend an afternoon
in the lovely gardens of long-time gardener and NE
Wildflower Society member Nan St. Goar in the Sargent
Pond neighborhood of
Brookline
.
COGdesign’s
Augusta Bailey Circle
acknowledges those donors making a minimum yearly
contribution of $250.
>> More
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Philosophy
Foundation Exhibit
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| Philosophy
Foundation,
Waltham |
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An
exhibit featuring COG designer Ellen Forrester’s
master plan for the Philosophy Foundation was on
display during January, 2005, in the Waltham Public
Library. The designer developed her
landscape plan for the three acre site, located in the
Piety Corner neighborhood of
Waltham
, after researching the philosophies of Ralph Waldo
Emerson and the concepts of landscape architect
Frederick law Olmsted. Her plan also responds to
the needs of the Philosophy Foundation for improved
parking and circulation, meditation spaces, and
historically appropriate plant selections.
Ellen
completed the project as a certificate requirement for
the Landscape Institute of the Arnold Arboretum of
Harvard University.
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| Philosophy
Foundation master plan. Ellen Forrester,
designer. |
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Mitchell
School
Groundbreaking
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On a slightly soggy October afternoon, a throng of children and adults gathered in the courtyard of the Mitchell Elementary School in Needham to celebrate a space, a process, and a vision. Principal Michael Schwinden welcomed teachers, parents, and students to what will become the new Outdoor Learning Center, designed by COGdesign’s Alice Evans. Alice, with the support of parent collaborators Martha Bassett and Judy Chin, gathered curriculum information and crafted an outdoor environment which will be used to enrich the educational experience of the whole school community.
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| Mitchell
School courtyard elevation. |
Mitchell School
courtyard stage.
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| Mitchell
School courtyard plan. Graphics by Alice
Evans. |
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Project Showcase 2004:
Landscape Is/As Art
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The art of landscape design was deftly and gorgeously illustrated by an illustrious group of designers at the 2004 project showcase,
Landscape Is/As Art. Framed by the gothic details, ethereal lighting, and glowing windows of the Forsyth Chapel at the Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain, landscape architects Douglas Reed and Mikyoung Kim, and environmental sculptor Ron Rudnicki were inspiring presenters to an appreciative audience of landscape designers and greenspace aficionados. Each featured designer expressed a commitment to the highest levels of quality and impact in their work; images of their work roved from pastoral to schoolyard, from stone to optic fibers, from broad gestures to fine details. It was a breathtaking journey.
The community component of the evening offered heartfelt testimonials from the designers and clients who represent the substance of COGdesign’s project work.
- Larysa Kulynych, co-chair of Friends of Ronan Park and John Beresford, a Friends member, told of the transformative power of a new ornamental garden in this Dorchester park. Susan Balleza, the garden’s designer, described the unique challenges of the urban, wind-swept site.
- Eleanor Batuyios, Pine Street Inn’s Administrator of General Lodging, conveyed to the audience the importance of creating a beautiful outdoor environment for low income residents in Brookline.
- Designers Anjali Joshi and Tacey Luongo along with Neighborhood of Affordable Housing’s Matt Henzy described the community involvement in developing a sculptural linear park along a schoolyard edge which connects and welcomes a dense East Boston neighborhood.
The thread of meaning woven throughout the evening was that the art and craft of landscape design is a powerful force for benefiting individual lives and for strengthening a community’s culture.
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Planting in Ronan Park
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Neighbors and friends gathered to make a new garden in Ronan Park, Dorchester. COG designer Susan Balleza created the design, specifying hardy, low maintenance shrubs, grasses, and perennials.
>>
More Photos |
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Augusta Bailey Circle Garden Party
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At Shirley Eustis House, Roxbury.
COGdesign supporters tour the gardens, carriage house,
and Colonial governor's mansion.
>>More
Photos
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Advisory
Board Annual Meeting
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COGdesign’s Advisory Board and Board of Directors, along with invited guests, meet annually to consider future goals. This year’s meeting, held at the Hunnewell
Building at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain considered a long-range vision for the nonprofit, ways in which COGdesign could provide resources to clients beyond design, and how the organization defines its support of environmental initiatives.
>>More Photos |
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Recent Press
on COGdesign Projects
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>> Read about the
Roosevelt School
project in the Hyde Park Bulletin (Adobe Acrobat
PDF)
>> Read about the
Jenks House
project in the Pine Street Inn newsletter (link
to article)
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An Evening with COGdesign at Stonehurst
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The Puddingstone Garden Restoration Grand Opening!
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In Roxbury, a two year collaboration among the
neighborhood association, COGdesign, and the Boston
Parks Department.
>> Event Photos <<
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COGdesign Cosponsors Community
Workshop on Mystic River
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Saturday, June 28, 2003 -- The Blessing of the Bay Community Design
Workshop began a critical conversation about the future of a very beautiful but
overlooked green oasis on the Mystic River in Somerville.
At the end of the day, participants agreed an important step had been taken in
shaping the future of the site. More...
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