Conversations with COGdesign

Many state parks in Massachusetts offer adaptive features to visitors in wheelchairs which help them experience the joys of kayaking, skating, fishing, and other rigorous outdoor activities. For more than 25 years, Tom McCarthy has been improvising and innovating as the Director of the Universal Access Program for the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation.
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Rhode Island School of Design’s Professor of Architecture, Silvia Acosta, encourages students to see the integration of architecture with the needs of the community through hands-on projects like Blossom, a new community garden.
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Coauthors Jane Roy Brown and Susan Haltom talk about writing One Writer's Garden: Eudora Welty's Home Place and about Miss Welty's passionate connection to her garden in Jackson, Mississippi – a source of inspiration and refuge. The garden’s development parallels early 20th century movements for women’s independence and useful enterprise.
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Not so long ago, some NYC residents thought an old, rusted rail line, running above the meat packing district, was an eyesore. Now, it’s a beloved and very high profile public park in Manhattan. Melissa Fisher, High Line Director of Horticulture and Park Operations, coordinates the complexities of this magical place!
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In 2008, Bill Cullina left his work at New England Wildflower Society to become the first Plant Curator at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Now, intensely cultivated gardens, island hopping, and tourists are all part of his day.
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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.
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For more than two decades, Valerie Burns has been a champion for protecting open space in Boston and encouraging citizen involvement. She explains to Jane Roy Brown that connecting people to nature is key to her success.
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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

Bea Robinson, gardener; Athens, Ga., 1987, by Vaughn Sills.

Photographer Vaughn Sills explores the traditions found in African American gardens in the South — a photo collection 20 years in the making — with Jane Roy Brown.
>>Capturing the Spirit of African American Gardens

Public garden designer Lynden Miller talks with Jane Roy Brown about the social value of creating beautiful gardens in challenging places.
>>Make It Gorgeous and They Will Come!