WOODSTOCK COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE GARDENS OF ST.GREGORY’S
AT PARTY ON SATURDAY, JUNE 7—ALL ARE INVITED
Woodstock---As spring turns into summer, and all is in bloom in the Catskills, mark your calendar for a community-wide party to celebrate the Gardens of St. Gregory’s on Saturday, June 7 from 2 to 5 p.m.
The Gardens are located behind the A-frame church which houses St. Gregory’s Episcopal on 2578 Route 212, just east of the village of Woodstock.
“June 7 will be a festive occasion as we celebrate the Gardens and invite the greater Woodstock community to join us in being part of this splendor of nature,” said the Rev. Gwyneth Murphy of St. Gregory’s.
Community leaders will join Bishop Andrew Dietsche of the New York Episcopal diocese who will be attending the festivities.
The Gardens first opened about 10 years ago, and have become a place for individuals to seek solace from a busy day, to meditate, to worship and for dozens of weddings and ceremonies that have taken place in the past decade.
James Dinsmore, a member of St. Gregory’s and chair of the Garden Committee, has helped spearhead the growth of the gardens.
When Dinsmore first got involved in designing the space in 2002, he conceived a cross-shaped layout, and visitors today can see this first-hand. The first garden has seating for services as well as a place to read and think quietly. The main garden is highlighted by a series of river birch trees on both sides, and a fountain and altar in the front. As you walk through the garden, many kinds of plants are there before your eyes—hydrangeas, viburnum, fairy roses, spirea and flowering shrubs.
“The newest additions to the Gardens have evolved in the past three years and are designed with autistic children, seniors and the disabled persons in mind. Everything is handicapped accessible,” said Dinsmore.
And the new Horticultural Therapy Garden is meant to give everyone a place to plant flowers, interact with friends and family, as well as a pavilion that provides relief from the warmth of the sun on a summer day. Plus, there’s a fish fountain that beckons when you wander into the horticultural therapy area as well as a separate area that includes a labyrinth with two granite benches.
The June 7 party at the Gardens will include entertainment, and lots of food and drinks provided by the congregation of St. Gregory’s. For more information, call 679-8800.
