Books & Blooms returns for ninth year

On Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22, the ninth annual Books & Blooms event will take place, benefiting the Cornwall Library. This two-day garden-related event has become a cherished highlight, offering an enriching experience for garden enthusiasts and art lovers alike.

Friday evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a presentation by Ann Temkin, the distinguished Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Temkin will explore the deep connection between Claude Monet’s passion for gardening and his renowned paintings of water lilies. Her talk will reveal how Monet’s extensive gardens at Giverny were not just a source of inspiration but a vital part of his artistic process. Despite the current acclaim of the water lilies series, they were initially met with significant criticism in the early 20th century. Temkin will discuss the transformation in public perception that eventually led to their recognition as pioneering works of 20th century art.

Ms. Temkin, who was born in Torrington and weekends in Cornwall, is the first woman to hold the premier curatorial position at MoMA. This insightful lecture will be held at the United Church of Christ, 8 Bolton Hill Road in Cornwall Village, and will be followed by a cocktail reception.

The event continues Saturday with self-guided tours of four distinctive Cornwall gardens, beginning at 10 a.m. Each garden offers a unique and enchanting experience, including an unfussy, low-maintenance perennial garden with specimen trees, a garden featuring a waterfall and millpond, a dramatic hillside garden with a plunging ravine, and a charming cottage garden with extensive plantings.

Tickets are priced at $40 for the Friday talk, $30 for the Saturday garden tours, or $65 for both events. Registration and ticket purchases can be made through cornwalllibrary.org/events. Tickets and maps for the garden tours will be available for pickup at the Cornwall Library (30 Pine Street, Cornwall) on Friday, June 21, between noon and 6 p.m., or on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. on.