Books & Blooms returns for ninth year

Books & Blooms returns for ninth year

Four distinctive Cornwall gardens will be open for self-guided tours Saturday, June 22.

Photo Provided

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.

Latest News

Wake Robin public hearing closes

Aradev LLC’s plans to redevelop Wake Robin Inn include four 2,000-square-foot cabins, an event space, a sit-down restaurant and fast-casual counter, a spa, library, lounge, gym and seasonal pool. If approved, guest room numbers would increase from 38 to 57.

Provided

LAKEVILLE — The public hearing for the redevelopment of Wake Robin Inn is over. Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission now has two months to make a decision.

The hearing closed on Tuesday, Sept. 9, after its seventh session.

Keep ReadingShow less
Judith Marie Drury

COPAKE — Judith Marie “Judy” Drury, 76, a four-year resident of Copake, New York, formerly of Millerton, New York, died peacefully on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, at Vassar Bros. Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, surrounded by her loving family and her Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Judy worked as a therapy aide for Taconic DDSO in Wassaic, New York, prior to her retirement on Feb. 1, 2004. She then went on to work in the Housekeeping Department at Vassar Bros. Medical Center for several years.

Born Jan. 2, 1949, in Richford, Vermont, she was the daughter of the late Leo J. and Marie A. (Bean) Martel. She attended Roeliff Jansen Central School in Columbia County, New York, in her early years. Judy was an avid sports fan and she was particularly fond of the New England Patriots football team and the New York Rangers hockey team. She enjoyed spending time with her family and traveling to Florida, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania for many years. She was a longtime parishioner of Faith Bible Chapel of Shekomeko on Silver Mountain in Millerton as well.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jeremy Dakin

AMESVILLE — Jeremy Dakin, 78, passed away Aug. 31, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center after a long battle with COPD and other ailments.

Jeremy was a dear friend to many, and a fixture of the Amesville community. There will be a service in his memory at Trinity Lime Rock Episcopal Church on Sept. 27 at 11 a.m.

Keep ReadingShow less