Education Page

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Holiday Gift Ideas From Boxerwood


Looking for that Christmas Present for the Kid who has everything?
How about a Boxerwood Mud Happens Tee Shirt?

Available in kids sizes Small, Medium, and Large
$8.00 ea

For the bigger kids in the family, how about a Boxerwood Ball Cap made from 100% recycled materials


Hats are $10 each

We also have a limited supply of 2012 Boxerwoodstock Tees for Adults

Boxerwoodstock Shirts are $10 each

All the above items are available in the Munger Lodge at Boxerwood.
For more information or to arrange a shopping stop, call 540 463 2697

Boxerwood Christmas Parade Float

Just in case you missed the Lexington Christmas Parade on November 30th, here are some photos of our Honorary Mention Awarded float nearing completion.



Boxerwood Recognizes Volunteers

On December 6th Boxerwood recognized and thanked its volunteers with a luncheon.




Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Gifts of Nature Coming To Boxerwood This Saturday



Gifts Of Nature This Saturday December 8th at 1pm at Boxerwood:

Gather with other local families at Munger Lodge to craft a holiday feast for the birds and wildlife that winter in Rockbridge. Honeysuckle wreaths, dried fruit icicles, cranberry garlands and suet-and-seed cupcakes are among the creature treats you can make at Boxerwood’s annual Gifts of Nature workshop. Families are also encouraged to bring burned-out incandescent light bulbs (not compact fluorescents) and last year’s holiday cards to repurpose and transform into beautiful Christmas ornaments. 

The fee to  participate is $5/family for Boxerwood members or $10/family for non-members. Boxerwood will provide vines, cones, winter berries, and greenery harvested from the woodland garden, as well as suet, raffia, ribbon and other project supplies. Families are asked to contribute one type of wildlife food, such as seeds, nuts, dried fruit, popcorn, citrus or fresh cranberries that will be shared by all participants.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Think About Boxerwood Tuesday


We had Black Friday for shopping, Small Business Saturday, and today is Cyber Monday. Tomorrow is "Donation Tuesday" which is a day to recognize charities and non profits. Perhaps you can think of Boxerwood on this day and make a donation to help keep our education programs and garden going.

You can even make your donations on line at:

Make A Donation To Boxerwood

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

November In The Garden


I know some people find November to be a dreary depressing month. I am not one of them.  Once the leaves are off the trees one can see the structure of things, the view opens up, and there is a subtle underplay of color in the landscape. Now is the time to start appreciating the bark of trees and the delicate filigree of branches against the clear bright fall sky. 

This month I am going to highlight one of the unusual conifers in the garden, Boxerwood’s Lacebark Pine (Pinus bungeana), located just below the NEWTS facility. Mi- chael Dirr, this country’s expert on woody plants, calls this “one of the most handsome pines for bark character”.  I have to ad- mit a special fondness for pines and this is one of my favorites.

It grows to about 35—50’ with a spread of about 20’.  The dark green needles are in bun- dles of three and are very stiff and sharp to the touch, but, of course, it’s that bark that is the main attraction. Just gorgeous.

For more information go to:


(Excerpt from Boxerwood Horticulturalist Faith Vosburgh's Garden Notes for November)


lacebark pine
Lacebark Pine at Boxerwood

Monday, November 5, 2012

Second Graders At Boxerwood Today

Mrs. Bytnar's second grade class from Waddell Elementary School in Lexington, Virginia learned today about how to  "Adapt Or Die" in nature at Boxerwood.

Second Graders filling out their Scientific Journals to documents their observations at Boxerwood.

Boxerwood Educator Jess Sullivan teaching a lesson about camouflage using "pipe cleaner bugs."

Second Graders honing their scientist observation skills at the Run Off Pond.


Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Sandy Has Little to No Impact On Boxerwood

During a quick inspection of the grounds and facilities at Boxerwood there appears to be no damage from the Storm of the Century, Sandy.  It is still snowing mixed with rain, but none of the snow is sticking to the ground or the leaves left on our trees.

Our thoughts are with those to the north of us who may have not fared as well.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Tonight Is The Night

Tonight is the Zombie Ball to benefit Boxerwood.  Plenty of tickets are still available. You can order them on line (see below or to the right) or purchase them up at the door.

No Costume - No Worries

We will have costume items and professional Zombie Make Up artists on hand to help you out.  Of course costumes are optional to having fun.

Zombie Ball TicketsCome One Come All

Monday, October 22, 2012

MONDAY ZOMBIE ALERT!!!


The pizza delivery never made it to his car after leaving Salerno's with a Meat Lover's pizza. The only clue to his disappearance was this photo taken on his mobile phone, most probably by the delivery man himself. 

As the time approaches for Boxerwood's Zombie Ball this Saturday, it's getting dangerous to walk the streets of Lexington. Better buy your tickets online, now!
https://boxerwood.ejoinme.org/?tabid=47749



Friday, October 19, 2012

FRIDAY ZOMBIE ALERT!!!
Zombies raided the Halloween aisle at Kroger early this evening, snatching bags of candy and costume accessories for Boxerwood’s Zombie Ball on October 27. Bad ghouls!



How about you? What are you dressing up as, and did you remember to buy your tickets? Just click here:
https://boxerwood.ejoinme.org/?tabid=47749

Colorful Sites At Boxerwood October 19

Boxerwood's more than 100 varieties of Japanese Maples are starting to put on their annual show of Fall Colors.  Here are some examples of what was seen in the garden today; October 19, 2012.


A group who stopped by to enjoy a beautiful day at Boxerwood






One of the secret hide-a-ways you can discover.






Click on the photos to see them in more splendor.

Boxerwood Reception for Volunteers and Staff

Thursday evening the rains held off providing a beautiful backdrop for a reception to celebrate Boxerwood's Volunteers, Staff, and the new entrance route to the garden and welcome Kiosk.

Thanks to the Boxerwood Board of Trustees President Paul Leonhard and his wife Nancy (also a volunteer at Boxerwood) for hosting.



New entrance route to the garden from the Kiosk

Volunteers and Staff gathering with the Welcome Kiosk in the background




Welcome Kiosk



New Storage Cabinet in the Welcome Kiosk



Even this new cabinet is educational.  Each piece of wood in the doors is a labelled different type of wood.



Thursday, October 18, 2012


THURSDAY ZOMBIE ALERT!!! 
As zombies like to say, "If you can't eat 'em, join 'em," which may be why this ravenous zombie was seen foraging near Southern Inn last night. 


What about you? Starved for some attention? Dress up and shamble on over to Boxerwood's Zombie Ball on October 27 -- and buy your tickets NOW!

Fall At Boxerwood

October is a perfect time to walk around the grounds at Boxerwood as every day seems to bring another surprise. Today, after doing a little cleaning up at the entrance to Boxer-wood, I discovered I was covered head (and I am talking hair, here) to toe with the stick-tights of Bidens frondosa, better known as Devils’s Beggarticks. I wouldn’t say that was a pleasant surprise - but there are plenty of pleasant surprises in the garden right now: the colors of the gorgeous Japanese Maples with leaves like tiny butterflies, the ever-changing colors of all the foliage (the yellows seems particularly pure this year—check out the Bottlebrush Buckeyes), the blooms of the Tea Camellia, a box turtle perfectly camouflaged in fallen leaves, a tiny snake curled like a twist of grapevine draped across the top of some Himalayan Sweetbox. The weather changes so quickly in the fall and in mid-October we go from summer to autumn almost overnight. We are definitely in fall mode right now here at Boxerwood. Come see for yourself..

Faith Vosburgh, Boxerwood Horticulturist 

For more information about Boxerwood, check out Faith's Monthly Garden Notes at:

Boxerwood Garden Notes


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Zombie Sighting

MONDAY ZOMBIE ALERT! Patrons leaving the State theater on Nelson Street last night complained they were stalked by two male zombies observed lurking around after "Hotel Transylvania" let out. Have zombies already started to gather for Boxerwood's Zombie Ball on the 27th? Has anyone told them they have to buy tickets?




You do not need to lurk around in the dark. You can get your Zombie Tickets clicking here.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Boxerwood October 15

Today we had third graders from Waddell Elementary School most of the day at Boxerwood learning about watersheds and habitats.

The colors of fall are slowly working their way down from the ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains into the valley and to Boxerwood.


Looking across the Munger Lodge to the Blue Ridge Mountains

From Boxerwood you can see the color in the Blue Ridge Mountains




The Maple on the right is a bit more red than last week.  You can
see the difference if you look at this same tree in the October 9th post.

You can see each photo in more detail by clicking on it.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Scenes of Boxerwood October 11

The start of fall colors coming out

One of the more than 100 varieties of Japanese Maples at Boxerwood
What is going on at Boxerwood today? 
Second Graders Learning About How Animal Adapt Or Die

The View Across Boxerwood To the Blue Ridge Mountains

Camellia Sinensis   Tea Camellia

Osmanthus heterophyllus  Holly Tea Olive

Horticulturalist Faith Vosburgh Inventorying and Tagging Specimen Trees  At Boxerwood
Come join us!