Spring Color and Life Comes To Boxerwood

Some scenes at Boxerwood on April 30th.  You can see the color of spring coming out even on a rainy day.

Scenes From Yesterday's Earth Day Celebration

Earth Day Celebrated at Boxerwood April 27th

Strut your recycled stuff down the Trashion Fashion Show runway at Boxerwood on Sunday, April 27

Join trashion models and recyclartists at Boxerwood this Sunday afternoon (April 27) from 1:00 to 4:00 for the nature center’s first-ever Trashion Fashion Show.

“It’s going to be the zaniest Earth Day celebration in Rockbridge since the Trash Mob parade of 2011,” promises Faith Vosburgh, the event coordinator. (Boxerwood was behind that lollapalooza as well.) “Participating in the Trashion show is another fun way to be eco-creative and do a little something to help save the planet.”

Kicking off the event will be a runway show at 1:30 featuring “upcycled” clothing designer Lark Waxwings, a Charlottesville artist who uses only found objects and discarded materials to create wearable art. “Lark is making her own ‘trashion statement’ about the importance of recycling,” says Faith Vosburgh. “She takes what other people throw away and transforms it into something beautiful and useful.”

Immediately following the runway show will be three 90-minute trash art workshops. Attendees can make DIY (Design-It-Yourself) Trashion Fashions with Lark Waxwings; build a Recycled Instrument with local musician and Trash Band leader, Roy Fauber; or try their hands at Twig Sculpting with Earth-artist and engineer, Jay Sullivan.

The event will close with a Community Trashion Fashion Show at 3:30, this one featuring Halestone dancers high-stepping down the catwalk in trash-tufted tutus, local artists strutting their artsy attire, and workshop participants modeling trashion fashions or playing recycled instruments with the Trash Band.

Prizes will be awarded for the best Trashion Fashions. “Professional” Trashion Designers (adult artists) who model upcycled clothing created in their studios can compete for a $100 cash prize for Best in Trashion Show or Most Artistic Re-Use of Materials.  All other participants can compete for Trash Trophies (no two alike!) in a variety of categories, including Up-and-Coming Trashion Designer (ages 12 and under), Trashion Trendsetter (ages 13-17), High-End Trashion Designer (ages 18 and older). Contest rules and prizes are posted on the Boxerwood webpage (www.boxerwood.org/events).

Trashion Fashions may be created either at home or at Boxerwood on the day of the event, but must be made of at least 75% recycled or reused materials. Contestants will be asked to describe how their garments were constructed, and to choose an environmental factoid about the materials they used that an announcer can read as they model their outfits.

Admission to the Trashion Fashion show is free, but everyone is asked to BYOT – Bring Your Own Trash. Boxerwood is collecting all kinds of clean rubbish and recyclables – everything from soda can tabs and broken toys to old shoes, incomplete decks of cards, and plant prunings. A long list of materials can be found on the Boxerwood webpage.

Local artists, artisans and musicians who would like to model their own upcycled attire, help construct the Trashion runway, perform in a Trash Band, or give young Trashion designers a hand during the workshops should contact Faith Vosburgh (faith@boxerwood.org) for more information.  They may also be interested to know that Sherri Smith, director of the Artisans Center of Virginia (ACV), will be available at the event to provide information about ACV, a state-designated nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the economic opportunities of small business artisans and the communities in which they reside. 

 Rules for the Trashion Fashion Show:

 ·        Garments should be made of at least 75% recycled or reused material.

·        Recycled materials can be attached to another piece of clothing.

·        Footwear, hats, belts, and other trashion accessories may be part of an outfit.

·        Trashion Fashion designers may ask others to model their clothing.

·        Models must be able to walk down the runway without their outfit coming apart.

·        Family-friendly Trashion fashions, please!

Boxerwood Site For River Rat Training

Boxerwood has entered into a partnership with the James River Association in support of their River Rat Monitoring Program.  The mission and work of both groups are closely linked in educating our community about water sheds and their relationship to water quality.

JRA and its James Riverkeepers are recruiting the James River’s first line of citizen defense, the RiverRats. This program engages volunteers to patrol the James and its tributaries and to take action to protect and restore the entire watershed. Whether walking a neighborhood stream, kayaking a local river, or boating the wide reaches of the lower James, JRA RiverRats will document potential pollution sources and their effects while also reporting natural patterns in river hydrology and wildlife sightings. A scientific background is not required. Training and equipment will be provided.

RiverRats will be proactive in protecting their river by committing to action projects in their communities. By helping JRA keep watch over our waterways and inspiring their neighbors to choose clean water, RiverRats will play a vital role in protecting and restoring America’s Founding River.

Saturday, April 26 9:00 am – 2:00 pm RiverRats Training - Lexington
Training for JRA’s RiverRats program, to be held at Boxerwood Nature Center and Woodland Garden, 963 Ross Road, Lexington, VA. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Boxerwood Partnering With Artisans

The Staff and Board at Boxerwood have entered into a partnership with the Artisans Center of Virginia in an effort to work together to bring art into the Boxerwood Garden.

"We are hoping that this relationship will help us to introduce Boxerwood to local artisans to provide inspiration for their craft.  In turn, we also are hoping for this to result in art to be displayed in the garden," says Managing Director Bruce Bytnar.

To learn more, go to the following links;

Boxerwood on the Artisans Web Site

Artisans Center of Virginia

Rockbridge Master Naturalists Sponsoring "Tick Talk"

Tea and Training At Boxerwood

There will be a Tea and Training Session for Boxerwood Volunteers and the public on Thursday, April 17 at 2pm. Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs will be the topic of discussion and then viewing with Horticulturalist Faith Vosburgh.

The magnolias are blooming here at Boxerwood! Come learn what other woody plants are flowering and then enjoy a walk through the gardens.

Could It Be Spring At Last

A few sights from around Boxerwood today (Friday April 4).

Magnolia Loebneri

Baird, one of the regulars at Boxerwood, checking out blooming hellabores.

The sound of woodpeckers outside the Munger Lodge was so loud one would have thought a construction crew was working.

Eastern Painted Turtles are back in the Pond.

Magnolia Kanos

A stone bench framed by green that had been covered over by invasive species of plants.  Just another example of the treasures to be discovered around every corner at Boxerwood.

Spring Programs

Spring programs for school children from all corners of the Rockbridge region are getting into full swing at Boxerwood.

Boxerwood Would Appreciate Your Comments

We are always looking for ways to improve our communications and information with our public.  As you view these Blog Posts feel free to leave us comments.

To do so look at the bottom left edge of each individual post and you will see a tab that will say "No Comment" or if others have commented you will see a number of Comments.  Just click on this tab and you will see the comment page pop up.  Then it is simply a matter of writing away expressing your thoughts with us.

And thank you for your continued support and interest in Boxerwood.

Master Gardeners Visit Boxerwood

As an example of our efforts to expand educational opportunities for adults, Boxerwood Horticulturalist Faith leads a garden tour for the latest Rockbridge Master Gardeners class.

Here they are looking at our huge Parrotia tree. 

Faith also leads a monthly "Tea and Training" workshop. This month, the topic was "Fragrance in the Garden."  Keep a watch on our website and Facebook page to learn more about future educational opportunities at Boxerwood.

Earth Day Events At Boxerwood April 27

Earth Day Events -  Sunday April 27 from 1:00 to 4:00. Make your own “Trashion” statement

According to event organizer, Faith Vosburgh, “Designing ‘trashion fashion’ is just a really cool way of applying the three R’s of environmental sustainability: reduce, reuse, recycle. We’re using what would go into the landfill or burn pile to make art and music, and we’re hoping all our artsy Rockbridge neighbors will get involved.” 

Kicking off the event will be a runway show featuring recycled wearables created by Charlottesville trashionista and upcycle artist Lark Waxwings. (“Upcycling” is how artists refer to reusing old or found objects to make new art.) Following the show will be three workshops:

DIY (Design-It-Yourself)Trashion Fashions
Build a Recycled Instrument
Make Twig Art

Attendees can participate in any or all activities. At the end of the afternoon, there will be a second Trashion show, this one featuring local dancers, artists and workshop participants.

You can help us by donating stuff: all kinds of clean rubbish and recyclables – everything from soda can tabs and broken toys to old shoes, incomplete decks of cards, and grapevine cuttings.

Boxerwood Trashion Show Rules

 Clean stuff can be dropped off at the nature center anytime or brought to Boxerwood on the day of the event.