Old Friends and New Plants at the NYBG Antique Garden Furniture Fair
OvS Principals Sheila Brady and Eric Groft, together with OvS designer Lili Herrera, attended the Preview Party and Collectors’ Plant Sale for the New York Botanical Garden’s (NYBG) 25th Annual Antique Garden Furniture Fair last weekend.
The event gave attendees the opportunity to peruse thousands of garden antiques and rarities from 30 leading exhibitors across the United States and to see rare and exotic plants before they were scooped by avid collectors. Everyone was abuzz about the unusual plants on auction and OvS discovered a few new species. Echium wildpretti “Tower of Jewels” caught Eric’s and Lili’s eye and it may be used in the next spring rotation at Americana Manhasset in Long Island.
The preview party afforded OvS staff the chance to reconnect with old friends and collaborators such as Bunny Williams, John Danzer, and John B. Murray. Eric and Sheila were joined by OvS clients Rosita Trinca and Betsy Fink for the event. Sigourney Weaver, Bette Midler, and Martha Stewart were also among the guests. The trip also gave Eric and Sheila a chance to check in on the OvS-designed Native Plant Garden, which opened in 2013, and Eric gave a tour with Judy Harris, a frequent travel companion on OvS trips.
Photographer Larry Ledergman signed copies of the new book The New York Botanical Garden, by Gregory Long and Todd Forrest. The book’s cover photograph features a woodland scene from the Native Plant Garden.
