Shakespeare in the Arb Awakens Caretaker's Inner Poet

Hark! Yon Workday Report. 

Nichols Arboretum caretaker Stevia Morawski reveals that after watching Shakespeare in the Arb twice a week for an entire month her workday reports start to veer toward the poetical. In honor of Shakespeare in the Arb, and with suggestions from intern Jared Aslakson, this is Stevia's versiful version of last weekend's dame's rocket pull:

We drove through fields, to farmhouse red, where grass and milkweed lay,

We peeked o'er green, our eyes did see our seeding, flowery prey

Three strong we were, with volunteers, caretakers madeth five,

Our valiant goal, to leave no Dame, nor Rocket there alive

The poison ivy stopped us not, e'er luscious did it grow, 

We’d wash, we knew with sweet Tecnu before a rash could show

We strained, we pulled, we braved the rain, for all our selfless toil

The raspberries, with prickled leaves, didst lay our plans to foil.

Though strong we were, young buccaneers, tough botanists of Ann Arbor,

We could not broach the brambled wall, where Dames Rocket was harbored.

The noontime came and Summer's orb encroached upon its peak

Grinning with our leafy loot for havoc we did wreak 

Yet working past the noontime was a task we would not deign

With bounty bagged, we drove our truck to gardens once again.

Stevia Morawski

To be or not to be: dame's rocket

Jared Aslakson

What I Learned at the American Peony Society Judging

University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum student summer intern Zhenzhen Zhang enjoyed the rare opportunity to observe the peony cut flower judging sessions at the American Peony Society annual meeting in Louisville last May 2015. Zhenzhen recounts her experiences at the show.

My name is Zhenzhen Zhang and this summer (2015) I’m working as an intern in the University of Michigan Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden. I have an undergraduate degree in ornamental horticulture and I’m now pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture in the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment.

My undergraduate background has given me some knowledge of peonies. Moreover, peonies, especially the tree peony, originated in China.

Dr. David Michener, the curator at Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum, invited me to the American Peony Society meeting this May. While there I had the rare opportunity to observe the peony judging process. It was an honor to be an observer of the judging and it provided me a lot of insight into the world of the peony as a cut flower in the U.S.

The grand champion—or “Queen of the Show”—at the APS convention was the variety ‘Salmon Dream’. This variety, pictured below, had a clean coral color and perfect symmetry.

Grand Champion - "Queen of the Show"

So what made this peony the Queen of the Show? Judging of cut peonies depends on several criteria. Before we talk about those criteria, let’s review the six peony bloom forms.

First is the single form. Singles in cultivation may have up to 15 petals (wild form 5 petals), with a saucer shape, pollen-bearing stamens, and functional carpels.

Single form peony

Next is Japanese form. Diagnostic of the Japanese form are staminodes—rudimentary or sterile stamens that do not produce pollen, which means there are transformed stamens in which that original is still recognizable.

Japanese form peony

The third is the anemone form. The stamen transformation has progressed to the point where all visible evidence of stamen origin, except for its yellow color, has disappeared.

Anemone form peony

The next is the bomb form. This form looks like a ball sitting on a plate.

The semi-double form has prominent stamens and a bulking of petalage (one of the segments of the corolla of a flower), an increased number of guard petals, or a guard petals structure which adds visual bulk to the flower.

The last one is double form, in which all stamens and carpels are transformed into petals.

We need to know these forms because they are the basis for classifying peonies. If the exhibitor places his or her peony in the wrong group—for instance mistaking a semi-double for a single—no matter how perfect the peony is, the flower loses any opportunity for an award.

Bomb form peony

Another factor in peony classification is its group---Lactiflora, Hybrid, Suffruticosa, Lutea; Moreover, the color is also considered in the classification, such as white, pink, and red.

Double form peony

Now to the peony judging. What do judges look for?

1. Form

The perfection of form is the most important to the judging process. This means petals must be uniform and symmetrical; Japanese and singles should be properly placed; doubles should have petals symmetrically arranged with edges re-curved with a rosebud center.

Semi-double form peony

Poor form will look ‘relaxed’ or drooping, and sometimes the stamens and staminodes are not firmly held. Cupped varieties should not be cupped to hide the center. Guard petals may have notching and uneven length.

2. Color

The color should be clear, clean, and fresh. Multi-colors should be harmonious. The texture of petals should be silken, with a velvet or satiny sheen.

Symmetrical, uniform.

3. Condition and Grooming

Flowers should be in fully mature and peak condition; fallen pollen indicates they are past prime. Judges also watch for bruised petals and dark spots; there should be no side buds.

Judging only considers the condition of the flower at the moment of judging, and does not take into consideration whether the flower would bloom nicely the following day, or whether it bloomed perfectly the day before.

Exhibitors came from all over the United States. Peonies from warmer climates  bloom earlier, while peonies from colder climates may bloom later. In order to make their own peonies show well at the judging, exhibitors employed methods to keep or force peonies to open. Delivery is also a time when peonies might be damaged. So attaining the best form, shape, and condition is challenging. What’s seen at the judging represents an entire year of preparation. They all deserve a reward!

Drooping petals

You can see some flowers in 
this white group are not pure 
white, so they are not good ones

A sample of Carol Adelman's peonies. Carol is owner
of Adelman's Peony Gardens in Oregon.

Examples of peonies belonging to another exhibitor.

The right one is not mature, so not blooming well.

Zhenzhen Zhang, from China, recently completed her first year in the Master of Landscape Architecture in the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment. She is working as an intern in the horticulture department, in particular in the Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden. Zhenzhen is interested in ecological design and development. 

Satsuki Azalea Bonsai in Bloom at Matthaei

A renowned Ohio collector brings his blooming bonsai azaleas to the Bonsai & Penjing Garden at Matthaei

Update: From May 28 - June 5, 2016, Matthaei-Nichols will display a collection of blooming satsuki azalea from renowned Ohio collector Melvyn Goldstein. 

Dr. Goldstein is a professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. As a scholar on Tibet, its politics, culture and language, Dr. Goldstein developed his love of bonsai and began his own collection after seeing them on a trip to China in the 1980s. After he was introduced to azalea bonsai in 2001, Dr. Goldstein began his study of satsuki, attending courses in California and making trips to Japan to select azaleas. We asked Dr. Goldstein to share some of his thoughts on bonsai and the satsuki azalea he tends.

********

Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum: What kind of plants are in the exhibit?

Melvyn Goldstein: These are satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum). They’re one of the most popular and prized species used for bonsai in Japan and have been so there for at least 400 years. There are more than 3,000 varieties of satsuki azaleas that vary in the color of their flowers and their leaf size and shape.

Pictured: A selection of satsuki bonsai azaleas from Melvyn Goldstein's collection.

MBG: Where are the plants from, and what does “satsuki” mean?

Goldstein: All the azaleas in my collection were imported from Japan, mostly by me. The name satsuki means “5th month” because satsuki flowers are usually at their peak bloom during the last week in May and the first week in June, which is the fifth month in the lunar calendar. This is when the major satsuki bonsai competitions occur in Tokyo and Kanuma, Japan.

MBG: What makes satsuki bonsai special?

Goldstein: Satsuki bonsai are popular in Japan (and now worldwide) because not only do they exhibit an amazing range of beautiful flowers—sometimes for nearly a month—but they can also be trained to have elegant shapes. Some varieties, including ones in this exhibit, have flowers of one color, but most have different color flowers on the same tree, and many flowers are themselves multi-colored. Also, as evergreens, their striking shapes can be appreciated all year long.

MBG: You’re a U-M alumnus. Can you fill us in a bit on that background?

Goldstein: I received a BA in history in 1959 and an MA in 1960 in Russian history from the University of Michigan specializing in Russia and Mongolia. My life changed in 1960 when my advisor, Professor Andre Lobanov-Rostovsky, arranged for me to study Mongolian with a famous Russian émigré at the University of Washington. However the year I arrived in Seattle was the year after the Dalai Lama had fled from Tibet after a failed uprising. This was followed by the Chinese implementing socialist reforms including dismantling of the entire monastic system. As a consequence, the Rockefeller Foundation started a program to train new scholars in the West to study Tibet in order to preserve its cultural, historical, and religious traditions by funding seven new Tibetan Studies Centers in seven countries including the US, where the center was given to the U. of Washington. So at the same time that I arrived to start studying Mongolian, six Tibetans arrived from exile in India to teach the Tibetan language and help in research.

MBG: What sparked your interest in this particular azalea?

Goldstein: My passion for satsuki traces back to my years at the University of Michigan and my subsequent coursework and travel. Satsuki azalea, or “satsky” as they are often called, is an outgrowth of this. When China opened its doors to the outside world, I was able to get permission to start fieldwork in Tibet and came into contact with my first "bonsai" in the gardens of the hotels I stayed at in Beijing and Chengdu in Sichuan. This led me to want to raise bonsai myself, so I started studying it here and began to import bonsai from China. On one of my shopping ventures I saw a tree I hadn't previously encountered and learned that it was an azalea that had just been collected in the mountains and that it had beautiful flowers. It’s generally thought that this azalea is at least 100 years old. I brought it home to Ohio in 2001 and still have it in my collection. I enjoyed that tree so much that I started to study satsuki azalea bonsai cultivation with a Japanese master who came three times a year to teach a course on Satsuki in Sacramento. And I began to develop my own collection by buying some of the trees he brought for us to work with, and by making trips to Japan to select my own trees since satsuki azalea are widely available there and exquisite. I now have a collection of about 40 Satsuki.

Fleeting Beauty, Enduring Value: The Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden

Tues., May 19, 7-9 pm

Ann Arbor District Library main branch

343 South Fifth Avenue

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

A presentation by Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum Curator Dr. David C. Michener

Ann Arbor's favorite garden will soon be in bloom! Come and find out how we're enriching this historic collection and adding long-desired specimens, including Chinese and Japanese tree peonies. At tonight’s presentation Matthaei-Nichols Curator Dr. David C. Michener will offer a best-guess of when the peonies will burst into bloom and which plants may bloom for the first time this year. Get a behind-the-scenes view of changes and enhancements to this national treasure as we prepare for the Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden’s centennial in 2022. Bring your questions, too, for the after-session discussion.

Share your peony garden stories and photos! Submit your stories and photos online at the Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden website. Or bring a few to tonight's presentation for possible future inclusion on our website about public enjoyment of Ann Arbor's favorite garden.

A view of the peony garden from nearby Laurel Ridge
Photo credits: Michele Yanga

Discussion Location: The Ann Arbor District Library's Multi-Purpose Room at the downtown site. A listing for the program can be found on the Ann Arbor District Library's website: aadl.org.

Presented by the Ann Arbor District Library and

1800 N. Dixboro Rd. (Matthaei)

1610 Washington Hts. (Arb)

734.647.7600

Bonsai Expert Visits Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Bonsai artist David DeGroot reshapes not just some of the plants themselves in the Matthaei-Nichols collection, but how we look at them

Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum recently invited bonsai expert David DeGroot to conduct a multi-day session of bonsai care, pruning, and instruction. DeGroot retired in 2014 after 25 years as curator of the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection in Federal Way, Washington, where he tended a collection of more than 120 trees. David is author of Basic Bonsai Design (Basic Books) and the forthcoming Principals of Bonsai Design. Today he travels extensively, lecturing and giving bonsai workshops for gardens and other organizations with bonsai collections.

A Larix laricina (American larch) undergoing
a transformation by David DeGroot

We hired DeGroot as a consultant to guide us, over the course of several years, in the care and styling of our bonsai. DeGroot's long experience in the art of bonsai will “bump us up to the next level,” says Carmen Leskoviansky, Matthaei-Nichols collections and natural areas specialist. “We have good trees, she adds, "but we wanted a professional eye to critique our work and give advice on where to go and how to maintain some of the trees that have really reached a peak in their design where we’re uncertain how to move forward. David will provide us with the expertise and encouragement to make some big changes that will result in lovely, artful bonsai.”  

For three days in late April 2015 DeGroot—along with members of the Ann Arbor Bonsai Society and local bonsai artist and teacher Jack Wikle—circled around, discussed, pruned, and examined many of the trees in the Matthaei-Nichols collection.

David DeGroot in the Bonsai & Penjing
Garden at Matthaei

For this bonsai greenhorn observing the action from the sidelines, the progress and results were surprising, even unsettling. At certain points the floor was littered with branches as DeGroot applied his technique. “Less is more,” DeGroot said of a yew tree that he and Jack Wikle were working on. Before DeGroot began work on the yew it was about two and half feet tall and a bit shaggy, with a bare trunk that recalled a well-aged tree. “But we’re keeping the bones of the tree,” DeGroot comments as he continues his work. When asked the question, how do we know when the tree is ready to display, DeGroot observes, half seriously, “When it looks nice!” DeGroot went on to say that for this yew he was setting some basic structure, and the refinements would come later.

David DeGroot uses a blow torch to help shape branches

This particular yew has deadwood (shari) and a hole in the trunk. The hole was purposely created some years ago. Bonsai is art, and all art is subject to the whims of fashion. Today such trunk holes are out of style. To freshen the design while respecting the tree and its basic form DeGroot pulled some of the branches down with wires, creating a new front viewing point for the tree. He also tilted the tree a bit forward.

Moving over to a Japanese beech DeGroot worked with Wikle to recreate the look of the tree as it would be in its natural setting. “A large part of our discussion concerns the crown of the tree,” DeGroot observes. “Many trees have a characteristic juvenile leader so the tree puts its energy into the trunk’s apical terminal. At some point a trigger happens where branches will bolt and the tree starts taking on a rounder appearance. So for this beech, the low branches are emerging as they should be, including the crown, which needs to be rounded and not pointy.”

Jack Wikle (L) and Cyril Grum work on a
Japanese yew.

In one way the art of bonsai is about recreating the forms of nature in miniature. When looking at a bonsai tree the casual observer may not appreciate the many hours and in some cases decades of careful management required to imitate what nature seems to do so casually. DeGroot compares the training and care of a bonsai to an athlete in training. “We’re taking the tree to its limits but at the same time giving it the best possible care. Just as many athletes push themselves to new limits to achieve amazing goals we’re pushing this beech, stressing it, to give it the incentive to create more growth.”

A Japanese yew undergoing something
of a radical transformation under the
expert wyw of DeGroot. DeGroot
obscures the hole in the tree trunk
(called "shari" and now out of fashion)
by pulling other branches down over it.
Eventually the braches will grow, covering
the shari. Note the multiple branches littering
the floor.

 In time DeGroot’s artistry will take shape as the bonsai he worked on evolve. “It was fun and refreshing to have someone so bold and enthusiastic help us make some real art pieces,” Leskoviansky says.  “I'm excited to see what the future holds for our collection!”

Kids Write about Nature for Kids

With the help of University of Michigan School of Education grad student Molly Garrett, third-graders in Ann Arbor’s Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School create compelling copy and brochures depicting the biomes of the world

Creating clear, concise, and interesting signage and brochures for a botanical garden, museum, or zoo can be a challenge. Interpretation needs to address multiple audiences and different ages while conveying information in a lively format that’s educational and yet uncomplicated.

The current exhibit at Matthaei Botanical Gardens is a trove of brochures created by Amy Warner's third grade class at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Ann Arbor. Amy's graduate student intern, Molly Garrett, devised this informational writing unit with the intent to provide students with an authentic purpose for writing.

The project assignment was to research the earth’s terrestrial biomes and to create informational text to educate others about biomes. Students researched the arctic, tundra, grasslands, tropical rainforests, desserts, the temperate deciduous forest, and the temperate coniferous forest (taiga). The purpose of the assignment was to create materials for Matthaei Botanical Gardens younger visitors.

Some examples of brochures created by the King Elementary third-graders.

The third graders immersed themselves in the writing project for six weeks. The class decided to use informational brochures as their medium for educating the garden's young visitors.

In the project's initial stages, students researched their chosen terrestrial biome using books and online sources, and explored the genre of informational text in brochures. Through this exploration they discovered the features of brochures, such as a cover page, subtitles, use of images, and a bibliography. Students used index cards to organize their research into the following categories: climate, location, plants, animals, and other facts. This process supported the transfer of their research into the writing process. Students followed the traditional writing process of planning, drafting, revising, and editing their work. They used computers to publish their brochures, which is the work exhibited at Matthaei today.

The third-grade writers produced impressive results about the Earth's biomes and are very proud of their finished work. Please join us at Matthaei for a look at the students’ efforts.

Exhibit runs through May 17 at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105. The Gardens is open daily 10 am-4:30 pm. Admission is free, with a small hourly parking charge. 

Shakespeare in the Arb: Fifteen Years of Outdoor Theater Magic

Shakespeare in the Arb turns 15 in '15. Each performance---which takes place outdoors in Nichols Arboretum---makes for a moving theater experience for audience members and cast alike. Literally. Cast and audience move to different locations in the Arb depending on what scene is being performed. This engagement with the outdoors makes for a true integration of play and nature. In fact, the outdoor setting is one aspect of Shakespeare in the Arb that makes it unique. (For information on this season's productions visit our Shakespeare in the Arb page. Dates are Thursdays - Sundays, June 4-28.)

David Zinn's poster from the
2002 production of Midsummer. 

Shakespeare in the Arb began in the spring of 2001. Then Matthaei-Nichols director of development Inger Schultz applied for a three-year Ford Motor Company Grant for the Arts. Having received the grant, Schultz invited director Kate Mendeloff from the Residential College to use the first part of the award to produce a play in Nichols Arboretum. Schultz had been impressed by Mendeloff’s outdoor production of Chekhov’s The Seagull. Mendeloff, who specializes in early modern and modern drama, originally considered directing Chekhov’s work once again. Instead she chose Shakespeare’s masterpiece A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a play she says is “perfect for the Arb,” with its natural setting, structure, and language. Midsummer, a crowd favorite, has enjoyed a repeat performance every five years and will be performed again this summer for the fifteenth anniversary.

Opening weekend performances in 2001 struggled at first, battling low temperatures and cold rain, and as a result small crowds. But under the clear skies of the second weekend, roughly two hundred visitors appeared for each performance. In 2002 the show featured a double cast, charged for tickets, and sold out every performance for three weeks. The Ann Arbor tradition of Shakespeare in the Arb bloomed in full.

Fairies in the 2010 production of Midsummer run through the Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden.
Often the the timing of Shakespeare in the Arb
coincides perfectly with the blooming of the
 peony garden, adding an extra layer of magic to
 the performances. 

The Arb is a unique stage, and as long-time actor Joe McDonald says, “It’s an essential part of the cast.” Mendeloff loves the way productions and rehearsals in the Arb unravel organically, and the way the setting provides inspiration, countless unusual challenges, and moments that are “magical and serendipitous.” Each performance of Shakespeare in the Arb is unique and filled with the unexpected. Butterflies and deer often drift through the backdrop. Other sights are slightly less majestic. Joggers, curious dogs, hospital helicopters, joy-riding pilots, trains, and hail storms have all graced the stage with their presence. But as actor Carol Gray put it, “Arb audiences are extremely hearty and brave,” and the cast humorously compensates for interruptions as if they had actually happened in the world of the play. “What dark magic is this?” one actor yelled as a train roared through a scene in The Tempest, a play that features “dark magic.” Another obstacle is the unusual acoustics of the natural setting. Mendeloff tries to choose locations for scenes that are natural amphitheaters, like Heathdale, or that have trees in the background to project sound towards the audience.

Director Kate Mendeloff with Shakespeare in the Arb musicians
in the background. Music often accompanies the Shakespeare
in the Arb performances.

The organic nature of the Arb and the development of each show is a source of inspiration for Mendeloff and her crew. In the winter of 2003, Mendeloff was walking through Dow Prairie when she slipped on the ice. As she sat and collected herself in the snow, she envisioned a horse galloping towards her down the path. Sure enough, that summer’s production featured a horse jogging through the prairie and into the scene.

Actor Carol Gray says, “Kate is a fearless experimenter and a gracious leader, and the diversity of Arb alumni is a testament to her collaborative directing style.” Shakespeare in the Arb serves as an important link between the mission of Matthaei-Nichols, the academic side of the university, and the Ann Arbor community. In particular, these performances provide a remarkable experience for the students involved, who range from theater majors to future engineers. With double and triple casts each year, actors are forced to work interchangeably with other actors whom they may have never rehearsed with. And of course, actors have to project their voices and be physically fit in ways that a traditional theater environment wouldn’t require. Mendeloff also hires a crew of assistant student directors. “It’s a very non-hierarchical structure of rehearsal,” she says, “It has to be. We have to take advantage of every day it’s not raining.” As a result, the actors split into groups all across the Arb, working simultaneously on a variety of scenes under the leadership of student directors, while Mendeloff oversees the greater creative project.

Shakespeare in the Arb joins many people to the Arb who might never have visited otherwise. Mendeloff hopes the audience leaves thinking, “I want to come back and take a walk.” And she hopes that their walk is populated with the ghosts and language of the performances they’ve seen. Arb and Gardens director Bob Grese says, “These plays encourage audiences to see the Arb from new perspectives, which is really quite wonderful.  As I walk through the Arb these days, I can't help but reflect on how one setting became a magical place in A Midsummer Night’s Dream or something different in The Tempest.” Mendeloff claims her own appreciation and awareness of nature has expanded dramatically as a result of her experience with the program. “I love these trees,” she says. “They’re like my children.”

These performances also influence the Arb’s development in more concrete ways. Former Matthaei-Nichols' employee April Pickrel recalls how Shakespeare in the Arb forced staff to introduce now vital resources to the Arb, such as a golf cart, a cash register, and restrooms.

Many potential visitors might feel intimidated by the difficult nature of Shakespeare’s plays. But even Mendeloff herself says she was originally nervous about directing Shakespeare, which was outside of her area of expertise. “I mean, it’s Shakespeare!” she says, speaking about the early days of the show. But she has learned so much about each play and continues to learn each year and during each performance, and she believes audiences will have a similar experience. The Arb as a setting makes the plays more enjoyable and more accessible. The audience drifts to new locations from scene to scene, allowing people to give their minds a break and to enjoy themselves and the Arb before they dive back into the world of the play. The setting creates an immersive and interactive experience; rather than “imagining” the Forest of Arden in a dark theatre, the audience is in an actual forest. Children can sit right in the front row without having to worry about being fidgety or noisy. Rather than letting their eyes wander around a dark, enclosed theater, visitors and children can look off and see squirrels, birds, and trees. “And,” Mendeloff says, “I always put in a sword-fight or two for the little boys.”

http://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/happening/shakespeare_spring.asp?utm_source=Homepage&utm_medium=Carousel&utm_campaign=SliderLinksAfter fifteen years, Shakespeare in the Arb continues to develop, grow, and find success. Mendeloff enjoys revisiting plays like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and says the experience always deepens everyone’s understanding of the play and the audience’s engagement. But looking ahead, she would like to experiment with more difficult productions, which she finds more gratifying as a director, and would like to produce some of Shakespeare’s great histories and tragedies. With another nod to the children in the front row, Mendeloff says, “I’d like to put on Henry V, and have all the soldiers come charging across the field towards the audience.”

Shakespeare in the Arb 2015
Thursdays-Sundays
June 4-7;  11-14; 18-21; 25-28
1610 Washington Hts.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109