Stepping Toward Our Vision on W.S. Merwin’s Birthday
Dear Friends,
Today is W.S. Merwin’s birthday, what would have been his 97th. Since William’s death in 2019, we have marked this day by pausing—of course to remember him and to read his poems, but also to consider our stewardship of the place he and Paula loved. On this September 30th, I’m looking back across the five years of our custodianship to all we have accomplished, through the participation and care of so many: we repaired and restored William and Paula’s house and garden dojo; we crafted gardening practices and plans that carry forward William’s own ways of tending this place; we began preservation of the library and archival material; and we launched a dynamic residency program. All the while, we have welcomed visitors to the garden in mindful, intimate ways, and inspired conversations about nature, language, and imagination through our programs.
Today I’m also looking ahead to another important milestone: the 100th anniversary of William’s birth in 2027. Over the past months, we have crafted a plan that will unfold across the next three years, as we approach that momentous occasion. Today, we step into our vision for a forest-garden that is thriving, mindfully expanding, perpetually changing, and endlessly inspiring. Rooted in W.S. Merwin’s convictions, we envision a place to imagine possibilities for place, poetry, and practice. Here, in today’s Stories from the Garden, and at our gorgeous new website, you will see the first expressions of this vision. Through the incredible care of our friends Jana and Howard Wolff, whose generosity has brought this pivotal project to fruition, we have created a site that, like this place, honors attention, invites discovery, and embraces growth and change. Please step in, wander around, and linger.
Rooted in W.S. Merwin’s convictions, we envision a place to imagine possibilities for place, poetry, and practice.
It was William and Paula’s concern for the world, expressed as care for this special place, that brought about renewal and resilience of land thought depleted. The garden they made is now under our collective care. I hope the Conservancy they founded will long continue to inspire the interest and participation of our community.
Today I ask you to make a gift—in memory of William, and in support of the Conservancy that carries forward his commitments through programs and practices, and that with your support, will continue well into the future, in ways we have yet to imagine.
With gratitude,
Sonnet
