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Abstract

Yew Dell's $5.1 million Castle Gardens project represents a significant growth marker for this 23-year-old organization that in a short span of time has moved from a quickly assembled project to rescue a priceless historical asset to a now internationally recognized center of excellence in horticulture and non-profit development. The sixth major capital project in the organization's profile, the Castle Gardens project is Yew Dell's largest capital construction effort.

The Castle Gardens project is being developed according to a design from Land Morphology, Inc., of Seattle Washington. Owner/founder Richard Hartlage and his team are widely recognized as one of the top public landscape/garden design firms in the US. An added connection within the project collaboration is that Mr. Hartlage is a native of Crestwood, Kentucky, the home of Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, and Hartlage credits former Yew Dell property owner and nurseryman, Theodore Klein, with inspiration toward his eventual career path choice.

The new garden will transform the area around Yew Dell's iconic Castle structure into the crown jewel among Yew Dell's display gardens. The design will significantly improve and expand ADA access to three previously difficult-to-traverse levels of the property, will effect major improvements to surface stormwater management across the site, and will provide visitors with a long list of amenities to enhance their visit.

Starting with two part-time staff in 2002, Yew Dell now has more than 30 staff including staff recognized locally, nationally, and internationally as leaders in fields ranging from finance to horticulture, research, education, and administrative vision. Yew Dell is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a preservation partner project of the Garden Conservancy, a national non-profit dedicated to recognizing and helping to preserve the Nation's most significant historic gardens.

Presenters

Dr. Paul Cappiello

Dr. Paul Cappiello is currently the Executive Director of Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in Crestwood, KY. Dr. Cappiello is highly regarded as a lecturer, writer, plant collector, teacher, researcher, garden designer and gardener. He is known locally, nationally and internationally for his work on selection, introduction and evaluation of new ornamental plants for the landscape. He and TN nurseryman Don Shadow co-authored the first major book devoted exclusively to Dogwoods. Among his numerous awards are honors from the International Plant Propagators’ Society, Garden Club of America, American Society for Horticultural Science and the Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association. He was named the 2013 recipient of the American Horticultural Society’s Liberty Hyde Bailey Award and in 2015 was honored with the Award of Excellence from National Garden Clubs, Inc.