From our CEO
- Patrick MacRae
- Feb 28
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 19
Dear Friends,
Winter is a breathtakingly beautiful time to be on Mount Desert Island, and this winter has been one of the most picture-perfect in recent memory. Snow has fallen in abundance, inviting skiers and snowshoers to enjoy the Preserve throughout the season. During much of January and February, the ice on Little Long Pond was as smooth as glass and perfect for skating. Brilliant bluebird skies have punctuated the moody gray days, creating a rhythm that encourages appreciation for all that the weather brings us here beside the sea.
More than anything, winter helps us to stay attuned to gratitude—for the quiet peace of this season and for the beauty ready to emerge when the snow melts. For what it’s worth, the snowpack this winter is great for the gardens, creating a deep, protective insulation layer that protects tender perennials against the ravages of the cold.
Like the daylength at this time of year (we are gaining about 90 minutes in March!), the sense of energetic anticipation builds steadily as we approach spring. This is the time for seed starting and propagation by cutting. The greenhouses are beginning to fill up as the McAlpin Farm team dutifully works their way through the master grow lists for the upcoming season’s displays at each of the gardens and the plantings in the natural lands. It is a time of year where the full team effort is in effect. All the moving parts that drive the Preserve engage in a synchronous flow.
Teamwork is an important driving force of all we do at the Preserve, and much of this newsletter illustrates the breadth of expertise of our staff. Take, for example, the natural lands. Distinct from our gardens which highlight intensive horticultural management, the natural lands suggest a step back—letting nature do its wonderful thing. In fact, as Tate’s blog post showcases, our post-agricultural meadows require skilled and experienced management to combat invasive species, anticipate climate change, and maintain both aesthetics and safety. Tate and his team are deep wells of knowledge, and we all benefit every time we visit the Preserve. As they work with a light touch, we barely register the team's impact in fulfilling our mission of conservation.
Meanwhile, as you read Erin Paxton’s article on delphiniums, you will learn how years of tweaking our horticultural practices results in a show that is both remarkable and, it seems, almost inevitable. Six-foot-tall delphiniums are an iconic element of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden flower borders, and you will understand the degree to which the display is planned, managed, and skillfully executed. The glory of the summer display may seem like magic, but there is science, technique, and a tremendous amount of passion and research that combine, potion-like, to cast the spell.
Finally, we are pleased to spotlight two of our garden greeters, Linda Thayer (who is also our lead greeter and a Thuya Lodge docent), and her husband Bob. The Thayers, like all our greeters and docents, are keepers of our stories. Their passion and knowledge bring the Preserve to life and establish the sense of welcome that distinguishes the properties of the Land & Garden Preserve. As is the case with Tate and Erin, Linda and Bob are a part of the “special sauce” that makes the Preserve not only a remarkable place to work, but one that draws our friends back year after year to visit the landscapes where they find meaning and serenity.
Join us in anticipation of beautiful things to come this spring. We can’t wait to see you back at the Preserve very soon.
Warmest Wishes,
Patrick MacRae, CEO