It was a quiet little garden about which not many people seemed to know until it was about to disappear. Since news of its demise, scheduled to take place this week, what its volunteer creator calls Your Hearts Garden at Olivia’s Overlook in Lenox has attracted quite a lot of attention.
The 1,000 bulbs were donated over a seven-year period by several area businesses— including Ward’s Nursery, Wal-Mart, Taft Farms and Richmond Nursery — and yearly bloom on top of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline right-of-way. These perennials are part of a structure that the company says has become too big and could create a problem, says Mel Scott, spokesperson for the Tennessee Gas Pipeline, which is owned by the El Paso Corporation and headquartered in Houston, Tex.
The creator of the garden began planting bulbs there in 1995 while living at Kripalu. That was three years after he legally changed his name to Heartman, to reflect a mission: to promote the use of what he says is a universal symbol, the heart. He has since built a stone structure around the heart shaped garden. The heart is a universal ancient symbol he says, which kids draw all over the world.
He would like to see the symbol replace the other well-known symbols: skyscrapers, pyramids. He says the heart symbolizes wisdom, the kind that gets overshadowed by other cultural values.
He planted his first heart garden while in high school, for a day care located at his school in South Windsor, Conn. Kids and teachers loved it and he was inspired by the response.
“It’s not a lover’s thing,†he says of the heart, but it’s a good symbol because “it doesn’t threaten anybody; it’s non-denominational.†But the garden is more grass-roots than all of that. He says kids come to sit there, adults visit on their way to work. It turns out, he says, that “people get it†— they come to collect themselves and then move on with their day.
Heartman planted the first bulbs after consulting with Berkshire Natural Resources Council, which owns the land, he says.
Now that it seems the garden will be destroyed, he hopes he can move the garden to another spot. He’d prefer to keep it here, but he says Tennessee Gas Pipeline representatives say they won’t bend the regulations. They stretched regulations for the creation of the overlook and for the parking lot, so why not for the garden, he asks.
The garden must go because of the excavation work that he did in recent years, says Scott.
Scott says the company probably should have stopped the project years ago. It was when they learned of the excavation that they decided to put a halt to it. Scott says that in some rural areas, farmers harvest land on a pipeline right of way, but such a project would be negotiated with the landowner at the time of the right-of-way agreement. No such gardening plan was made with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council which owns the land. He said he doesn’t know how far below the ground the pipeline is located on that spot.
Scott suggests that Heartman put it elsewhere, such as in one end of the parking lot. He says the beauty of the overlook won’t be jeopardized by the removal of the garden. Meanwhile, several garden enthusiasts plan to be on hand when the bulldozer comes.
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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.
In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.
Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.
The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.
"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."
Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.
In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.
The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.
"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.
The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.
In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.
"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
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