SUMMER SOLSTICE SPECIAL–SUMMERHOME GARDEN'S LISA NEGRI, DENVER, CO
- Jennifer Jewell
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
We are finally at peak daylight and the Summer Solstice–which officially takes place June 21st this year.
Summer speaks of garden parties and holidays at the beach, or lake, by rivers, or in the mountains. Summer speaks directly to our connection to the wild places we love and perhaps long for– and which, through our gardens, can be right here at home…SummerHome Garden in Denver, CO, is a playful and powerful twist on how our gardens can be our summer homes.
Do you have a summer home? Have you always wanted one? This week we’re speaking to a dedicated gardener for whom cultivating place well means cultivating a wee bit of wildness in her urban landscape and co-creating her garden, her community, and the ecology of both in her now-public pocket garden and park in Denver, Colorado.
For Lisa Negri, a third- generation Coloradoan who grew up surrounded by a vibrant Italian community in North Denver, her garden is her summer home and a year-round home for plants, wildlife, and humans alike. Former guest on Cultivating Place, public horticulturist and author, Kevin Philip Williams’ designed and works with Lisa at SummerHome.
I am so pleased to welcome Lisa to Cultivating Place, and we start our conversation with the education that bridged her early years gardening with her grandparents to her future after a period of devastating illness that helped re-hydrate the gardening impulse of her early years.
Enjoy!
Follow Summerhome Garden online:
and on Instagram:
All photos courtesy of Lisa Negri, SummerHome Garden. All Rights Reserved
If you enjoyed this program, you might also enjoy these
JOIN US again next week! At the nation’s first civic garden, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, leadership is envisioning what their long history and legacy look like into the future. The Garden has just named Amanda Hannah as Director to lead this reimagining, and she joins Abra Lee on Cultivating Place to share more about the process and why it matters to all gardens. Join us. That's right here, next week. Listen in!
Cultivating Place is made possible in part by listeners like you and by generous support
from
in honor of Bailey Shaw
supporting initiatives that empower women and help preserve the planet through the intersection of environmental advocacy, social justice, and creativity.
We are also made possible through support from HEIRLOOM, a fabulous source for roses and so much more to cultivate the garden of your dreams.
Thinking out loud this week...
Hey, it's Jennifer—
Transformation is such a theme in this conversation with Lisa – the transformation one person’s life, the transformation of a bereft and
abandoned house and lot, the transformation of what we mean when we say the word garden, the transformation of what we feel when we claim the words : I am a Gardener.
With all of those thoughts and the important feelings and impact possible with them, I am reminding you to MARK your calendars to join us for the inaugural bi-annual Cultivating Place Symposium September 25th & 26th, 2026:
THE POWER OF GARDENERS: SOUTH BEND co-sponsored by Botany & Co in South Bend, IN
Cultivating Place sustaining supporters, who make a recurring monthly gift of $10 or more, or an annual gift of $120 or more will receive their Cultivating Place- supporter-only early-bird invitations to register in early summer. We can’t wait to gather together for this catalyzing two-day gathering of the whole team: Jennifer Jewell, Ben Futa, Abra Lee, along with Wambui Ippolito,
Myriam Nicodemus, Chris Fehlhaber, AND a sneak peak film-screening and panel around the POWER OF GARDENERS FILM SERIES, followed by a community reception on Friday evening the 25th, and inspiring guided
Garden and Green Space tours on Saturday morning the 26th.
We'd love to see your there ! Join us! Invitations will be mailing soon – make sure you’re on our supporter roll and mailing list now…
and Happy Summer Solstice my friends, there is nothing we cannot grow together.
Our monthly Cultivating Place communing series continues – and the gathering around preparing our intentions in front of the solstice this last week led by Ben was as sweet and affirming as these gatherings always are – reminding us why we do what we do as a community of Gardeners and why we love it.
Our next gathering will be a book club offering led by Abra and delving into the messages and take-aways from the incredible book: When Trees Testify. That’s July 21 st at 3pm Pacific/ 6 pm Eastern.
WAYS TO SUPPORT CULTIVATING PLACE
Cultivating Place is a co-production of North State Public Radio, licensed to Chico State Enterprises. Cultivating Place is made possible in part listeners just like you through the support button at the top right-hand corner of every page at Cultivating Place.org
The CP team includes producer and engineer Matt Fidler, with weekly tech and web support from Angel Huracha, weekly communications support by Sheila Stern and Carley Bruckner, and regular hosting by Founder, Jennifer Jewell, as well as Abra Lee in Atlanta, Georgia, and Ben Futa in South Bend, Indiana. We’re based on the traditional and present homelands of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of the Chico Rancheria. Original theme music is by Ma Muse..
SHARE the podcast with friends: If you enjoy these conversations about these things we love and which connect us, please share them forward with others. Thank you in advance!
RATE the podcast on iTunes: Or wherever you get your podcast feed: Please submit a ranking and a review of the program on Itunes! To do so follow this link: iTunes Review and Rate (once there, click View In Itunes and go to Ratings and Reviews)
DONATE: Cultivating Place is a listener-supported co-production of North State Public Radio. To make your listener contribution – please click the donate button below. Thank you in advance for your help making these valuable conversations grow.
Or, make checks payable to: Cultivating Place Foundation EIN #33-1665277
PO Box 37
Durham, CA 95938
Comments