Overview: Join Jason Delaney and the OSGF Horticulture and Library staff for this colorful, immersive course on geophytes, affectionately known as “bulbs.” From their humble, wild origins to their cherished role and presence at Oak Spring, Jason will discuss their historical trade and early commercial representation; contemporary use, culture, and production; and share a life-long bulb gardener’s perspective on his favorite bulbs, their varied applications, and how to grow them to perfection. You will participate in informative, demonstrative walking tours throughout the gardens, production facilities, and greater property to see bulbs utilized at every level. Explore extant bulbs Bunny Mellon knew and cherished along the walking paths and in the gardens. Visually rich, historical insight will be woven into the programming by way of OSGF’s Library holdings, Bunny Mellon’s personal catalogs, orders, and grower correspondence, and Jason’s personal archived historic bulb catalog collection. Jason will also provide an in-depth glimpse into his own professional gardening career and life as a daffodil enthusiast.
Eligibility: Experienced home gardeners, public horticulturists, designers, advanced students, and those who fancy geophytic plants.
Course instructor Jason Delaney
Instructor: A graduate of Michigan State University’s Institute of Agricultural Technology, Jason Delaney’s horticultural career began as a student laborer at MSU’s Beal Botanical Garden where his love of public gardening was planted. Following a summer internship at the world-renowned Missouri Botanical Garden in 1995, he accepted a full-time position there and for the next nearly 21 colorful years grew from Gardener to Horticulturist, and ultimately to North Gardens Supervisor and Bulb Collections Specialist. During his tenure curating MBG’s bulb, daylily, and iris collections, among others, Jason participated in conservation-focused plant collecting expeditions to the Altai mountains of southern Siberia, the Caucasus Mountains of the Republic of Georgia, the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and the Changbaishan Mountains in northeastern China. Jason has also traveled to Taiwan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and extensively throughout the U.S. for his work with daffodils, his greatest passion. Jason’s work with bulbs has been featured in numerous magazines, journals, newspapers, and television programs. Today, Jason owns and operates Professional Horticultural Services (PHS), specializing in residential garden design and maintenance; and PHS Daffodils, specializing in daffodil production. Jason’s prized plant collections are situated on nearly four acres of family land in Flora, IL where over 3,500 varieties of daffodils, over 1,500 varieties of daylilies, and a few hundred historic irises are grown for small-scale commercial production, breeding, and evaluation. Collecting novel garden varieties and historic varieties for genetic preservation are his primary foci. Jason has been breeding daffodils and daylilies, and dabbling in breeding trumpet lilies and crinums, since the 1990s; a few of his cultivars are now in commercial production. Jason made his first flower bulb order at the age of four, and has yet to learn restraint from acquiring new bulbs annually. Follow his adventures on his Instagram accounts, phsdaffodils and phsdaylilies.
About OSGF: The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel Mellon, who were major philanthropists in the U.S. of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation’s inaugural President, OSGF provides short courses and supports residencies for artists and scholars. Its celebrated Library comprises rare books, manuscripts and works of art relating to horticulture, landscape design, botany and natural history. It is becoming a new center of stimulation of all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution and conservation, to horticultural and plant conservation practice, to the history and art of plants gardens and landscapes.
Accommodation and Travel Information: Participants will be accommodated with all meals and private lodging on site at Oak Spring.
Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to the Washington, D.C. area. If flying, please book flights to Dulles International Airport. International applicants are welcome, but fluency in English is necessary. Closer to the start date, our Programs team will assist with coordinating travel arrangements to the Oak Spring Garden Foundation site, as necessary.
Dates and Duration: The course runs for four (4) days with participants arriving on Monday, March 10, 2025 and leaving on Friday, March 14, 2025. Participants should plan to arrive between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Monday, March 10. 2025.
Course Fee: $950 is all-inclusive and covers full tuition, lodging on-site for four nights in our comfortable suites, and all meals on-site (from dinner on Monday through breakfast on Friday). A limited number of full or partial Fee Waivers are available for this course.
Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed by Jason Delaney and OSGF staff.
Application Deadline: Applications are due Monday, December 9, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST.
Program Testimonials
“I simply cannot be more appreciative of all the wonderful folks at Oak Spring who made us feel welcome and at home- ready to answer any question that might arise etc… really special time for me- never will forget it.”
“As a teacher, Jason was outstanding - I loved how the schedule had clearly labeled/titled lectures and each one was very well organized with images, structure and connections with the Library images, and personal stories, which were woven throughout - there was a true kindness shown to all of us in the class, and an enthusiasm that was so infectious - we all, I hope, understood what a special opportunity this was as an experience!”
“The Oak Spring Garden Foundation has been life enhancing — the coming together of like minded people from diverse backgrounds in such a simple, elegant and beautiful landscape has been very special. I plan to return!”