Garden Dialogues 2026: Cleveland, OH
In honor of the release of Virginia Burt Designs’ new book, Capturing Essence, spend the day with Principal Landscape Architect Virginia Burt, FCSLA, FASLA, experiencing the landscapes and gardens that embody the firm’s distinctive design philosophy—one rooted in the belief that our connections to the natural world can engage mind, body, and spirit. Registration includes a signed copy of Capturing Essence and an invitation to the book launch reception at the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 16.
The day begins at A Tale of Two Houses, located in Cleveland's historic Ambler Heights neighborhood. Two adjacent homes, both built in 1897, followed very different paths—one carefully maintained, the other left to deteriorate. In 2008 the owners of the former purchased the neighboring property and transformed the ruins of its foundation into a period-appropriate garden of Pink Flowering dogwood and Star magnolia trees, and hydrangeas, irises, and peonies, that appears as though it has always belonged to the century-old home.
Working closely with the owners, Virginia Burt Designs created a welcoming landscape inspired by their love of entertaining. Historic stone, woodwork, and windows salvaged from the demolished house were repurposed into terraces, a lower garden, an arbor, and garden structures—an inventive example of adaptive reuse and preservation.
The second stop, Norma's Garden, was completed in 2014, following nearly a decade of collaboration, to further The Gathering Place's mission, a nonprofit cancer support center. Named in memory of one of its founding donors, Norma Siegler, the one-third-acre garden transformed an open field into a tranquil oasis of sculptures, trees, water features, and eleven interconnected garden rooms.
Home to more than twenty-five species of trees—including Japanese maple, Carolinia Silverbell, cypress, and magnolia—and dozens of varieties of bulbs, shrubs, perennials, and grasses, such as the garden was designed to promote healing, peace, and joy through a holistic approach that supports emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being for cancer patients and their families.
The final stop, Mountain Glen Farm in Mentor, Ohio, showcases the enduring legacy of landscape architect Warren H. Manning. Set within the rolling terrain near Little Mountain, the farm demonstrates how thoughtful landscape stewardship can support both agricultural productivity and natural beauty.
Working within Manning's historic framework, the landscape preserves native vegetation, protects wetlands, and incorporates ponds, trails, and circulation routes that follow the land's natural contours. Today, more than 900 acres remain under family stewardship and conservation protection, ensuring the property's rural character will endure for future generations.
Together, these three landscapes illustrate the diverse ways that design can enrich people and place—from adaptive reuse and historic preservation to therapeutic gardens and active agricultural landscapes.
LA CES™ professional development hours will be available to attendees, pending approval.
Transportation is not included in this event.
Refund Policy - No refunds will be made for Garden Dialogues
