Mohonk Campanula

Back when I was the full-time managing editor of the Yale Alumni Magazine, we used to have a yearly editorial retreat for the editors of the Ivy League magazines. Usually, this took place on one of the campuses, which gave everyone a chance to see each school and sample its delights and idiosyncrasies. One year, however, the host university decided to have its retreat at the Mohonk Mountain House, a grand resort in the Shawangunks in upstate New York. This venue was so spectacular that we were allowed to bring our spouses, which was probably the only way any of us could have afforded the fare, something north of several hundred dollars per day. But that included meals—these were sublime—and access to the hiking trails, which offered magnificent walking and views. What was not included was samples from the incredible gardens, but I got around this prohibition by shaking seeds into a film canister. The next year, I had some of the prettiest Campanulas on the planet. I'll probably never get back to Mohonk, but every July, I have bellflowers to remind me of one memorable retreat.