ANTHONY: WHILE BLUE IS THE PRIMARY COLOR OF COASTAL NEW ENGLAND, GREEN IS VIRTUALLY FROM EVERY DIRECTION IN VERMONT.
AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED NOW.
SO SAY HELLO TO THE SCENT OF FRESHLY WORN HAY.
WE ARE GOING TO COW COUNTRY.
REPORTER: TWO HOURS AND 15 MINUTES NORTH OF BOSTON, THE HILLS OF SOUTHERN VERMONT.
AND THESE VIEWS.
>> IT IS VERY SPREAD OUT.
PUTNEY COVERS ABOUT 26 SQUARE MILES AND HAS ABOUT 2600 PEOPLE.
PROBABLY MORE COWS.
REPORTER: THIS IS BEAUTY ON A GRAND SCALE.
NOT SURPRISING THAT PUTNEY IS AN ARTISTS HAVEN, IN A TRUE COMMUNITY WHERE VOLUNTEERS CAME TO THE RESCUE OF THEIR 1769 GENERAL STORE AFTER IT BURNED TO THE GROUND.
>> PEOPLE REALLY GOT TOGETHER AND REBUILT IT.
IT IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
IT IS JUST SUCH A PRETTY VENUE.
REPORTER: JILLIAN OWNS THE EIGHT ROOM HICKORY HOUSE BNB, JUST UP THE ROAD FROM DOWNTOWN.
>> WHEN THE HOUSE WAS COMPLETED IN 1808, THEY LIVED HERE WITH THEIR 10 CHILDREN.
THE HOUSE IS ON THE HISTORIC REGISTER, SO YOU CANNOT MAKE CHANGES TO THE HOUSE ITSELF.
THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS, THE ORIGINAL FLOORS.
THE GENERAL FLOOR PLAN IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
REPORTER: HICKORY RIDGE OPENS ONTO A BROAD MEADOW AND A WELL TENDED GARDEN.
>> A LOT OF GUESTS ARE COMING TO RELAX.
THEY WILL SIT OUT IN THE GARDENS HERE, GET FRESH AIR, REJUVENATE, SEE THE STARS AT NIGHT.
REPORTER: A COUPLE OF MILES FROM THE INN IN WESTMINSTER WEST, A WORLD-CLASS PRIVATE GARDEN.
>> IT IS SURROUNDED BY ABOUT 20 ACRES OF MEADOW, ALL OF WHICH ARE PRESERVED WITH THE VERMONT LAND TRUST.
REPORTER: GORDON AND MARY HEYWARD ARE THE EXPERTS BEHIND IS 1.5 ACRE SHOWSTOPPER.
THEY WROTE A BOOK ABOUT THEIR GARDEN, MOVING BEHIND AND AROUND THEIR 200-YEAR-OLD FARMHOUSE.
>> WE OPENED THE GARDEN FOR LOCAL CHARITIES AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR.
REPORTER: A FORMER TEACHER, MARY GREW UP ON A FARM IN ENGLAND.
GORDON GREW UP ON AN ORCHARD IN CONNECTICUT AND IS INCLUDED AUTHOR WROTE -- WHO WROTE FOR A HORTICULTURE MAGAZINE.
>> EACH BLOOMS AT A DIFFERENT TIME IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND ALSO, THIS PARTICULAR AREA IS VERY DRAMATIC.
THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE VERY SOOTHING AND CALM, AND OTHERS ARE ENCLOSED, OTHERS ARE WIDE OPEN WITH THE SUN, OTHERS IN THE SHADE.
THERE IS NO ONE FAVORITE PLACE.
REPORTER: WHAT BETTER PLACE TO NURTURE CREATIVITY THEN THE PUTNEY SCHOOL, A PROGRESSIVE BOARDING SCHOOL FOR GRADES NINE THROUGH 12 SET ON 500 PRISTINE ACRES.
>> WE HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE 1935 AND HAVE ALWAYS OPERATED UNDER THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE LEARN BEST BY DOING AND SHOULD BE ACTIVE PLAYERS IN THEIR OWN EDUCATION.
ARTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ESSENTIAL TO PUTNEY.
WHAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT ABOUT US IS THE IDEA THAT CLASSES ARE CENTERED AROUND DISCUSSION.
NOT VERY MUCH BOOK LEARNING, A LOT OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING.
REPORTER: SUMMER IS NO TIME FOR SLOWING DOWN, EITHER.
THOUGH STUDENTS ARE GONE, ARTS PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
TODAY, FACTORY PRACTICE A FEW TUNES FOR THEIR DAILY SONG.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS ALSO A KEY PRINCIPLE HERE.
PUTNEY’S 245 STUDENTS HELP RUN THE SCHOOL’S DAIRY FARM.
AND THE SCHOOL IS WORKING TOWARDS NET ZERO ENERGY USE.
>> THAT AS A CENTRAL TENANT TO AGGRESSIVE EDUCATION, THIS IDEA THAT EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE SEPARATE FROM LIFE.
EDUCATION IS PART OF LIFE AND LIFE IS PART OF EDUCATION.
REPORTER: BACK IN DOWNTOWN PUTNEY, ARTS AND EDUCATION ARE ALSO IN BALANCE AT TE SAN GLASS THEATER.
SHOW SHAUNA IS A PUPPET ARTIST HERE ALONGSIDE HER FATHER AND MOTHER WHO FOUNDED THE THEATER IN 1986.
>> THEY CHANGE SO MUCH WITH THE LIGHTS WHEN THEY ARE ANIMATED.
JUST A LITTLE BREATH OR SOMETHING CHANGES THE EXPRESSION COMPLETELY.
REPORTER: SANDY GLASS IS RENOWNED FOR ITS THOUGHTFUL WORK OFTEN FOCUSED ON INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.
>> ♪ >> WE’RE WORKING ON A PIECE NOW ABOUT REFUGEES.
WE ARE WORKING ON A PIECE FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT DID -- THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH DEMENTIA.
REPORTER: HER DAUGHTER PREPARES FOR REHEARSAL.
>> PUPPETEERS WILL SAY IT IS NOT REALLY THE PUPPETEER THAT ANIMATES THE PUPPET.
IT IS THE ANIMAL -- AUDIENCE’S IMAGINATION THAT DOESN’T.
ANTHONY: THE SAND -- IMAGINATION THAT DOES IT.
ANTHONY: THE THEATER IS TOURING THIS SUMMER.
NO, YOU CANNOT JUST DRIVE -- DROP BYT THE GARDEN.
NEXT, THE BALLAD OF THE WELL-TRAVELED RED CHAIR.
>> PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH IT.
IT IS LIKE A TRAVE