The idea came to me in June when I interviewed Rogan Kersh (’86) about his returning home to Wake Forest to become provost. All these years he had been away as a scholar and administrator at Yale, Syracuse and New York University. What were his favorite spots at Wake Forest, those places he had missed? After all, he would be able to revisit them at his leisure (on the rare occasions a provost has leisure) once installed in his new post in Reynolda Hall. He said, not surprisingly: “Some of them are almost clichés, I guess. Reynolda Gardens, an extraordinary place to walk or run or lose oneself for a while when things are going poorly or especially well.”

There it was again. Reynolda Gardens topped an alumnus’ list of memorable places. Reynolda Gardens has the force of gravity, pulling our Wake Forest community to the earth as well as to the woods, the paths, the wetlands and, on certain meditative runs, tranquillity. I recalled how many times alumni mentioned to me their deep affection for the place. The latest issue of Wake Forest Magazine celebrates the gardens through the photography of Travis Dove (’04), who studied communication and studio art and now works as a freelance photographer in Durham, N.C. His work appears in the latest issue of Our State magazine. Rolling Stone, National Geographic and Newsweek have featured his photographs as well. I noticed on election day he was shooting from Raleigh for The New York Times. Having escaped to the gardens as a student, Dove understands the emotional connection many of us feel for the place. You will be delighted by his photographs in the spring issue of Wake Forest Magazine. Space prevented us from featuring them all in the issue, but we don’t want you to miss a single image. Deputy Editor Janet Williamson has prepared a slideshow of all the Reynolda Gardens photographs Dove shot for us last summer, accompanied by music from the music department’s Flute Fest. I hope you will enjoy it.