Harvard University

Friday, February 8 – Sunday, May 5 – Transitions: Winter Into Spring (Opening Reception Saturday, February 16, 1:00 pm – 3:00pm)

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Chris Morgan’s goal as a photographer is to evoke the emotions he feels when he views patterns and textures in nature, in the shapes of trees, and in the movements of birds. He brings details to life. The Arnold Arboretum, with its rich collections of flora and fauna, has been a major interest of his for over fifteen years, especially during blizzards, when dramatic photo opportunities appear. Digital photography, which offers a happy marriage of the arts and the sciences, lets him explore larger-format photography in creative ways through digital panorama techniques.

Morgan has photographed on five continents for over forty years; however, is currently to be found, year-round, photographing in the Arboretum.

In addition to his photographic work, Morgan appraises rare, early computers, is a computer consultant, an author, puzzle designer, musician, and magician. He is also a Lewis Carroll scholar, and has written five books. He has spoken extensively about Lewis Carroll at Harvard University’s Houghton Library, the Boston Athenaeum, and other libraries and universities around the country.

His photographic exhibit Transitions: Winter Into Spring will be displayed in the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum February 8 – May 5, and there will be an opening reception on Saturday, February 16 from 1 – 3. Free and open to the public. For hours, visit https://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/news-events/art-shows/

Monday, February 11, 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – The Future of Environmental Protection

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International cooperation on mitigating climate change has lost momentum since the US withdrew from the 2015 Paris Agreement last year. What does this mean for the health of the planet and the life it supports? Gina McCarthy, Professor of the Practice of Public Health in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Director of the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, Harvard University has dedicated her 35-year career in public service to environmental protection and public health. In this February 11 talk,part of the 2019 Directors Lecture Series, McCarthy will discuss current efforts at the federal level to rollback core public health protections and actions taken to counter climate change. She will also address recent attacks on the field of science. Then, looking forward, she will lead a discussion on future challenges in public health and the health of our planet.

Free, Arnold Arboretum member-only event. Registration required. Become a member by clicking here.

Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer

Saturday, February 9, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Winter Tree Identification

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Without their leaves, trees can be challenging to identify in the winter. However, if you consider a tree’s branching structure and buds, you can often determine its species. Former Arboretum Horticulturist and now high school teacher Sue Pfeiffer will speak on February 9 about the clues to look for and the keys available to help you definitively identify specific trees. Dress in layers for indoor and outdoor learning.  Class will end at 4 pm. Fee $40 Arboretum member; $52 nonmember.

Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

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Wednesdays, February 6, 13, 27, March 6, and 13, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Garden Design Workshop for Home Gardeners

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We may have the desire to make a garden, but then we grapple with where to start in designing our home garden spaces. Design a layout plan for an area of your yard in this beginner-level class in the Hunnewell Building at the Arnold Arboretum over five Wednesdays evenings in February and March. Learn the organizational components of a coherent garden and practice the process of design with award-winning designer Christie Dustman. You will leave class with a plan in progress from which to continue your design explorations. This class is primarily about garden spaces rather than specific plant selection. You will be required to draw a base plan for your site (with tutelage in class) and will need to purchase some drawing tools and pay for copying. Other supplies will be provided. Limited to 16 students.Fee $150 Arboretum member, $188 nonmember. Register at http://my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

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Tuesday, February 5, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Botany Blast: New and Emerging Pests at the Arnold Arboretum

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Jared Rubinstein, Living Collections Fellow, Arnold Arboretum, and Javier Marin, Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator, Crop & Pest Services, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, will speak on Tuesday, February 5, 6:00–7:00pm at the Hunnewell Building at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.

The Arnold Arboretum has a long history of finding innovative ways of responding to threats to the collection from pests and diseases. Come learn about some new and emerging pests in the region and how the Arboretum is trying to get ahead of their arrival. We’ll talk specifically about spotted lanternfly, thousand cankers disease (pictured below, courtesy of the Arbor Day Foundation), southern pine beetle, and winter moth. Fee Free, but registration requested at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

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Saturday, February 9, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Small Plants, Big Bang

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The North Andover Garden Club presents Small Plants, Big Bang with Jen Kettell on Saturday, February 8 from 10:30 – 12:30 at the Stevens Memorial Library, 345 Main Street in North Andover.

Spring is the ideal time to be transplanting woody plants. Jen will introduce you to new and old favorites for small spaces. In the excitement to create a beautiful outdoor living space, many gardeners overplant (in number or size.) Learn how to avoid this by introducing the smaller gems of the plant world into your garden, such as native groundcovers, dwarf conifers, and more.

$5 suggested donation for the public.  Jen Kettell is a certified arborist, horticulturist, and lecturer and trainer at the University of Massachusetts and at the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University. She also consults with the International Society of Arboriculture, as well as The Trustees of Reservations. This program is co-hosted with the Library. For more information visit http://www.northandovergardenclub.com/

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Friday, February 1, 6:45 pm – The Ecology and Impacts of Garlic Mustard

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The February meeting of the New England Botanical Club will take place Friday, February 1 at 6:45 in the Haller Lecture Hall (Room 102) of the Geological Museum, 24 Oxford Street in Cambridge. The speaker will be Dr. Kristina Stinson, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Conservation at University of Massachusetts/Amherst. Her topic is The Ecology and Impacts of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata). Her research is focused on plant species’ responses to biophysical stress and climate variation in forests, cities, and alpine ecosystems. This work is driven by theoretical questions about plant life histories, and how local processes within and among plant populations can help explain broader geographic distributions. The unifying goals of this work are: 1) to advance fundamental research in experimental plant population dynamics and ecology; and 2) to provide scientific guidance for restoration, management, and species conservation.  For complete information visit http://rhodora.org. Free and open to the public.

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Saturdays, January 26, February 9, and February 23, 8:30 am – 10:30 am – Smartphone Photography: Winter Landscapes Enhanced

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Capture the essence of winter, when landscapes present a diluted palette of colors and contrasts are most striking. Professional photographer Nancy Katz will introduce fundamental concepts of landscape photography and then teach techniques for getting the best photographs from your smartphone camera. You will capture images in color and black and white, then learn to enhance them using a host of editing tools provided in the Snapseed App. (Note: Nancy Katz was selected by the Apple Store of Boston as a guest artist in March 2017 for her photography work with her iPhone and has taught her techniques there and most recently at Brandeis University’s Osher Life Long Learning Institute.) The three session, Arnold Arboretum class will take place Saturdays, January 26, February 9, and February 23 from 8:30 – 10:30. Fee Arboretum members $65, nonmembers $84. Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

Saturday, January 19, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm – Introduction to Botanical Art and Illustration

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Botanical artist Bobbi Angell will lead a class in botanical art and illustration on Saturday, January 19 from 9 – 4 at the Lyman Conservatory at the Smith College Botanic Garden, 16 College Lane in Northampton.  Free parking passes will be provided. Registration deadline is January 7. Learning to draw while learning to observe increases one’s knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the world of plants. Botanical artist Bobbi Angell will guide participants through the process of creating an illustration that defines and depicts a particular species. Using pressed herbarium specimens and preserved flowers, participants will design a composition with a plant habit and dissected flowers and enlarged details, with a layout intended for publication or framing. Sketches can be inked or colored afterwards. Bring your hand lens, pencils and erasers; plant material and paper will be provided. The only prerequisites are curiosity and expandable interest in plants.

Instructor Bobbi Angell draws plants for scientists at The New York Botanical Garden, Harvard University, and other institutions for floras and monographs. Ongoing work features illustrations of neotropical species new to science. To view her work, visit http://www.bobbiangell.com. She is co-author of A Botanist’s Vocabulary (Timber Press).

Bobbi is the artist for the current logo for the New England Botanical Club. NEBC member price $30, nonmembers $60. Register at http://www.rhodora.org/whatsnew.html

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Saturday, January 12, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – An Artist’s Perspective: Nature Journal Workshop (Ages 8 – 12)

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Join artist Regina Gardner Milan in the Hunnewell Building at the Arnold Arboretum on Saturday, January 12 from 1 – 2:30 in this Nature Journal Workshop. Participants, ages 8-12, will develop observational skills while learning a new awareness of their environment. Seed pods, pine cones, and other plant material will be available for observation and drawing. If weather permits, you will go on a short walk to collect more specimens. Milan will do demonstrations of drawing and documenting important details, and then you will try your own hand at creating a personal nature journal.

Nature holds a spellbinding allure to Milan, who finds that observing nature often produces scenes of larger-than-life beauty. The Arboretum’s exhibition of Milan’s paintings magnifies nature’s productions, fully illuminating the elegance of plant life as small as a seed pod. This show captures the wonder of the Arboretum in those larger-than-life images.

Milan received a Certificate of Botanical Illustration with distinction from the Society of Botanical Artists in London, England, where she also received the President’s Award. She has exhibited in many juried shows throughout the US and world, including the 2016 New England Society of Botanical Artists’ show at the Arnold Arboretum. She teaches graphic design as an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and is president of MILAN concept & design, a graphic design firm she founded in 1988.

Simple paper journals, some drawing materials and erasers will be available. Bring your own materials if you have them.

Free, registration required and limited. Register at www.my.arboretum.harvard.edu.