Boston Flora

Month: September 2009

  • Sunday, September 13, 10 am – 3 pm – Mastering Asters – Nasami Farm Workshop

    Asters can be among the more difficult species of native plants to identify in the field, for both amateurs and professionals. However, they are an important family of plants to know, for they comprise a substantial proportion of the late summer and fall-blooming herbaceous flora of our region. They’re also beautiful and have an exquisite structure which makes them exciting to study.

    This workshop will focus on identifying 15-20 of the most common species – the ones most likely to be found in the wild most of the time. A field trip to a natural area close to the classroom will follow a two-hour lab.

    Please note that this subject is somewhat technical. An identification key and other handouts will be provided. Bring hand lens, bag lunch, and wear hiking boots for damp conditions.

    Location:
    Nasami Farm
    128 North Street
    Whately , MA 01373

    Sponsor: New England Wild Flower Society
    Time(s): 10 a.m – 3 p.m.
    Cost: $55 (NEWFS Member) / $65 (Nonmember)
    Phone: 508-877-7630, ext. 3303
    Fax: 508-877-3658
    Email: registrar@newenglandwild.org

    http://www.botany.wisc.edu/art/images/outreach/thumbs%20posters/asters.jpg

  • Thursday, September 24, 11:00 a.m. – The Herb Fair

    Please join The Herb Society of America (www.herbsociety.org)  for its 62nd Annual Fair, celebrating herbs. See the glorious garden,and shop at tables featuring fresh herbs and wreaths, jams, jellies and vinegars, potpourri, baked goods, books, plants, and more. We will have a raffle and a delicious herb-filled lunch with our Northeast Unit’s signature Lovage Soup. Admission is free; proceeds support herb gardens in the New York area.

    Location:

    John Jay Homestead
    400 Route 22
    Katonah, NY 10536

    Contact Person: Betsy Rolls

    Contact Phone #: 914.273.2155

    Contact Email: brolls@optonline.net

    http://blog.hgtv.com/images/design/surlatable%20wreath2.jpg

  • Tuesday, September 15, 7:00 – 9:00 pm – Brewer Plaza Presentation

    The Friends of the Public Garden, in conjunction with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, invite you to a presentation on a proposal for the renovation of the Brewer Plaza on Boston Common.  The meeting will take place Tuesday, September 15, from 7 – 9 pm, at Suffolk University, 120 Tremont St., 4th Floor.  See and hear about plans to renovate the Plaza, making a greener, more inviting gateway into the Common and a destination within the park with a restored Brewer Fountain as its centerpiece.  For questions, call the Friends of the Public Garden office at 617-723-8144.

    http://www.usgwarchives.org/ma/suffolk/postcards/brewer.jpg

  • Wednesdays, September 23 – December 2, 7 – 9:30 – Mosaics in the Garden

    Brookline Adult and Community Education offers a class in the Unified Arts Building.  You may register online – www.brooklineadulted.org – or by telephone – 617-730-2700.

    Mosaic, an art form which involves fitting colorful and vibrant tiles or pieces of broken pottery together, can add a splash of interest to any setting. Flowerpots, birdbaths, windows, tables, and even old bicycles can act as a base for unique mosaic pieces. After introducing you to a variety of mosaic options, you’ll work on a project that will allow you to experiment with different mosaic styles. You’ll gain experience and confidence as you learn about preparation techniques, materials and tools, and work-area strategies. You’ll also learn about framing your work, and how to hang or display works, while keeping weather considerations in mind. You’ll then move on to more complicated projects of your choice. A materials-for-all fee of $25 is included in the course fee. A list of additional supplies will be sent upon registration.

    http://www.mosaictilearts.com/siteart/pot17.jpg

  • Thursday, October 1, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Say It With Flowers

    Please join the ALS Association on Thursday, October 1st for the Fifth Annual Boston Say It With Flowers, hosted by Red Sox wives Ashley Papelbon and Kelli Pedroia.  This year the event is being held at the beautiful Mandarin Oriental, located on Boylston Street in Boston.  Enjoy a wonderful floral arranging class, luncheon, cocktail reception, and live and silent auction. Fox 25’s Kim Carrigan will once again be serving as the Mistress of Ceremonies! Guests will check in from 9 – 10 a.m., the floral arranging class will take place from 10 – 11:30, and the wine reception and silent auction will be held from 11:30 – 12:30.  Lunch begins at 12:30 with the keynote speaker and Live Auction.

    All proceeds benefit ALS research efforts worldwide and local patient services throughout Massachusetts.  ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a devastating neuromuscular disease that usually strikes at random. First symptoms can include trouble gripping, tripping, general clumsiness, and in some cases, slurred speech. As the disease progresses, it takes away a person’s ability to walk, speak, move, swallow and breathe, usually in just a few years. There is no known cause, no cure, and no effective therapies. For more information on this amazing event, ticket availability, and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Cara Campolo at 888-CURE-ALS, or
    Cara.Campolo@als-ma.org.  Individual tickets are $250 per seat and may be purchased online at http://webma.alsa.org.

  • Sunday, September 13, 1:30 pm – Fall Lawn Talk

    Fall is the best time to seed and/or renovate your lawn. Join Jack Russell at Russell’s Garden Center in Wayland on Sunday, September 13, beginning at 1:30 pm, for a talk with informative advice that you can put to good use immediately! Free. For directions, log on to www.russellsgardencenter.com.

    http://www.lowesracing.com/Repository/Images/StripedLawn.jpg

  • Wednesday, October 7, 6 – 8 pm – Lynden Miller in Boston

    Lynden Miller, well known NYC public garden designer, will speak about designing, maintaining, and funding beautiful, four-season plantings for public places on Wednesday, October 7, from 6 – 8 pm. Her garden projects in NYC have become urban oases with economic benefits and the power to transform the way people behave and feel about their city.

    Lynden Miller’s life-long work is creating beautiful gardens in challenging locations. She has been featured on the Martha Stewart Show and in Fine Gardening, Horticulture, and House Beautiful magazines. Her message about the fundamental necessity of healthy green spaces is critical for today; her new book documents the ‘how to’ of her success. Learn more about Lynden Miller on her web site www.publicgardendesign.org .

    Lynden will sign her new book, Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape, after her presentation.  The lecture will take place at One Financial Center, overlooking the Boston Greenway, and there will be reduced on-site parking.  The catered event is sponsored by COG Design, advance tickets are $25 (seating limited to 250), and may be ordered on line at www.cogdesign.org.  You will receive a $5 credit towards the advance purchase of Parks, Plants, and People for signing.

    http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/ef/8c/8d5f51c88da0d19360652210.L.jpg

  • Saturday, September 26, 10 am – 2 pm – Sustainable Gardens at the Perkins School

    On Saturday, September 26, from 10 – 2, join Sonia Baerhuk, lead grounds-person, for a tour of the extensive campus at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, the country’s first school for the visually impaired, founded in 1832. The school’s sustainable garden highlights range from the leaf and fallen tree composting systems to a tropical “Cathedral” greenhouse that operates without the use of chemicals. See the two recently installed rain gardens funded by a grant from the Watertown Community Foundation, as well as orchards that grow with biological controls and visit several native plant gardens.  The smells, textures and sounds in the various gardens enrich the lives of students, staff and visitors. Bring a bag lunch. Sponsored by the New England Wild Flower Society, $35 for NEWFS members, $42 for nonmembers, limited to 20 participants.  For more information, directions, and to register, log on to www.newfs.org, or call 508-877-7630.

    http://support.perkins.org/images/content/pagebuilder/15915.gif

  • Saturday, September 26, 10 – 12 – Green Roofs: A Climate Solution

    The Cambridge Center for Adult Education offers a seminar in Green Roofs on Saturday, September 26, from 10 – noon.  Green roofs are an inspiring and intelligent solution to environmental problems. By installing vegetation on rooftops, we can enjoy many social and economic benefits for property owners and society as a whole. These include absorbing storm water, reducing building energy costs, improving air quality, extending the service life of roofs, and creating new green space. Apex Green Roofs, a local design/build company, will give an overview of these benefits, design considerations and case studies. We will have a model on hand that shows the different layers of a green roof system. Limited to 16.
    For homeowners and general public Sec. 01: 1 Saturday, 10:00 am-12:00 noon. Sep. 26, 56 Brattle St. | $44
    Course Code: ROOF–1
    Price:44.00

    To register, log on to www.ccae.org.

  • Saturday, September 26, 11 am – 3 pm – Ferns of the Blue Hills

    The Blue Hills Reservation is the largest preserved natural area in eastern Massachusetts. It has quite a few spots that are rich in ferns. Join the New England Wild Flower Society and instructors Don Lubin and Raymond Abair on Saturday, September 26 at 11 am. They plan to  travel a new route and see more than a dozen fern species, including dramatic large displays of Virginia chain fern, ostrich fern (below), and Christmas ferns. Wear long pants for poison ivy and bring a lunch and hand lens.  Participants limited to 15, fee $32 for members of NEWFS, $36 for nonmembers.  To register, call 508-877-7630, or log on to www.newfs.org.

    http://www.fernridgefarms.com/images/OstrichFern.jpg