Boston Flora

Month: July 2010

  • Wednesday, August 11, 11:00 am – 4:30 pm – Annual Nantucket House and Garden Tour

    The Nantucket Garden Club hosts its Annual House and Garden Tour on Wednesday, August 11, from 11 – 4:30.  For more than fifty years, the tour has become the venue to have a glimpse of many historic and new homes and gardens on the island.  Each year a different neighborhood is selected, from ‘Sconset to Monomoy to Brant Point.  The 2010 venue is Cliff Road – Sherburne Turnpike.  Tickets are $40.  A shuttle bus to Cliff Road can be picked up at the Transportation Center on Washington Street. The Garden Club members provide exquisite flower arrangements to compliment the rooms in the homes.  The revenue from this major event supports the local community in conservation projects, local scholarships and provides funding for club educational programs and conference expenses.  For specific information about this year’s tour, you may call The Nantucket Visitor Center/Information Bureau at 508-228-0925, or The Nantucket Chamber of Commerce at 508-228-1700.  You may also call Vicki Livingstone at 626-233-8060, or log on to www.nantucket.org/gardenclub/.

    http://www.centuryhouse.com/porch_low_res.jpg

  • Saturday, July 31, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Iris Rhizome Sale

    A large selection of iris rhizomes grown in the gardens of members of the Iris Society of Massachusetts will be offered for sale on Saturday, July 31, from 10 – 4, at Verrill Farm, located at the corner of Sudbury and Wheeler Roads in Concord, Massachusetts.  The irises are hardy in New England, and some of the member hybridizers are nationally recognized.  Some of their prize irises will be for sale, and there will be demonstrations during the day on dividing and planting irises, plus information sheets on their cultivation.  Contact Barbara Schmieder at 978-369-3383 for additional information, or email dotmac@verizon.net.

    http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/xu/yellow-iris-051109-lg.jpg

  • Thursday, August 5 – Friday, August 6, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm – Basic Wetland Identification and Delineation

    This two-day introductory, field-oriented course given by The New England Wild Flower Society and taught by Patrick Fairbain, is designed for environmental consultants, conservation officers and commissioners, and anyone who wants to better understand how to interpret and conserve wetlands.  The course, to be held over two days August 5 and 6 from 9 – 4, provides a foundation in principal elements of wetland identification – wetland hydrology, hydric soils, and hydrophytic plants.  For each element, basic concepts will be covered, including field indicators.  Methods for field identification and delineation will be discussed and practiced.  Recommended gear: field/work clothes, clip board/field notebook, field guides for plants, soil color charts (if you already own), bug repellent, sunscreen, and rain gear if necessary.  Bring a bag lunch.  Handouts are provided and some pre-class reading is required.  Fee: $155 for NEWFS members, $182 for non members.  Register at www.newfs.org.

    http://www.sustainabilityninja.com//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/wetlands.jpg

  • Wednesday, July 21, 6:00 pm – Food Matters: From the Ground Up

    Bascom Lodge, on Mt. Greylock, Massachusetts (below), will hold a Talk and Dine Series Event on Wednesday, July 21, beginning at 6 pm.  Producer/Director Sharon Wyrrick will speak about Community Supported Agriculture, its beginnings in the United States and in the Berkshires, and its importance and promise for revitalizing local food systems and economies.  She will show footage from her documentary movie Food Matters: From the Ground Up, focusing on some of the rock stars of the North Berkshire food system – the farmers.  For more information, log on to http://bascomlodge.net/Events.html.  The talk is free, and there is a dinner to follow for which reservations (413-743-1591) are required.

    From the Mass Turnpike, take Exit 2 in Lee, and follow Rt. 20 to Rt. 7 North.  Continue North to Lanesboro, watch for Mt. Greylock Reservation and Visitor Center signs on the right.  Turn right onto  North Main Street and follow Mt. Greylock and Bascom Lodge signs 9 miles to the summit.

    http://mywisconsinspace.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=7310&g2_serialNumber=2

  • Wednesday, July 21, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Healthy Lawns, and Alternatives

    On July 21, Betty Sanders talks on ‘Healthy Lawns – and Alternatives’, as part of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s “Wednesday Evenings at Elm Bank” series.  Betty is a well-respected gardening lecturer to groups around the region and the author of the Leaflet’s monthly ‘Horticultural Hints’ column. She believes that homeowners are caught in a web of conflicting and frequently overstated claims about the virtues of ‘four-step’ processes and ‘organic lawns’. As a chemist and Master Gardener, she’s well positioned to sort out hype from truth. She’ll describe how homeowners can have healthy lawns with a minimum of chemicals, and how a smaller lawn can be a better lawn.

    Sessions begin at 6:30 and go until 8 p.m. or until the last question has been answered. All sessions are held at Elm Bank, either in the Hunnewell carriage house or the Education Building. MassHort members pay $8 per session. The cost for non-members is $10. Refreshments will be available.  For more information, log on to www.masshort.org.

    http://www.housetohome.co.uk/imageBank/r/reeves7.jpg

  • Saturday, July 24, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm – Notable Gardens of the Pettaquamscutt Plantation

    The annual fundraiser for the Pettaquamscutt Historical Society in Matunuck, Rhode Island, will take place Saturday, July 24, beginning with registration at 11 am at Hale House, and self guided tours beginning at noon through 5 pm.

    Begin with an exclusive first look at the  newly-applied interior wallpapers and finishes  at Hale House in Matunuck.  Follows  South to North route through one-time plantation landscapes, beginning in Matunuck/Perryville, and ending at the former county seat of Kingston.  Along the way a garden-side talk will be given by Richard Clark at Long Pond Farm. End with a reception in the Cyrus French historic replica garden at the Old Washington County Jail.  $20 per person / $50 per carload up to 4 persons.  For more information and directions log on to www.pettaquamscutt.org.

    http://www.pettaquamscutt.org/Pettaquamscutt%20-%20compressed.jpg

  • Sunday, July 18, 12:00 noon – 8:00 pm – Twilight Pond and Garden Tour

    The Twilight Pond and Garden Tour will take place Sunday, July 18, beginning at 12 noon, leaving from Roger Williams Park Botanical Gardens in Providence, Rhode Island.  This progressive dinner pond and garden tour benefits Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (www.alexslemonade.org).  Guests will board luxury Conway Buses and tour some of Rhode Island’s and Massachusetts’ most beautiful gardens and ponds.  Throughout the evening guests will enjoy appetizers, wine and cheese tastings, and a wonderful display of foods and desserts back at the Conservatory at the Roger Williams Park Botanical Gardens.  The night will also include a champagne toast and dessert.  Last year’s tour sold out in just four days, space is limited, so call today to reserve your seat and be a part of this magnificent evening.  For more information call Tranquil Water Gardens at 401-658-4547, or email tranquilwater1@cox.net.

    http://www.bobbundy.com/Auctions16/416RiRogerWilliams.jpg

  • Tuesday, July 27, 6:30 pm – Wild Harvest: Foraging Food from Fields and Forests

    Enjoy nature’s harvest without fussing with plant pots, grow lamps and watering. Join plant enthusiast and past Garden Club of the Back Bay speaker Russ Cohen for a workshop including how to identify, collect and prepare food from the wild.

    Did you know that New England is home to over 150 species of edible wild plants and dozens of species of edible mushrooms? What about the reported fact that many are more nutritious and flavorful than their cultivated counterparts? If this is news to you, then you must plan to join Slow Foods Boston and  The Appalachian Mountain Club at 4 Joy Street in Beacon Hill on Tuesday, July 27th at 6:30pm for a little enlightening.

    Russ Cohen, expert forager and author of Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten, will present a 90-minute slide show and question and answer period. He will cover over 70(!!) of the tastiest species the region has to offer. These range from plants you know well, like Daisies and Dandelions, to plants that you may never have even heard of, like Calamus and Carrion Flower.

    He’ll include information on about a dozen of the tastiest (and easiest to recognize) mushroom species, from Morels in the spring, Black Chanterelles (below) in the summer and Hen of the Woods mushrooms in the fall.

    Information covered will include identification tips, edible portions, seasons of availability and preparation methods, along with general guidelines for safe and environmentally responsible foraging. And just ‘cuz we’re special, Russ promises to bring along a foraged goodie or two to taste!

    Cost for the evening’s presentation is only $5, and pre-registration is appreciated at www.slowfoodboston.com. Many thanks to our co-hosts, the Appalachian Mountain Club Boston Chapter Young Members Committee.

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  • Thursday, July 15 – Sunday, July 18 – The 27th Annual Black Ships Festival

    The Black Ships Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, to be held July 15 – 18, offers a variety of events that emphasize both Japanese art and culture. Events include a formal Gala, Japanese Arts & Crafts such as Origami and Ikebana; Martial Arts, and a Japanese Tea Ceremony. A highlight will be the Taiko Drums! Of special interest to flower lovers is a demonstration at 12:30 pm on Saturday, July 17 at the Brick Market of origami bonsai, where artist, author and inventor Benjamin John Coleman will demonstrate his “makigami” paper rolling technique which he uses to make branches for his origami bonsai trees (this demonstration is repeated Sunday at 11:30 am and 2:00 pm). For a complete schedule of events from sushi making to calligraphy lessons to sumo wrestling, log on to www.us-japan.org.

    http://onetaiko.org/Images/EventsImages/blackships.jpg

  • Monday, October 11 – Monday, October 18 – Spannocchia, Siena, Italy

    Explore the wonderful food and wine culture of Siena, Italy with Slow Food Boston for a whole week this fall. October 11th through the 18th, they’ve planned a schedule chock full – think Tuscan cooking class with the farm’s chef, visiting a goat cheese farm and organic winery, enjoying a special dinner, nostra cena, with friends from the Slow Food chapter in Siena, and also, a few Italian language classes for good measure.

    Your base for the week will be the glorious working organic farm of Spannocchia (below). Many in the food world are familiar with Spannocchia already, as it is a center for education and enrichment, operating a three-month Internship Program where volunteers learn the ins and outs of organic farming, Italian culture and heritage, and their relationship to food and wine.

    Despite a full schedule, we promise that there will be ample time to explore and become familiar with Spannocchia’s 1100 acres. There will be chances to hear about the historic villa and fattoria, to visit the vegetable garden, vineyard, pig pens, and bee hives, and to enjoy the beauty of the grounds for a hike, a glass of wine on the terrace or reading in the ‘Secret Garden’.

    Cost for all of this is $1,650 per person. Please note that there are only a few remaining spots! You can reserve yours with a 250 Euro deposit. Please contact Nicole Nacamuli at nicole@slowfoodboston.com in order to complete the process.

    http://www.spannocchia.org/blog//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/fall-2006-mondo-agricolo-filming-024.jpg