Boston Flora

Month: August 2010

  • Saturday, August 14, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Plein Air in the Arboretum: Paintings by the NHPleinAir Artists

    Join the artists participating in the Arnold Arboretum’s current exhibit Plein Air in the Arboretum: Paintings by the NHPleinAir Artists for a short presentation and Q&A session on Saturday, August 14, from 1:00–3:00pm.
    Since last fall, intrepid painters from NHPleinAir have been making regular pilgrimages to the Arnold Arboretum, braving the elements—and the traffic!—to realize their collective and individual visions. The works in this exhibition feature the trees and landscapes of the Arboretum captured en plein air (“in the open air”) throughout the seasons. The group was founded in 2004 and has over 300 members who paint outside regularly throughout New England.  The show will be in the Hunnewell Building Lecture Hall from August 7 – September 19, 2010.  For more information, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

    Painting of Bussey Hill Road

  • Thursday, August 19, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Honey Bees: Premier Pollinators

    Vice President of the New Hampshire Beekeepers’ Association Amy Antonucci talks about the goodness honeybees bring to our gardens and world, in a lecture on Thursday, August 19, from 5:30 – 7 at the Rundlet-May House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  Explore the evolution of bees, the division of labor, social life in the hive, and why bees matter.  Sponsored by Historic New England, the cost to attend is $10 for members of Historic New England, and $15 for non-members.  To register, log on to www.historicnewengland.org, or call 603-436-3205.

    http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/honeybee1.jpg

  • Thursday, August 19, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Summer Night at the Museum

    The Harvard Museum of Natural History hosts extended hours on the third Thursday of each summer month. Explore the museum and the new Headgear exhibition.

    Bring friends to see the world famous exhibit of 3,200 ‘Glass Flowers’, amazingly realistic models of plants, fruits and flowers created by father-son glass artists Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka from 1886-1936. You won’t believe they’re not real.

    Explore 12,000 specimens drawn from Harvard’s vast research collections at the University’s most visited museum — dinosaurs, meteorites, gemstones, and hundreds of prehistoric and current-day animals from around the globe. Get close to the world’s only mounted Kronosaurus (below), a 42 ft-long marine reptile; one of the first Triceratops ever discovered; a 1,642 lb. amethyst geode; three huge whale skeletons.

    The museum is on the Harvard University campus, just a short, 7-10 minute walk through historic Harvard Yard from the Harvard Square MBTA Red Line ‘T’ station. Open daily, 9 am – 5 pm, 361 days/year. Handicapped accessible. Explore www.hmnh.harvard.edu for changing exhibitions, dozens of lectures, events, classes for all ages, year-round.

    Details on the Harvard Museum of Natural History website, http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/lectures_and_special_events/index.php#summer

    http://silentmob.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/kronosaurus-preview.jpg

  • Saturday, August 28, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm – Introduction to Seed Saving

    Learn the basics of harvesting, processing, cleaning, and storing a wide spectrum of native plant seeds in this hands-on workshop on Saturday, August 28, from 9 – 1 at The New England Wild Flower Society’s Nasami Farm in Whately, Massachusetts. Start with a discussion about the timing of collection, plant identification, determining ripeness, harvesting methods, processing techniques, and proper storage to maintain seed viability. Then venture out into the Nasami Farm Sanctuary for some botanizing and seed collection. Return indoors where we try our hands at cleaning and processing various types of seeds. Bring home the seeds that you clean, and learn first hand the tremendous benefits that seed-saving brings to the willing gardener.  Fee is $49 for NEWFS members and $57 for nonmembers.  Register for Kate Pawling’s class at www.newfs.org.

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/2748444246_4f9cf2aa1e.jpg

  • Saturday, August 14, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Pestopalooza

    Come to Stockbridge Farm on Saturday, August 14, between 1 – 4, and join the Stockbridge herb community for a celebration of all things basil.  Stockbridge Herbs is a farm-based herbal business located in South Deerfield.  For directions log on to www.stockbridgeherbs.com.

  • Friday, August 20, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Pebble Mosaic Workshop: How to Become a Rock Star!

    Learn mosaic making in this hands-on workshop at the Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road in West Stockbridge on Friday, August 20, from 10 – 4.  Used thousands of years ago, ancient mosaics still adorn the walls and floors of buildings in Italy, Greece, Turkey and China. This work shop will introduce students to the craft of mosaics as it applies to natural materials. Students will construct a pebble mosaic and learn about materials, construction, techniques, design and care, specific to mosaic art. Take home a pebble mosaic project for the garden and the skills to make more mosaics at home.  Participants should bring a bagged lunch, safety glasses, heavy rubber gloves, and a rubber mallet if available.  Dress in comfortable clothes that can get messy.  $140 for BBG members, $150 for non members. Materials are included in the cost.  To register, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org, or call 413-298-3926.

    Deb Aldo is owner of Pietre Dure Design a mosaic and architectural art studio in Sterling, CT. Her indoor and outdoor mosaics are on display in galleries throughout the United States and her popular mosaic workshops are held throughout the northeast.

    http://greayer.com/studiog//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/041082061_ld.jpg

  • Friday, August 27, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – The Art of Water in the Garden

    Spend the evening with Anthony Archer Wills on Friday, August 27, beginning at 7 pm, for an illustrated lecture entitled “The Art of Water in the Garden,” sponsored by Garden Design School.  The event will take place at Elm Bank, home of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in Wellesley, and will be a terrific “prequel” to The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s “Water” themed lecture series for 2010/2011.   Mr. Wills is a world-renowned water garden designer, true artisan, and pioneer.  Anthony Archer-Wills works earth and water to create environments that indulge the imagination, and delight the senses.

    Inspired as a schoolchild watching water well up from the ground in the woods, and influenced by Roberto Burle Marx of Brazil, who used architectural materials, curving water shapes and mass plantings on a large scale to “paint the landscape,” Anthony began designing water gardens in the 1960s.

    A true pioneer and artisan, he developed new water gardening techniques while completing his first large-scale projects for Safari Parks in England, and Bear Park in Scotland. By the mid-1970s, his techniques were adopted worldwide as the industry standard for building water gardens.

    Anthony has gone on to create more than 2,000 water features in Great Britain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, South America, Argentina and Turkey, as well as the United States.

    He is the author of The Water Gardener, Water Power and Designing Water Gardens, which have been published in five languages. Pre-registration is required.  Admission is $75.  For more information, or to register, call 513-867-0437, email info@gardendesignschool.com, or log on to www.gardendesignschool.com.

    http://img.infibeam.com/img/8e2b589c/942/1/9781577171942.jpg

  • Saturday, August 21, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm – Tomato Festival at Allandale Farm

    This year’s festival, on Saturday, August 21 from 11 – 3,  at Allandale Farm, 259 Allandale Street in Brookline will include live music, hayrides, kid’s activities, corn on the grill and, ohhhhh those tomatoes, in every size and color imaginable.  $7 per person, children 12 and under free. Call 617-524-1531 for more information, or log on to www.allandalefarm.com.

  • Saturday, August 14, 10 am – 10:00 pm – 7th Annual Zucchini Festival

    The Town of West Stockbridge will hold its 7th Annual West Stockbridge Zucchini Festival on Saturday, August 14, beginning at 10 in the morning, and running until 10 at night.  The location is at the junction of Routes 41 and 102, 1/4 mile west of Exit 1 of the Mass Pike.  Admission is free.  There are activities for kids and adults, including a pet parade, rides and races, including the new Euro Bungi, a zucchini recipe contest, zucchini decorating, a zucchini weigh off contest, zucchini catapult, zucchini car racing, live music by Bootleg, and entertainment, games, food booths, and more.  For additional information, call 413-232-0222.  A parking shuttle will run from 9:30 until 6 from Rt. 102 Town Hall to Card Pond, Rt. 41 near the Mass Pike.  Log on to www.weststockbridgetown.com.

  • Saturday, August 14, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm – Summer Peach Celebration

    Brooksby Farm, 54 Felton Street, Peabody, will hold its annual Summer Peach Celebration on Saturday, August 14, from 11 – 2.  Pick your own peaches from an abundant selection of orchard ripe fruit (wear appropriate shoes, please – sandals are not recommended, and flip-flops are just plain silly).  Enjoy some sampling in the farm store: jams, preserves, fruit pies, grilled peaches.  Pick up quick and easy recipes.  There will be a children’s coloring contest, tractor drawn hayrides, and more.  For more information log on to www.brooksbyfarm.org, or call 978-531-7456.