Join Joe Biagioni of Arbor Alliance for a hands on workshop that explains and demonstrates the technical aspects of landscape lighting in a way that is easily understood. The class will be held at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive in Boylston, on Wednesday, October 6, from 6 – 9, and there is a $35 fee for members of THBG and $40 for non-members. Register at www.towerhillbg.org.
The Boston Mycological Club is pleased to announce its lineup for fall classes. Designed for beginners, all are welcome. Classes start at 7 pm on consecutive Mondays in the Harvard Herbaria, at the end of Divinity Avenue (Harvard Square T stop), and you may choose to come to one class or the entire series. Admission charges for non-members of the BMC are $15 for any single class, $40 for any three, $45 for four, or $50 for all five. Member prices are $10, $25, $30 and $35. Note that if non-members attend all the classes, they may become Club members for only $5 extra (what a bargain!) Non-members are also invited to the Sunday forays that precede these classes, and are welcome to stay after class for I.D. sessions.
On September 20, Erin Page Blanchard will speak on “A Beginner’s Guide to Identifying Fungi.” Whether you’re collecting edibles or just enjoying another part of the natural world, putting a name to what you see is important for both pleasure and knowledge. It may take expertise or time to fill in genus and species, but we can all learn to classify mushrooms into groups by visual characteristics, and this tells us where to look next. Erin is from California, where she has been an official identifier for many fungal events, and moderates a message board for mushroom hunting. As a consultant to wild food businesses, and part of a team identifying Yosemite fungi, she is the ideal person to lead us into the fungal maze.
September 27 brings “Identifying Boletes” with Noah Siegel. Noah is a nationally known award-winning photographer and mushroom identifier. He is co-President of the Monadnock Mushroomers Unlimited in Keene, New Hampshire, and is a Trustee for the North East Mycological Federation. Noah has hunted mushrooms throughout North America as well as in New Zealand and Australia. He’ll host his Annual Fungus Fair on September 19 in Athol, MA from 10 – 5 at 100 Main Street.
October 4 and October 18 feature George Davis. He will speak on “Identifying White and Light Spored Gilled Mushrooms” and “Identifying Dark Spored Gilled Mushrooms.” It’s difficult to overestimate the importance of accurate identification for mushroom hunters. Not only is it a fascinating puzzle, but it’s the difference between a delicious meal and a delicious meal followed by a night in the ER. Identification is tricky enought that we devote a Monday night to it after every single Sunday foray. Luckily, the BMC has experts to help. George and Karen Davis are the people we’re most likely to turn to for assistance, theaching us how to figure out what we’ve found.
Finally, on October 25, enjoy “All The Rest,” with an instructor to be announced. Polypores, puffballs, truffles, and all the other weird and wonderful fungi that don’t fit into the above categories, including many scrumptious edibles, will be examined. You may pay at the door, or send a check made payable to BMC to Marcia Jacob, 118 Presidents Land, Quincy, MA 02169. If you have questions, email Marcia at mjacob5@verizon.net, or call her at 617-471-1093. You may also contact pamnicki@ix.netcom.com (617-964-2992) or susangoldhor@comcast.net (617-976-7252). Photo below by Richard Seaman.
Garden Club of the Back Bay speaker Richard Enser intrigued his audience this past May with a description of a “bioblitz,” and here is an opportunity to participate in one. On Saturday, October 9, we will join with scientists from all disciplines (plants, insects, fish, mammals, etc.) and survey the habitats assigned to us in order to find as many plant species as possible in one day. Habitats include the 250-acre Roosevelt Park, Great Marsh Meadows, Short Beach, a 25-acre woodland, a pond and cranberry bog. Lunch will be provided.
Directions: Meet at Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, Connecticut at the Hanson Exploration Station which will be our home base. From New Haven: Take Exit 52 off the Merritt Parkway (South to Bridgeport) to Rt 8 & 25. Proceed to Exit 5 (Boston Ave). At the end of the ramp, bear right and go to the 5th traffic light. Turn left onto Noble Avenue and proceed to the Beardsley Park entrance on the left. Follow the signs to the Zoo entrance on right. From New York, take Exit 49S (Bridgeport) to Rt 25. Proceed to Exit 5 and follow as above. From I-95 (CT Turnpike) Take Exit 27A to Rt 8 & 25. Proceed to Exit 5 (Boston Ave). At the traffic light at the end of the ramp, go left to the 4th traffic light. Turn left onto Noble Avenue and proceed to the Beardsley Park entrance on the left. Follow signs to the Zoo entrance on right.
Leaders: John Triana and Carol Lemmon, (203)-488-781. For additional information, log on to www.ct-botanical-society.org.
This class in Photography and Fine Art, to be held at Tower Hill Botanic Garden on Wednesdays, 9:30 am – 12 noon beginning September 22 through November 10, will draw on classical and modern masters for inspiration. The class, led by instructor Robert Moll, will try to emulate the composition and technique of these artists to create photographic works of art. THBG members $120, non-members $135. To register, or for more information, log on to www.towerhillbg.org. One of Mr. Moll’s photographs is shown below.
Can you distinguish a bolete from a gilled mushroom? And what technically is a mushroom anyway? Fall is fungi season in the Northeast, the best time to discover and identify what’s out in the field. Learn about the crucial and sometimes astonishing roles these fascinating life forms have in the ecosystem and some methods for identifying mushrooms and other fungi all around us. New England Wild Flower Society is the sponsor of this event at the Drumlin Farm Nature Center in Lincoln on Saturday, September 25 from 1 – 3:30, led by instructor Jef (that’s Jef with only one “f”) Taylor. To register, log on to www.newfs.org. $20 for NEWFS members, $24 for nonmembers.
The public is invited to see a variety of innovative forms of private owner electric transportation and find out about new plans for electricity use in our fair city and state. Mark your calendars. Sponsored by Boston University Center for Energy and Environmental Studies and Clean Energy and Environmental Sustainability Initiative jointly with the Electric Vehicle Urban Infrastructure Study (EVUIS), the volunteer planning committee for the Carbon Day – Electric Vehicle Showcase announce that this public information event will take place on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 on the Dartmouth Street side of Boston Back Bay’s Copley Square.
The personal hybrid and all electric transportation of the near future, from trucks to bicycles, will be on display on Copley Square. Creators and owners will be on hand to answer questions and hand out information about their vehicle(s). Learn about the future city network of charging infrastructure that will be available as well as Smart Neighborhoods and the Smart Grid. The event will be held from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Participants include Boston Gliders, Boston University, ConVerdant Vehicles, eCars of N.E./Wheego, Electric Vehicle Urban Infrastructure Study, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources – Clean Cities Coalition, MyBike, National Grid, and Vectrix.
On the morning of Thursday September 16, from 9 – 12, the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy’s Horticulture Team will be planting chrysanthemums in Chinatown Park, and they invite all interested volunteers to help us add color and seasonal interest to the park. To sign up, write volunteer@rosekennedygreenway.org or visit their volunteer webpage.
On Wednesday evening, September 22, Jim Baker of Native Landscaping will introduce you to the tools, techniques and safety precautions necessary for Saturday, September 25’s hands-on working session outdoors at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA. Using diagrams and outline designs, Jim will explain the building process. A slide presentation will illustrate a variety of stone walls in different stages of construction. On Saturday, dress for work and weather, bringing work gloves, bottled water, and a bag lunch.  Tower Hill member price $54, non members $60. Register at www.towerhillbg.org. Photo below by Patrick Lynch.
Autumn is a great time to assess your woody plants for shape and structure. This demonstration/workshop at Berkshire Botanical Garden on Saturday, September 25 from 10 – 1, will focus on pruning, including: when, why and how to shape, renovate, train or rejuvenate your woody plants. Learn about pruning tools, timing, and specific techniques available to the home gardener. Pruning techniques specifically for both evergreen and deciduous hedges will be covered.
Ken Gooch Massachusetts Certified Arborist, is the Department of Environmental Management’s Forest Health Specialist for Berkshire County. He is an educator and lectures widely on a variety of topics including forest health, pruning, and arboriculture. Wear waterproof outerwear, boots, and bring pruners. $30 BBG members, $35 non-members. Log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org to register, or call 413-298-3926.
Sogetsu Ikebana is an internationally recognized school of Japanese flower arranging. In these classes, to be held at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts, you will learn the essentials of this venerable art from Garden Club of the Back Bay member Kaye Vosburgh. Kaye has, for many years, exhibited and taught Sogetsu Ikebana in Massachusetts, New York, several other states, and three foreign countries. Kaye provides flowers for each class and will have supplies and equipment for purchase by students who wish them. Sign up for any or all of these sessions, most of which cover two lessons in the course’s inexpensive text, which is available from the instructor for $20. Each session costs $29.50 (Tower Hill members) or $32 (non-members). Register online at www.towerhillbg.org.
