Boston Flora

Month: May 2011

  • Saturday, October 15 – Saturday, October 22 – A Tuscan Harvest

    Join Ethne Clarke, Editor in Chief of Organic Gardening magazine, on Organic Gardening’s premiere reader tour – a trip through the beautiful Tuscan countryside of central Italy. You’ll be stopping (and sampling) at artisanal, organic wineries, olive groves and fattoria, beguiling gardens and more; dining at local organic restaurants, and sharing cooking lessons in true Tuscan kitchens to experience the authentic foods and recipes of Tuscany.

    Ethne says “I hope you’ll come with me to learn about and savor the joy of a Tuscan harvest as celebrated in the Italian heartland. Our guide and gardening expert, Alessandro Tombelli, will share his knowledge of secret Tuscany, so it’s going to be a memorable journey – a once in a lifetime experience. Andiamo!” Touring will be by bus, with options to walk several hours on two days (walk rating: easy.) $4,995 per person, double occupancy, with a single supplement of $830, airfare not included, for the eight day, seven night trip. The tour begins in Florence and ends in Siena. Full travel services are available to meet this tour in Florence through Wayfarers’ Travel. For a complete itinerary, log on to www.thewayfarers.com/atuscanharvest.

  • Wednesday, May 18, 7:00 pm – Native Perennials for Spectacular Borders

    As part of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s Wednesdays at Elm Bank series, on Wednesday, May 18, they welcome Laura Eisener to speak on Native Perennials for Spectacular Borders. Laura is that rare horticulturalist – one whose passion for her subject is equaled by her communication skills. One thing she is especially keen on is the use of ‘nativars’ – cultivars of native plants – in the garden.

    Resistant to disease and ignored by deer and rabbits, native plants deserve close attention from gardeners. Now, plant breeders are crossing natives to create new terrific new varieties. The perennial border is a great place to showcase these plants and Laura will show you how to incorporate them into your own garden.  The fee for the program is $10 for Mass Hort members, $15 for non-members.  For directions and more information log on to www.masshort.org.  Photo from the excellent online journal www.thegardenerseden.com.

  • Saturday, June 18, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Gardens of Earthly Delights

    Glastonbury Abbey will hold its first biennial garden tour, Gardens of Earthly Delights, on Saturday, June 18, from 10 – 4.  Start your tour with tea, coffee, and tidbits at the Abbey Center, 16 Hull Street, Hingham, from 10 – 11:30.  View a Botanical Art Exhibition at the Abbey Center of acclaimed South Shore artists.  A giecle artist’s print by Ruth Ann Wetherby-Fratassio will be raffled.  Tour the Abbey grounds and all its gardens.  View the historic herb garden, walk the Labyrinth in the woods, and ponder the monks’ private Zen garden.  Then, tour five unique, private gardens in Hingham and Cohasset.  Tickets may be purchased for $35 beginning May 13 through June 17 by calling or visiting the Abbey Bookstore, 16 Hull Avenue in Hingham.  Tickets purchased on the day of the Tour are $40, available at the Abbey Center.  For more information, call 781-749-2155, ext 210, or log on to www.glastonburyabbey.org.

  • Wednesday, June 15, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – 2011 World Flower Show Opening and Preview

    The 2011 World Flower Show, This Glorious Earth!, will be held June 15 – June 19th at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.  All art lovers, competitors, floral design enthusiasts, conservationists, and connoisseurs of international culture should mark their calendars and join WAFA as 600 international competitors showcase floral art from around the world – for the very first time in the United States of America.  The opening and preview benefit will take place Wednesday, June 15, from 6:30 – 8:30 at the Avenue of Flags and Seaport World Trade Center.  Following remarks by the WAFA President and dignitaries, enjoy the Cutting of the Lei while eating regional hors d’oeuvre, beer and wine, plus a cash bar.  Tickets are $125 and may be purchased on line at www.wafausa.org.  We will feature posts on individual events in the coming weeks, but we hope you will reserve your tickets now.  Early bird private tours of the show, including breakfast and daily admission, will take place Thursday through Saturday, 7:30 am – 10:00 am, for a charge of $75, and tickets may also be reserved on line.

  • Wednesday, June 22 – Saturday, June 25 – The American Hosta Society National Convention

    The 2011 American Hosta Society National Convention will take place June 22 – June 25 right here in Massachusetts, hosted by the New England Hosta Society.  This year’s theme is Hostas and Heritage.  There will be optional bus tours to hosta gardens in four states – Wednesday, see the garden of Bernie and Sue Apter and the garden of Carol Brashear and Bill Meyer, in Connecticut, along with O’Brien Nurserymen Display Garden and Nursery and the garden of Kathie Sisson.  Friday’s main tour in Massachusetts includes Bob and Diane Adams’ Oakenstone Gardens, Mary Arnberg’s garden with roughly 500 varieties of hosta, the Cochato Nursery and Display Gardens, and Paula Lehtola’s “Deer Buffet”.  Saturday will bring you to New Hampshire to the garden of Cheryl and Rick Cravino aptly named HostaAmour, the garden of Roger Kinchen, and Chuck and Sue Andersen’s Mason Hollow Nursery.  There are also three gardens on display following the official end of the show – Sunday brings a chance to see the Hanover, Massachusetts garden of Gerry and Rindy Bennet, the garden of Rick Goodenough, and the Plymouth, Massachusetts garden of Rosemary and David Parks.  There will be seedling and sport competitions (called “First Look”), lectures and classes, auctions, ice cream socials, a judged hosta show entitled One if by Land and Two if by Sea (show schedule available for download on web site, www.hosta2011.org), the ultimate hosta supermarket, with nationally known hosta vendors, and all this within a short drive of Boston – in beautiful Marlborough, Massachusetts, at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel.  Fee to attend is $225, and you may register on line.  Make reservations at the hotel, if you are not inclined to drive back and forth, no later than May 28 by calling 888-543-9500 and mention “American Hosta Society” to receive the convention room rate.

  • Saturday, May 28 – Monday, May 30 – Paradise City Northampton Arts Festival

    Spend Memorial Day weekend in the cultural heart of New England, at Northampton’s award-winning Paradise City Arts Festival.  This spring’s show includes 250 extraordinary craftsmen and artists, a silent auction to benefit the Breast Form Fund, sensational cuisine by Northampton’s best chefs, and live music by regional and national luminaries (that’s their word, not ours!)  Admission is $12 adults, $10 seniors, and $8 students.  Show hours are 10 – 6 Saturday and Sunday, 10 – 4 Monday, and there is free parking.  For complete information, log on to www.paradisecityarts.com/spring/homesprg.html.  We learned about this show from local artist Stacey Betts of Stacey Betts Stained Glass, whose specialty is botanical-based stained glass designs, both realistic and representative.  A sample of her work is shown below.

  • Tuesday, May 24, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Cocktails for CitySprouts

    Enjoy cocktails on the patio at OM Restaurant & Bar at 92 Winthrop Street in Harvard Square on Tuesday, May 24, from 5 – 8 pm, at a benefit to support CitySprouts gardens. Executive Chef Michael Madden brings an international perspective with such dishes as Tograshi Tuna with udon noodles, braised Kobe dumplings,  tempura long beans, and grilled octopus. No reservations are necessary, but if you’d like more information, call 617-876-2436, or email info@citysprouts.org.

  • Tuesdays, May 17 and 24, and Thursday, May 26, 10:30 am – Hale House Planting

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay assists Hale House, a not for profit retirement residence located at 273 Clarendon Street in Boston.  This year, the Club has donated $500 for the purchase of annual flowering plants to brighten Hale House’s inner garden.  We are looking for volunteers on Tuesday, May 17, Tuesday, May 24, and Thursday, May 26, beginning at 10:30 am, to help with the planting.  One or two hours of your time will be all that is needed.  If you are able to assist, please email Bev Christians at j.bchris@verizon.net and let her know.  Bring a small trowel, garden gloves, and lots of good will.  Meet at the northeast corner of Clarendon and Marlborough Streets.

     

  • Wednesday, May 11, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – The Best Garden in Boston Can Be the One in Your Back Yard

    Paul Miskovsky has created, hands down, some of the most stunning gardens in New England. He has a horticulturist’s eye and he’s an artist who uses a Bobcat to sculpt nondescript properties into showcases for their owners.

    But he’s also a guy who believes that great gardens begin with selecting the right plants. And, you don’t have to have a million bucks to spend to create a garden with an ‘aura’. All it takes is a good eye and some imagination. Last year, Paul’s imagination landed his own garden on the front cover of the Boston Globe magazine’s annual gardening issue. On May 11, Paul will talk about choosing annuals and perennials for your garden. He’ll start by taking you on a walk through the Bressingham Garden at Elm Bank, which is chock full of unusual perennials. (Paul has more than a passing familiarity with the garden, he helped built it in 2007 and maintains it today, interpreting the vision of its designer, Adrian Bloom). You’ll then head back to the classroom to hear Paul talk about what works – and doesn’t work – in the home garden.

    Because of the garden walk component of the program, the starting time will be 6:30 p.m. Please assemble in front of the Elm Bank Education Building. The fee for this program is $10 for Massachusetts Horticultural Society members and $15 for non-members. Reservations are not required. As always, refreshments will be served.For more information, log on to www.masshort.org.

  • Sunday, May 15, 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm – 2011 Annual Dahlia Tuber & Plant Auction

    The Rhode Island Dahlia Society announces its Annual Tuber Auction and Plant Sale, to be held Sunday, May 15, from 1 – 4:30 at the Cold Spring Community Center, Beach Street, Wickford, North Kingston, Rhode Island. Many Greater Boston Area residents are members and will be attending. Most of the varieties offered at this sale are exhibition quality dahlias and are not available at your local garden center. The tubers and plants are donated by local growers and Society members who hail from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. From giants to miniatures, there is something for everyone. Representative varieties of the 19 different forms of dahlias in an array of colors will be available. Free admission.  For more information, call 781-769-3854 or visit http://www.RhodeIslandDahliaSociety.org.

    The Rhode Island Dahlia Society generally meets the first Sunday of the month at 2:00 PM at the Cold Spring Community Center in North Kingstown, RI. The Society welcomes new members and invites the public to visit Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, RI to view the dahlia garden it supports in collaboration with the Preservation Society of Newport County.