Boston Flora

Month: June 2011

  • Friday, August 19 – Sunday, August 28 – Marshfield Fair

    This year’s Marshfield Fair, August 19 – 28 taking place at 140 Main Street in Marshfield, offers great family entertainment with hundreds of farm animals, daily free shows, free grandstand attractions, arts & crafts, 4 H & Agricultural exhibits, horticultural displays & much more.  Free Grandstand entertainment includes: Demolition Derby’s, Motorcycle Motocross Madness, Empire Pro Wrestling, The North River Blues Festival, truck and tractor pulls, and Battle of the Bands. See web site for dates & times: www.fiestashows.com, or call 617-495-3045.  There will be a Standard Flower Show entitled “NOTEworthy“, and the six classes are entitled Judy Garland- Over the Rainbow (a monochromatic design, traditional or creative style, with color selected by the exhibitor on a first come, first serve basis,) The Beatles – Twist and Shout ( a creative design,) Frank Sinatra – New York, New York (a parallel design,) Jimmy Buffett – Cheeseburger in Paradise (a functional table for two,) Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas (a creative plaque on a panel 20″ wide x 30″ high, provided by exhibitor,) and Kermit the Frog – It’s Not Easy Being Green (a design, traditional or creative style, featuring one or more recyclable objects.)  Entry dates Friday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 24.  For complete information, contact Shirley Minott, 781-826-9516, or email her at sminott16@comcast.net.

     

  • Saturday, July 9, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm – Outdoor Creative Flower Photography

    The lilies and dozens of other flowers are in bloom throughout Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston.  Bring your camera and imagination, and learn how to make flower photographs worthy of framing and displaying on your walls. This one-day, hands-on workshop with fine-art photographer Joel Shore of MetWest Gallery explores lighting, composition, and simple techniques to improve your work and draw compliments. Learn how an inexpensive, vinyl shower-curtain liner can become your most-valuable tool! At day’s end, we’ll use a digital projector to review your images.

    Do you have flower photos you love, or ones that disappointed? Bring them in (on a flash drive or prints), too! Whether a novice or experienced hobbyist, this workshop is for you. One-on-one coaching is provided throughout the day. You should be comfortable with operation of your camera, however. Point-and-shoot digital cameras with macro (close-up) capability or a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera with a macro lens are welcome. Bring your tripod. Other useful tools: a cable or wireless shutter release and knee pads or garden kneeling pad. We’ll be outdoors much of the day; sunscreen and a hat for your personal protection are advised. For DSLR owners, we expect to have a variety of Lensbaby lenses in Canon and Nikon mounts available. Contact Joel Shore (joel@MetWestGallery.com) with questions This is an all-day workshop. For lunch, we recommend Tower Hill Botanic Garden’s own Twigs Café. Alternatively, you can bring your own lunch. The closest fast-food establishment is in Clinton, a 14-mile round-trip drive.

    You may purchase tickets to this event ($80 THBG members, $90 non-members) on line at www.towerhillbg.org, or by calling 508-869-6111. Rain date is Sunday, July 10. Photo image below copyright Joel Shore.

  • Through Mid-September, 2011, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm – Franklin Park Zoo’s Seasonal Butterfly Exhibit

    Visitors will once again be able to stroll through Franklin Park Zoo’s tented outdoor exhibit, filled with hundreds of free-flying, beautiful butterflies! Don’t miss this tranquil experience, which features garden beds, a waterfall, pond, and soothing music. Hours are 11 – 4 (Monday – Friday) and 11 – 5 (weekends.) Admission $16 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for children 2 – 12, children under 2 free. Franklin Park Zoo is located at 1 Franklin Park Road in Dorchester, and you may find more information by calling 617-541-5466, or logging on to www.franklinparkzoo.org.

  • Monday, July 11, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Visions of County Kerry

    Dr. Cheryl Lavin, a local clinical psychologist and photographer, took images during a 2007 visit to Ireland, which will be on display at the West Roxbury branch of the Boston Public Library, 1961 Centre Street, West Roxbury, through July 29.  An opening reception will take place Monday, July 11, from 6 – 7:30.  Staying at a cottage in Caherciveen, County Kerry, she rose early each morning to photograph the local countryside.  Photo below of Mol’s Gap is not by Dr. Lavin, but does illustrate the area she has documented.  For more information visit www.cityofboston.gov.

  • Friday, August 12 – Sunday, August 14 – NOFA 2011 Summer Conference

    Join the Northeast Organic Farming Association on Friday, August 12 through Sunday August 14 on the campus of UMass/Amherst, and attend over 200 workshops on organic gardening, farming, food politics, permaculture, homesteading, landscaping, draft-animal power, alternative energy, livestock, cooking, and more! Hundreds of vendors and exhibitors will be on hand, along with live entertainment, childrens and teen conferences, country fair and farmers market, plus silent auction. This year NOFA is proud to feature the Northeast Animal-Power Field Days. Spend the weekend or come for the day. Activities for all ages.

    Sponsored by: Whole Foods, Stonyfield Farm, Farm Family, Jeff Clements Law Office, Greenleaf Foundation, Vermont Compost, Franklin Community Cooperative, Boston Organics, Groton Wellness, Neighboring Food Coop Association, Bejo Seeds, Chelsea Green Publishing, Northeast Animal-Power Field Days, River Valley Market, RMA, UMass Amherst, North County Organics, and Harris Seeds. Keynote speakers will be Eric Toensmeier, a perennial edibles expert (pictured below, courtesy of www.gazettenet.com,) and Dr. Ignacio Chapela of University of California/Berkeley, a GMO activist. Register now at www.nofasummerconference.org, email info@nofasummerconference.org, or call 413-230-7835.

  • Wednesday, July 27, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Young Friends of the Public Garden Summer Kick Off Celebration

    Please join the Young Friends of the Public Garden on Wednesday, July 27, from 7 – 10, for their summer kick-off celebration at the roof of The Taj Hotel, 15 Arlington Street in Boston, overlooking our wonderful gardens themselves. You may rsvp on line on Facebook by clicking here.  The price is $45, which includes two drinks, passed hors d’oeuvre, and a chance to wine a raffle for prizes which include Red Sox tickets.  You may also mail your check (made out to The Friends of the Public Garden) and contact information to 87 Mount Vernon Street, Boston, MA 02108.  All proceeds benefit The Friends of the Public Garden.  For more information, email katepokorny@gmail.com.

  • Saturday, July 16, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Capturing the Herbal Harvest

    Capture the herbal harvest while gardens and farm stands are brimming with fresh herbs. Even though no one wants to think about winter now, you will be thrilled when your pantry and freezer are stocked for winter cooking and holiday gift giving!

    Imagine lining your cupboard shelves with jewel toned bottles of herb vinegars, golden brown herb mustards and sparkling jars of herbal jellies. Picture containers of herb butters, bags of rosemary walnuts and bottles of herb pesto filling a corner of your freezer.

    Not enough time? Too much work? Not true. Mrs. Thrift never does anything that takes too much time! Learn which herbs are best to dry, and which to freeze. Mustard, butters, vinegars, jellies, salts and sauces can all be quickly made, then stored for year round enjoyment. Bring your taste buds. We will end with a little taste of everything! Recipe sheets included. The program will take place Saturday, July 16, from 10 – 12 at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum, 101 Ferry Road, Bristol, Rhode Island, and costs $18 for Blithewold members and $25 for non-members. For more information, or to register, call 401-253-2707, or visit www.blithewold.org.

     

  • Wednesday, July 13, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm – Through the Garden Gate

    The South Shore Natural Science Center (pictured below) presents Through the Garden Gate, its 30th Annual Garden Tour of lovely gardens of the South Shore, on Wednesday, July 13, from 10 – 7.  Advance tickets are available for $18 (members of SSNSC) and $20 (non-members), and on the day of tour for $25.  Call 781-659-2559 for ticket information, or visit www.ssnsc.org.  The South Shore Natural Science Center is located at 48 Jacob’s Lane, off Route 123 in Norwell, Massachusetts.

  • Wednesday, July 27, 7:00 pm – Friday, July 29, 3:00 pm – Summer Photography Workshop

    Spend 2 1/2 days with a small group of friends doing all the things you love- photographing gardens and eating food food. This Rich Pomerantz Photography Workshop in New Milford, Connecticut, starts July 27th at 7pm and ends July 29th at 3pm. Contact Celia Pomerantz for lodging information: celia@richpomerantz.com.  Photograph below by, naturally, Rich Pomerantz.

     

  • Kaye Vosburgh and Donna Morrissey Exhibit at WAFA 2011

    Two Garden Club of the Back Bay members, Kaye Vosburgh and Donna Morrissey, exhibited at the Seaport World Trade Center in June as part of the World Association of Flower Arrangers.  Approximately 900 artists from around the world created memorable arrangements in over twenty classes.  Kaye’s arrangement of lilies and driftwood won a coveted ribbon from the international judging panel.  Donna’s was a two sided arrangement, as depicted in two pictures below.  Although the pictures below fail to do the works justice (lighting in the hall was dramatic but difficult to deal with), we know you will enjoy a taste of what our ladies created.