Let The Garden Club of the Back Bay solve your holiday gift giving dilemmas. We will custom design to your specifications a gorgeous wreath, which can be delivered within the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, or the South End, or be picked up, with a lovely gift card attached, indicating you have been thoughtful, generous, and possibly the best gift giver ever (that’s our opinion, not the wording on the card, by the way.) You can send a wreath with one of our magnificent bows for as little as $30 – perfect for the hairdresser, dentist, teacher, superintendent, babysitter, etc. If you have close friends or relatives who simply have enough “stuff” – send a fully decorated wreath. Some of our members do a lot of their holiday shopping at the Wreath Store, and it’s stress free. Visit our wreath page – https://bostonflora.com/products-page/ – for the order form and click on the links to see past pictures of our wreaths and bows. Naturally the ribbon selection changes each year, but all are beautiful.
Month: November 2011
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Wednesday, December 7, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Northern Lights
Join the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy and the North End community for the annual lighting of the great Elm Tree and the illumination of the pergola on Wednesday, December 7, from 6 – 7 pm. Celebrate the winter season and enjoy bell ringing by the North End Music & Performing Arts Center. This will all take place in the North End Parks, between Hanover & New Sudbury Streets.
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Wednesday, December 7, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Deadly Nightshades: From Potatoes to Poisons
Outside of the grasses and beans, few plant groups have contributed more to influence global cuisine and culture than the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Members like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants have figured prominently not only in human nutrition, but also in the history of New England and the world. At the same time, poisonous relatives like tobacco, mandrake, henbane, and belladonna have contributed to its other, more sinister reputation. Join Gregory J. Anderson, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, at the Hunnewell Building at Arnold Arboretum on Wednesday, December 7, from 7 – 8:30 for a deeper look at both sides of the family line. Free, but registration requested.  On line registration is available at www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

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Wednesday, March 21 – Sunday, March 25 – Bold Colors and Exuberant Flowers: San Diego County
Join the American Horticultural Society, with host Evelyn Alemanni, on Wednesday, March 21 through Sunday, March 25 for a tour of exciting public landscapes and spectacular private gradens during one of the most colorful months in southern coastal California. You will stay at the historic Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in the foothills of Northern San Diego County, pictured below. Trip highlights include a sneak preview of new plants being introduced to the horticultural trade at the California Spring Trials, a stop at the world-famous Flower Fields to view a stunning display of ranunculus, and a private tour of both the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the San Diego Botanic Garden. For more information, contact MacNair Travel by emailing ahs@macnairtravel.com, or call 866-627-6621.

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Holiday Wreaths 2011 – The True Cost of a Wreath
Sometimes, when neighbors ask their condominium Trustees to purchase wreaths for the building, they are asked if these wreaths are the “best buy” or if ones can be procured at a cheaper price. There are a couple of answers to that question. The first, naturally, is that a cheaper wreath, both in cost and quality, may assuredly be found. But why should a condominium purchase one of The Garden Club of the Back Bay wreaths? Because all the net proceeds are spent pruning, planting, and inoculating the street trees in our own neighborhood. Last year alone, The Garden Club of the Back Bay spent over $14,000 on street tree maintenance alone. These are dollars the City of Boston cannot afford to spend, yet the difference in the quality of our natural experience is immense. During Hurricane Irene, for instance, the Back Bay suffered minimal tree damage, because dead limbs had consistently been pruned over the past months. Worries about the potential impact of our October snow storm were also lessened. So what is the true cost of a wreath? Is it the base purchase price (which, we contend, still compares favorably to wreaths from a good florist), or is it the value of a well tended neighborhood, with healthy and beautiful trees, increasing all our property values? We know our answer, and hope it will be yours as well. To order, visit https://bostonflora.com/products-page/.
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Tuesday, November 29, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Copley Square Holiday Tree Lighting Festivities
The Friends of Copley Square and Mayor Thomas M. Menino invite you and your family to attend the annual Copley Square Holiday Tree Lighting Festivities on Tuesday, November 29, from 3:00 – 6:00 pm, with WHDH’s Janet Wu. At 3:00, there will be a Story Hour and Candy Cane Tea at the Boston Public Library, sponsored by the BPL and by Catered Affair (rsvp by November 25 at 617-859-2282), and be sure to bring your little ones for a Parade of Festively Decorated Carriages. The actual tree lighting will take place at 5:00,with lights courtesy of Normandy RE Partners and Boston Properties, and there will be a post lighting reception at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Bring a can and support Boston Can Share. For more information, visit www.friendsofcopleysquare.org, or email friends of copleysquare@gmail.com.

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Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm – NABB’s Annual Christmas Tree Sale
The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay is again pleased to announce its Annual Christmas Tree Sale, this year on Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4 at the Clarendon Street Playground, from 8 am – 5 pm. Fresh cut balsam fir trees from Maine will be available for sale, with proceeds benefiting the Neighborhood Association. Local delivery is available. For further details, please call 617-247-3961, or email info@nabbonline.com. Thanks again to Chris Mitchell for his splendid work organizing this invaluable project.

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Friday, December 9 – Sunday, December 11 – CRAFTBOSTON Holiday 2011
CRAFTBOSTON Holiday is New England’s premiere exhibition and sale of contemporary craft. Craftboston showcases one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces in baskets, ceramics, decorative fiber, clothing, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper and wood. CRAFTBOSTON Holiday includes 90 artists and is located at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts in Boston’s historic South End, 539 Tremont Street. CRAFTBOSTON is produced by The Society of Arts and Crafts. Incorporated in 1897, SAC has been at the forefront of the American craft movement fostering the development, sales, recognition and education of craft for over 100 years.
Hours are Friday and Saturday, 10 – 7, and Sunday, 11 – 5. General Admission: $15, Seniors $13, SAC Members $12, children under 12 free. Visit www.craftboston.org for complete information. You may also be interested in attending the Preview Party on Thursday, December 8, from 6 – 9. $50 ticket includes hors d’oeuvre and drinks, music, exclusive holiday shopping, and weekend admission to the show. Call 617-266-1810.
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Saturdays, January 14 – February 18, 2012 – Want to be a Master Urban Gardener?
The Master Urban Gardener (MUG) program covers all you need to know to grow food in one of Boston’s community gardens- from composting and seed starting to community organizing. The 2012 MUG classroom sessions will be offered on 6 consecutive Saturdays from January 14 – February 18.
The MUG program consists of 30 hours of classroom instruction, followed by 30 hours of volunteer service. The 2012 MUG classroom sessions will be offered on 6 consecutive Saturdays from January 14 – February 18. The classes will be hosted at the Boston Natural Areas Network office, at 62 Summer Street in Downtown Boston.
Each Saturday will feature topical lectures as well as participatory activities. Topics include:
- Vegetable garden planning for bigger harvests
- Botany and soil science for gardeners
- Managing weeds, pests & diseases without chemicals
- Composting in community gardens
- How to facilitate garden meetings and workshops
Rather than paying a fee, Master Urban Gardeners give 30 hours of volunteer service to Boston’s gardening community. The program is open to Boston resident who are community gardeners. Applications for the MUG course are available at www.bostonnatural.org/MUG.htm and are due December 1. Questions? Contact Erika Rumbley, Garden Educator at 617-542-7696 x15 or erika@bostonnatural.org.

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Friday, November 25 – Saturday, December 3 – Easton Garden Club Festival of Trees
Enjoy an indoor display of decked-out holiday trees at Queset House, 51 Main Street, North Easton, sponsored by the Easton Garden Club. Hours are November 25, 6 – 9, November 26 and 27, noon – 9, and weekdays, November 28 – December 2, 4 – 9. The final day, Saturday, December 3, the Festival will be open from 10 – 9. There will also be a greens sale at the Railroad Station on Sullivan Avenue in the Village of North Easton. All trees are donated by individuals, local businesses, organizations, and schools. Many award-winning Easton Garden Club floral designers will participate, including Gloria Freitas-Steidinger, a past President and GCFMA accredited judge, who also holds the distinction of decorating for the White House. Admission: $5 adults, kids free. Tree raffle tickets will be available at the door (a sheet of 26 tickets is $8) For more information visit www.eastongradenclub.org, or email info@eastongradenclub.org.

