The Friends of the Public Garden recently completed a multi-year renewal of the landscape along the 900 foot Boylston Street border of the Public Garden. They are now looking for volunteers to weed and perform minor pruning to help maintain the plantings. A commitment to work twice monthly would be welcome, but not absolutely necessary. If you are interested in helping out or would like more information, please email info@friendsofthepublicgarden.org.
Thanksgiving is all about giving… And pie! Join Formaggio Kitchen in welcoming Sarah Powers, Pastry Chef and head Pastry Trainer at Flour Bakery and Cafe, for a little of both. This Friday, November 6 class, beginning at 6:30 pm, will be an informative and practical lesson focused on seasonal and holiday pies. First, Sarah will demonstrate her skills as she teaches you how to craft the perfect pate brisee pie crust. Then, she will put that skill to the test as she demonstrates three classic recipes for apple pie, pumpkin pie and a rustic crostata. Last, she will share a special recipe that cannot be beat – a lovely chocolate cream pie that is perfect for the holidays! You will leave this class full of knowledge and full of delicious pie! NOTE: This class is held at our classroom annex, not our retail location. The annex is located at 67 Smith Place in Cambridge, and we highly recommend reviewing the directions available here. Please be aware of our cancellation policy. General Admission, $65.00 per person. Register at www.formaggiokitchen.com.
The winter months are the perfect time to make festive and warming cordial drinks. So come spice up your holidays and learn how to create delicious herbal-infused alcoholic beverages — they make a delightful treat to sip by the fire, or to give as gifts.
It’s much easier than you think, and you can be as creative as you wish! At Elm Bank on Thursday, November 5 from 7 – 8:30 we will sample several examples of herbal wines and cordials and each participant will create his/her own in class to go home with.
Steph Zabel is an herbalist and educator based in Somerville, MA. For over a decade she has combined her passions for natural medicine, community outreach, and education. She holds a Masters degree in ethnobotany, and is a graduate of several herbal apprenticeships including a three-year training in clinical herbalism. Steph began her professional career working in the botanical collections of the Harvard University Herbaria. Her current work focuses on teaching practical & inspiring herbal classes and offering dynamic wellness sessions. Steph is also the founder of HERBSTALK, Boston’s vibrant community herbal conference, through which she creates accessible educational opportunities for all plant enthusiasts.
Proceeds will help support the Garden to Table Program. $20 Mass Hort members, $25 non members. Register at http://www.masshort.org/Thursday-Night-at-the-Hort/ or call 617-933-4943.
One of the joys of reading through The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s archived correspondence is finding the things we used to complain about, which today would be unthinkable, thanks to the vigilance of the Back Bay Architectural Commission, and the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay’s Architecture Committee. For instance, did you know that the front yard of 33 Marlborough Street used to be covered in plastic grass? In the words of Sally Gallaudet, “it actually smells and what is underneath is an experience.” Dr. William MacDonald wrote Front Yard Guidelines which finally, on page 26, admitted everyone might not be able to plant a garden, or “just won’t, all right! At least rake your front plot, collect the beer cans, and be proud … ” Sally Swift wrote to the Superintendent of Maintenance at Emerson College congratulating him on the work done to repair an “extraordinary act of vandalism” which seems to have badly damaged an elm tree, which was also painted white during the incident. We are fortunate that today, only the occasional beer can remains an issue.
The 2015 New England Landscape Design & History Association’s Fall Reception features a lecture by landscape architect Thomas Paine on November 12, 2015, at Massachusetts Horticultural Society. His book Cities with Heart (bilingual in English and Chinese, 2015) explores leading examples of urban open space across the globe. The reception begins at 5:30 and features wine, beer, tea, and coffee, accompanied by small bites and is followed by the lecture. Members $10/Nonmembers $20. Registration Deadline is November 6, 2015.
Tom Paine heads the Boston office of AGER, a Shanghai-based multidisciplinary landscape architectural and urban planning firm that focuses on large urban projects in China. He has worked on commercial, residential, and institutional projects including campuses, retirement communities, historic sites and parks in the U.S., England, and Asia. He led the site design of the first Gold LEED-certified public project in Massachusetts.
Tom is currently placing a book for general audiences called The Greenspace Imperative. He is the principal author of Historic Parkway Preservation Treatment Guidelines (Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2006) and Guidelines for Greens, and, with Ronald Lee Fleming and Laurie Halderman, On Common Ground, Caring for Shared Land from Town Common to Urban Park (Harvard, Massachusetts: Harvard Common Press, 1, 1982).
For more information contact Janis Porter at JPorter5@comcast.net.
How does learning shape behavior in bees? What roles do flowers play in influencing bee activity? Researcher Daniel Papaj, PhD, Professor and Associate Head, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, will speak at the Hunnewell Building in the Arnold Arboretum on Monday, November 2 beginning at 7 pm about floral rewards and discuss nectar guides, buzz pollination, and bee decision-making in that context. He will also share some great video of bees in action. Fee Free, but registration requested. Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.
We live in the Anthropocene, the age of humans, and not since cyanobacteria transformed Earth’s early atmosphere has one species–Homo sapiens–had such an outsized influence on the diversity of life on the planet. Saving nature in the human age is a challenging proposition, but perhaps a more relevant question might be how nature can save humankind. In an epic journey across 24 countries accompanied by a film crew from PBS and National Geographic, M. Sanjayan, Executive Vice President and Senior Scientist, Conservation International. compiled awe-inspiring stories that illuminate the inextricable link between the environment and human beings. In this program, he will discuss his journey and the basic truth it revealed: that saving nature is really about saving ourselves.
Presented in collaboration with the Harvard College Conservation Society. This program is located at the Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street in Cambridge. Free parking is available at the 52 Oxford Street Garage. Free and open to the public.
R. William Thomas, Executive Director, Chanticleer Foundation, will visit Tower Hill Botanic Garden on Saturday, November 7 for a talk and book signing. To visit Chanticleer – one of the foremost public gardens in the world – is to step into a world of beauty and creativity that few other gardens can match. Chanticleer isn’t just a place to marvel at however. It also offers practical lessons for re-creating some of the garden’s most spectacular effects in your own landscape. Tower Hill members $15, nonmembers $25. Register online at www.towerhillbg.org.
On Sunday, November 8, from 1 – 2 at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Cheryl Monroe will give a slightly serious, slightly irreverent look at the form of Latin used in botanical nomenclature. We will discuss the wacky ways some plants get their names and how to write them correctly; explore the perils of pronunciation; and learn a few useful words that will help you decipher your garden and bring out your latent Linnaeus. Great for gardeners of all levels.
Cheryl is a licensed adult educator who has been lecturing throughout New England since 2009. She follows two garden mottos: First, to always pay attention to the science, staying current with plant research, new plant introductions and design trends, secondly : “Pretty it up!” She strives to have beautiful pest free gardens on her 1 acre plot in central Massachusetts where she grows over 100 clematis species and hybrids, dozens upon dozens of ornamental vines, hundreds upon hundreds of perennials , and a large variety of both deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs. Cheryl is a mom of four, lover of corgi dogs, avid reader, and knitter, but mostly and whenever possible, a gardener. Tower Hill members $15, nonmembers $25. Register online at www.towerhillbg.org.
The Friends of Christopher Columbus Park (FOCCP) and Honorary Co-Chair Mayor Martin J. Walsh invite you to join them Friday, November 6, 2015, at the Boston Harbor Hotel to support the neighborhood gem, Christopher Columbus Park. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and features a cocktail reception and buffet, dancing to the Beantown Swing Orchestra and a Silent Auction. Tickets are $150 per person; $2,000 for a corporate table of 10. The Platinum Level corporate sponsors for this year are NorthEndBoston.com and Sanibel Electric. Gold Level sponsors are Boston PushCart, Boston Harbor Cruises, CL Waterfront Properties, Joe’s American Bar & Grill, One Medical Group, Marriott Long Wharf Boston, Sunstone Hotel Investors and Tia’s Restaurant. Go to www.foccp.org or call 781-639-6002 to reserve.
