Boston Flora

Month: April 2018

  • Saturday, April 14, 10:30 am and 1:00 pm – Two Talks by Julia Corden

    Ms. Julia Corden, garden specialist from Scotland, will present two programs on Saturday, April 14 at the Presbyterian Church in Sudbury, 330 Concord Road, Sudbury: The Explorer’s Garden and Bhutan in the Footsteps of George Sherriff.

    Julia trained at the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens, achieving her diploma in horticulture. Following work in the South Island New Zealand, plant hunting travels through Hawaii, Delhi and Bangkok and restoration work on an East Sussex estate, she returned to Scotland to take over management of Explorers, The Scottish Plant Hunters Garden.

    A hands-on manager, Julia leads a team of 42 volunteers. Together they make a formidable and dedicated force that both maintains and develops this special garden.

    Julia also devotes some of her spare time to volunteer with The Scottish Rock Garden Club and is on the board of the Diana Aitchison Fund which supports courses of study and helps finance projects or trips pertaining to rock garden plants.

    Her passion is the Blue Poppy of the Himalayas. Over the past decade she has worked tirelessly to collect and nurture, an impressive 32 cultivars giving Explorers 95% of the blue poppy cultivars list. This amazing achievement resulted in Explorers being awarded a National Collection Status from Plant Heritage and an RHS Partner status in 2016.

    Refreshments and conversation at 10:30 and the first talk at 11 am. Bring your lunch; 2nd talk at 1 pm. The lectures are free and are sponsored by the New England Chapter of North American Rock Garden Society.

    Take the next step in your gardening journey and try a NARGS (North American Rock Garden Society) meeting. We grow a lot more than rock garden plants! We welcome gardeners at all levels of experience. For more information call 781-769-7940.

  • Monday, May 14 – Friday, May 18 – American Horticultural Society President’s Council Trip to St. Petersburg, Florida

    Members who make leadership gifts of $1,000 or more are recognized through membership in the AHS President’s Council. Their charitable gifts provide funds that support everything from internships and the National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, to national awards and the stewardship of River Farm. Another great benefit is an invitation to participate in the Annual President’s Council trip, this year to St. Petersburg, Florida May 14 – 18. Join new AHS President, Beth Tuttle, for the 2018 President’s Council (PC) trip. This journey, an exclusive benefit  for AHS PC members, beckons us to central Florida and “Florida’s Cultural Coast”—a lively landscape filled with bold, colorful, tropical and subtropical plants that will delight us at every  turn. Our itinerary will include notable gardens in St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Tampa, Lake Wales, and Orlando. We will enjoy tours of historic private gardens, noteworthy public gardens, and the largest garden festival in the country. Our tour hosts are AHS President Emeritus Katy Moss Warner, former AHS Board and current PC member Sherran Blair, and AHS member and landscape architect Meg Whitmer. Our home base will be The Vinoy Renaissance Resort, a majestic historic hotel overlooking Tampa Bay in downtown St. Petersburg. If you are interested in joining the President’s Council and attending the PC tour, please contact the Development office at development@ahsgardening.org or call (703) 768-5700 ext. 127 or ext. 132 for pricing and registration. For complete itinerary visit http://www.ahsgardening.org/uploads/pdfs/2018_Florida_PC_Travel_Flyer_final.pdf

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  • Saturday, April 21, 9:30 am – 11:00 am – The Living Lawn: Simple Steps to Organic Lawn Care

    In this April 21 Hollister House Garden presentation, beginning at 9:30 am, you will hear many compelling reasons why you should consider a natural approach to lawn care. The presenter, Chip Osborne, is a professional horticulturalist with over forty-five years in the green industry. He is the founder of Osborne Organics, a company providing natural turf consulting services. Chip will offer a detailed and systematic approach to natural lawn care, including basic soil biology and testing, proper use of organic products and sound cultural practices. These steps will be outlined and explained in a common sense way. This talk is suitable for the homeowner as well as for landscape professionals. Hollister House Garden is located at 300 Nettleton Hollow Road in Washington, Connecticut. HHG Members $30; Non-Members $35. Register online at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/events/living-lawn-simple-steps-organic-lawn-care/

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  • Through May 20 – Molly Hatch: Bouquet

    Molly Hatch’s exhibition Bouquet at Tower Hill Botanic Garden through May 20 puts on display over 40 of the original gouache illustrations from her new book series Bouquet in a Book published by Abrams Books in February of 2018. The illustrations on exhibit offer a fresh take on the Victorian notion of expressing oneself with the symbolic language of flowers. Hatch’s illustrations feature page spreads that include a flower that “flips up” from the page, a brief description of the flower’s symbolism, and its special message for the recipient. When all of the blossoms in each of Hatch’s books are popped up, the books can be displayed on a desk just like a vase of flowers. Hatch created hundreds of original watercolors based on historic botanic and illuminated manuscripts to generate the illustrations for her books. Hatch reveals the process behind illustrating her books in sharing these gouache paintings that started it all.

    Born the daughter of a painter and an organic dairy farmer, Molly was raised to be creatively industrious. Using her imagination and love of drawing to make everything from her well known idiosyncratic ceramics to quirky pen-and-ink drawings. Molly’s craft is finely honed, her designs whimsically literal and pop-culturally on-point.

    Working from her home studio, Molly began making her living as a full-time studio potter in 2008. Her formal education in ceramics and drawing resulted in the development of her signature style. Making contemporary ceramics inspired by history, Molly’s career as a studio potter quickly garnered a loyal following. Molly’s designs have expanded beyond tableware to a wide range of lifestyle products and Molly is actively growing collections of home goods to bring her modern yet traditional designs to the contemporary home. Exhibit is free with admission. For more information visit http://towerhillbg.org.

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  • Thursday, April 26 – Sunday, April 29 – The 26th Annual Newport Symposium: Great Collectors – Taste, Passion, & Patronage

    Throughout the centuries and around the world, collectors have passionately pursued objects of fascination and beauty reflecting an intriguing combination of personal interests and aesthetics, validation, and outside influences. Join The Preservation Society of Newport County for a stimulating weekend of lectures, social events, and camaraderie as the Newport Symposium returns with a perennial favorite topic: great collectors. Preeminent national and international presenters will explore the underpinnings of collecting, and bring the fascinating stories of collectors to life. Opening Reception: Thursday, April 26, 2018 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Lectures, Private Tours, Events: Friday, April 27 to midday Sunday, April 29.
    Gala Dinner at The Breakers: Saturday, April 28. View the full weekend schedule and  at http://www.newportmansions.org/learn/newport-symposium/symposium-schedule

  • Seed Your Future

    Seed Your Future is a national initiative to promote horticulture as a vital, viable and exciting career path for the nation’s youth.  It envisions a world where every U.S. student knows the meaning and importance of horticulture. It wants the next generation of leaders in this invaluable field poised to fill the wealth of job opportunities available to them.

    There has been a decline in interest in plants and in pursuing careers in horticulture. This has caused many challenges including: low appreciation for how plants impact the world; declining college, university and certification program enrollment in horticulture; and plant blindness (the inability to see or notice the plants in one’s own environment, leading to the inability to recognize the importance of plants in the biosphere and in human affairs).  Another challenge is  negative stereotypes about careers working with plants. Check out a few of the alarming statistics:

    The average U.S. citizen can identify more than 1,000 brands and logos, but fewer than 10 local plants.
    Most schools stop teaching plant-based concepts in the third grade.
    ZERO middle-schoolers in  focus groups across the country said they have heard the word “horticulture.”

    Only 61% of the average 57,600 annual job openings in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources or the environment are filled due to lack of qualified candidates – causing a severe workforce gap. Seed Your Future’s goals:

    Awareness – Create a favorable perception of horticulture and increase awareness of careers working with plants among youth and youth influencers.
    Education – Engage and excite youth about horticulture and careers working with plants.
    Workforce Development – Increase the skilled workforce in horticulture and develop a strong pipeline of future talent.
    Partnerships – Cultivate and strengthen partnerships and collaborations to advance our mission; and to diversify and broaden the base of volunteers, advocates and supporters.
    Resource Development – Diversify funding sources and increase financial supporters to ensure sustainability of the movement.

    For information on how to get involved, visit http://seedyourfuture.org.

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  • Thursday, August 30 – Thursday, September 6 – Enchanting Ireland

    Women travelers will experience the best of Southern Ireland’s essence with windswept coastlines, castles, gardens and pubs on Serendipity Traveler’s 2018 Best of Southern Ireland women’s small group tour, August 30 – September 6. Perched on the northwest tip of Europe, Ireland seems like another world. Rain or shine, the Emerald Isle is a land of great natural beauty and exceptionally warm hospitality. Pack your windbreakers, brollies and plan to buy a handknit pure Irish sweater as we will explore this rugged and lush piece of green in typical Irish weather which can be a wee bit wet. Whether the sun is shining or the mist is falling, Ireland is unforgettable. One can almost hear the fairies dancing in the pure green fields. Stories of ancient myths, stunning scenery, traditional pubs, castles, gardens, music and more will create a colorful cultural and memorable journey. Women travelers will arrive in Dublin to join our small group privately guided tour of Ireland.

    You will arrive in Dublin and depart from Shannon. Tour the renowned Ring of Kerry, stunning Beara Peninsula, the breathtaking Dingle Peninsula and the mysterious Burren regions. Join us in 2018 in Ireland on our women’s small group 2018 Ireland tour. Experience the warmth of Cead Mile-Failte, One hundred thousand welcomes on our small group women’s travel jaunt to Ireland 2018.

    Our small group women’s tour of The Best of Southern Ireland 2018 includes the luxury of our favorite personal full time Irish expert guide and driver. We travel with flexibility and comfort while touring in a small group of women traveling together, with the best of local knowledge to lead us to local hidden gems and wandering a bit off the touristic path. A Mercedes is our vehicle while touring. Our accommodations throughout are Irish luxe from our distinctive hotel in the heart of Dublin and award winning country house inns and hotels in other counties. All hearty breakfasts, two lunches and our traditional welcome and farewell dinners are included. Admission to castles, parks and gardens are all included . Highlights include; Award winning Walking Tour of Dublin, Trinity College Tour and Book of Kells Exhibit, Prehistoric Celtic sites, Notable Gardens & Castles, Historical Irish Pubs, Touring The Ring of Kerry, The Beara Peninsula, The Dingle Peninsula, The Burren, Market towns, and Artisan studios. Please note Serendipity Traveler does not charge women travelers an additional single supplement on Serendipity Traveler tours and each woman savours their own private room. $5995.00 USD* should the Euro change significantly the price will be adjusted 14 days prior to departure. Reserve your trip today to explore the best of Southern Ireland now and put your trip to Ireland on your 2018 calendar. This trip is timed for end of summer season in Ireland when the mists, mountains and myths all lend to a magical Irish adventure. Join our small group women’s Ireland tour in 2018 and discover the Best of Southern Ireland’s backroads and gems with Serendipity Traveler in Ireland. More details at http://www.serendipitytraveler.com/destinations/womens_tour_gems_of_southern_ireland

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  • Tuesday, April 24, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Stig L. Andersson

    Stig L. Andersson founded SLA Architects in 1994. Having studied nuclear physics, Japanese culture and chemistry before becoming an architect, Andersson graduated from The Royal Danish School of Architecture in 1986. From 1986-1989 Andersson moved to Japan with Japanese ministerial research funds. Andersson was particularly interested in Japanese culture’s relationship with substance, space and changeability – fields he has integrated and developed in his own practice since 1994.

    Stig L. Andersson is SLA’s founding partner. Beginning as a (purely) landscape architectural practice, SLA has developed into an international interdisciplinary organization working with city nature, urban design and nature-based solutions. Renowned for his sensuous and poetic work, Andersson combines unique amenity values based on the aesthetics of nature with cutting-edge sustainable city solutions and ecosystem services.

    He is a professor in aesthetic design at the University of Copenhagen and is a much sought-after lecturer and teacher at universities and architecture schools in Europe, Asia and the United States, and has received numerous national and international awards for his work, including The European Landscape Award, The RIBA Award, The World Landscape Architecture Award, and in 2014 the C.F. Hansen Medal – the highest national honor given to a Danish architect awarded by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

    Mr. Andersson will speak at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design on Tuesday, April 24 beginning at 6:30 pm. Free and open to the public. Anyone requiring accessibility accommodations should contact the events office at (617) 496-2414 or events@gsd.harvard.edu.

  • Wednesday, April 25, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm – Taste of the Back Bay

    The 23rd Annual Taste of the Back Bay will take place Wednesday, April 25 from 6:30 – 9:30 at the Prudential Skywalk. This year a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Women’s Lunch Place. Musical entertainment provided by the Berklee College of Music. The Taste of the Back Bay is an annual sampling of the finest food and drink the Back Bay has to offer. For a lineup of participating restaurants visit http://www.nabbonline.com/event/taste_back_bay, where you can also buy tickets ($125 NABB members, $135 non-members, $150 at the door), No one under 21 years of age admitted. Premier Gold Sponsor is The Improper Bostonian, Silver Underwriter is The Boston Guardian, and Underwriters are Boston Duck Tours, Boston Private Bank & Trust Company, Boston Properties, Danker & Donohue Garage, The Druker Company, Ltd., Eversource, Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, and UrbanMeritage.

  • Wednesday, April 25, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Evening with the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit

    You’re invited to join the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit on Wednesday, April 25 from 6 – 8 for an intimate evening in a private townhouse. Enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvre, & entertainment all while supporting our treasured horses.To purchase tickets online, visit https://friendsofthebprmountedunit.org/events/