Boston Flora

Month: August 2018

  • Wednesdays, September 12 – November 28 (no class 9/19 or 11/21), 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Home Horticulture Class

    The Massachusetts Master Gardener Association presents ten evening classes packed with practical information to make you a more successful home-gardener

    Classes will take place on Wednesday evenings, 6:30-8:00 PM, Sept. 12 to Nov. 28, 2018 (No class 9/19 or 11/21) at Brigham Hill Community Farm (pictured), 37 Wheeler Road in North Grafton (15 mins. From Mass Pike Exit 11) – Classes will be held in the beautiful barn classroom, featuring new state-of-the-art audio-visual capabilities. Ample free parking in well-lighted, paved lot, just a few steps from the building.

    WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: The Home Hort Series covers the same topics as Master Gardener Training but in a streamlined format. No outside reading, homework, testing or volunteering required. Just 1-1/2 hrs. one night per week. Here’s a sample of what we’ll be covering:

    Important fundamentals such as building great soil and how plants work
    Practical how-to’s like basic landscape design, perennial selection and care, and combating weeds, diseases and pests

    The cost of the 10-lecture series is $250, payable by credit/debit card or Pay Pal. That averages out to just $25 each for the ten sessions. For a complete syllabus, and to register, visit http://massmastergardeners.org/fall-2018-home-horticulture-class/

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  • Friday, September 14 – Sunday, September 16 – Vascular Plants of the Americas: A Searchable Database

    On September 14 – September 16, at the September meeting of the New England Botanical Club, Dr. Carmen Ulloa, Missouri Botanical Garden, will present Vascular Plants of the Americas: A Searchable Database, that includes 124,993 species. This will be a joint meeting with the Botanical Club of Cape Cod and the Islands (BCCCI) to celebrate their 20th anniversary. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution meeting space has been reserved, and field trip planning with BCCCI is underway. For updated information visit http://rhodora.org.

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  • Thursday, September 13, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Planting Spring Bulbs

    In the depths of the New England winter we all long for the a little color and sunshine. Planting bulbs in the autumn helps us prepare for and look forward to the promise of the warmth and color of spring.

    In this Massachusetts Horticultural Society talk on September 13 from 7 – 8:30 at Elm Bank, Lifetime Master Gardener Kathi Gariepy will discuss about bulbs: the history, how they fit into our landscape, and best practices for a lovely garden full of springtime beauty. $12 for Mass Hort members, $20 for nonmembers. Register at http://masshort.org, or call 617-933-4973.

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  • Saturday, September 29, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm – Inspiration for Next Year’s Garden

    Each winter when the Massachusetts Master Gardeners Association Symposium Committee meets to come up with a “wish list” for our next event, we start with feedback from previous participants. (If you attended in 2017, thank you for your thoughtful suggestions!) In keeping with our theme, Inspiration for Next Year’s Garden, we prioritize speakers whose topics not only challenge and elevate our thinking as gardeners, but also offer advice that is both practical and realistic. We hope 2018’s inspiration become your 2019 garden reality. The Symposium will take place Saturday, September 29, from 8:30 – 3:30 at Westford Academy in Westford, Massachusetts.

    Featured speakers include Joseph Tychonievich, author of Rock Gardening: Reimagining a Classic Style. Learn the basic principles of creating a rock garden, as well as knowing some of the most beautiful and easy to grow plants.
    Peter J. Hatch, Director of Gardens and Grounds Emeritus, Thomas Jefferson Foundation, will speak on the third US President’s unique approach to gardening and how it inspired both a vegetable-centric culinary revolution and today’s garden-to-table movement. Then, Kelly D. Norris, Director of Horticulture and Education, Des Moines Botanical Garden, will teach us about stylish plant alternatives that can help you create a more fulfilling connection between you and your garden. Finally, Jessica Walliser, author of the bestseller Good Bug, Bad Bug, will discuss how to attract beneficial insects to your property, helping to preserve the garden’s natural balance.

    Register online ($90, deadline 9/22) at http://massmastergardeners.org/2018-symposium/

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  • Tuesday, September 11, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm – Emerald Ash Borer Field Day

    Join Tawny Simisky, UMass Extension Entomologist, Rick Harper, UMass Extension Associate Professor, Ken Gooch and Nicole Keleher, MA Department of Conservation and Recreation Forest Health Program, Phil Lewis, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service PPQ, and Mollie Freilicher, MA Department of Conservation and Recreation Urban and Community Forestry Program, for a field day devoted to the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB). The morning will begin with a classroom-style overview of ash tree and EAB identification and status, as well as insect monitoring and management options. The remainder of the program will include on-site visitation of the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary to view ash trees and EAB infestations. Trapping demonstrations and tips to carry out community tree inventories to detect and manage ash trees will also occur. This training is designed for arborists, tree wardens/urban foresters, municipal officials, landscapers, land managers, landowners and tree enthusiasts.

    Co-sponsored by UMass Extension, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Mass Audubon. Preregistration required – space is limited to 60 participants; cost is a reduced $25 per person, thanks to funding support provided by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and meeting space provided by Mass Audubon. Lunch will be on your own but morning coffee and snacks will be provided. The event takes place at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Road in Easthampton on Tuesday, September 11 from 8:30 – 1. Print registration form at https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/events/emerald-ash-borer-field-day

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  • Wednesday, September 12, 10:00 am – Frederick Law Olmsted and the Massachusetts Legacy

    Wednesday, September 12, 10:00 am – Frederick Law Olmsted and the Massachusetts Legacy

    Alan Banks, Supervisory Park Ranger of Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, will talk about the firm Frederick Law Olmsted founded over a century ago, and was involved in over 1,200 landscape architecture projects throughout Massachusetts, ranging from expansive 500-acre public parks to intimate private gardens. One of the greatest achievements is the six-mile long “emerald necklace” of ponds, parks, and parkways that winds its way through Boston.

    Alan Banks oversees the historical interpretation of Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline. He has researched and developed a variety of landscape walking tours and presentations on the Olmsteds and their work across the country. He has lectured at Wellesley College Davis Art Museum, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Appalachian Institute at Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and American Society of Landscape Architects in Atlanta, among other locations. He consulted on PBS productions Olmsted and America’s Urban Parks and Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America. Banks wrote the first comprehensive guide and map to the Boston Park System.

    This program, to be held Wednesday, September 12 beginning at 10 am at The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue, kicks off The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s 2018-2019 season, and will be followed 2 weeks later on Wednesday, October 3, by a field trip at the Olmsted Home and Office in Brookline (Fairsted). Garden Club members will receive notices of both meetings. If you are not a member but are interested in attending, email info@bostonflora.com

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  • Tuesday, March 26 – Saturday, April 6 – Awe Inspiring New Zealand Scenery

    Explore breathtaking New Zealand next spring, March 26 – April 6, with Hidden Treasures Tours. Tour extravagant gardens, delve into the beauty of the fjords, and enjoy decadent food and local wine while enjoying the company of your fellow travelers. This tour is perfect for the novice or experienced New Zealand traveler. Tour highlights include Ayrlies Garden in Auckland, one of the most celebrated private gardens in New Zealand, Totara Waters Garden, the private garden of Jocelyn Coyle, and the Auckland Botanic Garden. Then, travel to the South Island to the Dunedin Botanic Garden, Larnach Castle, and a wildlife tour on the Otago Peninsula where you will see the world’s rarest penguins, fur seals, and Stewart Island Shags. Wylde Willows Garden in Dunedin and an optional excursion to the Te Anau Glowworm Caves are next, then enjoy an overnight cruise of Doubtful Sound deep in Fjordland National Park. In Queenstown, you will visit the private home and gardens of celebrated artist DaVella Gore, The Stoneridge Chapel and Water Garden, and historic Arrowtown. There will be a stop at Gibbston Vallery Winery and an evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu on the steamer TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak Station to dine at the Colonel’s Homestead. Traveling north over Lindis Pass into Mackenzie Country, you will pass along the shores of Lake Pukaki to Mt. Cook Village in the heart of the South Alps, home to New Zealand’s tallest peak – Aoraki Mt. Cook. Lastly, two nights in Christchurch include a visit to Ohinetahi, the famous private garden of Sir Miles Warren, and the Giants House in Akaroa. There is actually much more, all of which may be found at https://hiddentreasurestours.com//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/New-Zealand-2019-1.pdf. $5,999 per person based on double occupancy, $1,550 single supplement.

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  • Saturday, September 15, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – Photography Special Effects

    Have some fun with your garden photos! Learn how to add depth to your landscape images, “star” the sun, use the zoom technique, create panoramic images and more. Bring your camera and lenses to this Tower Hill Botanic Garden class on September 15 from 10 – 3 and learn how to create great effects with the equipment you already have.

    Steve McGrath is a professional freelance photographer and photography teacher who has been creating images for 20 years. Steve first began by shooting sports photography for local high schools, then weddings, and stock agencies. Then his love of the outdoors led him to focusing more on his true passion, “nature photography”. Steve was an active member of the Gateway Camera Club for many years, and has won many ribbons and awards at fairs and competitions through the group and on his own. Several of his images have been published in school textbooks. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

    Intermediate level class is $60 for Tower Hill members, $70 for nonmembers. Register at https://towerhillbg.thankyou4caring.org/pages/event-registration-form—photography-special-effects

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  • Wednesday, September 12 – Saturday, November 17 – The Landscape Architecture of Lawrence Halprin

    The Landscape Architecture of Lawrence Halprin, a traveling photographic exhibition about the life and work of landscape architect Lawrence Halprin (1916-2009), will be on view in Boston, Massachusetts, at the Boston Architectural College, 320 Newbury Street, Boston, from September 12 through November 17, 2018. Created in 2016 during the centennial anniversary of Halprin’s birth, The Cultural Landscape Foundation exhibition features 56 newly commissioned photographs by leading landscape photographers of dozens of Halprin’s major works, including recently rediscovered residential projects created early in his career in the 1950s; the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.; capstone projects such as the Yosemite Falls approach and Stern Grove in San Francisco; the Los Angeles Open Space Network; and Plaza Las Fuentes in Pasadena.

    Halprin was, without doubt, among the foremost landscape architects of the twentieth century. His prolific career spanned more than six decades, with highlights that also include Freeway Park (in Seattle, Washington), and the Portland Open Space Sequence (in Portland, Oregon). His firm was a seedbed for many talented designers now celebrated in their own right, and the innovative techniques he pioneered changed the field forever. While the traveling exhibition will honor Halprin and his career, it will also call attention to the need for the informed and effective stewardship of his irreplaceable legacy. Like much of the work of prominent landscape architects in the post-War period, many of Halprin’s designs are now in a diminished state, while some face an uncertain future.

    For more information, and to view the online exhibition, visit https://tclf.org/landscape-architecture-lawrence-halprin-boston

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  • Thursdays, September 6 and 13, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Introduction to Aquatic Plants of New England

    Thursdays, September 6 and 13, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Introduction to Aquatic Plants of New England

    Aquatic habitats of the Northeast support a high diversity of plants. Learn how to identify local native and invasive aquatic plants through hands-on review of vegetative and floral characteristics. Discover the amazing adaptations plants have made to live in water. This two session New England Wild Flower Society class will be taught by Dr. Lori Benoit at Nasami Farm in Whately, on September 6 and 13 from 6 – 9. Cosponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions. $80 for members of sponsoring organizations, $96 for nonmembers. Register at www.newenglandwild.org.

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