While many plants are difficult to propagate, others are extremely easy. Sow 100 seeds of spotted wintergreen and a single seedling may emerge; sow 100 seeds of spotted bee balm (below) and somehow up pop 150 seedlings! On July 25 at 10 am at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, join Dan Jaffe to learn not only how to propagate, but what to propagate to maximize your plantings. The Native Plant Trust class is $26 for NPT members, $32 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org.
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University will be the site of an exhibit running July 26 – October 13, entitled Between the Leaves: The Unique Prints of Sarah Cross. There will be a free opening reception on Saturday, July 27 from 1 – 3, and a cyanotype workshop on Sunday, July 28 from 10 – noon (registration required.)
Between the Leaves focuses on the ephemeral quality of light. Behind each photograph is Sarah Cross’s hand in the physical construction of what is set up in front of the camera, or through a cathartic printing process. The artist works with a range of photographic media, including 4″ x 5″ color negatives, and gum bichromate printing to create photographs. After a strong degree of photoshop manipulation, the prints are made through the historic gum bichromate process. With this lengthy process, each color is printed as a single layer, resulting in fragile, painterly, and unique prints. Although large in physical presence, these prints are meant to express small invitations to reverie.
The Annual Lisina & Frank W. Hoch Lecture at the Polly Hill Arboretum in Martha’s Vineyard will take place Wednesday, July 17 at 5:30 pm, sponsored by the Middletown Nursery/Oakleaf Landscape and the Dukes Soil Conservation District. Climate change is already altering the behavior of plants in New England. Recently retired conservation director for the Native Plant Trust (formerly the New England Wild Flower Society) Bill Brumback will discuss how climate change is expected to affect the habitats and plants of New England during this century, with special emphasis on our rare plant species. Six general actions for conserving rare species will be discussed. $5 for PHA members, $10 for nonmembers.
During the summer, Belmont, Massachusetts’ Rock Meadow’s meadows, woods and wetlands are ablaze with colorful wildflowers. Discover plants that can be used to cure poison ivy, plants that attract monarch butterflies and their caterpillars, and plants that, according to ancient lore, were used to calm unruly oxen. Bring a bag lunch and a hand lens if you have one. This Native Plant Trust field trip is co-sponsored with the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions, and is led by Roland “Boot” Boutwell. $38 for NPT members, $46 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org.
Walk through the Gardens at Elm Bank on July 18 at 7 pm with David Fiske, Mass Hort’s Garden Curator. He will point out unique specimens such as the early perennials and woody plants. He’ll show you how to identify plants and understand their growing conditions. $5 for Mass Hort members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org.
The Rockport Garden Club’s Annual Garden Tour will take place this year on Friday and Saturday, July 26 and 27, with all proceeds used to fund civic projects. They invite you to their rain or shine, self-guided tour of over a dozen private gardens clustered in 3 Rockport neighborhoods. Each garden celebrates the diverse geography of Rockport, from sweeping ocean vistas, to enchanting gardens with water features, to unique granite sculptures and arches evoking the legacy of the granite industry in Rockport.
While these gardens vary in size, composition, location, and plant material, they share a common characteristic. Each garden has had significant owner input in design, planning, and/or maintenance. This collection of gardens will both inspire and delight. Lunch, including a vegetarian option, is also available for your purchase and enjoyment in a seaside garden. The tour ticket booklet includes a map to help you find the tour gardens, as well as the 13 town gardens designed and lovingly maintained by the Rockport Garden Club members.
You may also buy tickets with a check made out to the Rockport Garden Club and mailing it to Rockport Garden Club, PO Box 712, Rockport, MA 01966. Tickets are $25 each in advance, $30 on day of tour. On the day of the tour, tickets may be purchased at the Rockport Police Department, 168 Main Street (Rt. 127). Tickets at the station are available from 9 – 4 on Friday and 9 – 2 on Saturday. Cash or check only. For more information visit www.rockportgardenclub.org. Tickets are also available online.
Even as Hampshire College is going through a tumultuous period, their summer schedule is business as usual. We at the Northeast Organic Farming Association are grateful that they are sticking it out even while things are rocky and we have constant communication with them as they manage their way forward. We hope they find a solution to their woes that gives them long term stability and allows their cutting edge culture of creativity to continue to thrive.
We are excited to host our 45th annual NOFA Summer Conference with keynote speaker Sandor Katz for a festive summer weekend August 9 -11, 2019 at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. Always a family friendly event, you can bring the whole family to enjoy workshops for adults, kids and teens, over 60 vendors, live music, games and amazing food!
Registration is now open and we hope you’ll join us this summer! Registration and complete schedule can be found at www.nofasummerconference.org.
Co-Hosted by: The Ecological Landscape Alliance and Tower Hill Botanic Garden (THBG), a summer workshop on July 23 from 1 – 5 on Let’s Talk Apples will take place at Tower Hill, 11 French Drive in Boylston. An apple a day keeps the doctor away… but who takes care of the apples?
Extablished in 1842, THBG is the home of the Worcester County Horticultural Society and includes 171 acres of woodland trails, formal gardens, and educational facilities. Nestled among the gardens and trails is THBG’s heritage orchard. This historical orchard features the Davenport Collection of heirloom apples, more than 200 trees representing over 100 varieties from the 1800s and before.
Join ELA and THGB for an afternoon of orchard information exchange. Topics will include The Davenport Collection Through the Years, Orchard Management Practices, Adaptive Strategies for Dealing with Fire Bight and Other Orchard Challenges, and Creating a More Resilient Orchard for the Future. Speakers include Mark Richardson, Benjamin Crouch, Michael Phillips, and Linda Hoffman. Complete details may be found at www.ecolandscaping.org. $30 for sponsor members, $40 for nonmembers.
Join The Trustees’ experienced guide on this 2.5 hour 4×4 oversand vehicle van-tour and learn about the history of the area as well as the fascinating flora and fauna that call Coskata-Coatue home. This is primarily a natural history tour of the Wildlife Refuge. While Great Point Lighthouse is located at the uppermost tip of the property, we do not guarantee access to the Lighthouse on our tours; access is entirely dependent upon the status of the protected species which return to the property seasonally to mate and fledge their young. If vehicle restrictions are in place preventing access to that part of the property, the tour will include other locations.
This is an unforgettable Nantucket experience that you do not want to miss! The date is Thursday, July 25 from 9 – 12 or 1 – 4, and the cost is $50 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/cape-cod-islands/event-46591.html
Discover numerous native perennials suitable for New England gardens in this two session Native Plant Trust class on July 22 and August 26 from 1 – 3:30 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. This course covers native herbaceous plants that bloom in late summer and fall, focusing on their characteristics and environmental preferences as well as their uses in landscapes and gardens. Be prepared to walk in the Garden each day. This class is appropriate for landscape professionals and avid home gardeners. Taught by Leslie Duthie, the fee is $77 for NPT members, $91 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org.
