Boston Flora

Month: June 2020

  • Thursday, June 18, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Herbs for Lyme Disease Webinar

    In this first installment of Berkshire Botanical Garden’s online three-class series, “Herbalism for Trying Times,” herbalist and wellness coach Hannah Jacobson-Hardy will share a botanical approach to the prevention and treatment of Lyme disease, using herbal remedies made from local plants. Wellness protocols with specific herbs will be discussed, along with recipes and information on sourcing remedies. Students will receive a coupon code for free shipping at the Sweet Birch Herbals Online Shop during the series. 

    Hannah Jacobson-Hardy is a community herbalist, wellness coach and founder of Sweet Birch Herbals in Ashfield, MA. Hannah offers herbal consultations, custom made tinctures and teas, workshops, and a wide variety of products for sale, including Full Moon Ghee. Learn more about Hannah at www.sweetbirchherbals.com. Follow Hannah on social media @sweet_birch_herbals.

    $15 for BBG members, $20 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/herbs-lyme-disease

  • Wednesday, June 17, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Sanctuary Update: Nasami Farm Online

    Join Bud Sechler, Ecological Programs Coordinator, to learn about the history and critical ecological resources of Native Plant Trust’s most active sanctuary. This June 17 webinar from 1 – 2 includes updates on recent rare plant surveys and an invasive plant management plan to restore habitats at Nasami Farm. $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org.

  • Wednesday, June 17, 6:00 pm – Emerald Necklace Virtual Annual Meeting

    You are invited to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s Virtual 2020 Annual Meeting: Charlesgate Park Revitalization, Rebuilding Connections and a Community Park in the Emerald Necklace.

    Join the Conservancy for a virtual celebration of a successful year protecting, maintaining and improving the Emerald Necklace and find out more about the exciting projects to come. Discover plans for the revitalization of Charlesgate Park, the first piece of the Necklace and the critical connection between Boston’s primary park systems, with presentations and discussion from Conservancy President Karen Mauney-Brodek, project architects Dan and Marie Adams of Landing Studio, and Garrett Dash Nelson, Curator of Maps at the Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center.

    The meeting will be online via Zoom. Register at https://www.emeraldnecklace.org/events/annualmeeting/

  • Friday, June 19 – Sunday, June 21 – Massachusetts Invertebrate Interlude

    In normal years, the Athol Bird and Nature Club hosts a Moth Ball at president Dave Small’s house in June, concentrating on attracting moths to lights and baits at night. We can’t do that this year, but we thought instead the club could host a virtual Moth Ball and, in fact, widen the net to include all invertebrates (yes, we meant that pun!). Please join us for the first Massachusetts Invertebrate Interlude Days with Great Expectations, or MIIDGE for short, on June 19th through the 21st. This project is set up to automatically collect all observations of invertebrates in Massachusetts made on those three days, but if you join this project, you’ll get notifications of all of those observations as they’re posted, as well as any announcements we make leading up to the event and afterward. Pull your moth lights out of the closet, pile all the field guides next to the couch for easy reading, and get ready for a bit of fun in this crazy year.

    Sign-up for iNaturalist a very easy to use and helpful app for your phone on computer.

    Learn about Blacklighting for nocturnal insects with Ryan “the Bug Man”

  • A Guerrilla Gardener in South Central LA

    Emma Witbeck, Marketing and Communications Assistant at Tower Hill Botanic Gardens, has compiled a list of TED talks for us to take advantage of while the weather and COVID-19 keep us indoors.

    We have all had to spend some extra time indoors these days, and that means a lot of us are spending that time watching videos on the world wide web. You might as well throw some TED talks into your binge schedule and say that you learned something new about the world of plants! Here is the first that might inspire you to get out and grow… or convince you to continue down a rabbit hole of videos and Google searches. We will highlight more in the coming days.

    A guerrilla gardener in South Central LA

    Even if you are just one person looking to make a difference, gardening can keep you fed, help your neighborhood, support the ecosystem, and make you a rebel! Be like Ron Finley (who happens to be featured in Tower Hill’s Horticultural Heroes Exhibit), go rogue and spontaneously plant some seeds and see what comes of it.

    Watch at https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerrilla_gardener_in_south_central_la?language=en

  • Wednesday, June 17, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Spring to Summer: Native Plants that Bridge the Divide Webinar

    It is often said that there is a lull between the big spring wildflower bloom of April and May, and the later summer and autumn flowers that fill the meadows of July through September.

    What of June? This Ecological Landscape Alliance online presentation on June 17 from 12 – 1 will highlight flowering native plants that bridge that seasonal gap. Particular emphasis will be placed on those plants that fit into shade-loving gardens as this is the area where the lull is most pronounced.

    The reasons for the lull, the nature and characteristics of those plants that overcome it, and some other options for color and interest will all be explored.

    Ian Caton is the owner/operator of Wood Thrush Native Plant Nursery (Formerly Enchanters Garden). He has operated Wood Thrush  Native Plants since 2013 when he took over the nursery from the previous owner (Peter Heus) who had operated the nursery since the 1990s.

    Wood Thrush Native Plants is a nursery specializing in native plants of the Appalachian region including West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and North Carolina. A focus of the nursery is the introduction of new and rare native plants which are little known or under-appreciated in the nursery trade.

    Previously Ian Caton worked at Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, a landscape firm specializing in the use and promotion of native plants in landscaping. Ian graduated from Delaware Valley College with a BS in Ornamental Horticulture and Environmental Design. He has an extensive knowledge of native plants, natural communities, and their incorporation into the human environment. In addition to many years of experience designing and installing native landscapes, this knowledge was gained primarily through his long running relationship with Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. He has also had the opportunity to work with local governments on the development of landscape plans for public spaces.

    Registration is free at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-spring-to-summer-native-plants-that-bridge-the-seasonal-divide/

  • Friday, October 2 – Monday, October 12 – The Topsfield Fair (Maybe)

    The 2020 Topsfield Fair is scheduled to return October 2-12. Founded in 1818, The Topsfield Fair is owned and operated by the Essex Agricultural Society, a non-profit corporation.

    We pride ourselves on being the quintessential county fair – traditional agriculture, big entertainment, rides, games, shopping, & great food -something for everyone.

    Events may be canceled or postponed. Please contact for latest information: essex@topsfieldfair.org, or call 978-887-5000.

  • Native Plants for New England Gardens Online

    Tower Hill Botanic Garden horticulture director Mark Richardson offers an online, informative, in-depth hour long talk on the importance of native plants in supporting ecosystems and how to choose the right ones for your particular piece of paradise. This free video is available anytime at https://www.towerhillbg.org/2020/04/20/webinar-native-plants-new-england-gardens/

    Prior to joining the staff at Tower Hill, Mark wrote Native Plants for New England Gardens, a guide to over 100 native perennials, trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses and vines with co-author Dan Jaffe.

  • Saturday, September 12, 5:00 pm – Dogwood Days Garden Party

    Saturday, September 12, 5:00 pm – Dogwood Days Garden Party

    Please join the Mary M.B. Wakefield Charitable Trust on September 12 at 5 pm for our 8th annual Dogwood Days Garden Party at The Wakefield Estate, 1465 Brush Hill Road in Milton. While they won’t be in bloom as they are in June (the originally planned time for the party), the dogwood trees will be beautiful in the late summer when their berries ripen and turn red.

    Help us celebrate Dogwood Days with this wonderful celebration of the glorious dogwoods and grounds held at the Isaac Davenport Mansion.

    Guests can tour the grounds, enjoy live music, and snack on good food and beverages, along with participating in a silent auction,

    The Dogwood Days Garden Party is the Wakefield Estate’s annual fundraiser, celebrating the legacy of Polly Wakefield and her extraordinary gift to the community.

    Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance. For tickets, call 617-333-0924 to receive an invitation in the mail.

  • A Plant’s Eye View TED Talk

    Here is an interesting and humorous philosophical take on our relationships with plants. Author Michael Pollon hints that maybe it’s the plants that are controlling us! Watch at https://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-plant-s-eye-view-michael-pollan Again we thank Tower Hill Botanic Garden for the recommendation.