Boston Flora

Month: July 2020

  • Tuesday, September 22 and Wednesday, September 23 – Environmental School, Course 3 – Air and Related Issues, On Line

    The Living Earth Environmental School curriculum of the Federated Garden Clubs is divided into a series of four individual courses – The Living Earth, Land, Air and Water and Related Issues.  Registration is now open for Course 3, Series 3, Air and Related Issues, to be held in a virtual format using the Zoom platform. The school is open to garden club and non garden club members. The mission of the Environmental School is to teach environmental literacy to cherish, protect and conserve the living earth. The courses teach participants environmental literacy, appreciation of the natural world, encourages action for sustainable development and appreciation for the interrelation of all natural things. Particular emphasis is presently placed on land conservation, water conservation and air quality.

    This course is hosted by The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc., and the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts thanks them for organizing in the time of the pandemic. Complete schedule, fees, and registration information may be accessed at https://ctgardenclubs.org/education/schools/environmental-school/

  • Tuesdays, August 4 – August 18, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Urban Flora: Growing Between the Cracks Webinar

    Urban flora can be found growing in unlikely places, from city sidewalks and highway medians to lawns, and other man-made structures. Most of these plants are introduced and many are considered weeds. In this three part online New York Botanical Garden class to be held on Tuesdays, August 4 – 18, from 10 – 12, we will hear more about their origins, life cycles, and benefits to the urban landscape while learning how to identify them in the field. Nancy Slowik leads, and the course is $125 for NYBG members, $139 for nonmembers. Register at www.nybg.org.

  • Wednesday, August 5, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Virtual Exploration of The Planting Fields Estate & Coe Hall Mansion

    If you recently got married and had a nice bit of change to spend, what would you spend it on? For William & Mai Coe in 1913, the answer was simple: purchase a 400-acre estate on Long Island’s “Gold Coast,” have the grounds designed by world-famous landscape architects, fill it with rare species of trees and plants, and then build a 65-room mansion for the cherry-on-top. Fortunately, it’s still all preserved over a century later, and ready to be explored.

    Join New York Adventure Club for a virtual exploration of Planting Fields, a sprawling Gilded Age estate in Oyster Bay built between 1918 and 1924 for insurance magnate William Robertson Coe, and his wife, Standard Oil heiress Mai Rogers Coe.

    Led by ​docent Elizabeth Abrams, our unique experience around the historic 409-acre estate will include:

    • The history and story of the Coe Family, from their accumulation of vast sums of wealth to the ambitious transformation of their grounds into a botanical marvel
    • A discussion around the Planting Fields grounds (designed by Guy Lowell, A. Robeson Sargent, and the Olmsted Brothers Firm), teeming with historic formal gardens, greenhouses, and rare species of trees & plants
    • A digital walkthrough of Coe Hall, a 65-room Tudor Revival mansion featuring evidence of Mai’s patronage of living artists including commissioned murals by American artists Robert Winthrop Chanler and Everett Shinn, ironwork by Samuel Yellin, and interior design by famed tastemaker Elsie De Wolf
    • Rare archival photos by Mattie Edwards Hewitt that reveal the evolution of the buildings and gardens of the estate

    Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Elizabeth — any and all questions about Planting Fields are welcomed and encouraged!

    Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week! $10. Register at www.AdventureClub.com

  • Mondays August 3 – September 21 (Labor Day class to be held Tuesday, September 8), 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Plant Structure Online

    Get a solid grounding in the basic plant body, from the cell to the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits. We will discuss the base-level chemistry required for understanding the world of plants. Labs will be modified for at-home completion. The New York Botanical Garden online series taught by Jamie Boyer, Ph.D. will take place on 7 Mondays, 8/3-9/21 (no class 9/7), & 1 Tuesday, 9/8. $559 for NYBG members, $615 for nonmembers. Register at www.nybg.org.

    Required Text:
    Raven PH, Evert RF, & Eichhorn SE. Biology of Plants, 8th edition. W.H. Freeman, 2013.

  • Arnold Arboretum Expeditions App Now Available

    Discover a whole new way to interact with the Arnold Arboretum! Expeditions is a mobile app, created to help visitors get better acquainted with the Arboretum’s 281-acre landscape and some of the most spectacular collections. Expeditions shares stories about plants, conservation, and exploration history through a variety of media including photos and audio clips. Hear behind-the-scenes stories from staff illuminating how plants are collected, cared for, and shared with the world. Download Expeditions  free of cost from the Apple and Google Play stores, or view it on an internet browser at home.  The complete description may be found in the Harvard Gazette article by clicking HERE.

  • Friday, July 24 – Sunday, October 11 – Urban Ponds: Essential Ecosystem for the Enjoyment and Discovery of Nature

    Coming in late July, enjoy an online exhibition of the photography of Bruce Wilson brought to us by the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.

    In Shakespeare’s time, four elements were considered essential to life – earth, air, fire, water. In our own lifetime, we have discovered just how essential these elements are. The fourth, water, takes on the role of beauty, reflection, discovery, joy, even metaphor, in this exhibition by photographer, Bruce Wilson.

    Urban Ponds: Essential Ecosystems for the Enjoyment and Discovery of Nature through October 11, brings the aesthetic and elemental properties of water, within the circumscribed arena of the city, to the Arnold Arboretum. Three ponds in the Bradley Rosaceous Collection, Faxon, Dawson, and Rehder, are alive with fauna and flora, beckoning visitors who relish a connection to nature and water in an urban community.

    An integral component of the Arboretum’s ecosystem and landscape, these ponds (as well as in an urban pond in Newton)—named for former Arboretum staff—entice Wilson to bring his artistic eye to the discovery of shadows, reflections, and visitor enjoyment. His pond images complement the trees, emphasize the subtle or saturated colors of water, and capture interactions between visitors and scenes of rich pond life. Water is our source of life, its essence can calm and nurture each of us during this year when we look for nourishment of the body and spirit. Wilson has captured moments for all of us to share and savor.

    While a relative newcomer to serious photography, Wilson’s images belie his short history of working with the original “raw material” in the initiating image, and then his post-production work to bring out interesting geometry, color, or the overlooked beauty of some part of nature. He takes his cue from Frederick Law Olmsted “The root of all my good work is an early respect for, regard and enjoyment of scenery.”

    Visit http://arboretum.harvard.edu to view the exhibit.

  • Birding in The Emerald Necklace Webinar

    Join the Emerald Necklace Conservancy for “Birding in the Emerald Necklace,” a YouTube webinar discussing common birds found within Boston’s largest park system. Conservancy staff will also share tips and tricks for observing birds within the parks.

    This webinar is hosted by:

    • Erica Holm, Bird Researcher and Visitor Center Assistant at the Conservancy;
    • Kent Jackson, Director of Education at the Conservancy;
    • Stephen Lin, Youth Education Coordinator at the Conservancy

    Free. Access the one hour talk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPjCY3djInY&feature=youtu.be

  • Thursday, July 30, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Toni Gattone, The Lifelong Gardener, Online

    Thursday, July 30, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Toni Gattone, The Lifelong Gardener, Online

    Enjoy a lecture and Q&A session on July 30 from 6:30 – 7:30 with author Toni Gattone, who will discuss how gardeners of all abilities can grow their resilience in spite of physical limitations that might otherwise hold them back in the garden. She’ll also describe how gardens can be modified for increased comfort and safety and offer recommendations of ergonomically-designed and adapted garden tools. Her book, The Lifelong Gardener, Garden with Ease and Joy at Any Age, is available for purchase through the BBG online shop. Our Summer Authors Series is presented in collaboration with Tower Hill Botanic Garden and Timber Press.

    Formerly the owner of a gift and garden sales company, Toni Gattone shares her passion for helping gardeners of all ages and abilities to garden for life in her talks at garden clubs, national flower and garden shows, Master Gardener symposiums, and women’s and seniors’ groups.

    $10 for members of sponsoring organizations, $15 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/summer-author-series-toni-gattone-lifelong-gardener-online

  • South Shore District Flower Show Cancellation

    The South Shore District Flower Show, originally scheduled this year for August 20 – 29 as part of the Marshfield Fair, has been cancelled. This historic event will return in 2021, For up to date information visit https://marshfieldfair.org/

  • Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Basic Drawing Skills: Observing Nature

    Drawing is a great way to observe nature and have fun recording what you see. However, it may cease to be fun if you can’t achieve the likeness of your subject or you are not sure how to begin your drawing. This two-day drawing workshop will give you the basic concepts and skills to get started. Under the guidance of Carol Ann Morley you will learn how to look at the natural world and give shape and definition to your subject. Through graphite shading techniques you will understand how to accurately render some basic shapes that underlie any subject you choose to draw, from a plant to landscape, giving depth and meaning to your art. Open to any level student from beginner to those with drawing skills. The Berkshire Botanical Garden workshop will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 1 & 2, and registration is limited to comply with COVID-19 guidelines. As with all live events, please call to confirm the week before. Bring a bag lunch. A materials list can be found at www.berkshirebotanical.org

    Carol Ann Morley is an illustrator and dedicated teacher of botanical illustration working in Milton, NH. She founded the Botanical Art Illustration Certificate Program at the New York Botanical Garden and teaches illustration there and at other botanical gardens. 

    $225 for BBG members, $250 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/basic-drawing-skills-observing-nature-0