Boston Flora

Month: July 2020

  • Thursday, July 23, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm – New England Vines Webinar

    Vines and climbers are an ecologically important and varied group of plants in New England. This Native Plant Trust online session on July 23 from 10:30 – 2:30 covers the diversity of native vines through 50 climbers that vary widely in their size, form, and adaptations. You will become familiar with adaptations to climbing, groups of climbing plants, and vine identification tools and features. Neela de Zoysa leads the session. $60 for NPT members, $72 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/new-england-vines/

    Wild Yam

  • Saturday, July 18, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Structural Plant Combinations Webinar

    Memorable gardens and sustainable landscapes create a strong impact using structural shrubs and trees. These essential beauties provide both ambiance and organizing principles in the landscape. This Native Plant Trust online workshop, co-sponsored with the Ecological Landscape Alliance, on July 18 from 1 – 4 explores which native plants work well together, and how and why. Wet feet, dry shade, part sun – we will address the options for a spectrum of site conditions. We will also take a virtual walk to observe plant combinations and their growing conditions in a botanical garden setting. $45 for NPT and ELA members, $54 for nonmembers. Cheryl Salatino leads the session. Image courtesy of Gardens Illustrated.

  • Tuesday, July 21 or Wednesday, July 29, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Online Introductory Fishing Classes

    Want to learn how to fish from the comfort of your own home? Join MassWildlife for a free online introductory fishing class. This beginner’s class will teach you all the basics including what gear you’ll need and how to use it, rigging up your rod, where to find fishing spots, fish ID and anatomy, as well as the basic rules and regulations. Dates are July 21 and July 29, from 4 – 6. Register at https://www.mass.gov/service-details/masswildlife-calendar

  • Wednesdays, July 22 – August 12, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Plant Based Printing Processes Online

    This Office for the Arts at Harvard class is an introduction to plant-based printing processes that use light and common plant materials. It will cover anthotypes, chlorophyll printing, and other plant-based printing methods. We will meet with instructor Anne Eder via online platform once a week for demonstrations and students will then take what they have learned and complete that week’s assignment, returning for troubleshooting, critique and a new demo each week. Everything needed to take this course should be easily obtainable from the backyard, a nearby park, or even the grocery. (4 classes, Wednesdays, July 22 – August 12, 6:30 – 8:30 Eastern).

    $120 – register online and access the materials list at https://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/classes/plant_print1_eder For questions regarding course content, policies or materials, please contact Director, Kathy King at kking@fas.harvard.edu.

  • Wednesday, July 15 and Saturday, July 18, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Oglesby House Garden Tour

    The Oglesby House Garden began in 2003 with clearing of overgrowth. Goshen stone patios and walkways were laid in 2004. The garden, at 20 Benjamin Nye’s Land in North Falmouth, is anchored by specimen trees planted to suit the climate and the aesthetic: Katsura, Japanese Stewartia, Japanese Umbrella Pine, Japanese Maple, Seven Son Flower, Crabapple, Kousa Dogwood, Birch and Yoshino Cherry Herbaceous borders flow across the gentlesloping garden. Several varieties of hydrangea: macrophilla, lace cap, quercifolia, paniculate, petiolaris ground the beds and straddle the woodland edge. Other shrubs include viburnum, azalea, lilac, forsythia, weiglia, spirea, and rhodies. Roses, iris, dahlia, montbretia, lavender and Russian Sage take their turns blooming in the sunny beds while hosta, ferns and astilbe bring texture and color into the shade. The entrance to the lower garden is a large moon gate; a sculpture of St. Francis beckons on the back patio where there is a small fountain. There is comfortable garden seating allowing rest while walking the discretionary landscape.

     Directions: Benjamin Nye’s Lane is off of Old Main Road in North Falmouth. It can also be entered from Wild Harbor Road. Garden Instructions: Park along Benjamin Nye. Please do not park on Needles Lane which is a private road. Accessibility:  Discretionary

     The proceeds from the garden tours will benefit the Falmouth Chorale. Admission: $5. Rain or Shine. The garden is open for tours July 15  &  18.

  • Sunday, July 19 – Sunday, July 26 – Esplanade Pollinator BioBlitz

    Discover and identify the pollinators of the Charles River Esplanade by taking part in the Esplanade Pollinator BioBlitz from July 19 to July 26. The Esplanade Pollinator BioBlitz encourages individuals to explore the Esplanade and document different species of pollinators they find through the iNaturalist app or in a journal. Participants who register via eventbrite will also receive a Virtual BioBlitz Activity Packet with worksheets, coloring sheets, and a map of the Esplanade.

  • Friday, July 17 and Sunday, July 19, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – The Original Cocktail Hour Garden

    Dan and C.L. Fornari are pleased to open their flower-filled landscape on Lawrence Pond on July 17 and July 19 from 10 – 4 as part of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Fest. The address is 2 Lawrence Pond Lane in Sandwich. Find ideas for dry gardens in the bed along the road. See the organic vegetable garden that provides most of their produce from June through December. Discover “Annual Alley” where different combinations of colorful annuals are planted every year. C.L.’s test garden contains new varieties of shrubs and perennials, and the front-door garden is filled with a mix of perennials, annuals and shrubs. Visit the rain garden, a magical stumpery, many Hydrangeas and the Cocktail Hour Garden that inspired one of C.L.’s books. $5 entrance fee benefits the Barnstable Education Foundation,

  • Thursday, July 16, 12:00 noon – Charles River Watershed Association Virtual Annual Meeting

    It feels like the decision to postpone the Charles River Watershed Association Annual Meeting in March was both just yesterday and years ago. But it’s now the start of summer. Here is the press release:

    We hope you’ll join us Thursday, July 16 at 12:00 PM (EST) on Zoom for our virtual Annual Meeting from the comfort of your home. We are fortunate to have Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary Katie Theoharides with us as we award her the Rita Barron Public Official Award for her work advancing climate resilience solutions at the municipal level with an emphasis on nature-based solutions.  As EEA Secretary, Theoharides oversees the Commonwealth’s six environmental, natural resource and energy regulatory agencies, which include the Departments of Environmental Protection, Public Utilities, Energy Resources, Conservation & Recreation, Agricultural Resources, and Fish & Game. Secretary Theoharides also serves as Chair of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the Energy Facilities Siting Board, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

    We’ve learned a lot with our Virtual Event Series and we cannot wait to connect with you in this new way. The Annual Meeting will be held virtually under the state’s emergency COVID-19 provisions (chapter 53, section 16 of the Acts of 2020), which allow for virtual member meetings during the pandemic and for 60 days thereafter.

    Register at https://www.crwa.org/annual-meeting.html

  • Thursday, July 16, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm – Soil: The Solution Beneath Our Feet

    This Native Plant Trust and Ecological Landscape Alliance July 16 session with Trevor Smith from 10:30 – 1:30 at Garden in the Woods discusses soil history, soil composition, soil health, soil’s impact on plants’ health, soil’s role in sustainability and combating climate change, and more. We will provide you with the information needed to use soil regeneration to capture carbon, reduce flooding and drought conditions, and grow healthy plants resistant to disease and stress. $45 for NPT and ELA members, $54 for nonmembers. As with all events during the pandemic, please confirm before the session in case the class is switched to an online format. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/soil-solution-beneath-our-feet/

  • Tuesday, July 21, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm – Explore the Teaching Herb Garden Guided Tour

    The Teaching Herb Garden at the Gardens at Elm Bank is divided into theme beds, which radiate from the center and include: fragrance, dye, culinary, native American, medicinal, edible plants and flowers, and a Colonial theme garden. A collection of Salvia plants was added in 2006. Along one side, a rectangular bed is planted with sweet violets and groundcover plants. On the opposite side of the garden, we feature the “Herb of the Year.” Another bed features an Ecumenical Garden. The plants in this garden have religious or symbolic importance in the five major religions, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. On either side of the teaching arbor, the beds are overflowing with roses and lavender and the perennial border is a visual delight. Planter/benches hold fragrant herbs that welcome visitors to touch and feel and to also smell the herbs. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society is offering this July 21 tour, from 10 – 12:30. Limited Space, Pre-registration required at www.masshort.org $15/member $25/general admission