Boston Flora

Month: December 2020

  • Wright-Locke Farm “Farm To Go” Continues Through Winter

    Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester announces its online Farm Stand, “Farm-To-Go”, has been given the go-ahead to continue throughout the winter. It’s been such a popular program and has helped support the farm throughout this difficult year. There will be plenty of local, delicious options for you year around. Some highlights of offerings are Concord grape and rosemary mixers (excellent with gin or soda), Prophecy Chocolate (sustainable, ethical chocolate made with great local ingredients), gourmet mushrooms from Fat Moon Mushrooms, Granny Smith, Cortland, Honeycrisp, and Macoun apples from Brookdale Farm, entrees from Essex Catering, Stew Beef or Lamb from Lilac Hedge Farm, and more. Options change weekly. Visit https://wlfarm.localfoodmarketplace.com/Products

  • Wreath of the Day, From the Archives – Debbie Roberts and the Blue Balls

    We miss our Executive Committee member Debbie Roberts, who passed away prematurely a number of years ago while traveling. Debbie decorated, expedited, and delivered. She could take your keys and bring your wreaths right into your home. She painted, gathered materials, cut ribbon, and swept. But she was especially intrigued by shiny glass balls, and when she decorated, she used them with abandon. We would sometimes chuckle when Debbie brought her work up to the Assignment Desk to check out- there was never any mistaking whose wreath it was, based on the number of glass balls. And blue was her favorite color. We admit there were times we asked her to delete a few, which she cheerfully did. Debbie, we raise a glass of your favorite Chardonney to you, and thank Doris Hearty, our Wreath of the Day sponsor, for allowing us to pay tribute to you. The pictured wreath is not one of Debbie’s, but she would have approved.

  • Thursday, December 17, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – The World of Maple Sugaring Webinar

    As winter approaches the world of maple sugaring comes alive. Lines and buckets are prepared, sugar maples are examined, bottles and caps are ordered, and the dreams of nights in the sugar shack begin.

    During this December 17 Tower Hill Botanic Garden webinar, beginning at 6:30 pm, instructor Kyle Jacoby will walk you through the history of maple sugaring, how syrup is made today, the differences in syrup types, and tips for starting to make it at home. This webinar is perfect for both those who want to learn about this special treat or begin their own maple sugaring journey.

    Kyle Jacoby is the Manager of Adult Education at Tower Hill Botanic Garden. Kyle has taught and managed environmental programs for 13 years. Notably in the world of maple sugaring, Kyle managed the maple syrup production and education at Appleton Farms in Ipswich, MA and works with local sugaring farms during the season.

    This program will be held virtually. $10 for Tower Hill members, $17 for nonmembers. Once you register at the website https://www.towerhillbg.org/ (required), you will receive a Zoom link in the confirmation. This webinar will also be recorded and available for 2 months to all registrants.

  • Wreath of the Day, From the Archives – All Glitzed Up

    Flashy, sparkly wreaths may not be to everyone’s taste, but we have a loyal customer following for eye-popping, spectacular designs that owe a lot to artificial materials. A designer has to be very skilled to pull off this look. Balance and color sense play a big part, keeping the wreaths bold but not gaudy. Below are three examples of glittery but tasteful holiday wreaths that are especially effective hung in dark areas.

    Thank you to Elizabeth Foley for her support of our Wreath of the Day, From the Archives feature.

  • Now Through July 4, 2021 – Platform 27: The Wild Within

    PLATFORM 27: Rachel Mica Weiss, The Wild Within is a newly commissioned work by Pittsburgh and Brooklyn-based artist Rachel Mica Weiss. An undulating slab of concrete poses atop a reflective steel plinth. Made specifically for deCordova’s Sculpture Park, The Wild Within, evokes the reclining female nude, a common motif in art history. Using industrial materials and monumental proportions, Weiss’s piece turns a symbol of objectification into one of balance, strength, and sculptural innovation.

    PLATFORM is a series of one-person commissioned projects by early-and mid-career artists from New England, national, and international art communities that engage with deCordova’s unique landscape. The PLATFORM series lets artists expand their practice and visitors experience new approaches to contemporary sculpture.

    PLATFORM 27 is generously funded in part by an Investing in Professional Artists grant from The Heinz Endowments, The Pittsburgh Foundation and the Opportunity Fund.  

  • Holiday Gift Idea: The Henry Whiting Map of 1850

    For those of you with ties to Martha’s Vineyard, the Polly Hill Arboretum is offering a reproduction of the Henry Whiting Map of 1850, suitable for framing.

    In 1850 Henry Whiting, a distinguished topographer and co-founder of the MV Agricultural Society, created a detailed map of the Vineyard. A new version of this historic map was developed by Dr. David Foster and associates at Harvard Forest and is available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Polly Hill Arboretum research fund. Informative brochure included. (22 x 32 unframed). For more information about the map, visit https://mvlandandsea.com/maps

    $50 (+$5.99 shipping and handling if mailed from PHA). Sales tax applies. Call to order: 508-693-9426. 

  • Wreath of the Day, From the Archives – Della Robbia Wreaths

    For a few years, the Vendome Condominium on Commonwealth Avenue supported us with the purchase of fully decorated large outdoor wreaths for its large scale grand entryway. The Board member in charge of decorations at the time decided a fully fruited Della Robbia design would be fabulous, and not insensitive to those in the building who do not celebrate Christmas but want a wintery, festive decoration. Acquiring the amount of artificial fruit needed for such a large scale project was a year-round affair, especially since an adjoining business coordinated its purchase to match the Vendome scheme. Attaching the fruits with picks and wires was also a challenge. A few years ago we stopped offering fully decorated large wreaths, due to time and material constraints, and the Vendome switched to large wreaths with big, fabulous bows, just as stunning on the building, and a lot easier for us. Below are three examples from our Archives of our fully fruited styles.

    Thank you Jo-Ann Lovejoy for your support of Wreath of the Day and The Garden Club of the Back Bay.

  • Tuesday, December 15, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Frances Palmer: Cultivating a Creative Life, Online

    Frances Palmer centers her creative life-and daily photo shoots-in an airy studio inside her Connecticut barn. The celebrated potter, gardener, cook and entrepreneur was trained as an art historian, but became obsessed with dahlias after spotting one in a gardening book. Today, growing all flowers is her passion, and they fill her extraordinary pots that have been featured in: The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, Elle Decor, Martha Stewart Living, Architectural Digest and scores of others. Drawing on insights from her debut book, Life in the Studio: Inspiration and Lessons on Creativity, Palmer focuses on what matter most: determination, routine, prioritization, perseverance, and perspective. This online lecture sponsored by the New York Botanical Garden will take place December 15 from 1 – 2 pm. $15 for NYBG members, $18 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.enrole.com/nybg/jsp/session.jsp?sessionId=212LAN265CO&courseId=212LAN265CO&categoryId=10C211B0

  • Wreath of the Day, From the Archives – Woodland Looks

    Many customers purchase our wreaths to hang in the country, and we have orders each year asking us to emphasize a snowy, natural look from the forests of Maine, or the Colorado Rockies. Some of our favorite materials to use in these cases are birch bark, twigs, a rich variety of greens, especially white pine, and of course pine cones, especially if still attached on a twig or branch. Below are some examples from past years.

    We thank member Gudi Seward, our Wreath of the Day Sponsor, who herself is a master of understated elegance.

  • Saturday, December 19, 2:15 pm – 4:15 pm – Winter Solstice Walk

    The Winter Solstice is the day on which the midday sun is at its lowest point in the sky and it arrives this year on Monday, December 21. The solstices mark key turning points in the year and have been celebrated by many cultures throughout history. The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day (and the longest night) of the year. Join naturalist “Boot” Boutwell on Saturday, December 19 at 2:15 in celebrating the season with a walk around Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester and into the woods beyond to enjoy the beauty of nature. The program will also include solstice history and lore, poetry, and a solstice story. Price was not set at the time this post was created. Register at https://www.wlfarm.org/adult-education-programs/