The wreath below is one more example of a 2021 Garden Club wreath. If you have been a longtime customer frustrated with our inability to sell wreaths this year, and are reading these posts, please don’t think we have been conducting a secret market – literally we only had a handful of member wreaths to show this season, done independently by a handful of decorators who remain in Back Bay in the pandemic. We are certainly happy to be able to show them off, however.
Ask ten folks why they grow plants and you’re likely to get a variety of answers. The most common reasons are often aesthetic in nature—we like the look of a garden; it gives us a place to relax or play or drink wine with friends. However, simple beauty is not always enough, and in the modern era complicated issues such as sustainability and food stability are becoming more commonplace. Which plants will have the greatest ecological impacts? Which edibles are resistant to diseases and pests? What if you could have it all? Join Dan Jaffe Wilder as he explains how to create beautiful, edible landscapes that feed both us and wildlife using low maintenance native plants that also support the local ecosystem.
This Mt. Cuba Center program is part of its Winter Lecture Series and takes place online Saturday, January 15 at 11 am Eastern. Register ($25) at https://mtcubacenter.org/event/for-us-and-them-edible-native-plants-to-feed-us-all-online/
About the Instructor:
Dan Jaffe Wilder is the Ecological Horticulturist for Norcross Wildlife Foundation specializing in native plant ecology, plant propagation, wildlife habitat construction, and native edible landscapes. His professional experience has ranged from nurseries to botanical gardens to wildlife refuges. A prolific photographer and author, Dan’s book Native Plants for New England Gardens was released in 2018.
The Worcester region’s premier floral design event includes captivating and imaginative interpretations of artworks on view in the Museum. The muse for this year’s Flora programming is Love Stories from the National Portrait Gallery, London. Festivities include the evening celebration, Flora Euphoria! on Friday, March 4th and an exciting array of programming throughout the four days; tours, demonstrations, lectures, workshops, and music.
To note:
More information will be available at https://www.worcesterart.org/events/flora-in-winter/ soon.
Below is a picture of a wreath captured during a recent walk through Beacon Hill. A member referred to it as the Mies van der Rohe of wreath design. The body of the wreath is closely clipped greenery, and the decorations are minimalist. We actually quite like it, but question whether our customers would be interested in such a creation, or if they would think we were being a little lazy and frugal with our decorations? Feel free to weigh in at info@bostonflora.com.
Cape and Islands Orchid Society Show is being held January 22 – 23, 2022 at The Resort and Conference Center, 35 Scudder Ave., Hyannis, MA. $10 admission, children under 12 $5. Group rates available on request. No tripods allowed. For a list of education programs, to be announced, link to http://www.caios.org/caiosshow2021.html
Who says lawns need to be monocultures or only made of grasses? Enrich the traditional lawn with other complementary plants that bloom at different times and add intrigue. Learn how to identify the plants that already grow in lawn as “weeds,” and to incorporate new plants that create a rich, wildlife-friendly tapestry. The Native Plant Trust webinar taught by Anna Fialkoff will take place January 15 from 1 – 2, and is $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/diversify-your-lawn/
One of our most talented members created a wreath for the Marlborough Street door of one of the original Garden Club of the Back Bay members, the late Stella Trafford. Stella was known as a driving force in parks activism in the Back Bay, and did much to push the City to pay attention to an increasingly shabby situation on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, to name just one example. We are happy to see that the beautiful building where she lived is graced with one of our lovely wreaths, even in this hiatus year.
Winter fruits are festive decorations during the holidays, piled in bowls or cascading out of cornucopias, but on a wreath, artificial varieties are lighter, won’t shrivel, and won’t rot or attract bugs, all of which are benefits. We pride ourselves on our natural accents and decorations but in some cases we have to reach for plastics, glass, and glitter.
UK-based garden writer Greg Loades offers a fresh approach to garden design, fusing classic English cottage style with the new perennial movement. Using lush images of big, colorful blooms combined with striking grasses and native plants, Loades will illustrate practical insights into what The Telegraph calls his “secret technique that opens up a world of nostalgia for gardeners with small spaces.” This New York Botanical Garden online lecture will take place January 18 from 1 – 2, and is $26. Register at www.nybg.org.
Greg Loades is the author of The Modern Cottage Garden, named one of 2020’s top books by Gardens Illustrated. He contributes to Kew, Landscape, Bloom, and Garden News and has served as an editor for both BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and The English Garden.
The Denver Botanic Gardens Center for Global Initiatives offers trips that traverse continents. Space is limited for all trips. COVID-19 vaccinations required for all participants. On April 26 – May 7, travel to the Garden of the Gods: A Springtime Journey to the Greek Islands. Greece in spring is a magical experience. It’s the time of the year when the entire country becomes a vast natural garden. Greece is home to a stunning number of plant species, comprising the richest flora in Europe. More than 6,000 species thrive in the country, of which about 10 percent are endemic and can be found nowhere else in the world. On this springtime journey we will witness the beautiful display of wildflowers that cover the land among ancient sites, old villages and notable islands. Host is Dr. Sarada Krishnan, director of horticulture and center for global initiatives at the Gardens. : $5,990 per adult, double occupancy. Single room supplement: $790. Call Thalassa Journeys at 866-633-3611 or email Reservations@ThalassaJourneys.com. For the complete itinerary and details visit https://www.botanicgardens.org/our-impact/trips-travel
