In this Berkshire Botanical Garden class, we will revisit trees through the seasons, and witness their unique characteristics with and without leaves. We will learn how to identify species of trees, ID a tree by it bark, and understand which trees flower in which seasons, beginning on December 16, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Come join in the journey of the magic of trees, starting with how to identify them in the landscape and forest settings. Led by Melissa LeVangie Ingersoll, Certified Arborist (MCA, ISA, NH) CTSP and Tom Ingersoll, a Massachusetts Certified Arborist. $50 for BBG members, $65 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/four-seasons-tree-identification-0
Now in its 49th year, the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Annual Christmas Stroll embodies the magic of the holiday season with tributes to Christmas’ past. They transform the island into a Winter Wonderland while creating delightful memories at this year’s Christmas Stroll, December 1st through 3rd, 2023. For more information visit https://www.nantucketchamber.org/christmas-stroll/
Chef and writer Klancy Miller worked by trial and error at a number of jobs in the food industry, eventually starting the magazine For the Culture. What she discovered researching and writing for the magazine were the extraordinary women of color — chefs, food stylists, mixologists, historians — who have paved the way and continue to. She honors those women in her new book, For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food. Join Miller and Food & Folklore founder Tamika Francis for a conversation about the book with special guests Elle Simone (chef, food stylist and on-screen test cook at America’s Test Kitchen) and Kyisha Davenport (GM and beverage director at Comfort Kitchen), who are featured in it.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase from our bookstore partner Frugal Books. Miller will sign copies and guests will enjoy a bite from the book following the conversation.
CitySpace Tickets – Register HERE Premiere: $25.00 (includes reserved seating in the front of the theater) General: $15.00 Student: $5.00
Ways To Save WBUR Members save $5.00 off tickets to this event. To apply the discount to your ticket purchase online, you’ll need to enter a promo code. You can get your code by emailing membership@wbur.org. This event is co-produced by Boston University Metropolitan College Programs in Food & Wine.
Just two days left to place your order for a fully decorated holiday wreath, custom made by members of The Garden Club of the Back Bay, and delivered to your door during the first full week of December, depending on your location, or available for pick up at The First Lutheran Church of Boston, 299 Berkeley Street. Don’t miss your opportunity to support an active not for profit organization dedicated to the beautification of the Back Bay, tree care throughout the City of Boston, and environmental causes throughout the region. Order at https://bostonflora.com/store/
Strolling carolers, horse and buggy rides, and refreshments will be among the many enticements offered on Thursday, December 7 at the Beacon Hill Annual Holiday Stroll. Santa Claus will be available for photos at the Firehouse, 127 Mt. Vernon Street, from 3:30 – 6:30. The tree lighting will take place at Charles and Mt. Vernon Streets at 7:15. Stores will be open late, and Charles Street will be closed to traffic in the early afternoon until 9 pm. Sponsored by the Beacon Hill Business Association. Visit www.beaconhillbusinessassociation.org for more information.
Many people consider reducing lawns, converting hayfields, cleaning out weed patches, and otherwise transforming landscapes into pollinator gardens or meadows with native plants. Site preparation is critical, but it is often overlooked in the quest for a finished appearance. This American Horticultural Society online primer on December 7 at 1 pm covers planning, timelines, and online sources of site information. You will also learn some tips on how to do critical chores, including a comparison of weed removal methods. $30 for AHS members, $36 for nonmembers. Kathy Connolly is the instructor, and you may register online at https://ahsgardening.org/lifelong-learning/site-preparation-for-landscape-transformation/
All flowers hold different meanings, often based on the flower type, the time of year in which they bloom, the flower’s color, or all of the above, but the same is true of the story that makes them so meaningful to us. This Berkshire Botanical Garden workshop, held December 6 through December 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will work with seasonal plants such as tree nuts, winter berries, or mushrooms; since our substrate will be vellum (calf skin), our subjects need to be small. Dry brush is a watercolor painting technique used in traditional botanical illustration. The method involves a “skin” of dried paint on the palette and a small, slightly damp brush. We will also create botanical tints for the base layer, generating shape by adding a luminous shadow. Students will receive a photograph and an outline of the seasonal flora. This workshop will meet for three consecutive days, for five hours each session.
Anastasia Traina, is a writer and botanical artist. Her illustrations were published in the children’s book, BITSY and RAFF written by David Caudle, highlighting the power of friendship and inclusion. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Art, the Tri-State Botanical Artists of NYBG, the Writer’s Guild of America and the Dramatists Guild of America. Her most recent exhibition, “Alchemy and Innocents” was on display at the BBG’s Leonhardt Galleries in 2023. Commissioned for the Berkshire Botanical Garden to create Lucy’s Garden, featuring topiary animals and other ‘live’ structures on paper. Donated by Lucy and Nat Day. $245 for BBG members, $265 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/language-flowers-vellum
Even without leaves most trees are easily recognizable in winter. Learn to ID about 15 native New England trees (plus non-native invasives) through branching patterns, bark, persistent fruits, growth forms, and habitats. Enjoy the trails at beautiful Wright-Locke Farm and surrounding conservation land on this informative journey. The Wright-Locke Farm class will take place December 5 from 10 – 2:30, with Boot Boutwell, in partnership with MACC. For more information visit www.WLFarm.org
Share the joy of the holiday season with family and friends in the All Seasons Barn as it fills with the aroma of freshly baked cookies. This festive activity is sure to get you in the holiday spirit! There are various time lots available but they fill fast, so register at https://www.wlfarm.org/kitchen-education/#1638543694244-7c801f85-ac08 $60 per table – tables accommodate up to six people. You and your family will have your very own table set up to make Chef Kelcy’s Great-Grandmother’s Holiday Cookie recipe. She will walk you through the process. The chef will take your cookie dough to the back to wrap and chill for you to take home and bake later. You will receive a pre-made and chilled dough to roll out and decorate. As your cookies bake, you’ll enjoy holiday music, coloring, and hot mulled cider. You will leave with your chilled dough, as well as the cookies you all decorated in the workshop. There is an optional take-home WLF “Know Your Farmer” apron available for purchase. This is a family event, not a drop-off. Parents or guardians are required to stay and help make the cooki
No, The Garden Club of the Back Bay isn’t holding a Black Friday sale. There is no place to line up or “score” a magnificent discount on wreaths. However, now that Thanksgiving is behind you, turn your attention to your holiday decor and order your wreath or wreaths today from https://bostonflora.com/shop/ Remember, all proceeds funnel directly to neighborhood beautification, and the November 30 order deadline for fully decorated wreaths is approaching.
