Boston Flora

Month: February 2024

  • Tuesday, February 20, 5:00 am – 6:30 am Eastern (but recorded) – Ancient Roots: Of Cabbages and Kings, Roman Kitchen Gardens, Online

    Join The Gardens Trust and Gillian Hovell and discover how the ancient Romans set the seeds of the shape and uses of our modern gardens. Explore the truly ancient, vibrant and fascinating origins of our personal garden spaces and of the grandeur of public gardens. Find out why, if the Romans could have had ‘House and Garden’ magazines, they would have reveled in them! See gardens anew through ancient kitchen gardens, mythological stories, attitudes to wildlife and public parks that all still flourish in our green spaces. Then stroll through the gardens of Roman Pompeii, now blossoming with new insights. This second session on February 20 will follow the origens of Roman Kitchen Gardens.

    The surprisingly not-so-humble cabbage and gardens fit for royal kings were very real themes in the kitchen gardens of Ancient Romans. It’s a spicy, fruitful and fragrant story of a society in which your kitchen garden said far more about you than you might imagine … ingredients (rich and poor) were once tied up with morality and virtue. As the Roman influence grew, taking gardens into new lands, Roman philosophers, poets and garden experts wrote of these private supplies as big business, a personal medicine cabinet and a feast for all. Discover what they grew in their kitchen gardens 2,000 years ago and why, as well as their varied uses. We peer into the ancient growing of vegetables and fruit across the Roman Empire and we see the produce of our gardens from a very Roman viewpoint. Has it changed much in 2,000 years, or is there a timelessness here, despite some very culturally-specific beliefs?

    After graduating with 2-1 (Hons) in Latin and Ancient History from Exeter University, Gillian Hovell worked in BBC Television and became an award-winning freelance writer, author, public speaker & broadcaster in the media and online. As an independent expert in the ancient world she specialises in archaeology, prehistory and in the Greek and Roman eras. She is a lecturer at York University and can be seen and heard on TV & Radio.

    Gillian has excavated at major sites in the UK and Europe (hence ‘The Muddy Archaeologist’) and she shares her expertise and her passion with diverse audiences in the UK and internationally. For history and archaeology are everywhere, and they add colour, depth and meaning to every aspect our lives today.

    Her series of The Muddy Archaeologist Online Courses enables you to explore ancient history, archaeology and Latin with her at any time. An ever-growing collection is available, and they can also be found on Gillian’s website here.

    This ticket (REGISTER HERE) is for this individual session and costs £8, and you may purchase tickets for o the entire course of 6 sessions at a cost of £42 via the link here. [Gardens Trust members may purchase tickets at £31.50 for the series or £6 each talk]. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days prior to the start of the talk, and again a few hours before the talk. A link to the recorded session (available for 1 week) will be sent shortly afterwards.

  • Saturday, February 17, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Medicinal Mushrooms

    Are you curious about the power of medicinal mushrooms? Join Berkshire Botanical Garden on February 17 at 2:00 pm, along with Willie Crosby of Fungi Ally. In the classroom, the woods and the kitchen, this exploration of medicinal mushrooms will serve as an introduction into some of the common mushrooms found in the Northeast woods and cultivated at home. We will learn how to prepare them to access their medicinal potency. We will get to know reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, maitake, and other fungal allies. 

    Owner of Fungi Ally, Willie Crosby has been growing mushrooms indoors and outdoors for nearly a decade. He works to reveal the power of mushrooms by educating people how to incorporate mushrooms into their gardens and lives. Willie teaches online for Stockbridge School of Agriculture, Cornell University, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, as well as in person at his farm in Hadley, Mass. $40 for BBG members, $60 for nonmembers. Register at www.berkshirebotanical.org

  • Wednesday, February 28, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Nature Mandala: Expanding Peace Mandalas

    Local artist Beth Adoette is coming to Blithewold to share her unique practice of partnering with nature in a monthly workshop series. This workshop offers people the opportunity to unplug and be in the moment while exploring beautiful objects of nature. Please note that nature mandalas are ephemeral and will not be taken home. Photographs are encouraged. High-resolution, edited photographs can be ordered separately at the workshop for an additional fee. 

    The February 28 session begins at 6 pm with a brief introduction to the origins of the ancient Celtic Circle and Caim Prayers, and then challenges us to expand these concepts to see the world in a larger, more inclusive, and connected way. We begin with the hope for peace and protection for ourselves, and then explore what it might look like visually through an expanding view of the world. Let’s try to envision what an intention, hope, or prayer may look like that not only seeks peace for ourselves, but for a much larger world in which we are inherently connected.

    Class size is limited to 10. $40 Blithewold Members | $45 Nonmembers. Register at https://www.blithewold.org/event/nature-mandala-series-with-beth-adoette-2/

  • Tuesday, March 5, and Wednesdays, March 13 – March 27, 6:30 pm Eastern – Grand Homes & Gardens Speaker Series: State-ly Homes – Exploring US Governors’ Mansions and Gardens, Online

    Homes to generations of state leaders and their families, governors’ mansions have been staples of the American landscape since the country’s founding. From refurbished sites of historical significance to bespoke masterpieces, the grand homes and gardens of U.S. governors offer a unique glimpse into how architecture, interior design, and landscapes can serve a civic purpose. 

    Join Morven (New Jersey’s first governor’s mansion) as we explore four current governor’s mansions, traveling from New Jersey to Virginia, Hawai’i, and Maine. Learn from experts about how these spaces were created to embody the state and the people they seek to represent. 

    The first event is Tuesday, March 5 at 6:30, exploring Drumthwacket, New Jersey’s Governor’s Mansion. Then, on Wednesday, March 13, we will visit First House, Virginia’s Executive Mansion, followed on March 20 by an exploration of Washington Place, the People’s Home of Hawai’i (below). The final event takes place on March 27 at The Blaine House, Home to Maine’s Governors.

    The virtual series is $70 for the general public. Register at https://www.morven.org/upcoming/grandhomes24series You may also register for individual sessions.

  • Wednesday, February 14, 5:00 am – 6:30 am Eastern (but recorded) – Women’s Writing and Construction of Gender in the Medieval Enclosed Garden, Online

    Images of enclosed gardens are everywhere apparent in medieval literature – from biblical narrative to secular love lyric, to adventurous romance tale. This Gardens Trust February 14 online lecture, however, will engage with its representation in literary works written by, for or about women in order to demonstrate the powerful, gendered dynamics inherent to this multivalent space, a gendered representation that often afforded women more agency than traditional representation normally permitted.

    Lecturer Liz Herbert McAvoy is Professor Emerita in Medieval Literature at Swansea University and Honorary Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol. Her primary research interests lie in the areas of texts written by, for and about medieval women; female anchoritism and other forms of enclosure; the medieval garden; and female mysticism. She has written widely on all these topics, including three recent books published by Boydell & Brewer: Women’s Literary Cultures in the Global Middle Ages (2023), edited with Sue Niebrzydowski, Vicki Kay Price and Kathryn Loveridge; and Women and Devotional Literature in the Middle Ages (2023), edited with Cate Gunn and Naoe Kukita Yoshikawa. This talk is based on the findings in her latest monograph, The Enclosed Garden and the Medieval Religious Imaginary (2021).

    Ticket price 8 pounds, through Eventbrite. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the talk (If you do not receive this link please contact us), and a link to the recorded session, available for a week, will be sent shortly afterwards. Register at www.eventbrite.co.uk

  • Wednesday, February 21, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – Misunderstood Native Plants, Online

    The Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware is sponsoring an online talk on February 21 on Misunderstood Native Plants. Canada goldenrod, Virginia creeper, and American pokeweed, oh my! These and other native plants like eastern poison ivy are often maligned as worthless weeds because they don’t fit into the popular idea of what a garden plant should be. Join Leah Brooks as she explores how species which may not be suitable for a home garden provide important wildlife benefits and add beauty to the natural landscape. Leah Brooks is Mt. Cuba’s Public Programs Coordinator. She graduated from the University of Delaware with dual bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Science and Wildlife Ecology. She’s an avid contributor to the Delaware Native Plant Identification and Exchange group on Facebook. Her passion is sharing the joy of nature and native gardening with others. $19. Register at Mount Cuba Center’s website

  • Sundays, February 4 – February 18, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Eastern – Botanical Gardens: A World Tour, Online

    Join Smithsonian Associates expert presenters on three consecutive Sundays in February, online, to tour some of the world’s greatest botanical gardens. Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape as horticultural experts lead a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens in settings as far-flung as Morocco, New Zealand, Israel, Belgium, and the East Coast of the United States. In vibrant visuals they explore how each garden has taken a unique approach to design and interpretation as they celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom.

    February 4  Donabo Gardens of Tangier, Morocco, and the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, Israel

    Visit two Mediterranean public gardens in bustling historic cities that provide horticultural and ecological education while conserving open space in highly urbanized areas. Each garden strives to manage water in a seasonally dry environment as it develops collections of native and exotic plants. While in Tangier, make a brief visit to an extraordinary private garden rarely seen by visitors.

    Presenter Keith Tomlinson has worked as a naturalist and public garden administrator for 25 years, visiting wilderness areas and botanical gardens around the world. He is the author of numerous articles on plant conservation, botanical garden travel, and environmental education.

    February 11  The Royal Greenhouses, Laeken, Belgium, and Chanticleer Gardens, Pennsylvania

    If glasshouses can be a confection, then the Serres Royales (Royal Greenhouses) is a sumptuous dessert. Dating to the Victoria era when architecture was equally as important as a plant collection, these indoor gardens are second to none. Open to the public for only a few weeks each spring, it’s worth planning a trip to experience them. Narrow corridors flanked with flowers open into multi-story rooms encircled by exotic trees collected from around the globe. This is a world horticultural treasure of beauty, innovation, and history.

    Chanticleer has been described as one of the most romantic, imaginative, and innovative gardens in the United States. Nestled in the heart of America’s Garden Capital, this Philadelphia-area gem is brimming with intriguing plants and artistic accoutrements. The garden is relatively new, having come about in the 1990s. Survey its development over the years as well as some of the highlights of Chanticleer’s captivating, ever-changing displays.

    Presenter Karl Gercens is the conservatory manager at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, where he has been in the glasshouses for 25 years. With more than 3,000 individual gardens visited in almost 30 countries, Karl seeks inspiration from across the globe.

    February 18  Dunedin Botanic Gardens, New Zealand and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Virginia

    Known as the Wildlife Capital of New Zealand, the city of Dunedin prides itself on stunning scenery and unique biodiversity. The Dunedin Botanic Garden, New Zealand’s first, marked its 160th anniversary in 2023. With extensive plant collections, viewsheds, and beautiful walks through the native bush, the garden acts as a green sanctuary for those looking to escape the urban environment. Explore this jewel within the city and understand how it fulfills its international responsibility for conservation.

    Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in central Virginia, by contrast, is a relatively young botanical garden celebrating its 40th anniversary. Devoted to inspiring communities and enhancing relationships with the natural world, the garden is continuously growing and evolving, immersing visitors in a world of beauty with surprising vistas around every turn. Enjoy a virtual tour of the 50 acres of gardens, explore the evolving exhibitions, and find inspiration in the programmatic offerings.

    Presenter Chelsea Mahaffey is a public garden professional at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. She is an advocate for horticulture as a career and passionate about the importance of plants in our lives.

    $60 for the three session package for Smithsonian Associates members, $75 for nonmembers. Register at www.smithsonianassociates.org

  • Tuesday, May 21 – Tuesday, May 28 – The Royal Chelsea Flower Show & Kent, The Garden of England

    The prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show has come a long way since its humble single-marquee beginnings in 1913; the kaleidoscopic event is now an unmissable highlight of the British calendar and is world famous for its stunning displays, vibrant colors and innovative designs.

    The Royal Oak Foundation is lucky enough to be visiting on Member’s Day, where RHS members, royals and celebrities take an exclusive first look at the floral extravaganza, set in the grounds of London’s Royal Hospital Chelsea.

    The beautiful blooms continue with our exploration of Kent, often referred to as the Garden of England thanks to its rolling orchards, mild climate and fruitful allotments. There’s time to stop and smell the flowers at a host of horticultural wonders, from the idyllic grounds of Winston Churchill’s Chartwell and the juxtaposing masterpiece of Derek Jarman to the fragrant Sissinghurst Castle Garden and the striking Hole Park Estate, which we discover during a special Head Gardener-led guided tour.

    The details of the eight day tour, May 21 – 28, may be found at https://www.royal-oak.org/britain-tours-2024/The-Royal-Chelsea-Flower-Show/ $4,995 per person.

  • Monday, February 12, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern – A Geologic Year in North America: Three Geologic Eras in 365 Days, Online

    The geologic time scale is one of the most difficult concepts in geology to grasp, yet is fundamental to our understanding of how Earth and life processes have changed the face of our planet over the past 4.6 billion years. In a Smithsonian Associates program geared to the layperson, world traveler, or aspiring geology student in awe of deep time and the geologic record, geologist Kirt Kempter offers a unique approach to making the topic approachable: He condenses the last three geologic eras into a humanly comfortable time frame of a single calendar year.

    Within those 365 days, Kempter explores the evolution of life and land from the perspective of North America, beginning 541 million years ago at the start of the Paleozoic Era. He covers the formation of significant mountains, including the Appalachians and the Rockies, and the first appearance of major animal groups, such as amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Not surprisingly, the human story in North America takes place in just the last hour of this geologic year. Kempter’s approach to geologic time provides a simplified strategy to perceive and digest temporal connections among important events in the Earth’s history.

    The program on February 12 at 7 pm Eastern is presented on Zoom and is $25 for Smithsonian Associates members, $30 for nonmembers. Register at www.smithsonianassociates.org

  • Tuesday, June 4, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Twilight Garden Party – Save the Date & Sponsorship Opportunities

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s spring fundraiser helps the Club support its mission. Neighborhood tree care is the starting point of the Club’s activities – the commitment to trees in citywide, and regional. Visit https://bostonflora.com/ to read about all the Club does, and plan to join members and friends on June 4 at The Newbury at 1 Newbury Street, for a glamorous evening of celebration. Contact Maureen or Maura for details by emailing info@bostonflora.com