Daily Archives: May 18, 2024

Saturday, May 25, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Terrarium Workshop

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This Massachusetts Horticultural Society workshop at The Gardens at Elm Bank on May 25 led by Garden Educator, Melissa Pace, offers a hands-on opportunity for participants to create their own personalized terrarium. During the workshop, attendees will have the chance to select from a variety of plants and design elements to craft a unique miniature indoor garden.

Melissa will provide guidance on plant selection, arrangement, and care techniques to ensure the long-term health and vitality of the terrariums. Participants will also learn about the importance of proper maintenance, including watering, light requirements, and common problems to look out for. Be sure to bring a box to transport your new creation home in! $40 for Mass Hort members, $53 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org 

Saturday, May 25, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Stonemasonry: An Overview

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This Berkshire Botanical Garden workshop, led by Sam Mercier at the Garden on May 25, will focus on the steps that are needed to start new projects as well as methods for fixing existing problems. The class will begin with a demonstration and Q&A at 9 a.m., then participants will take a walk of the grounds, examining masonry and looking at techniques for fixing stone projects that have been worn down over time. After an in-depth look at the basics on the planning board and in the field, instruction will move to masonry tools, finishes and fabrication. This will cover cutting stone with saws large and small, splitting stone, chiseling, and other finishes necessary in stone projects at 3 p.m. $140 for BBG members, $160 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/stonemasonry-overview-0

Sam Mercier is a local mason currently hailing from Sandisfield, Massachusetts. His career began on the island of Martha’s Vineyard where he learned from highly skilled stonemasons specializing in reclaimed granite and fieldstone. He moved to the Berkshires for an opportunity to work with a distinguished company that focused more on antique stone and brick designs. In 2015 Sam started his company Mercier Stone.