Boston Flora

Month: June 2024

  • Saturday, June 22, 10:00 am – 11:30 pm – Floral Design: Tropical Fantasy

    Creating arrangements with exotic flowers like Bird of Paradise and Pincushion Protea is sure to ignite a spark in your summer décor! Who wouldn’t adore a touch of the tropics? These blooms aren’t just visually stunning; they carry rich symbolism too. Proteas symbolize courage and transformation, while the Bird of Paradise represents joyfulness, paradise, and excitement.

    Join Lorraine Walsh and Mary Lou Ashur from Artistry Floral to dive into the vibrant world of tropical florals. Embrace the boldness by working with bright colors and choose between crafting a traditional arrangement or a modern one that demands attention. Picture dazzling bursts of fiery hues complemented by lush greenery in chic cube or round vases. It’s an artful fusion of colors and textures that captures the essence of summer loving. Let’s unleash your creativity and make your space bloom with tropical flair!

    Class time allows students to practice and apply these principles in hands-on projects. It’s also a great opportunity to learn about various flower varieties, care techniques, and design styles. Practical experience and feedback from instructors and peers help to develop your skills and creativity in floral design.  Sign up at www.masshort.org.

  • Saturday, June 22, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm – The Veggie Specialist’s Garden

    Join gardening expert Ron Kujawski in his teaching garden in West Stockbridge on Saturday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., as he demonstrates his home garden tips and tricks! Learn first-hand about the different planting strategies for crops using raised beds, mounding and vertical space. We will explore in-garden composting and pest management and how to adapt to no-till gardening. 

    Ron starts seeds in the basement where he’s set up benches, heating mats and fluorescent lights. Then he moves the seedlings of cool-season vegetables to his unheated greenhouse while the warm-season vegetables are placed on benches in south-facing windows in his house. As the weather improves, he sets them out on the deck before moving them to the garden under row covers.

    No transportation will be provided. Garden location will be shared upon class registration. This Berkshire Botanical Garden course is $25 for BBG members, $40 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/veggie-specialists-garden

    Ron Kujawski spent his formative years working on his family’s onion farm in Florida, N.Y. From there he went on to earn his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in biological sciences from the State University of New York at Albany. After five years of developing and directing the Environmental Studies program at Simon’s Rock College in Great Barrington, Mass., he moved on to the University of Massachusetts Extension Service as a specialist in landscape, nursery and urban forestry. Now retired, he spends time as a horticultural consultant, author, writer, and lecturer, that is, when he is not tending to his vegetable garden. Ron also chairs the Horticultural Advisory Committee at the Berkshire Botanic Garden and writes a column for their weekly online newsletter. He and his daughter, Jennifer, have co-authored the book Week by Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook. 

  • Wednesday, June 26, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm – FUNdamentals of Floral Design

    Come enjoy learning the basics of floral design at the Plymouth Library, Fehlow Meeting Room (1st floor), 132 South Street, Plymouth, on June 26 from 2:30 – 4:30. Demonstrations by experienced floral designers, who are National Garden Club (NGC) Flower Show Judges. $25 per person (members of Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts clubs, please). Send check with name, address, phone number and Garden Club to Nancy Costa at 130 Knott Avenue, Sandwich, MA 02563

    Questions? Contact Co-Chairs: Nancy Costa, Garden Club of Hyannis, Norwood Evening GC nancycosta71@gmail.com
    Judy Morgan, Wareham Garden Club judjon121@comcast.net

  • Sunday, June 23, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm – Grand Opening of The Charlesgate Farmers Market

    The Charlesgate Farmers Market is new this year at Charlesgate Park serving the Back Bay, Kenmore and Fenway areas. Our grand opening is on June 23.  The market will be held on Sundays from 11-2 until October 13. Student from Berklee School of Music will be performing. Our vendors will be selling fresh produce, fresh fruit, seafood, meat, chicken and eggs, baked goods and many more fresh and locally produced items.

  • Saturday, June 15, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Principles and Practices of Biological Farming

    Join Dan Kittredge for an overview of the principles and practices of biological farming at Berkshire Botanical Garden on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to noon. Build your knowledge and experience to find ways to increase the health of your soil. Participation-based with questions and answers, the workshop is designed for growers and gardeners. Participants will grasp and apply innovative, reliable principles and practices for producing healthier, better-tasting food.

    Dan Kittredge is the executive director of the Bionutrient Food Association, is the son of prominent leaders in the organic movement and has been an organic farmer since childhood. Dan is passionate about raising the quality of nutrition in our food supply through collaboration with committed individuals, businesses, and organizations that support the value of people growing and eating good food.

    $25 for BBG members, $40 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/principles-and-practices-biological-farming

  • Monday, June 24 – Thursday, June 27 – American Public Gardens Association: Rooted in Resilience

    The Arnold Arboretum is among five New England gardens hosting the 2024 annual conference of the American Public Gardens Association in Boston this summer. Public garden professionals from around the country and around the world will come together between June 24–27 to participate in the annual gathering, which is also hosted by Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Mount Auburn Cemetery, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, and The Trustees. Rooted in Resilience: A Sustainable Future for Gardens will be held at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, a block away from Boston’s famous Public Garden. Hundreds of public horticulture professionals are expected to attend for a week of professional development sessions, networking events, garden tours, and more. The 2024 Presenting Partner is the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

    The 2024 Conference theme highlights Boston’s historic resilience and the city’s story of overcoming adversity and adapting to change. From playing a crucial role in the American Revolution to surviving disasters, Boston has always persevered and emerged stronger. Today, Boston demonstrates its adaptability through various sustainable initiatives, including ambitious urban forestry goals and a plan to become carbon-neutral by 2050. In Boston, resilience and social justice are intertwined, driving the city’s commitment to building a sustainable and equitable society.

    The conference theme showcases the parallel between Boston’s remarkable resilience and the concept of sustainability within the realm of gardens. Public gardens play a vital role in promoting sustainable practices and empowering the next generation of environmental stewards. Through a range of green initiatives, including sustainable horticultural practices, educational programs, and community engagement, public gardens are building stronger communities, promoting access to green spaces, and connecting people with nature.

    Participants will enjoy over 80 professional development sessions and workshops in five Specialty Tracks—Education and Science, Garden Management, Horticulture, Plant Collections and Conservation, and Public Engagement—in addition to tours of local public gardens, professional workshops, and special events at the host gardens.

    Registration is now. Non-member registration is available for $100 more than the member rate. Two- and One-Day registration options are available.Visit the APGA website for more information.

  • Friday, June 14, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – Foggy Bottom – A Garden to Share, Online

    An inspirational guide to understanding plants and gardens, the book and American Horticultural Society virtual talk on Friday, June 14 are based on Bloom’s experience in creating his own spectacular six-acre garden, Foggy Bottom. From an empty meadow in 1966, this renowned horticulturist’s lifetime creation demonstrates stunning combinations and seasonal interest. Learn how to masterfully use perennials, grasses, and shrubs, as well as the background of how this project inspired Bloom’s signature Give Away Gardens.

    From expanding the family nursery business to include new ranges of plants, to designing countless gardens throughout the UK and the US, Adrian Bloom has cultivated a gardening culture for the past sixty years. He has appeared as a television presenter with Anglia TV (1973), BBC Gardener’s World (1993-96), and WGBH in the US on The Victory Garden, (1996- 2001). Bloom has written more than 10 books, including Conifers for your Garden (1972), A Year Round Garden (1978), Blooms of Bressingham Garden Plants (with Alan Bloom 1992), Winter Garden Glory (1993), Summer Garden Glory (1996), Gardening with Conifers (2001), Bloom’s Best Perennials and Grasses (2010), and Foggy Bottom: A Garden to Share (2023). Bloom has also received numerous awards, including the Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH) by the RHS (1985), the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Garden Media Guild (2015), the George Robert White award by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society (2001), and 26 gold medals for the Bressingham Gardens exhibits at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

    $15 AHS members, $20 non-members. Register at www.ahsgardening.org

  • Thursday, June 20, 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Friday, June 21, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, and Saturday, June 22, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Books in Bloom

    The Cohasset Garden Club presents Books in Bloom, a unique event in which Cohasset Garden Club members assemble floral arrangements that interpret a book’s title, jacket, or theme. Free admission, along with a free floral arranging demonstration on Thursday, June 20 at 1 pm. The three day event takes place June 20, June 21, and June 22 at the Paul Pratt Memorial Library in Cohasset. Due to limited space, pre-registration for the floral arranging demo is necessary – visit http://cohassetlibrary.org to do so.

  • Thursday, June 20, 5:30 pm – Native Plants with a Twist: Unexpected Excitement from our Native Flora

    On June 20, the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club, in collaboration with Polly Hill Arboretum, will be sponsoring a lecture by Adam Wheeler, Production and Horticulture Manager at Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, CT. Adam will speak on “Native Plants with a Twist: Unexpected Excitement from our Native Flora.” Adam stresses that native plants don’t have to be boring! In this informative and educational lecture, he will explore the unique and exceptional slide of our native flora and present his current favorite native trees and shrubs for general garden use. This includes design considerations, cultural requirements, and other critical details. A special emphasis will be given toward unusual variation and unexpected use. Both novice and experts alike will find value in the details provided. This lecture will be held in the Far Barn at Polly Hill Arboretum beginning at 5:00 p.m. Registration is required. The cost is $5.00 for MVGC and PHA members and $10.00 for non-members, payable upon registration. Here is the link for registration: https://form.jotform.com/240526018970152​

  • Thursday, June 20, 12:15 pm – 2:15 pm – Summer Celebration

    After a two-year hiatus, The Friends of the Public Garden can’t wait to kick off the season with our Summer Celebration on Brewer Plaza on Thursday, June 20, at 12:15 PM to  2:15 PM. This event is free and open to the public. Join us for entertainment by local artists and free lunch from Bon Me. For more information, visit https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org