Boston Flora

Month: July 2024

  • Through March 2025 – Far Away, From Home, 2024

    Far Away, From Home, an image-based sculpture now displayed on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, is part of Zhang’s ongoing inquiry into the complexities of home, immigration, identity politics, diaspora, and queerness in the public sphere. Responding to the Chinese zodiac Year of the Dragon in 2024, Zhang re-interprets a curio cabinet reminiscent of furniture from the artist’s childhood home in Hunan, China. The shelving unit is filled up with backlit photographs of “tattooed” latex balloons on one side, and their paper collage doppelgängers on the opposite side.  It also features laser-etched panels highlighting scenes from Huaniaohua, a traditional type of Chinese Bird-and-Flower Painting, as well as etchings of the original tattoo imagery Zhang used on the latex balloons. The four supporting legs are modeled after balusters in porch railings and stairways that Zhang has encountered over the past year in Massachusetts. 

    Zhidong Zhang is an artist, educator, and plant lover. Their practice explores social, political, cultural, and sexual relationships among the institution, the body, and modes of embodiment. Working primarily with photography, text and installation their work negotiates and creates narratives where image-making becomes a form of history-making. Zhang’s practice and process invites alternative, autonomous modes of identity construction through/by/via metabolizing bodies that are often overlooked, eroticized, or politicized.

    Zhang’s work has appeared in i-D Magazine, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Boston Art Review, among others. Recent awards include the 2023 Creator Labs Photo Fund, the Collective Futures Fund 2023, and a Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship in 2021. They were a participant at the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, an artist-in-residence at MASS MoCA, Center for Photography at Woodstock, and Boston Center for the Arts. Zhidong currently lives and works in Boston.

  • Saturday, August 3, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm – Watermelon Festival

    To celebrate National Watermelon Day. come to the Chelmsford Elks Pavillion, 300 Littleton Road in Chelmsford on Saturday, August 3 from 11 – 3. Shop fifty fantastic handmade artisan and vendor booths, including a face painter for the kids. Enjoy fresh watermelon, watermelon lemonade, food (expect at least one item to be deep fried), and participate in raffles. There is a cash bar. Tickets may be purchased in advance HERE, or just come and enjoy.

  • Saturdays, August 3 and August 10, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Eastern – Make Ink, A Forager’s Guide, Online

    Gather plants and urban detritus (like rust!) from the surrounding landscape to make beautiful dyes-bright magenta pokeweed, dark black walnut, and rich purple wild grape. In the first online session, artist and founder of the Toronto Ink Company Jason Logan will teach you which organic and non-organic materials work best and where to look for them. In the second session, you’ll mix, test, and transform what you’ve foraged into rich, vibrant inks using simple household ingredients. Jason S. Logan is a Toronto-based creative director and strategic graphic designer. Recent projects include branding, identity and creative direction for Horses Atelier, a smell map for the The New York Times and Creative Direction for Rogers Publishing. Logan is also the author of several books and the founder of the Toronto Ink Company. In 2014 he led the CDTO campaign an initiative to build an Office of Creative Direction for the City of Toronto.

    Please note, this course requires the purchase of materials. Please refer to the Materials List linked on the registration page for more information. New York Botanic Garden members $90, nonmembers $100 for the two sessions, August 3 & 10 from 11 – 1.

  • Thursday, October 10, 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Branching Out For Our Future

    Save the date and join Speak for the Trees for a (pardon us) TREEmendous night of celebration on October 10 from 5:30 – 8 at Southline Boston, 135 Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester. $125 per person. Register at https://treeboston.org/savethedate/

  • Wednesdays, July 31 & August 7, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm – Farm Socials with The Food Project

    Join the Root Crew teens on the farm (July 31 in Wenham, August 7 in Boston) from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm for snacks and conversation with other friends and supporters of The Food Project. The organization is updating its traditional Farm Lunch recipe by experimenting with two after work social events. To sign up, contact Jeasebelle Soto at jsoto@thefoodproject.org.

  • Wednesday, August 7, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – A Brief History of NYBG’s School of Professional Horticulture

    For over 90 years, the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden has educated and trained motivated individuals to become horticulturists of the highest caliber. The call to educate and train horticulturists is growing louder particularly as climate change reshapes the field. This transformation brings forth new environmental challenges and opportunities, underscoring the need to recruit and develop horticulturists equipped with the knowledge and skills to address global demands. Discover the rich history of one of the nation’s premier horticulture programs with Richard Smith, Director of NYBG’s School of Professional Horticulture.  The talk, at the Polly Hill Arboretum’s Far Barn on August 7 at 5:30, is $10 for Arboretum members, $20 for nonmembers. Registration is required: bit.ly/PHA-SOPH-Lecture  

  • Saturday, August 3, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Writing in the Company of Trees

    In our perilous times, trees offer examples of resilience and precariousness, growth and generosity. How do we invite them into our writing? Join Matthew Battles, editor of Arnoldia, the Arboretum’s quarterly magazine, for an immersive workshop to practice writing under, about, and in collaboration with trees. The class takes place August 3 at 10 am. Meet in front of the Hunnewell Building. Register at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/events/writing-in-the-company-of-trees/?occurrence=2024-08-03

    Participants will move throughout the landscape to engage trees in the Arboretum’s collection while writing, reflecting, and sharing their discoveries.

    Please bring a notebook or other writing materials that are manageable in the field. This program involves walking along wooded paths, climbing some moderate slopes, and navigating uneven terrain. We will be sitting on the ground frequently, so travel camp chairs, yoga mats, or blankets are encouraged. Participants will be notified via email at least 24 hours in advance if a program needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather, and will be notified by phone if a program must be cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice. Click here to view our full inclement weather policy. If you have questions about the status of a program, please email publicprograms@arnarb.harvard.edu or call the Visitor Center desk between 10:00am and 4:00pm at (617) 384-5209.

  • Thursday, August 8, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – A Short History of Flowers: The Stories that Make Our Gardens, Online

    Advolly Richmond’s beautifully illustrated talk highlights some of the flowers featured in her upcoming book, A Short History of Flowers. Many of the plants we love and grow as ornamentals first appeared in early herbals for medicinal and culinary use. But how often do we stop to think about how these beautiful flowers ended up in our tiny corner of the world?

    Flowers have played pivotal roles in societies for centuries, from the wild fuchsia hedgerows of Ireland, to the lily of the valley bringing luck and making a bold fashion statement in Paris. All of these blooms hold a treasure trove of stories. Have a giggle, shed a tear, but most of all, enjoy the tales of exploration in disguise, enduring love, cultural appropriation, and hybridization that Advolly will bring to life in this webinar. You will also get a glimpse of some of the gorgeous, specially commissioned botanical illustrations which appear in the book. Advolly Richmond is a plants and garden historian, TV and radio presenter, and independent researcher in social history based in England. She lectures on garden history subjects from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries, contributes garden history features on BBC Gardeners’ World, presents plant history profiles for BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, and produces The Garden History Podcast.

    $5 for Garden Conservancy members, $15 for nonmembers. A recording of this webinar will be sent to all registrants a few days after the event. We encourage you to register, even if you cannot attend the live webinar. Register at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/education/education-events/virtual-talk-a-short-history-of-flowers

  • Wednesday & Thursday, August 7 & 8, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Drawing in the Garden: Sunflowers in Color Pencils

    Get out into the garden and draw amongst the flowers with botanical artist & instructor, Carol Ann Morley. This summer will bring a special garden exhibit of Sunflowers to the Garden at Elm Bank. Capture the beauty of Sunflowers with quick sketches, study the details of the flower’s structure through observation, and add color notes of their vibrant colors. In the classroom have fun creating a color pencil palette to work from and discover what combinations work best for portraying greens and the tricky color yellow.

    This class is for artists with some graphite experience. The two classes are Wednesday and Thursday, August 7 and 8, from 9:30 – 3:30, at the Garden at Elm Bank Cheney Classroom. $225 for Mass Hort members, $275 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org

  • Tuesday, April 15 – Thursday, April 24 – Floral Splendor and Artistry: Dutch Waterways by Private River Barge

    Embark on an enchanting spring cruise along picturesque Dutch waterways aboard the privately chartered river barge, Magnifique IV. Amidst blooming season, visit public and private gardens on expert-guided tours and observe innovative horticultural techniques inspired by Wageningen University’s Foodvalley. While highlighting Holland’s botanical wonders, the journey also showcases world-class art museums that house masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age. This cruise promises a harmonious and fascinating exploration of natural beauty and human artistry. Additionally, there will be the opportunity to participate in an optional post-trip extension in Amsterdam, featuring private access to historic homes and gardens along the Vecht River.

    This American Horticultural Society spring trip on April 15 – 24 with host Katie Tukey, with an optional Amsterdam Extension. The Magnifique IV took to European waters in 2020, after it completed a full conversion from a barge to passenger vessel by master shipbuilder Walter van Berkum. Accommodating no more than 36 passengers plus crew, the vessel is designed to create a welcoming relaxed atmosphere on board. The upper deck features a spacious salon with A/C, bar, and lounge.

    The inviting restaurant is separated from the kitchen by a glass wall so you can see the talented chefs in action. Meals are served in a single seating and feature fresh and tasty Euro fusion cuisine. The teak sundeck invites you to enjoy the scenery as you float by and features a hot tub. For complete itinerary, costs, and highlights, visit https://ahsgardening.org/gardening-programs/travel-study/2024-travel-study-programs/floral-splendor-and-artistry-dutch-waterways-by-private-river-barge/