We hope to see you at ELA’s Annual Conference scheduled for February 26, 27. and 28, 2025! Day 1 & 2 of the conference will remain virtual on Qiqochat to facilitate greater access and participation. Each day of virtual learning will consist of a number of concurrent presentations organized across three educational tracks.
The last day of the conference, we are organizing in-person member meet ups to build on the momentum from last year and continue expanding our community!This conference will give the ELA community a chance to engage and reflect on where the industry has been, to hear lessons learned, to prepare and adapt for the future, and to inspire each other to do all that we can to build and maintain resilient landscapes that work in harmony with the life that supports them.
Join Historic New England at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, 5 Little’s Lane in Newbury, to celebrate the end of the holiday season with our annual Old Newbury Christmas Tree Bonfire. Roast s’mores, enjoy food and drinks from your favorite local vendors, tour the first floor of the Manor House, and watch the fire roar as thousands of Christmas Trees burn into the night. Pre-purchase your parking ticket for a guaranteed spot in the parking field. https://my.historicnewengland.org/20312/bonfire
Parking Ticket: $25.
Please call 978-462-2634 for more information, or if you are interested in the environmental and air pollution impact of the fire. Event is Rain or Shine. Please print your ticket with barcode at home prior to the event. Enter the event via Little’s Lane and show your ticket to the parking attendant. Parking tickets are non-refundable. A limited number of cash-only parking tickets will be available for purchase at the gate.
Accessibility Considerations: Please call for information on reserved parking. Walking on an unpaved and uneven path is required to access the agricultural field where the bonfire takes place. Please dress for the weather and wear good shoes.
The Garden Club of the Back Bay will sponsor a Members Only pop up event on January 5 at Mahoney’s Garden Center, 449 Western Avenue in Brighton. Want to beat the post-holiday blues? Join for an hour of learning with Mahoney’s Sara Barrios as we delve into the world of orchid care in the fabulous new greenhouse at Mahoney’s. Afterward, feel free to purchase an orchid or other houseplant of choice to take home with you.
The cost of the class is free, but space is limited to 20 people. Please RSVP to Stephanie Fletcher. Not yet a member? Visit https://bostonflora.com/join. You’ll want to be on the list for the upcoming Winter Tea as well, so act now.
With a focus on the intersection of climate change and gardening, Angelica Patterson, PhD will explore how shifting climate patterns affect plant growth and what steps can be taken to manage gardens and cultivated land sustainably. Angelica will share practical strategies for mitigating climate-related risks and promoting eco-restoration in gardening practices. Leave with actionable insights to cultivate resilient, thriving gardens in the face of environmental change.
Dr. Angelica Patterson is the Curator of Education and Outreach for the Miller Worley Center for the Environment at Mount Holyoke College. Angelica received her bachelor’s in natural resources from Cornell University and her master’s, master of philosophy and doctorate degrees from Columbia University in plant ecophysiology. She is a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the environmental sciences. When asked to name her favorite native plant, Angelica is quick to share her love for the northern red oak.
In celebration of his brand-new cookbook, Sandwiches of History creator Barry Enderwick is hitting the road to share the history of his wildly popular internet deep-dive on all things sandwich.
The live show on January 21 at 7 pm at WBUR CitySpace will feature a special guest star, and sandwich making and tasting with audience-suggested “plus ups,” Enderwick’s signature technique for taking good sandwiches and making them great. There will also be a Q&A and more surprises. VIP ticket holders will receive reserved seating, a signed copy of Sandwiches of History: The Cookbook and exclusive access to a meet and greet after the show. The ultimate book for the sandwich connoisseur (or even the sandwich curious), the book contains nearly 100 recipes spanning the centuries, from the most well-known to obscure but delicious sandwiches.
Ah, sandwiches. They’re everywhere. But what’s the story behind the club, the Cuban, or the hot brown? Through his various social media platforms, Barry Enderwick has been exploring all things sandwich for years. For the first time, he has taken the source material for dozens of sandwiches and painstakingly recreated them — staying as faithful as possible to every original sandwich, while providing much more guidance on successfully making each one. From the classics, like the Cucumber Tea Sandwich or The Sophisticated Club Sandwich, to the out-of-the-box, like The Hot Chicken Tuna Sandwich and the Mock Banana Sandwich, Barry provides not only recipes, but interesting information and fun facts that pertain to them.
To order tickets (ranging from $10 for students to $75 for VIP) click HERE.
Boston Harbor Now is proud to present the 12th annual New Year’s Eve on the Waterfront Ice Sculpture Stroll with nearly 30 sculptures on display. On New Year’s Eve, Boston’s waterfront will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland with unique and interactive ice sculptures in neighborhoods from Revere Beach all the way down to the Seaport. Grab a map, pick a starting point, and start strolling!
Stick around to ring in the New Year with midnight fireworks over Boston Harbor
Registration is *not* required to participate in this free outdoor event. Eventbrite RSVP will allow you to receive any special event updates plus one entry into the Waterfront Staycation Giveaway Contest!
Boston Harbor Now is proud to partner with more than two dozen waterfront organizations, businesses, and entities to bring this beloved tradition back for an eleventh season. We thank each of them for their participation and support! To view a list of all ice sculpture hosts, visit www.bostonharbornow.org/nye
Nearly 20 years ago, Julia Etter and Martin Kristen made Jalisco, Mexico their home, embracing the local culture and lifestyle. Now practically Mexican, they immerse themselves in tending their expansive garden and greenhouse, designing a botanical garden for a major Tequila factory, and caring for a lively menagerie of chickens and seven cats. Despite their busy lives, they still seize every opportunity to explore the field. Since 2009, Julia and Martin have collaborated with botanists from the Institute of Biology at UNAM and the University of Guadalajara. Their contributions to botany have been honored with several plant species named after them, including Agave kristenii, Echeveria juliana, E. kristenii, Graptopetalum kristenii, and Sedum kristenii. Their work has been widely published in books, journals, and online, reflecting their deep commitment to sharing the beauty and knowledge of these remarkable plants. More information about their work can be found at agavaceae.com and crassulaceae.com.
On January 18 at 1 pm Eastern, the Cactus & Succulent Society of Massachusetts will present a Zoom virtual meeting with Julia Etter and Martin Kristen, To register (the meeting is for members, but a year’s membership is $20), visit https://www.cssma.org/membership
In January, join Friends of the Landscape Archive at Reading for the beginning of an online series of talks in partnership with the Gardens Trust, on six women – Susan Jellicoe, Sheila Haywood, Brenda Colvin, Mary Mitchell, Marjory Allen and Marian Thompson – who all contributed to the expertise, development and awareness of the landscape profession and in so many different ways. A ticket is for the series of 6 talks at £42 or you may purchase a ticket for individual talks, costing £8. (Gardens Trust and FOLAR members £6 each or all 6 for £31.50). There will be an opportunity for Q & A after each session. Please note that the 6th and final talk in this series is on 30th April. Ticket holders can join each session live and/or view a recording for up to 2 weeks afterwards. For tickets visit www.eventbriteco.uk
Join us in this online series to hear from these special speakers – Sally Ingram, Paula Laycock, Hal Moggridge, Joy Burgess, Wendy Titman and Bruce Thompson – who have each known, worked with, or researched one of these six remarkable women. The second in the series takes place January 15, on Sheila Haywood.
Sheila Haywood (1911-1993) was one of the pioneers of modernism in landscape architecture. Studying at the Architectural Association in London from 1929-1934 during a period of intense student activism and change in the architectural profession, Haywood was not as well-known as some of her contemporaries. However, she played a significant role in the development of the profession of landscape architecture, as is reflected in her achievements.
It was her role as Assistant to Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe from 1939-1949 that was pivotal to her career, and which saw her interest transferring from buildings to the setting of the buildings themselves. While her work in the extractive industries would be a mainstay of her career, she also ventured into other areas, including that of Landscape Consultant for Bracknell New Town (1950-1974). This talk, however, focuses on Haywood’s work in Cambridge, first on the New Addenbrooke’s Hospital Site (1958-1962), then on the landscaping of Churchill College (1959-1974), and finally as Landscape Consultant for Wolfson College, Cambridge (1974-1980).
Paula Laycock is a By-Fellow of Churchill College where she has worked for the past 36 years, for the main part as College Registrar, and in more recent years, in the Churchill Archives Centre where she carries out oral history interviews. However, it was in the College’s own archives that Paula first came across Haywood’s 1959 landscape drawings for the College. Her interest in Haywood’s work and subsequent research resulted in the publication of a guide to the College’s grounds and gardens, and then to a detailed exploration of their development from 1959 to the present day, now recorded in her book Portrait of a Landscape (Churchill College, 2022). Paula also produced an online biography of Sheila Haywood in 2016, and she has recently completed work on a detailed biography entitled Sheila Haywood: A Life in Landscape, with a view to publication in 2025.
Winter is a great time to observe the framework of the Arboretum; the trees without leaves and bare stonewalls are the basis for lush summer growth, but are readily visible this time of year. Polly Hill Arboretum staff will guide you through the Arboretum for a fresh perspective. The walks take place on Saturdays, January 25, February 22, March 22, and April 26 starting at 10 am. Meet at the Visitor Center. Registration not required. Included with $5 admission, free for members.
If the walk is cancelled, notices will be posted on the Polly Hill website by 3:30pm the prior day.
The New England Botanical Society is having a membership event on January 10 at the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s Cronin Building, 1 Rabbit Hill Road in Westborough, Room 108, Southeast Conference Room. There will be a members potluck, raffle, and show & tell starting at 5:30 pm. For information on joining, visit https://www.rhodora.org/membership/join.html
