Boston Flora

Month: February 2026

  • Monday, March 9, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Curated Cuisine: Boston’s Booming Coffee Culture

    A trio of Boston’s leading coffee roasters joins WBUR’s Dianna Bell at WBUR CitySpace on March 9 from 6:30 – 8:30 for a conversation exploring the city’s evolving specialty coffee scene.

    Curated Cuisine is a monthly series examining all things edible, from the chefs cooking the food to the writers reviewing the recipes. Meet the people shaping the food industry, both local and national and enjoy a post-show bite inspired by the conversation.

    Dunkin’ may have captured the meme culture but there’s a bursting world of flavor brewing in Boston’s coffee scene. If you ask local coffee roasters they can likely tell you about farmers they’ve met in Guatemala or Ethiopia, the elevation from which their beans were grown or about the washed or natural process before drying. While Bostonians may drink iced coffee year-round, there is an evolving and evermore discerning palate in the bustling neighborhood coffee shop akin to a wine enthusiast’s interest in a grape’s terroir. Join Dianna Bell, WBUR arts and culture senior editor, in a conversation with three pioneers in the Boston coffee scene.

    Panelists

    George Howell — Founder and owner, George Howell Coffee

    Pack Katisomsakul — Owner, Newbery Street Coffee Roasters

    Jaime van Schyndel — Founder, barismo

    Guests will enjoy coffee tasting and can purchase items from local coffee roasters George Howell Coffee, Newbery Street and barismo. Tickets (from $12.51) available from Eventbrite HERE.

  • Saturday, February 28, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Garden Design Perspective Drawing: From Concept to Sketch

    Learn to bring your design ideas to life through clear, compelling perspective sketches at Berkshire Botanical Garden on Saturday, February 28, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Taught by Tom Smith of Springfield Technical Community College, this workshop introduces the fundamentals of freehand one-point and two-point perspective drawing, essential skills for communicating spatial concepts in garden and landscape design. Begin by sketching simple objects and small garden scenes, then build your skills to illustrate larger, more complex spaces, such as front yards, patios, and planting designs. Emphasis will be placed on accurate proportion, depth and clarity, ensuring your drawings effectively convey your vision in ways that flat plan or bird’s-eye views cannot. Perfect for designers, students and gardeners looking to strengthen their visual communication and present ideas with confidence.

    Tom Smith teaches at Springfield Technical Community College. His past career experiences include precision machining, HVAC ductwork fabrication, installation, and service technician roles, as well as a stint in the U.S. Navy. He also wore many ‘hats’ within a small landscape company as a designer, estimator, salesperson, horticulturist, and construction crew leader.

    $130 for BBG members, $150 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/garden-design-perspective-drawing-concept-sketch

  • Saturday, February 21, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm, & 3:30 pm – Eyes on Owls

    Join Mount Auburn Cemetery friends in Story Chapel for a special presentation by teacher naturalist Marcia Wilson and wildlife photographer Mark Wilson. Three sessions are being offered on Saturday, February 21 at 10:30am, 1:00pm, and 3:30pm. Space is limited, Registration required. Visit https://mountauburn.org/event/eyes-on-owls-4/

    Marcia and Mark will introduce visitors to the owls of New England and beyond. Learn the field marks, signs, and naturalist’s skills that you can use to find owls without disturbing them, then meet some live owls up close.

  • Tuesdays, March 3 – April 14, 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Landscape Design I

    This seven-part in-person Berkshire Botanical Garden course will introduce students to the design process—the systematic way designers approach a site and client. Taught by Tyler Horsley, this course will include a series of simple projects, ending with a garden designed by the students. Learn design principles such as form, balance, repetition, line, texture, color and spatial relationships. Additionally, students will be introduced to history and how it helps the designer resolve and inspire garden design. As the adage goes, we cannot escape our history, so we have to understand where we came from. Classes start March 3 and continue through April 14, from 5:30 – 8.

    A New York City resident for 30 years, Tyler Horsley was a member of the Green Guerrillas and the 6th Street and Avenue B Community Garden in the East Village. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Virginia and a Certificate in Horticulture from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He created Tyler Horsley Garden Design, LLC in 2005 and has since moved to Hudson, NY, where he joined Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture. $215 for BBG members, $240 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/landscape-design-i

  • Thursday, February 19, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Soils and Plant Nutrition, Online

    A beautiful and sustainable garden starts with understanding your garden conditions, enabling you to select plants that will thrive. One crucial part of that knowledge is your garden soil. We will simplify the complex topic of garden soil into five key areas to help you understand what you need to know. This online February 29 AHS Live program will address soil and water, soil texture and structure, soil chemistry, nutrient delivery, and the soil ecosystem.

    Gretchen Renshaw is a horticulturist and teacher. She is a founder and volunteer director at the Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden in California. This demonstration garden features California native plants and sustainable gardening practices. She is a former horticulture instructor at UCLA Extension, where she taught for over 25 years. One of her courses was a four-unit class on Soils and Plant Nutrition, for which she wrote and published Underground: A Gardener’s Guide to Soil and Plant Nutrition. Renshaw also worked as a science teacher at an elementary school, engaging students in hands-on science activities from kindergarten to fifth grade. She has a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

    REGISTER NOW $15 AHS members, $20 nonmembers.

  • Saturday, February 21, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm, & 3:30 pm – Owls of New England

    Reserve your tickets today for one of the February 21 sessions at Mount Auburn Cemetery on Owls of New England because this event sells out every year! Join us in Story Chapel for a special presentation by teacher naturalist Marcia Wilson and wildlife photographer Mark Wilson. Marcia and Mark will introduce visitors to the owls of New England and beyond. Learn the field marks, signs, and naturalist’s skills that you can use to find owls without disturbing them, then meet some live owls up close!

    Three sessions are being offered on Saturday, Feb 21 at 10:30am, 1:00pm, and 3:30pm. Space is limited. Reserve at https://mountauburn.org/

  • Through Sunday, March 29 – Winteractive

    Join the Boston Downtown Alliance for the third annual edition of WINTERACTIVE, a free, walkable art experience featuring artworks and interactive play elements at 18 different sites, presented by the Downtown Boston Alliance. Inspired by the vibrant winter festivals and art exhibitions of our neighbors in the province of Québec in Canada, we invite you to embrace the joy of winter as you stroll the streets of Downtown Boston. You’ll find a delightful experience around every corner… and there are plenty of places to eat and shop along the way! Complete details may be found at https://www.winteractive.org/

    One example of an installation is Trumpet Flowers by Amigo & Amigo in Dewey Square. In approaching the towering Trumpet Flowers a sense of shrinking envelops you, as if stepping into a giant’s musical garden. As a vibrant jungle of light, color, and sound bursts forth like a symphony of nature, meander and explore this floral forest and accept the invitation to activate your own spectacular light show accompanied by a curated musical score.

  • Thursday, March 5, 7:00 pm – Bricks & Bubbles

    Bricks & Bubbles: A Celebration of Preservation is an elegant cocktail evening bringing together civic-minded residents, business leaders, and preservation supporters to celebrate Beacon Hill’s heritage and the spirit of our community,
    while raising critical funds for the BHCA.

    Enjoy this festive event with passed hors d’oeuvre and cocktails as we celebrate in one of the finest examples of historic preservation on Beacon Hill, The Liberty Hotel. Join us in celebrating Beacon Hill’s rich history and
    help preserve its legacy for generations to come. Become a sponsor or purchase tickets at https://www.bhcivic.org/bricks–bubbles.html

  • America’s Largest Mycorrhizal Fungi Library Funding Crisis

    Fungi collections rarely generate headlines. Yet the survival of a modest facility at the University of Kansas carries implications for global agriculture, ecological restoration, and scientific understanding of plant-fungi relationships that have evolved over millions of years. The International Collection of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, known as INVAM, maintains 900 living isolates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: microorganisms that form obligate symbiotic relationships with plant roots. These fungi cannot survive without plants, which supply them with carbon and sugars. In exchange, the fungi extend the effective root system, improving nutrient and water uptake.

    Unlike yeast or mushroom-producing species, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi cannot be stored indefinitely. Each isolate requires cultivation at least once annually, sometimes twice, on living host plants. The operation runs 365 days per year in greenhouses equipped with backup electrical systems. Without continuous labor-intensive maintenance, the cultures perish permanently. Associate researcher Terra Lubin dedicates 15-25 hours weekly to collection management alongside her research duties. Distinguished professor Jim Bever and associate specialist Peggy Schultz lead the curation effort, which they relocated from Florida to Kansas in 2023 using National Science Foundation funding. Current political tensions surrounding National Science Foundation budgets compound inherent funding uncertainty. Proposed cuts exceeding $300 million threaten research infrastructure nationwide. Bever noted the system that built America’s research capacity now faces unclear federal support.

    Bever stated plainly that no replacement exists for INVAM. Its loss would constitute a tragedy for science and possibilities for a more sustainable world. Whether public fundraising can substitute for institutional research support remains an open question: one with consequences extending far beyond Kansas.

    For information on how you can help, visit www.mycostories.com

  • Sunday, May 31 – Friday, June 5 – Hog Island Nature Journaling Summer Camp

    Join The Wild Wonder Foundation for its 2026 Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Adventures, including Hog Island Nature Journaling Summer Camp in Maine on May 31-June 5 with Charlotte Belland @bellandpixel and Michael Boardman @mboardmanart!

    It will be a Puffin Party! Join this birding and nature journaling adventure at Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine, a historic location for birders and nature lovers. With a rich legacy in American ornithology, Hog Island is a fantastic setting to immerse yourself in the world of birds. Explore the region’s stunning beauty through guided walks, boat tours, field sketching, and evening speakers.


    Registration is open, and our trips often sell out in days. Folks on our mailing list are the first to hear when signups open. You can sign up for our mailing list at wildwonder.org/subscribe


    Led by experienced and engaging educators, Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Retreats offer you the opportunity to deepen your nature journaling practice while inspiring you, challenging you, and encouraging you to connect with nature, other nature journalers, and yourself. The vibe is joyful, kind, enthusiastic, supportive, and fun…and nature journalers of ALL experience levels are welcome!

    In 2026, we are excited to offer five retreats: (plus a Sandhill Crane Adventure!)

    — Sandhill Crane Migration Celebration in Nebraska: March 20-22 with John Muir Laws

    —Point Reyes National Seashore, CA: April 27-30, with John Muir Laws and Catherine Hamilton

    —Hog Island, ME: May 31-June 5, Charlotte Belland and Michael Boardman

    — Wolf Ridge, MN; July 12-17 with John Muir Laws and Roseann Hanson

    — Olympic National Park, WA: August 16-21 with John Muir Laws, Debby Kaspari, and Maria Coryell-Martin

    —Sierra Nevada, CA: October 13-18, with Kate Rutter and Rob Wade

    Visit wildwonder.org/adventures26 or wildwonder.org/events to learn more. Registration will open later this month, and our trips often sell out in days. Folks on our mailing list are the first to hear when signups open.