The Earth Day 2026 Forum will be hosted by the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay on Wednesday, April 22 from 5 pm – 7:30 pm in Rabb Hall at the Boston Public Library’s main branch in Copley Square. There will be demonstrations, forum speakers, and question and answer sessions. This is a free event open to the public. For details, visit https://nabbonline.org/
The Gibson House Museum invites you to a Victorian Masquerade Party and Cocktail Reception to Benefit the Gibson House Museum on Wednesday, April 15. 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the St. Botolph Club, 199 Commonwealth Avenue
Featuring:
creative cocktails
sumptuous hors d’oeuvre
delightful piano music
tarot card readings
raffle prizes
Bring your friends, make new friends, and raise a glass to the Gibson House! We promise you a wonderful evening. Masks and “Edward-Goreyesque” Victorian or Edwardian touches are encouraged as part of your cocktail attire. All proceeds benefit the Gibson House Museum. Visit https://www.thegibsonhouse.org/museum-benefit for tickets and more information.
Whether covering our local bogs or garnishing our cocktails, cranberries have held an ever-present role in Cape Cod life for generations. Come to Heritage Museums and Gardens beginning April 25 to explore the rise of this humble berry through Cape Cod’s history, from its historic use by the Wampanoag people to its modern sale worldwide by companies like Ocean Spray. This exhibition continues the debut of Heritage’s new cranberry collection, the largest museum collection of cranberry history in the country.
For more information visit https://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/exhibits/cranberries/
Have you ever wondered about the wild mushrooms you see in nature? At this fun and educational outdoor event, we’ll review several methods beginners can use to identify and group similar fungi together, tips and tricks for locating mushrooms in seemingly barren forests and fields, and learn how to connect with mycology wherever you live or travel.
Join The Trustees as we stroll through Rocky Woods Reservation, 38 Hartford Street in Medfield, on April 11 while discussing the role mushrooms play in our ecosystem, how sustenance foraging can be utilized to diversify our diets and combat food insecurity, as well as the future possibilities of mushrooms as medicine, cosmetics and a valuable source of protein in our growing and changing world. We will focus on safety while foraging, how to avoid poisonous look-alikes, and do a deep dive into a handful of easily identified common edible and medicinal fungi found in Massachusetts.
Our mushroom programs are led by knowledgeable guides and focus on the ecology of mushrooms and their vital role in the ecosystem. Please note, we will forage mushrooms for educational purposes only and not for consuming.
This is a family-friendly program best suited for families with children ages 6 and up.
About your guide:
Trustees guide Amanda is an amateur mycologist with experience in foraging New England’s edible and medicinal fungi, growing edible mushrooms in commercial settings and researching and developing myco-remediation techniques. She is a combined Global Environmental Studies master’s student at Clark University, with a focus on food systems, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and utilizing fungi as a tool for addressing food insecurity in urban communities.
A founding member of the Clark University Mycology Club, Amanda is a member of the Boston Mycology Club, an employee at Fat Moon Mushroom Farm in Westford, MA and the creator of The Fungi for Everyone Project. The project focuses on the creation of a small-scale community fungi farm in the heart of Worcester that recycles cardboard waste from local residents to produce varieties of Oyster mushrooms, Wine Caps, and Shiitake for nearby residents to eat. The farm provides delicious, protein-rich food, and hands-on agricultural education for children and adults.
Please note: though we love dogs, they are not permitted at this event.
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, as space is limited. https://thetrustees.org/event/443486/. Member Adult $15, nonmember $25.
Learn how to create a thriving, productive kitchen garden at the Berkshire Botanical Garden on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to noon. Tracy Hayhurst, owner of Undermountain Pantry, leads this hands-on class where you’ll learn how to design a garden that fits your space, climate and culinary goals. Tracy will guide you through choosing the best site, selecting seeds and seedlings, preparing and enriching your beds, and establishing a maintenance routine that keeps your garden flourishing. You’ll also explore strategies for succession planting to ensure a steady harvest throughout the entire season. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your garden skills, this class gives you the practical knowledge and confidence to grow fresh, delicious produce right outside your door.
Tracy Hayhurst began her culinary training in the late 1990s, attending Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. In 2002, she co-founded Chubby Bunny Farm in Falls Village, Conn. In 2015, she returned to the kitchen in her dual role as chef and community outreach director at Plantin’ Seeds, connecting farmers and the community through meals that highlighted the best of the season. Her passion for sharing both farming and cooking led her to Husky Meadows Farm, first as farm manager and then as culinary director for Husky Meadows’ Seed and Spoon Culinary Farm Stay programming. In 2024 Tracy founded Undermountain Pantry, a farm to table cooking school with its own sourdough micro-bakery and kitchen gardens.
Members $30, nonmembers $45. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/planning-your-kitchen-garden
DCR’s Matthew Cahill joins members of The Garden Club of the Back Bay at the Chilton Club on Tuesday, April 28 at 10 am to talk about the Legacy Tree Program. Through the Legacy Tree Program and the National Champion Tree Registry, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Forestry Program formally recognizes the largest and most interesting known tree of each species, trees of historical origin, and other trees of unique and significant importance growing within the state of Massachusetts. There are a number of Legacy Trees in Mount Auburn Cemetery and in the Public Garden. This program is for members only, but you can join now at https://bostonflora.com/join
In this April 11 Native Plant Trust watercolor workshop at Garden in the Woods, we will observe the flora and fauna of Garden in the Woods and capture the essence of spring through painting. We will practice foundational color washes and explore the warm and cool tones within spring greens. When painting in plein air (outdoors), something new begins. As your thoughts are quiet, you’ll observe nature’s new growth and capture its details with earth colors. All materials are provided, and all experience levels are welcome. Taught by Heidy Sumei Chuang, the cost of the four hour session is a modest $100. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/spring-watercolor-verdant-greens/. Painting below copyrighted by Heidy Sumei Chuang.
This year, each Wright-Locke Farm community talk will focus on topics related to sustainability. First up, on April 14 at 7 pm, enjoy a panel discussion about pollinators, poisons, and planting. Learn what you can do to support healthy ecosystems in your yard and community. These talks will give you a wide range of information to be a better environmental steward. A cause very close to our hearts! These talks are FREE and open to the public, but it helps us get an idea of how many people to expect if you register at https://wlfarm.org/farm-talk-april2026/.
Whether you’re gardening on a back porch, patio, or in a larger green space, learn essential container gardening techniques in this make-and-take, hands-on workshop. Explore how to use containers to create an ecological garden, grow food, and add pops of beauty and biodiversity to an outdoor area. Learn how to choose the right plants, and take home a beautifully designed container filled with native plants from Native Plant Trust’s own plant shop. The illustration below is the antithesis of what will be discussed – April Fool. The program will be held at Garden in the Woods in Framingham on April 7 at 6 pm, and is taught by Shoma Haque. $50. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/container-gardening-first-offering/
Join The Trustees virtually for The Trustees Annual Public Garden Lecture.
This year we are joined by Richard Hayden, Senior Director of Horticulture at the High Line, who will share an inside look at one of the most influential public gardens of the 21st century. The High Line: Wild by Design is a timely lecture that explores how bold and innovative horticulture can transform cities and deepen connections between people and nature.
While In-Person tickets for this event have sold out, we hope you will join us virtually. Register to attend via Zoom HERE.
