Boston Flora

Category: Cape Cod & Islands

  • Thursday, August 15, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm – Companion Planting for Hydrangeas Workshop

    Enjoy a walk through the Heritage Museums and Gardens on August 15 from 10:30 – noon as Horticulturist Laura Swain and Curator of Hydrangeas Mal Condon simplify the process of selecting plants to complement and highlight hydrangeas throughout the season. For the novice or expert gardener, this workshop will encourage creative experimentation and provide information needed to start designing your own space. While Mal covers the major hydrangea species and their preferred growing conditions, Laura will delve into design, sharing tips and techniques for site analysis, planting layers, and considering structure, texture, and color.

    $17 for Heritage members, $27 for nonmembers. Register at www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org

  • Wednesday, August 14, 5:30 pm – Connect to Protect for Biodiversity

    The Annual David H. Smith Memorial Lecture at the Polly Hill Arboretum will take place Wednesday, August 14 at 5:30 pm and is funded by a grant from The Nature Conservancy, and sponsored by the Dukes Soil Conservation District.

    Jennifer Ceska, Conservation Coordinator at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, will share the Connect to Protect philosophy and gardening methodology. All gardeners have an opportunity to help support wildlife by layering native plants into their displays, even with potted plants on a patio or cheerful mailbox gardens. Displays can also be larger like grand formal borders, looser cottage style compositions, and even pocket prairies along roadsides, driveways, and rights-of-way. Grasslands, prairies, and meadows are essential on the land or we face losing bird and insect species within our lifetimes. We garden for ourselves and for the bees, butterflies, beetles, birds, bats, and box turtles that rely upon those plants. Native species have looks and personality; they have ecological relevance; and they warrant a spot in your garden.

    $10 / $5 for PHA members.

  • Monday, August 12, 11:30 am – Lunch ‘n Learn: Fall Migration Magic

    Most of the Cape’s birds move southward from July to November where they will find more food and a warmer climate. This Cape Cod Museum of Natural History program on August 12 with naturalist Phil Kyle will present what Fall migrants look like, and how Winter migrants appear along with year-rounders. Once breeding season is over, a male’s spectacular display of springtime plumage reverts to their alternate plumage and changes back to the basic look. It is taxing to produce showy feathers, and bright colors attract predators and unwanted rivals. This is why migratory species like Scarlet Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, and some shorebirds and warblers look different when they’re traveling south versus north.

    Phil Kyle has dedicated his life to the study and public education of the natural world. After obtaining his B.S. in Biology from Cornell University, he has served in a wide variety of capacities including: presently a Columnist for the Cape Cod Times – Birding ; and formerly Director of Education, South Shore Natural Science Center; President, Cape Cod Bird Club;  Head Naturalist, Green Briar Nature Center; Interpretive Park Ranger, Cape Cod National Seashore; Whale Watching Naturalist, Barnstable Whale Watcher; Whale Watching Naturalist, Captain John Boats; High Teacher Biology & Anatomy and Physiology, Barnstable HS. 

    Admission: Non-Member $25 / Member $15 / Includes Program, Box Lunch & Museum. Lecture only: $5 at the door (Does not include Lunch or Museum Admission) Advance Tickets Recommended: 508-896-3867, ext. 133  Sandwich choices include Roast Beef, Turkey Club or Tomato Basil. For more information please call: 508-896-3867, ext. 133

  • Wednesday, August 7, 5:30 pm – Deer, Ticks, and Tick-borne Illnesses on Martha’s Vineyard

    Richard Johnson, Director of the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program will present the latest data on deer and ticks on the Vineyard, in a free lecture on August 7 at 5:30 at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard. The presentation will start with a review of the three common ticks on the Island and their ecology, life cycles and the diseases that they carry. Then we will briefly review the role of the white tailed deer on the Island’s tick population. Next we will discuss personal protection and how to make your yard safer. Finally, Dick will present the latest information on the spread of the lone star tick and efforts to reduce the deer population on Martha’s Vineyard.

  • Wednesday, July 31, 7:30 pm – Offshore Entomology: Bees, Moths, and the Hidden Diversity of Vineyard Pollinators

    Visit The Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury on July 31 at 7:30 for a free lecture by Paul Goldstein, research entomologist with the USDA Systematic Entomology Laboratory in Washington, DC, where he is curator in the Lepidoptera (moth) collection at the Smithsonian. This presentation will showcase some of the highlights of 30 years of work devoted to the Island’s insects, and the unique diversity of its native bees, moths, and other pollinators. Featuring vivid images of these insects and their Island habitats, Dr. Goldstein will describe the fascinating biology of some of our most unusual, colorful, and beneficial insect residents, and their importance to understanding our environment.

  • Thursday, August 1, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm and 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm – Hydrangea Propagation

    Mal Condon, Heritage Museum and Garden’s Curator of Hydrangeas, will share the details of plant propagation techniques developed specifically for the home garden. The class will be held twice on August 1, one session from 10:30 – noon and from 1:30 – 3. Propagation is a pleasurable pursuit and a most enjoyable way of producing more plants. While hydrangeas will be the main focus of this demonstration, these practices can be applied to many other woody ornamental genera. During this hands-on experience, participants will prepare and “strike” their own cuttings and take them home to nurture and develop into well-rooted plants. Advance registration is recommended as space is limited and these programs often sell out! Fee:  $17 Members, $27 Non-Members. Register at www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org.

  • Monday, August 5, 11:30 am – Lunch ‘n Learn: Forage to Table

    Foraging is a great way to incorporate nutrition-packed foods into your diet, a fun way to get outdoors with friends and family, and sustainable foraging has a positive impact on native plants. On Monday, August 5 at The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster learn the basics of foraging while getting to touch taste and smell common wild edibles you can find in your own hometown. Learn about how wild herbs and edibles can help sustain your overall health.

    Following the presentation, Rachel Goclawski will take participants for a walk around the grounds of the Museum to search for wild foods!

    Rachel Goclawski is a Massachusetts Certified Educator, Programming Partner with the Sudbury Valley Trustees, Girl Scouts of Eastern MA and is the Resident Naturalist at Waters Farm Preservation in Sutton. Rachel is a Contributing Writer for Cook’s Magazine and for her “day job,” she is an IT Specialist for the Dept. of Defense. Visit Rachel’s Facebook page for Forage to Table tips and videos: www.facebook.com/cookingwithmrsg. 

    Admission: Non-Member $25 / Member $15 / Includes Program, Box Lunch & Museum. Lecture only: $5 at the door (Does not include Lunch or Museum Admission) Advance Tickets Recommended: 508-896-3867, ext. 133. Sandwich choices include Roast Beef, Turkey Club or Tomato Basil

    For more information please call: 508-896-3867, ext. 133

  • Wednesday, August 7, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm – Farm to Table: Renditions of Ratatouille

    This annual Highfield Hall and Gardens series focuses on produce available at our local  farmers’ markets. This year our culinary director, Gail Blakely, has joined a CSA and she will be bringing her box of fresh produce to the class on August 7 (1:30 – 3:30) so that you can join her in learning how to “cook local”! Highfield Hall is located at 56 Highfield Drive in Falmouth

    August 15th is Julia Child’s birthday, so we will honor her with a couple of different renditions of ratatouille: eggplant, peppers, squash, onions, garlic, tomatoes and fresh herbs. There are so many variations on this dish, we may never stop! Recipes and tastes are provided and subject to change depending on availability. $50 for Highfield Hall members, $60 for nonmembers.

    Register early at www.highfieldhallandgardens.org or call, 508-495-1878, ext. 2

    Please contact us before registering if you have food allergies or concerns, email or call, 508-495-1878, ext. 2.

  • Wednesday, July 24, 5:30 pm – Seasons in the Flower Garden at Wave Hill

    Join horticulturist Harnek Singh at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury on July 24 at 5:30 pm for a photographic tour of the Flower Garden at Wave Hill, a private estate turned public garden located along the Hudson River in the Bronx. Harnek will speak about how he selects plants to cultivate for the Flower Garden, how he edits self-sowing plants, and how flower shape, leaf texture, and color are carefully considered for an optimal display. $10 for general public, $5 for PHA members.

  • Thursday, July 25, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge Natural History Tour

    Join The Trustees’ experienced guide on this 2.5 hour 4×4 oversand vehicle van-tour and learn about the history of the area as well as the fascinating flora and fauna that call Coskata-Coatue home. This is primarily a natural history tour of the Wildlife Refuge. While Great Point Lighthouse is located at the uppermost tip of the property, we do not guarantee access to the Lighthouse on our tours; access is entirely dependent upon the status of the protected species which return to the property seasonally to mate and fledge their young. If vehicle restrictions are in place preventing access to that part of the property, the tour will include other locations.
    This is an unforgettable Nantucket experience that you do not want to miss!  The date is Thursday, July 25 from 9 – 12 or 1 – 4, and the cost is $50 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/cape-cod-islands/event-46591.html