Boston Flora

Category: Cape Cod & Islands

  • Sunday, October 19, 1:30 pm – Martha’s Vineyard Crop Hunger Walk

    In the face of the continuing and rising needs of hungry people around the world, in our nation, and on Martha’s Vineyard, especially in a time of natural disasters, wars, economic despair, cuts in humanitarian aid, and millions of displaced people, Martha’s Vineyard Crop Hunger Walk remains steadfast in its commitment to raising money in the fight against hunger through annual hunger walks. Over the course of 34 years, the MV CROP Hunger Walks have raised almost $700,000 (to be exact: $699,914) to benefit the poor and hungry around the world and on Martha’s Vineyard. Last year, we once again were one of the top walks in the nation, raising $41,130 – our best total ever and 30th highest in the country. We’re grateful for all our walkers and donors who join us year after year. We will gather at 1:30 pm at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven. Walkers will start in two or three stages as soon as each team has assembled and checked in. At the end of the walk, walkers will be welcomed back with a Walk Day Festival with music, food, and fun for all. We will gather at 1:30 pm at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven. Walkers will start in two or three stages as soon as each team has assembled and checked in. At the end of the walk, walkers will be welcomed back with a Walk Day Festival with music, food, and fun for all. For more information, and to register, visit https://events.crophungerwalk.org/crophungerwalks/event/marthasvineyard

  • Friday, October 17, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – 2025 Food and Wine Dinner at Bettini for Island Grown Initiative

    Join friends for an unforgettable evening of fine food, wine, and celebration on Martha’s Vineyard on October 17.

    Culinary Creations Prepared by:
    Celebrity Chef Jon Ashton (jonashton.com)
    Guest Chef Alex Pineda of Qué Mas in Beverly, MA (quemasrestaurant.com)
    Executive Chef Juan Martinez of Bettini Restaurant

    5:00 pm: The evening begins with a lively cocktail reception in the beautifully renovated Menemsha Room, where guests will mix and mingle while enjoying an open bar and three exquisite appetizers — each crafted by our featured chefs.

    7:00 pm: Step into Bettini Restaurant for an elegant four-course dinner. The menu will be brought to life by the wit and culinary talent of Celebrity Chef Jon Ashton, the artistry and passion of returning Guest Chef Alex Pineda, and the culinary expertise of Harbor View Hotel’s Executive Chef Juan Martinez — together showcasing exceptional flavors and beautiful wine pairings.

    8:30 pm: To finish, indulge in a decadent dessert accompanied by an après-meal liqueur tasting.

    9:00 pm: If the night calls you to stay a little longer, the festivities will continue at Bettini Bar with a cash bar.

    To foster an engaging and memorable experience, seating will be offered in an elegant communal setting. To make a reservation, please call 508-627-3761, email bettini@harborviewhotel.com, or book on OpenTable. $375 per peerson includes tax and gratuity.

    A portion of proceeds supports Martha’s Vineyard Island Grown Initiative in building a resilient local food system, expanding food access with dignity, and providing community-wide food education.

  • Now Through October 18 – Minificence: Libby Ellis Photography Exhibit

    If you find yourself on Martha’s Vineyard this fall, you are warmly welcome to experience award-winning photographer Libby Ellis’s new collection of black-and-white photographic portraits of garden-grown flowers. Interweaving “little particles of dream,” Ellis has reenvisioned the Kunstkammers, or Collector’s Cabinets, in the reading room at The Carnegie, part of the Vineyard Preservation Trust, in the seaside village of Edgartown.

    Libby Ellis is a photographer creating contemplative photographic portraits of garden-grown flora. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries in the US and Europe, including the Saatchi Gallery in London. Ellis’s flora portraits have been awarded distinguish by the Royal Horticultural Society and can be found on exhibit in the permanent collections of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Harvard Divinity School.

    The free exhibition is mounted at 58 N. Water Street in Edgartown. For more information visit https://vineyardtrust.org/event/minificence-by-photographer-libby-ellis/

  • Wednesday, September 10, 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Understanding Local Change

    The Nantucket Climate Change Summit 2025 hosts Bernadette Woods Placky, Chief Meteorologist, Climate Central, for a talk entitled From Storms to Shorelines: Connecting Weather, Water, and Climate Change. The Nantucket Conservation Foundation and the Linda Loring Nature Foundation will present the program, sponsored in part by the Great Harbor Yacht Club Foundation and by the Community Foundation for Nantucket. Free, but registration is required. The venue is the Great Harbor Yacht Club. Register at https://acksummitclimate.com/

  • Saturday, August 16, 10:30 am – 11:30 am – Garden Marcus Lecture

    Marcus Bridgewater is an author, speaker, and creator. He is widely known as Garden Marcus for connecting his observations in his garden to personal growth & well-being, and he is the author of several books including How to Grow: Nurture Your Garden, Nurture Yourself (HarperOne, 2022). Marcus has been featured in a variety of press & media including the New York Times, Vogue, and The Drew Barrymore Show. He lives in Texas with his wife, son, and ever-growing garden. Drawing from his own experiences cultivating both plants and mindfulness, Marcus will share how the natural world offers timeless wisdom for resilience, patience, and well-being in this engaging presentation. Whether you are an avid gardener or simply seeking inspiration for personal growth, this talk will provide valuable lessons on how to cultivate a thriving life—both in the garden and beyond.

    Hear Marcus at the Polly Hill Arboretum, 795 State Road, West Tisbury, on August 16 at 10:30 am. $10 for PHA members, $15 for nonmembers. Registration required as space is limited. Please pre-register, Sign Up Here

  • Wednesday, August 6, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Lessons from Stoneleigh: Reimagining Traditional Landscapes with Native Plants

    Join the Polly Hill Arboretum and Ethan Kauffman on August 6 at 5:30 pm for the Annual David H. Smith Memorial Lecture, Lessons from Stoneleigh: Reimaging Traditional Landscapes with Native Plants. The program will be held at the Arboretum, 795 State Road in West Tisbury, and is $10 for PHA members, $15 for nonmembers. Please Pre-Register

    With a 150-year history as a private estate, Stoneleigh: a natural garden became one of the newest public gardens in the Philadelphia region in 2018. Informed by the growing understanding of the connectedness of all living things, a vision arose during the transition: to reimagine a historical landscape as an ecologically vibrant wonderland of native plants. Relying on both tried-and-true gardening techniques and intrepid experimentation, the emerging garden is an exuberant exploration of cultivating native plants in the modern landscape.

    Join Stoneleigh Director Ethan Kauffman as he reveals the unexpected plants, expressive design philosophy, and unconventional practices that are driving Stoneleigh’s exciting transformation.

  • Tuesday, July 29, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Regenerative Farm Tour, Talk, and Tasting

    You’re invited to Island Grown Farm, 80 Stoney Hill Road in Vineyard Haven, Massachuestts, on July 29 from 3 – 5 for an inside look at our regenerative farming practices with Andrew Woodruff, Regenerative Agriculture Consultant, and Tim Connelly, Farm Director. After the tour, hear from our Co-Executive Directors, Noli Taylor and Caroline Pam, as they share more about IGI’s mission to build a regenerative and equitable food system. Then stay to enjoy a tasting featuring farm-grown food and great conversation.

    Please be sure to wear comfortable shoes to walk in as it’s a working farm and can be dusty or wet. $25. Buy tickets at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/islandgrowninitiative/event/tour/

  • Wednesday, July 16, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Land Care Day at Tall Pines

    Join the Native Land Conservancy for a land care event at Tall Pines, now called Qâqunôhqus8ee K8âut in Centerville, Massachusetts on Wednesday, July 16 from 9 am – noon. We will be doing general clean up and trail maintenance. We are starting early and ending before lunch to avoid the heat of the day. Bring your sunscreen, bug spray, and hand tools if you have them. NLC will provide light refreshments, tools, and supplies. Meet at the Cape Cod Chamber parking lot, 5 Patti Page Way in Centerville. Register to join at bit.ly/NLCPines

  • Wednesday, July 16, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Asylum to Asylum: The Story of The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park with Matthew Ross

    The Polly Hill Arboretum, 795 State Road in West Tisbury, presents Matthew Ross on July 16, speaking on Asylum to Asylum: The Story of The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, as part of the Annual Lisina and Frank W. Hoch Memorial Lecture. Matthew Ross, Executive Director of The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park will share insight into the role of horticulture in our well being through the story of the Northern Michigan Asylum. Over the past ten years, the historic farm has transformed from abandoned buildings and fields of invasive plants into an emerging botanical garden with over 12 feature gardens. The garden is reviving the philosophy that “Beauty is therapy” first practiced at the Asylum in the 1880s and has developed therapeutic programs for cancer patients, installed an Anishinabek Medicine Wheel and Foraging Meadow, and a 10,000 brick Labyrinth. He will also discuss how the garden has evolved from a design perspective and highlight particular plants of interest within its living collection.

    Matthew Ross oversees the 26-acre Botanical Garden which was founded by visionaries Kurt and Karen Schmidt and a team of volunteers on the site of the Northern Michigan Asylum Farm which was operational 1885 – 1957. Prior to coming home to Michigan, Matthew was the Director of Continuing Education at Longwood Gardens, a college instructor at Owens Community College, and chief Horticulturist at Toledo Botanic Garden. He is a proud graduate of Michigan State University where he received a B.S and M.S. in Horticultural Science with an emphasis on Landscape Design Construction Management and Urban Forestry respectively. He is a well-respected public garden professional that spends his spare time kayaking, hiking, and exploring botanical gardens around the world.

    Please pre-register, Sign Up Here. $10 for PHA members, $15 for nonmembers.

  • Friday, July 11 – Sunday, July 20 – 11th Annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival

    The Cape Cod Hydrangea Society (CCHS), in conjunction with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and Heritage Museums and Gardens, announce that the 11th Annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival takes place from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 20. In addition, the Fest Kickoff Party is happening on Thursday, July 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Hyannis Country Garden in Hyannis.

    Heritage Gardens in Sandwich is a major stop on the tour, including both its Display Garden and the North American Hydrangea Test Garden. These lovely gardens are maintained by CCHS members, as directed by Mal Condon, “The Hydrangea Guy”, Curator of the Hydrangea Gardens at Heritage, and CCHS member and past-president. Hydrangea U also takes place at Heritage Gardens on Friday, July 11th.

    A total of ten CCHS member gardens are open during the Festival, with varying dates and times according to homeowner preferences. Starting on Tuesday, July 15, the Bowkers’ garden in E. Sandwich is open, as well as JoAnn Piscillo’s in Brewster. On Wednesday, July 16, C.L. Fornari’s garden in Sandwich is open, and Mal Condon is appearing at the Piscillo garden at both 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; and again at the Michaelson’s Woods Hole garden, on Friday, July 18, at both 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. All ten CCHS member garden locations can be found in the CCHS Hydrangea Fest brochure, or by visiting www.capecodhydrangeasociety.org.

    CCHS docents are available to answer questions at each CCHS garden location. In addition, local artists are painting in some gardens while visitors tour the grounds.

    Local non-profit organizations based in many Cape Cod towns benefit from all garden tour proceeds. Several participating nurseries and home centers also offer promotions during the Fest, particularly Hyannis Country Garden. An overall event schedule is now available at www.capecodchamber.org, with addresses of all participating gardens posted on this site.

    Private garden tours are $5 per person per garden, and all gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on specified days, rain or shine. This year a souvenir Hydrangea Fest ‘Passport’ can be found at any CCHS garden, and attendees can get it stamped at most participating gardens.