Boston Flora

Category: Cape Cod & Islands

  • Wednesday, August 8, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, and Thursday, August 9, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – An Introduction to Bogs

    Cranberries and sphagnum moss are plants we recognize, but do you know about the unique habitat they call home? Join Sherrif’s Meadow Director of Stewardship, Kristen Fauteux, and MVLBC Land Bank ecologist, Julie Russell, on an exploration of our island’s local bog communities, in a two day class sponsored by the Polly Hill Arboretum in Martha’s Vineyard, Wednesday, August 8 – Thursday, August 9. Learn about the physical and chemical characteristics that comprise bogs and the unique plant communities that inhabit them.

    Begin Wednesday with a half day class at PHA then put on your boots for a journey into the world of water, peat, plants and more. Thursday we will continue our outdoor bog exploration. $90/$70 for PHA members, $50 for professionals associated with Island land management or conservation organizations. To register, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.  Image from gtapestry.blogspot.com.

  • Thursday, August 2, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Wine, Cheese … and Trees

    The beautiful light of a Martha’s Vineyard summer evening— experience the magic of the Arboretum on this stroll through the Polly Hill Arboretum garden with horticultural consultant, designer, and photographer Patrick Cullina and PHA’s Tim Boland and Tom Clark. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the grounds and “talk trees” with this fun and incredibly knowledgeable group.

    Wine and cheese served from 5-7pm.  Tour beginning at 5:45pm .  Event fee $75/$65 for PHA members, refreshments are included in the price.

    Tickets must be purchased in advance, call 508-693-9426 or email Karin@pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, August 1, 7:30 pm – Shopping for Paradise: Gathering Perspective in the Pursuit of Plants

    Shopping for plants has gotten confusing. With the unending new plant varieties available, how do you distinguish real value from novelty? How do you discern great plants from the not-so-good, and does buying the best plants lead to the best gardens?

    Join Patrick Cullina at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard, on Wednesday, August 1 beginning at 7:30 pm as he explores methods for navigating the nursery, shopping for the garden, and strategies for selecting beautiful plants one might otherwise miss. Cullina is a consultant, horticultural designer, and photographer who previously served as vice president of horticulture and park operations for Friends of the High Line in New York City as well as vice president at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. $10/$5 for PHA members. Sponsored by Middletown Nursery. To register, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, August 8, 11:00 am – 4:30 pm – 58th Annual House & Garden Tour on Nantucket

    For more than 50 years, the Annual House and Garden Tour has become the venue to have a glimpse of many historic and new homes and gardens on Nantucket island. Each year a different neighborhood is selected…from ‘Sconset to Monomoy to Brant Point. The Nantucket Garden Club members provide exquisite flower arrangements to compliment the rooms in the homes. The event is held on a Wednesday afternoon in August and is well attended. The revenue from this major event supports the local community in conservation projects, local scholarships and provides club educational programs and conference expenses.

    In early August, tickets will be available on Main Street and on tour day at each house.  Also Boutique, Unique Boutique and Plant sale, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM

    Ticket Information & Advanced Ticket Sales: Contact Merrielou Symes (508-228-6654)

  • Friday, July 20, 10:00 am – Nature’s Partners: Pollinators, Plants, and You

    One of the oldest, most interesting, and important phenomena in the natural world is pollination by insects: the transfer of genetic material among plants by bees, flies, butterflies, and beetles. Insect pollinators are critical to both natural plant communities and human food production – yet for many, knowledge of pollinators stops with the honey bee.

    Entomologist Paul Goldstein and Nature Conservancy ecologist Matt Pelikan team up to introduce the science of pollination, discuss how people interact with the Island’s insect pollinators, and present ways to enhance native pollinator diversity in order to better harmonize landscape management and agriculture, at the Polly Hill Arboretum on Friday, July 20 at 10 am. No Fee.  For more information visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, July 18, 12:00 noon – Black Oaks in Peril

    Dr. Neil Hendrickson, PhD Forestry of the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories (Northeast) will visit Martha’s Vineyard to address the subject of infestation to our native black oaks, (Quercus velutina) by the cynipid, ‘crypt’ gall wasp, (Bassettia ceropteroides). Anyone who has an interest in the landscapes, trees and natural beauty of Cape Cod and The Islands is invited to attend this free lecture at The Polly Hill Arboretum. Dr. Hendrickson will be accompanied by Mark P. DiBiase, MCA & Arborist Representative for Bartlett Tree Experts on Martha’s Vineyard and Falmouth, MA. The information session is sponsored by the local offices of the F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Co. Inc.

    For more information, you may contact Mark at mdibiase@bartlett.com or by calling 508-693-4846 or 508-540-3903. Since Wednesday is the Gardens of Martha’s Vineyard tour day, this program may work well into your schedule.

  • Thursday, July 19, 10:00 am – Behind the Plastic Curtain

    Want to know what goes on in the Polly Hill Arboretum greenhouse and nursery? Here’s your chance to get more than just the tantalizing glimpse most visitors experience. Led by collections and grounds manager Tom Clark, we’ll stroll right past the “Employees Only” sign and explore the inner workings of the Arboretum’s plant production facilities. We’ll look at the nuts and bolts, hear about the impact these new facilities have had on the development of the Arboretum’s living collection, and see some of the results of PHA’s plant exploration trips to Japan and the Southeast, and local collecting here on the Vineyard. The excursion takes place Thursday, July 19, beginning at 10 in the morning in West Tisbury. $5/free for PHA members. For more information, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, July 18, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – 22nd Annual Edgartown Walking Garden Tour and Tea

    The 22nd Annual Edgartown Walking Garden Tour and Tea to benefit the Edgartown School’s class of 2013 Washington D.C. trip will take place Wednesday, July 18, 2012 from 1:00-4:00 pm beginning at the Parsonage on 75 South Water St., Edgartown. $10.00 Tickets on sale at Edgartown Books and Saffron in Edgartown. Rain Date: July 19th. For more information, call Lucia at 508-733-9834.

  • Monday, July 23 through Sunday, July 29 – National Moth Week Programs

    Why moths? With more than 10,000 species in North America alone, moths offer endless options for study, education, photography, and fun. Moths can be found everywhere from inner cities and suburban backyards, to the most wild and remote places. The diversity of moths is simply astounding. Their colors and patterns range from bright and dazzling, to so cryptic that they define camouflage. Moth shapes and sizes span the gamut, with some as small as a pinhead and others as large as a hand. Most moths are nocturnal and need to be sought at night to be seen, but others fly like butterflies during the day. Finding moths can be as simple as leaving a porch light on and checking it after dark. Serious moth aficionados use special lights and baits to attract them. Popular interest in moths is rapidly growing, as noted by recent publications and web-based resources. The new Peterson Field Guide to the Moths by David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie, moth caterpillar guides by David Wagner, and a vast number of moth-oriented Internet resources such as the “Moth Photographers Group” and “BugGuide” are just some examples of moth’s growing popularity. Moths are also featured widely in literature and art providing a different angle for enjoyment and study. “Moth Nights” are often held by nature groups, and provide an opportunity for either an introduction to the creatures, or a venue for more serious pursuits.

    National Moth Week brings together everyone interested in moths to celebrate these amazing insects. This summer, groups and individuals from all the across the country will spend some time during National Moth Week looking for moths and sharing what they’ve found. Getting involved during National Moth Week is easy: attend a National Moth Night event, start an event, join friends and neighbors to check porch lights from time to time, set up a light and see what is in your own backyard, or read literature about moths, etc.  But no matter what, participate; the richness of moths is sure to fascinate. Check out www.nationalmothweek.org for more.

    Locally, four programs with the Athol Bird & Nature Club will be of interest to our readers.  The first, on Tuesday, July 24 from 8:00 pm – midnight, is The Moths of the Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary.  Join naturalists Dave Small and Lula Field as they travel to the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary in Worcester for an “Introduction to Moths” – a PowerPoint program at 8 introducing the families of moths likely to be encountered, followed by an evening of looking at moth-attracting lights and baited trees. Location: Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Rd., Worcester, MA. Bring your point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Free for ABNC and MAS members, a small fee for others. Questions: Dave@dhsmall.net.

    Next, on Wednesday, July 25, from 9:00 pm – midnight, join Sue and Ron Cloutier at their home on South Main Street, New Salem, for The Moths of New Salem, the ABNC local kickoff to National Moth Week. This will be a casual evening demonstrating the placement of various types of lights to attract moths Bring your point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Free and open to all. Questions & RSVP: cloutier@tiac.net.

    Then, on Thursday, July 26, from 8:00 pm – midnight, join biologist Jenn Forman Orth and Athol Bird & Nature Club naturalists Dave Small and Lula Field in an exploration of the nighttime world of moths at New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA.  They’ll start with a brief introduction on how to attract moths with lights and bait, and include a few tips for good nighttime photography. If conditions are good, you should see up to 100 different moth species, plus a plethora of beetles, caddisflies and maybe even a cicada or two! Bring your own camera, flashlight, water and insect repellent.

    Wrapping up the week, on Saturday, July 28 – Sunday, July 29, the finale of the National Moth Week celebration will be an overnight experience on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. ABNC naturalists will be joined by scientists from The Nature Conservancy, the University of Massachusetts and other organizations at the headquarters of the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest, a 5,100-acre property in the heart of Martha’s Vineyard. Bring your tent, sleeping bag, point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Details are still being coordinated. RSVP Dave@dhsmall.net for updates.

  • Tuesday, July 24, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden

    Join author and landscape historian Judith Tankard on Tuesday, July 24 at 4 pm at the Polly Hill Arboretum for this talk about her latest book, Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden. This is the first book in over two decades devoted to one of the most important garden designers of the twentieth century. Gertrude Jekyll laid the basis for modern garden design and is credited with popularizing an informal, naturalistic look in counterpoint to the rigid, formal landscapes of the Victorian era. Also known as a prolific and influential writer, Jekyll contributed more than one hundred articles to Country Life and designed three gardens for the publication’s founder, Edward Hudson. As a result, the Country Life archive has an unrivaled record of her work. Tankard, who has spoken twice in the past for The Garden Club of the Back Bay,  has mined this archive resulting in a treasure trove of text and images showcasing the more than 350 gardens created by Jekyll. Book signing and light refreshments to follow.  $20/$15 for PHA members. Generously sponsored by Donaroma’s Nursery.  Register at www.pollyhillarboretum.org.