Kick off the holiday season at Berkshire Botanical Garden with a night of creativity, connection and seasonal beauty. In this hands-on workshop on Friday, Nov. 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. Hilary Collingwood of Moonflower Farm will guide you step-by-step in designing a stunning Thanksgiving centerpiece. Whether you’re hosting dinner or simply want to bring a little autumn magic into your home, you’ll leave with a one-of-a-kind arrangement — and the skills to make more. All vessels and plant materials are provided. $90 for BBG members, $110 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/thanksgiving-centerpiece-workshop
If you have visited the legendary Gallery of Wreaths at the Berkshire Botanical Garden Holiday Marketplace, you may have wondered how wreath designers create their botanical masterpieces and whether you can craft your own. This three-hour program on your choice of Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., or Sunday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will combine a classroom introduction with guided hands-on practice using 14-inch balsam wreath forms, after which you will take home your own decorated holiday wreath. Chris Ferrero will lead this class, starting with a slide program introducing principles, techniques and creative ideas. Then participants will be assigned workstations in the same studio used by BBG’s wreath designers, several of whom will be on hand to help you select materials and practice optimal construction skills. Experience with a hot glue gun is recommended. The wreath below is a creation of The Garden Club of the Back Bay, and if you can’t participate in the BBG workshop you may wish to order one at https://bostonflora.com/
Please register here for Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Please register here for Sunday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Learn the gentle art of making your own personalized candle at Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester on November 12.! This isn’t just about creating a beautiful candle; it’s an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and connect with the meditative process of creating something beautiful with your own hands.
We encourage each participant to design a unique candle inspired by a favorite memory, season, cherished event, or anything close to your heart. Whether you’re drawn to the fresh scent of spring mornings, the warmth of a cozy winter evening, or a special moment with loved ones, your candle will become a personal treasure that tells your story.
Registration Cost Tier A $95 (pay-it-forward/Cummings Foundation match!) Tier B $80 (cost to run the class) Tier C $65 (reduced price) Did you know that when you select the “Pay-it-Forward” price for any of our programs the Cummings Foundation matches those funds? A little extra goes a LONG way!
What’s included in the cost? The candle-making kit includes organic soy candle wax, high-heat jar, and wicks. The $30 cost of this kit is included in the cost of registration. Visit https://wlfarm.org/adult-education-programs/
Join Emily Stringham, owner of At the Sign of the Golden Scissors, to learn about 18th-century women’s fashions and sewing techniques and watch as a mid-18th century gown is constructed by hand. The en fourreau back, or English back gown, was one of the most popular styles of gown during the 18th century, worn by women of all social classes. The focus of this Historic Deerfieldprogram will be on making a gown suitable for a middle-class New England woman in the early 1770s.
Emily is a skilled seamstress and accomplished historical researcher with years of experience in the living history community. She has a background in independent museum and textile studies, including many years working as an interpreter and research assistant for a small living history museum. Seeking out those nerdy little details that really make a living history impression come alive has become a life-long passion. As the owner of At the Sign of the Golden Scissors and the line of Larkin and Smith 18th Century sewing patterns, Emily provides high quality products for museums and individuals wishing to create an accurate 18th century wardrobe. Historical accuracy is emphasized and hand sewing is always encouraged. In addition to 18th century sewing patterns, kits, fabrics, ready-made and custom-made items, the Golden Scissors also provides a selection of workshops and special programs/demonstrations for museums and living history sites.
Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto on November 9 at noon at the Bussey Street Gate to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.
Accessibility: Participants will need to navigate woodchip, gravel, and dirt paths, and climb moderate hills (Hemlock Hill, specifically).
Audience: This program is geared towards adults.
Inclement weather policy: Participants will be notified via email at least one day in advance if a program needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather, and will be notified by phone if a program must be cancelled with less one day’s notice. Click here to view our full inclement weather policy. If you have questions about the status of a program, please email publicprograms@arnarb.harvard.edu (inbox monitored on weekdays) or call the Visitor Center desk between 10:00am and 4:00pm at (617) 384-5209. Register at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/
Bring your garden designs to life through rendering — a vital drawing skill that adds depth, detail and visual impact to your work. This four-week Berkshire Botanical Garden hands-on course, on Saturdays, Nov. 1 to 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., is ideal for garden designers ready to move beyond basic drafting. Taught by Tom Smith of Springfield Technical Community College, the class focuses on developing lifelike visual representations that help communicate design concepts clearly and persuasively. With the class structured as a studio workshop, students will explore the artistic side of landscape design using B-range pencils and techniques like illustrative rendering, including sections, elevations, and plan obliques. Whether you’re a budding designer or a creative gardener, this class will sharpen your visual communication skills. Completion of Drafting for Garden Design or equivalent coursework is a prerequisite. BBG members $215, nonmembers $240. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/rendering-0
This November 1 Massachusetts Horticultural Society class is for those new to botanical art as well as more experienced artists who desire a short refresher in plant morphology.
Bring your sketchbook and spend the day learning about the form, structure, and function of plants and their components through close observation and immersive drawing exercises intended to enhance your ability to draw plants accurately. The focus of this class is fall fruits, seeds and pods.
A selection of plant materials and specimens will be provided to draw during class. If you have a garden or indoor plant or a botanical specimen (such as a seed pod) you would like to draw, please feel free to bring it to class. Lauren Meier is a botanical artist and landscape architect. She received a BA in Botany from Pomona College and a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design. She worked as a field botanist and plant ecologist before specializing in historic landscapes and has published many articles, contributed to several books, and frequently lectures on topics related to landscape preservation and restoration, treatment of plant material, and the work of the Olmsted Firm. Her publications and projects have received many national and local awards. Meier is currently completing a Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration from Massachusetts Horticultural Society, formerly the Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Gardens, where she combines her specific interest in the interrelationships between science and art.
The class takes place at The Garden at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley, from 10 – 4, and is $125 for Mass Hort members, $150 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org
Use the freshly fallen leaves at the Arnold Arboretum to make beautiful art, just like the famed nature artist Andy Goldsworthy. This is a chance to play in the leaves and make something beautiful– even if it only lasts until the next gust of wind!
We will meet on Saturday, November 1 at noon in front of the Hunnewell Visitor Center and then walk to the maple collection, collecting materials along the way. This is a members-only program. Not a member? Click here to join!
Accessibility: This program involves a short walk over paved roads to the grassy maple collection.
Audience: This program is suitable for all ages.
Inclement weather policy: Participants will be notified via email at least 24 hours in advance if a program needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather, and will be notified by phone if a program must be cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice. Click here to view our full inclement weather policy. If you have questions about the status of a program, please email publicprograms@arnarb.harvard.edu or call the Visitor Center desk between 10:00am and 4:00pm at (617) 384-5209.
Ikebana (Japanese for “arranged flowers” or “living flowers”) has been practiced in Japan for centuries and is now practiced worldwide. Members of Boston Chapter #17 of Ikebana International participate in three of the many schools of Ikebana. The Ikenobo school is the oldest of the schools, dating back to the 1400s, and considers itself the origin of Ikebana. Ikenobo emphasizes the Rikka and Shoka styles, in both traditional and modern forms. The Ohara school, founded in the 1890s, emphasizes naturalistic arrangements and created the popular Moribana style. The Sogetsu school, founded in the 1920s, emphasizes personal expression through Free Style arranging.
Members of Boston Chapter #17 of Ikebana International are pleased to display arrangements and give demonstrations representing these three schools of Ikebana at Tower Hill. Free with Admission to Tower Hill. Hours are Friday, October 24, 12 – 5, Saturday, October 25, 10 – 5, and Sunday, October 26, 10 – 4. For details on hours of special demonstrations and workshops, visit https://nebg.org/shows/
Sherry is one of the most misunderstood categories of wine, and absolutely one of the most fascinating. Did you know that most sherries are dry, best enjoyed cold, and pair beautifully with savory snacks and entrees? The full gamut of sherry is quite broad, ranging from pale and bone dry to dark and sweet. In this talk and tasting we’ll experience a concise yet exemplary flight of five sherries: Manzanilla, Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximénez. Light snacks, perfectly paired, will be served as we learn about the magic and microbiology of sherry. The Boston University Food Studies event with Deborah Hansen takes place October 16 at 6 in Room 124 at 808 Commonwealth Avenue in Brookline. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pepin-lecture-series-sherry-so-easy-to-love-with-deborah-hansen-tickets-1400013300469?aff=oddtdtcreator. Free, but must be over 21 to attend.
