Boston Flora

Category: Class

  • Wednesday, June 24, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm – Landscapes as Essential Groundwork for Our Future

    As we move into a new age of ecological landscaping, how do we rethink our residential and civic landscapes so that they actively support biodiversity, climate resilience, and community wellbeing? As horticulture professionals, we have an essential role in the future of our world. Drawing from real-world projects and community-based design work, this workshop will explore practical approaches to creating beautiful, functional gardens that wildly expand biodiversity while connecting the human spirit back to the natural world.

    Participants in this Ecological Landscape Alliance design workshop on June 24 at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York, will gain inspiration and actionable strategies for transforming landscapes from resource consumers to ecosystem contributors, strengthening connections between people and the natural realm while centering a changing world, biodiversity, and community action. We will explore real-life challenges and strategies for maintaining these ecological gardens and how to better connect design and care professionals for long-term success. We will learn how to build healthy ecosystems while at the same time connecting people back to the rhythms of the seasons, healing spirit, and building community and equity along the way.

    Walking the property at Stone Barns mid workshop, participants will enjoy a guided landscape tour of the property with real-life success and challenges on plant choices and 10+ years of garden trails from in-house staff.

    Instructor Shanti Nagel is the founder of Design Wild, a landscape design firm working at the intersection of climate, humans, and community well-being.  She believes that the relationship between humans and the natural world is essential for individual health, the strength of communities, our ecosystems, and a future on Earth. She grew up gardening as a child in upstate NY, founded an organic vegetable farm at age 20, and later managed one of New York City’s largest urban farms. Shanti is a graduate of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, a trained horticulturist, and a skilled landscape designer.  For the last decade, she and Design Wild have been designing naturally ferocious, beautiful, ecologically rich and incredibly durable landscapes in New York City and the greater Hudson Valley.

    $405 for ELA members (lunch included) and $480 for nonmembers (lunch included) Registration closed June 15. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/new-events-calendar/

  • Saturday, June 6 & Sunday, June 7, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Drop-In Herbal Workshops

    Herbstalk is a community event that connects people + plants. They host a range of inspiring classes and an herbal market with local crafters. Join them for a joyful weekend of herbal workshops, plant walks and handmade botanical goods at Herbstalk. Explore herbalism in community and connect with local healers, herbalists, farmers and artists. Take classes in herbal and holistic health, medicine making, gardening and environmental awareness topics.

    The two days at the Armory in Somerville include:

    A vibrant and welcoming community space

    Dozens of indoor and outdoor classes focused on plants and the natural world

    A local marketplace of handmade herbal goods from New England herbalists & crafters

    More information at https://www.herbstalk.org/. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/herbstalk-2026-tickets-1987930297032?aff=oddtdtcreator

  • Sunday, June 7, 10:00 am – Soap Making Workshop

    Join the Jurassic Soap Company at Good Pickin’ Farm in Westford on June 7 at 10 am for a soap making workshop, to craft natural oat milk soaps. Master the hot process method, understand soap transformation, learn about the benefits of different oils and butters, and bring home a pound of soap. For tickets and more information go to https://www.goodpickinfarm.com/events-2

  • Saturday, May 8, 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm – Growing Fruitful Peach Trees

    The Urban Farming Institute will conduct a workshop in its Grow Series on Saturday, May 8 at noon with guest speaker Ryleigh Rivers. The event takes place at the Fowler Clark Epstein Farm, 487 Norfolk Street in Mattapan. Registration is encouraged – email info@urbanfarminginstitute.org or call 617-989-9920.

  • Saturday, May 9, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm – New England Bumblebee ID

    Learn to identify New England bumblebees under a microscope and in the field on May 9 in a program sponsored by UMass Amherst Extension Agriculture Program. Review conservation status and habitat associations. Questions? Contact nicolebell@umass.edu. To register, visit https://ag.umass.edu/pollinators

  • Saturdays, May 2 – June 6 (excluding May 23), 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm – Master Urban Gardener Practicum

    For the first time ever The Boston Community Gardens Team will be hosting a hands on Master Urban Gardener (MUG) Practicum class. This is the perfect opportunity to hone your gardening skills in an intensive and hands on class at the peak of planting season. Explore what City Natives has to offer from a full greenhouse setup to rare fruit trees.

    This program is open to all, but is suggested in tandem with our winter or fall MUG sections.

    The cohort will be hosted weekly from May 2nd to June 6th (with Memorial Day weekend off) from 3-4:30pm at City Natives Greenhouse in Mattapan, 30 Edgewater Drive. This course will be sliding scale $0-150

    Please submit applications by April 20th

    To apply please submit the completed form here – 2026 Master Urban Gardener Practicum Application

    Questions? Email Max mfrancke@thetrustees.org

  • Saturday, April 18, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Planning Your Kitchen Garden

    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

  • Saturday, April 11, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Spring Watercolor: Verdant Greens

    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.

  • Tuesday, April 7, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Container Gardening

    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/

  • Friday, March 27, 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm – How to Grow and Cook Native Edible Plants

    Join Dan Wilder for a two-part series sponsored by the Ecological Landscape Alliance dedicated to growing and cooking some of his favorite native edible plants. In the first session Dan will introduce viewers to various edible plants and discuss growing conditions, sustainable and seasonal harvest, and ecology. The following session will be centered around one or more in-season plants where Dan will guide viewers through various preparations. From scrambled eggs with wild leeks, to groundnut chips, to cocktails full of bee balm, viewers will learn how to create garden-to-table fare with native plants!

    You MUST register for each class separately. https://www.ecolandscaping.org/new-events-calendar/

    $10 for members
    $20 for non-members

    Dan Jaffe Wilder is an ecologist, horticulturist, and botanist with over fifteen years’ experience working with native plants and their associated ecology. His work has ranged from classrooms to nurseries to botanical gardens to wildlife refuges specializing in native plant ecology, propagation, wildlife habitat construction, and native edible landscapes. Dan is currently the Director of Applied Ecology for the Norcross Wildlife Foundation whose mission is to protect, enhance, and expand wildlife through conservation, education, and support. A prolific photographer and author Dan’s book Native Plants for New England Gardens was released in 2018.