Boston Flora

Category: Connecticut

  • Friday, June 26, 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm – Poetry Writing Workshop: What Words for Nature’s Beauty?

    With Hollister House Garden in Washington, Connecticut as a source of inspiration, Woodbury poet laureate emerita Sandy Carlson invites you to explore of the role of nature in poetry. Spend time exploring the garden rooms at Hollister House, observing, wandering, and writing as you feel inspired. Go where the Muse takes you- being as contemplative or as playful as you please. Carlson will be available for support and feedback throughout the afternoon. The workshop will conclude with an informal open mic, offering participants the option to share their work with the group while enjoying a beverage.

    This June 26 workshop is for everyone who loves words and the natural world—no previous poetry or writing experience is required. Bring a notebook and your favorite pen or pencil.

    Sandy Lee Carlson is a widely published poet, educator, and Poet Laureate Emerita of Woodbury. She founded the monthly open mic at Woodbury Public Library, and she organizes poetry events in Litchfield and New Haven counties. She edits and publishes poetry anthologies as managing partner of Orenaug Mountain Publishing and hosts the podcast People and Their Poems, featuring conversations with area poets about their work and the poems that have shaped people’s lives. Sandy teaches high school English in Litchfield. A Master Gardener, she spends her free time removing introduced plants wherever she finds them clogging the landscape. Learn more at sandycarlson.net.

    HHG members: $30. Non-members: $35. Register at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/event/poetry-workshop-what-words-for-natures-beauty/

  • Saturday, June 13, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Printing with the Sun: Full Day Cyanotype Workshop & Book Launch

    At Hollister House in Washington, Connecticut on June 13, join award-winning cyanotype artist Madge Evers for an exciting, full-day cyanotype workshop celebrating the release of her new book, Printing with the Sun. Cyanotype is a camera-less photographic technique for creating stunning art prints in dreamy shades of blue. You begin by coating high grade paper with a light-sensitive solution. Madge will show you how to work with patterns, layering and composition to create two original botanical prints. You will also get to try the wet cyanotype process—a playful, unpredictable variation that transforms classic Prussian blue into a range of rich, organic tones. After a break for lunch, learn to apply the cyanotype process to textiles! Madge will guide you through preparing and coating fabric and printing your designs. You’ll finish with an original cyanotype on a cotton tote bag—a functional, wearable piece of art to take home along with all your prints.

    The workshop fee includes all materials. Bring a bag lunch. Water and plenty of snacks are provided. Madge will be happy to sign copies of Printing with the Sun, available for purchase at the workshop. (Allow me to shout out my husband’s 1979 book, The Keepers of Light, a history and workbook of non-silver printing techniques, which sparked the renaissance in historical photographic processes.)

    Madge Evers is a visual artist who uses alternative photography, mushroom spores, and painting to depict plants and imagined flora. Her work has been exhibited widely throughout the East Coast, and she has participated in artist residencies in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Ireland. Evers lives and works in western Massachusetts and teaches workshops throughout the northeast.

    HHG members $130, nonmembers $145. Register at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/event/printing-with-the-sun-cyanotype-workshop-and-book-signing/

  • Friday, June 6, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm – Garden Journaling: Flowering Trees & Shrubs

    Use your journal to capture the delicate beauty of early June at a Hollister House workshop on June 6 from 10 – 3:30. Combining pen and watercolor, we will create impressions of the beautiful flowering trees and shrubs abundant in the Hollister House gardens. We’ll start with a lesson in the barn on journaling tips and techniques, followed by a slow meander through the gardens to observe and note different buds and flowers, adding to our journals along the way. Your instructor will provide plenty of drawing and watercolor tips, both inside the barn and outside in this beautiful garden setting. All skill levels are welcome, and beginners are encouraged to join!

    Bring a bag lunch. Water and snacks provided.

    Required Materials: Journal and pen. You may bring your own or purchase a set for $35 when you register. We suggest a Micron 01 or 02 pen. Please click on the registration page for details and a full list of recommended materials.

    Betsy Rogers-Knox is a botanical artist with a fascination for the full lifecycle of plants and the ecosystems they inhabit. She holds a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from The New York Botanical Garden and her work has been exhibited widely across the U.S. and internationally, including the ASBA International Exhibitions, NYBG Triennials, and the RHS Botanical Art Exhibit in London, where her paintings of Beckley Bog earned the Judges’ Special Award for their educational and ecological value. Betsy’s illustrations are held in the permanent collections of the RHS Lindley Library and the Hunt Institute.

    HHG Members $90, Non-Members $120, Journal and Pen $35. Registration at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/event/garden-journaling-flowering-trees-and-shrubs/

  • Friday & Saturday, June 12 & 13, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Gardens by the Sea

    Take a walking tour of gardens in Stonington Borough, Connecticut on Friday or Saturday, June 12 & 13, sponsored by the Stonington Garden Club. The Stonington Garden Club is inviting the public to explore private gardens in Stonington Borough during its “Gardens by the Sea”.

    The tour, which was last held in 2022, is expected to attract more than 2,000 visitors from across New England, according to a community announcement.

    This year marks the club’s 15th tour and its centennial. The event will feature 9-10 private gardens, including waterfront vistas, formal terraced rooms, and pocket gardens designed in various styles. The tour also will showcase several ribbon gardens.

    Many gardens will have an on-site educator, such as a master gardener, horticulturist or landscape designer, to share insights and answer questions. “Plein air” artists will be painting in selected gardens. All gardens are within walking distance, and free parking will be available. Tickets for the event are $50 online until June 7, and $65 on the day of the tour. The tickets are valid for both days and are nonrefundable. The tour will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. rain or shine. Buy now at https://www.stoningtongardenclub.org/garden-tour

    In addition to the garden tour, there will be a tented marketplace on Wadawanuck Square featuring a variety of vendors offering garden-inspired items, clothing, jewelry and home decor. Several community partners will be on hand to answer questions about regenerative gardening techniques, conservation, plant health, composting and volunteer opportunities.

  • Friday, June 12, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm – Florence Griswold Museum Annual Garden Luncheon

    Join friends at the Florence Griswold Museum on Friday, June 12 for a day brimming with art, beauty, & nature — while helping them care for an historic landscape.

    The day begins with prosecco and a garden-fresh lunch. Then hear from American art scholar Elliot Bostwick Davis— a former curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, who will invite you into the world of one of America’s most iconic artists. The author of Edward Hopper & Cape Ann: Illuminating an American Landscape will share how Hopper’s summers in 1920s Gloucester, Massachusetts set the stage for his monumental career, as well as how his wife and fellow artist, Josephine Nivison, became the driving force behind Hopper’s artistic evolution.

    Tour Miss Florence’s gardens in bloom, take in the stunning exhibition, “Revelations: A Decade of Collecting, 2016-2026,” and be delighted by Blooms with a View — floral arrangements inspired by works on view.

    Elegant dining by Gourmet Galley. Garden party attire suggested (and hats encouraged!). Tickets ($150) on sale at https://flogris.org/calendar/annual-garden-luncheon-2026/

  • Wednesdays, January 7, April 8, July 8, & October 14, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Eastern – Connecticut River Watershed Seminar Series: History, Challenges, Promise, Revival, Online

    Estuary magazine and its parent The Watershed Fund, and the Old Lyme Conservation Commission are excited to announce a seminar series beginning in 2026 for anyone interested in the environment, focusing on the past, present, and future of the Connecticut River watershed and the issues it faces. Quarterly seminars via Zoom given by experts in their fields will provide in-depth, accessible, and timely explorations of the river’s history, terrestrial habitats, aquatic habitats, invasive plants, geology, and restoration efforts. The series is planned to span eight sessions over two years.

    The first free talk will take place January 7 at 6 pm Eastern with Andy Fisk, Northeast Regional Director of American Rivers. Future speakers include Jillian Liner, Director of Conservation for Audubon Vermont on Avian Habitats, Dan Wilder, Director of Applied Ecology, Norcross Wildlife Foundation on Building Resilient Habitats, and Stephen Gephard, recently retired from the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection after serving 42 years as a fisheries biologist, on Aquatic Habitats.

    Sessions will be moderated by Matt McKenzie, Professor of History & Maritime Studies at UCONN Avery Point, and co-chair, Old Lyme Conservation Commission.

    For further details and current information, visit Estuary magazine’s website or the Old Lyme Conservation Commission website at:

    Old Lyme Connecticut Conservation Commission

    Attendance is free but registration is required. Pre-register now by sending an email from your personal email address to admin@estuarymagazine.com.

  • Saturday, September 20, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Using Native Plants to Enrich Habitat and Support Migrating Birds

    Hollister House Garden presents Ian Stewart, PhD, on Saturday, September 20 at 10. He will discuss Using Native Plants to Enrich Habitat and Support Migrating Birds. Many of our songbirds are in decline, for a variety of reasons. The main reason is loss of habitat, but a secondary reason may be the degradation of the remaining habitat by non-native, invasive plants. These are less valuable to birds because they do not support many of the insects they feed upon, especially during periods of high energy use like migration. Learn how you can help both migrating and resident birds by using a diversity of native plants to create a garden that is both beautiful and filled with food. This presentation coincides with the peak of southward migration and will be followed with a relaxing walk around the idyllic garden in search of birds.

    Ian Stewart, PhD, was raised in Newcastle, England and received a doctorate in biology from the University of Leicester. He has conducted research on tree swallows and bluebirds and studied how local land management activities are affecting bird numbers and diversity throughout the year. Ian is the staff Ornithologist at the Delaware Nature Society and is currently researching how alien plant removal impacts nesting birds. Ian conducts public bird banding sessions and give presentations to audiences of all ages about aspects of bird biology

    HHG Members $30 Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden). Register at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/event/using-native-plants-to-enrich-habitat-and-support-migrating-birds/

  • September 13, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Editing the Garden – Advice from the High Line

    Hollister House Garden, 300 Nettleton Hollow Road in Washington, Connecticut in the Berkshires, will present Editing the Garden – Advice from the High Line with Yuki Kaneko on September 13 at 10 am. A naturalistic garden does not necessarily mean it is wild or low maintenance – it flourishes through intentional care and thoughtful curation. Learning to edit your garden is a crucial part of this process. Join Yuki Kaneko of New York City’s High Line for an exploration of the principles and practices of maintaining and enhancing naturalistic gardens. Learn editing strategies that preserve design clarity while managing dynamic plant communities. Get expert guidance for selecting plants that emphasize texture and structure for four-season interest. Help foster biodiversity in your own garden with a naturalistic aesthetic that changes seamlessly through the seasons. Autumn is the perfect time to make thoughtful edits that will keep your garden vital, evolving and looking its best.

    HHG Members $30. Non-members $40 (includes admission to the garden). Register at https://hollisterhousegarden.org/event/editing-the-garden-advice-from-the-high-line/.

    Yuki Kaneko is the Senior Horticulture Manager at the High Line in New York City, overseeing a naturalistic landscape designed by Piet Oudolf. Yuki holds an MFA from Tara Art University in Japan where she was born, and was awarded the Blanchette H. Rockefeller Fellowship to study in the United States. Yuki studied horticulture and botany through New York Botanical Garden’s certificate program and further trained as a horticulturist through a John Nally Internship at Wave Hill. She is an author and has also translated a number of nature themed Japanese children’s books into English.

  • Friday, June 13, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Evening in the Garden

    As the light fades and day turns to evening, enjoy the company of friends and neighbors and see the beauty of the Hollister House garden in a different light. Come have a glass of wine in the barn. Then enjoy a walk in the garden where you will delight in the intimate outdoor spaces, bordered by dramatic hedges and overflowing with exuberant plantings.

    This event will take place rain or shine on Friday, June 13 from 6 – 8.. In the event of inclement weather we will enjoy wine in the barn! This event is generously sponsored by HHG board member Rod Pleasants. Hollister House Garden is located at 300 Nettleton Hollow Road in Washington, Connecticut.

    RESERVATIONS

    Advance Reservations $20 per person (includes a glass of wine). Advance reservations available until 4 pm on the day of the event. Pay at the door $25 per person (cash or check only).

  • Tuesday, July 8 – Friday, July 11 – National Children & Youth Garden Symposium

    Cool down in New England next summer and learn with colleagues in the heart of the Connecticut River Valley!

    Save the Date for NCYGS 2025

    The American Horticultural Society is excited to share that the 33rd annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium will be held in Hartford, Connecticut from Tuesday, July 8 to Friday, July 11, 2025. The symposium will focus on “Science & History in Youth Gardening” and will be headquartered at the Connecticut Science Center. Full details and registration will become available in January. Mark your calendars now.

    2025 NCYGS Call for Sessions

    The American Horticultural Society is now accepting session proposals for the 33rd annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, “Science and History in Youth Gardening,” in Hartford, CT from Tuesday, July 8 to Friday, July 11, 2025. We encourage youth garden educators from across the fields to apply! Please review the proposal guidance and submit your session proposals by Friday, January 3, 2025. All submissions will be notified of decisions in January 2025. For further information and to submit a proposal, visit NCYGS 2025.