Boston Flora

Category: Field Trip

  • Sunday, January 11, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm – CraneOutdoors: Winter Wildlife Walk

    A CraneOutdoors Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. They offer one of the most accessible dune landscapes in New England and trails that provide a firsthand look into the delicate and ever-changing dune habitat. This includes numerous lookouts offering stunning views of Choate Island and the varied ecosystems of Castle Neck, including Pitch Pine forests and naturally occurring cranberry bogs.

    This January 11 hike explores the vast array of animals and plants that thrive in this harsh ecosystem. We will learn about survival in the dunes, the various ecosystems that make up Castle Neck and how everything works together in harmony. The hike covers approximately four miles at a nice walking pace. The Castle Neck dunes are home to the elusive Snowy Owl in the winter months, a variety of winter migratory birds and your CraneOutdoors guides will help show you what to look for and how to spot all these amazing creatures. Along the way, your CraneOutdoors guide will point out the flora found on Castle Neck, including the abundant Woolly Hudsonia (a.k.a., False Heather), which covers the dunes in a carpet of yellow when it blooms in late spring; the unusual dune mushroom known as the Earth Star, and the wildly fragrant Bayberry, whose berries were historically used to make candles.

    All participants will be provided with wildlife tracking cards and taught what to look for and how to identify the large variety of animal tracks that criss-cross our path as we walk along. Your guide will choose the exact route the day of the hike based on current weather conditions and prevailing winds, but it typically covers the green and red trail loops on the Crane Estate trail map. Guests can expect to leave with a basic understanding of the Castle Neck trail system and it’s inhabitants. This hike is packed with more than enough information and sites to whet your appetite and give you the confidence to come back and explore on your own.

    Due to soft sand and many hilly dunes, trail difficulty is Moderate. Trustees member price $24, nonmembers $30. Register at https://thetrustees.org/event/442779/

  • Saturday, February 28 – Sunday, March 8 – The 2026 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show

    The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event and fundraiser featuring stunning displays by the world’s premier floral, garden, and landscape designers.  This year's theme is Rooted: Origins of American Gardening. The event takes place at the Philadelphia Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street in Philadelphia. Complete information is found at https://phsonline.org/the-flower-show

  • Wednesdays, January 7, 14, 21, 28, and February 4 – Winter Woodland Hike Series

    Experience some of the Worcester area’s wild places in all their winter glory. Hosted by Greater Worcester Land Trust Stewardship Coodinator Olivia Houde and GWLT member Christine Sparks, hikes will take place Wednesdays at 10 am January 7 – February 4 and last approximately two hours. Wear comfortable footwear with crampons or microspikes and bring a pole and water. Assembly points on poster below.

  • Sunday, January 11, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Bare Trees & Naked Shrubs: Woody Plant ID at Kennard Park

    Join area naturalist Jeff Adams on January 11 at 11 am in this winter walk in Newton’s Kennard Park as he identifies trees and shrubs without their elltale leaves. Discover how to identify plants by their branching patterns, bark, buds, galls, and any persistent fruits that remain after the end of autumn. Jeff will also look at winter weeds—hardy non-woody plants that stand up tall even through the colder months—and share a trove of natural history and folklore about various plants. Jeff has led walks for a variety of area organizations, including the Friends of the Fells, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and the Newton Conservators. Dress for an extended time in wintry weather and wear sturdy shoes. Kennard Park’s terrain is uneven and, in some places, hilly. Meet at the parking lot on 246 Dudley Road. Enrollment is limited to 20 people.

    Rain date: Sunday, January 18, 11 am – 12:30 pm. Register at https://newtonconservators.org/events/bare-trees-naked-shrubs-woody-plant-id-at-kennard-park/

  • Thursday, January 1, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – First Day Hike

    Hike with the Brookline Park Rangers in Lost Pond Sanctuary to celebrate the New Year. Meet at Skyline Park on Thursday, January 1 at 10 am. This is a weather-dependent event. Be sure to wear hiking boots and warm clothing, plus poles are recommended. Difficulty rating is intermediate. To rsvp email khuntress@brooklinema.gov

  • Saturday, December 20, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Winter Solstice Tree Identification Walk

    The Trustees will lead a guided walk in the Leland Cooperative Garden with herbalist and arborist Alex Klein to learn key characteristics that will provide you the skills to identify any tree, even in the winter months. Stick around after the walk for the Leland Garden’s winter solstice celebration. 2:20 – 4 is the Tree ID walk (meet at 4 Leland Street in Jamaica Plain), 4 – 5 hot cider, 5 pm solstice circle. Sliding scale registration required. Scan the QR code below.

  • Thursday, December 11, 6:00 pm – Frozen Fire Festival

    The official kickoff to this year’s Frozen Fire Festival and the grand opening of a year-round Winter Garden takes place Thursday, December 11 at 6 pm.

    Celebrate the start of Boston’s winter season with The Anchor’s Annual Winter Garden Tree Lighting. Join neighbors as we light our breathtaking holiday display featuring a glowing grove of over 175 illuminated trees, transforming the waterfront into a sparkling winter wonderland.

    Enjoy a festive evening filled with:
    🎶 Live holiday performances
    🔥 “Make Your Own” S’mores and Hot Chocolate Bar
    🎨 Holiday crafts for all ages
    🎄 Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6 PM featuring special guests
    ❄️ Full access to the Winter Garden and festival preview installations

    ✨ VIP Igloo Reservations will be available throughout the evening for those who want a cozy, elevated experience complete with private seating and full service. See ticket options at frozenfirefestival2025.eventbrite.com for more information.

  • Now Through Saturday, January 3, 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

    The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine will again present Gardens Aglow Thursdays through Sundays, plus select dates, throughout their beautiful gardens, from 4 – 9 pm. Gardens Aglow is an outdoor, walking event. Weather conditions vary greatly along the Maine coast in the winter. Dress in layers and be aware of snowy and icy weather risks. Please note that parking is limited; consider carpooling with family and friends. Tickets are necessary at https://www.mainegardens.org/ Tickets must be purchased ahead of time online, and none will be sold on-site. Make sure you have them in hand (or available on your phone!) for your visit.

    Adults: $23, Seniors (65+) and Veterans: $20, Children (3-17): $13, Child under 3: free. Member Adult: $18.50, Member Child: $10.50

  • Saturdays, December 6 & 13, 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm – Charlesgate Park Walking Tours

    For the first time in sixty years, Charlesgate Park is being reconnected to Boston’s Greenspace Network. Join Emerald Necklace Conservancy President Karen Mauney-Brodek and Parker James of the Charlesgate Alliance for a guided tour through Charlesgate Park, the pivotal 13-acre link uniting the Emerald Necklace, the Esplanade, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. Meet at the corner of Charlesgate East and Beacon Street. RSVP at https://emeraldnecklace.org.

  • Fridays & Saturdays, December 5 – 20, 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm, and Sundays, December 7 – 21, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Strawbery Banke Candlelight Strolls

    Every year since 1979, Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke has captured 350 years of seasonal and holiday traditions against the backdrop of the museum’s historic houses. Wander the Museum grounds under the glow of candle boxes and string lights, visiting furnished historic homes from 1795 through the 1950s, each adorned with greens and dried flowers from the Museum’s heirloom gardens. Inside, costumed roleplayers portray neighborhood families, sharing stories, customs, and seasonal traditions.

    Tour exhibit houses highlight Portsmouth’s maritime heritage, traditional trades, and more, offering context to life in the Puddle Dock neighborhood. Outside, carolers, fife-and-drummers, and other musicians fill the air with seasonal melodies, while wandering historical reenactors bring figures from the past to life across the grounds.

    Twice each evening, Ice Dance International’s Currier & Ives Vintage Christmas Skaters take the ice for special performances that capture the spirit of the season (weather dependent). Visitors can warm up at the Cider Shed with a cup of cider, then explore the Grove of Sponsored Holiday Trees, where you can vote for your favorite.

    Parking is NOT available on-site; the small onsite parking lot is reserved for handicapped accessible needs first-come, first-served.

    This year there will also be a Daytime Stroll on December 14 from 2 – 4.

    For more information and to reserve tickets visit www.strawberybanke.org