Boston Flora

Category: garden tour

  • Tuesday, May 20 – Friday, May 30, 2026 – Ireland in Bloom

    Embark on a breathtaking springtime voyage through Ireland and Northern Ireland with the American Horticultural Society and tour leader Keith Tomlinson on May 20 – 30, 2026. Cruise around the Emerald Isle aboard the intimate, 72-cabin Exploris One, and discover a rich tapestry of historic gardens, sweeping coastal landscapes, and native flora at their seasonal peak. Explore UNESCO World Heritage sites and charming seaside towns, while enjoying guided excursions that spotlight the region’s horticultural traditions and natural beauty. Throughout the journey, experience the warmth of Irish hospitality and the vibrant renewal that defines spring in this lush, storied land.

    Customize your journey with excursion options at select ports, including walking excursions exploring Ireland’s natural wonders.
    Delight in the natural beauty of Ireland’s celebrated gardens, from the wooded grounds of Glenveagh Castle and the grand Mount Stewart estate near Belfast to the charming Salthill Gardens in County Donegal. Conclude with a visit to Kylemore Abbey, where a stunning Victorian walled garden awaits amid the wild landscape of Connemara National Park.
    Experience the jewels of Ireland’s famed Atlantic Coast including the dramatic Cliffs of Moher and the bogs and grasslands of Connemara National Park.
    Dock overnight in Belfast and Galway for opportunities to dine ashore and to enjoy the cities’ lively atmospheres and famed music scenes.
    Discover Belfast’s intriguing history including a visit to Titanic Belfast, a state-of-the-art museum on the site of the yard where the ill-fated ship was built.
    Travel along the Northern Ireland’s Antrim coast to the world heritage-listed Giant’s Causeway, the site of some 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns.

    Visit www.ahsgardening.org for a complete program brochure and registration opportunity.

  • Friday, September 12, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Cocktails in Great Gardens: Kenmore Hall

    Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Cocktails in Great Gardens series provides a rare opportunity for guests to savor a drink and a nibble in some of the finest private gardens in the region. Book early, as tickets may be limited, and they always go fast! On September 12 from 5 – 7, visit The Gardens at Kenmore Hall in Richmond. Exact location and directions will be emailed to you upon registration. $40 for BBG members, $60 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/cocktails-great-gardens-september-12

  • Thursday, September 9, 2:00 pm – Garden Club of the Back Bay PopUp Event – Charles River Conservancy Floating Wetland Tour and Optional Kayak Outing

    As American Express says, membership has its privileges. Join the The Garden Club of the Back Bay and the Charles River Conservancy on September 9 at 2 pm for a lecture and optional kayak tour of their innovative climate resilience Floating Wetland project. Situated in the Charles River downriver of the Longfellow Bridge, the Floating Wetland is an ecological intervention designed to reduce harmful algal blooms in the river while simultaneously increasing biodiversity, supporting local ecological change, and providing needed green space in the water. Learn more about this exciting initiative from the CRC’s Executive Director Laura Jasinski followed by an optional kayak tour down the Broad Canal in Kendall Square to visit the Wetland up-close.

    Limited to 12 members only. If you are interested, please RSVP and indicate if you prefer just a lecture and small walk or a lecture and an optional kayak ride. If you are not yet a member of the Club, visit https://bostonflora.com/ to sign up.

    Meet at Paddle Boston, 15 Broad Canal Way in Kendall Square, Cambridge

    The lecture will last approximately 45 minutes, followed by a kayak ride of about the same duration. Kayaks are available for one or two people, depending on your preference. If enough participants choose to kayak, there may be an option to continue using the kayaks after the up-close viewing session concludes.

  • Sunday, April 12 – Friday, April 17 – Texas Blooms in Spring: Gardens, Culture and Bluebonnet Fields

    Join American Horticultural Society President & CEO Suzanne Laporte April 12 – 17 on an extraordinary President’s Council journey to celebrate the vibrant spirit and colors of spring in Texas, where world-class gardens, private estates, and fields of wildflowers await. This thoughtfully designed itinerary blends horticultural beauty with rich cultural experiences, from the sophisticated cityscapes of Dallas and Fort Worth to the creative energy of Austin and the blooming backroads of the Hill Country. Along the way, enjoy exclusive access to exceptional public and private gardens, inspiring landscapes, historic landmarks, and the warm hospitality and bold flavors that define the Lone Star State.

    This custom trip is part of the AHS Sojourns travel program collection. Explore the Dallas Arboretum, Fort Worth Botanic Garden, and Native Texas Plant Center with expert-led tours. Savor regional cuisine at a curated selection of top restaurants, from Tex-Mex favorites to fine dining. Visit the George W. Bush Presidential Center and stroll its one-of-a-kind Texas Native Park.

    Enjoy exclusive access to private homes and gardens and meet with their passionate owners. Learn about the legacy of John F. Kennedy at Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum. Explore the acclaimed Kimbell Art Museum. Stay at the modern and elegant Hall Arts Hotel in Dallas and the classic Driskill Hotel in Austin, steeped in old-world charm. Travel scenic country roads through the Hill Country in search of wildflower displays. Tour the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and visit the largest wildflower seed farm in the U.S. Stop at the historic LBJ Ranch and enjoy a classic Texas-style steakhouse lunch. Click here for Program Brochure and Registration

  • Saturday, August 16, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Hampden and Hampshire Counties Open Day

    The Garden Conservancy’s Hampden and Hampshire Counties Open Day will take place August 16.

    Rock Valley Paradise in Holyoke includes a small orchard of fifteen fruit trees—apples, peaches, plums, pears, apricots, and cherries. The berries include blueberries, goji berries, elderberries, raspberries and blackberries and black, red, and champagne currants. The ‘Concord’ grapes provide lots of juice for the winter months. Seasonally the owners grow all kinds of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, eggplant, and all the other “regular veggies.” The homestead also boasts two dairy goats, a dozen chickens, and two hives of honey bees.

    Thayer Garden in Hadley is centered around a 1747 farmhouse and an 1884 barn, with phlox, iris, daylilies, peonies, lilacs, and wisteria.

    Register at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/garden-directory/open-days/

  • Friday, August 22, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Cocktails in Great Gardens: The Gardens of Jane Iredale

    Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Cocktails in Great Gardens series provides a rare opportunity for guests to savor a drink and a nibble in some of the finest private gardens in the region. Book early, as tickets may be limited, and they always go fast! On Friday, August 22 from 5 – 7, visit the gardens of Jane Iredale in Stockbridge. Exact location and directions will be emailed to you upon registering. $40 for BBG members, $60 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/cocktails-great-gardens-august-22

  • Tuesday, June 16 – Saturday, June 27, 2026 – Northern Italy Cheese Journey

    Join Jilly Sitch (our Mary Poppins of Cheese Travel) and Tenaya Darlington (aka Madame Fromage), on an unforgettable food and wine tour through Northern Italy. This is a custom curated travel experience that takes guests through Italy’s back door to visit some of the finest food, wine, and cheese producers in the world. Deep dive into the beautiful Langhe region- the cradle of Italy’s fine food and wine culture – and Piedmont’s Bra region – the epicenter of the Slow Food universe. Book now and get set to also explore Lombardy and the Lake Country (home to George Clooney, Gorgonzola, and our favorite Taleggio producer!)

    This tour is open to all travelers. $8,950 per person, double occupancy, or $9,950 single occupancy. Complete itinerary and brochure may be found at https://www.cheesejourneys.com/products/northern-italy-piedmont-val-daosta-amp-lake-country-2026

  • Thursday, August 7, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Tour of Marijke’s Perennial Garden Plus

    Are you curious about unusual and inspiring perennial plants? Join sponsor National Bank of Middlebury on August 7 at 10 am for a guided tour with Marijke, owner of Marijke’s Perennial Gardens Plus, 1299 Robert Young Road in South Starksboro, Vermont. Marijke will share her extensive knowledge on a wide range of perennials – how to grow, care for, and enjoy them in your garden. While not all plants will be blooming, you’ll have the opportunity to see mature specimens, appreciate their unique foliage, and envision their full seasonal potential.

    This tour is perfect for the passionate gardeners and nature lovers alike. Whether you’re seeking ideas, expanding your plant knowledge, or simply looking to enjoy the natural beauty of a thoughtfully curated garden, you’ll leave inspired. Visitors often describe Marijke’s Perennial Gardens Plus as “magical,” “whimsical,” “heavenly,” and “a paradise for plants, bees, birds, and wildlife.” Come and see why!

    Marijke is the proud recipient of the 2024 Environmental Awareness Award from the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association, recognizing her commitment to sustainable gardening and environmental education.

    RSVP here. $18. For more information call Kim at 802-288-1632 or email krichards@nbmvt.com

  • Thursday, August 7, 10:00 am – Garden Club of the Back Bay PopUp Event: Tour of Magnolia Award Winners

    We always remind readers that, as American Express says, Membership Has Its Privileges. Since 2009, the Garden Club of the Back Bay has given the Magnolia award to an individual or organization that meets the criteria of its mission; to promote civic beauty, and to advance and encourage horticultural improvements by planting and cultivating trees along the streets and public squares of the Back Bay and to educate the public in the art of gardening.

    On August 7, Club members will tour a few of the Magnolia Award winners from the past and present, ending with lunch at Terra in the Prudential Center. When you send in your RSVP, please say whether you’ll be able to join the group for lunch.
    Meet at 57 Marlborough Street at 10:00 am. RSVP HERE.

    Not yet a member? No burdensome letters of recommendation or geographic requirements needed. Just visit https://bostonflora.com/ and click on to the membership link.


  • Saturday, September 13, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Digging Deeper: Gardening to Create an Insect Sanctuary

    Contrary to what many people have traditionally believed, insects are at the heart of a successful garden. This two acre garden in Lincoln, forty years in the making, has from the start considered attracting – and providing for – insects as key to a successful horticultural venture. Birds, mammals, amphibians -and humans- have been the ancillary beneficiaries of this endeavor. The Garden Conservancy will host this two hour Digging Deeper event on September 13 beginning at 10 am. Registrants will be sent the exact address. Visit https://gardenconservancy.org/garden-directory/open-days/digging-deeper-gardening-to-create-an-insect-sanctuary

    $30 Garden Conservancy Members | $40 General. Digging Deeper events sell out quickly so early registration is recommended.