Boston Flora

Category: Members Only

  • Tuesday, August 9, 9:00 am – 10:30 am – Becoming Cape Cod

    Heritage Museums & Gardens Members are invited to join us on August 9 at 9 am for an exclusive and insightful lecture and discussion with James C. O’Connell, author of Becoming Cape Cod: Creating a Seaside Resort (University Press of New England, 2002). Jim was the first to write a comprehensive history of the tourism on Cape Cod and his book inspired and informed the Creating Cape Cod exhibit at Heritage. After the lecture, which will include a slideshow of historic postcards, Jim will be joined by Heritage’s Director of Collections & Exhibitions, Jennifer Y. Madden, for questions and discussion relating to the history tourism on Cape Cod. Attendees can then enjoy coffee and light refreshment following the program.

    This special, members-only, in-person, program will take place in the Creating Cape Cod exhibit, located inside the Special Exhibitions Gallery at Heritage Museums & Gardens. It includes time for questions and discussion at the conclusion of the lecture, as well as exclusive early access to the new special exhibition, Creating Cape Cod. This program is free for Heritage Members. Advance registration is required as seating is limited.

    Jim O’Connell’s talk on “Becoming Cape Cod: The Creation of a Seaside Resort” is based on his book about the history of Cape Cod’s development as a vacation mecca. The presentation, which is illustrated with rare historic postcards, traces Cape Cod’s resort history from its discovery by Henry David Thoreau before the Civil War to the present day. The talk covers three eras: 1870-1920, on the early years of the resort; 1920-1950, on the impact of the automobile on creating a tourist region with common marketing, a plethora of attractions, and a strong heritage appeal; 1950-present, on measures taken to preserve the Cape in the face of over development.

    The decisive moment for the Cape’s development was the coming of the automobile during the 1920s. For the first time, tourists were able to explore the entire region. As a result, a plethora of cottage colonies, restaurants, antique shops, and historical landmarks appeared. After World War II, a boom ensued. Cape Cod’s greatest challenge has been preserving the natural environment, historic buildings, and cultural traditions that have shaped the Cape’s sense of place. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Cape’s popularity for second-homeowners and the cost of housing has been growing. While this book is currently out of print, you can find it online at Amazon and AbeBooks.

    This program is FREE for current Heritage Members. Please register in advance, as seating is limited. For questions about your membership, or to join contact the Development Department at membership@heritagemuseums.org or at 508-888-3300 x119 or x159. You may also join by clicking https://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/join-and-give/membership/

    For questions about this program, please email programming@heritagemuseums.org.

  • Wednesday, June 22, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Going Electric in the Landscape: Battery Powered Options, Online

    Join Ecological Landscape Alliance and Matt Benzie on June 22 online as we take a look at Battery-Powered Landscape Equipment.

    There are now practical alternatives on the market to gas-powered landscape maintenance equipment (GLMEs). Let’s talk about why they are worth a try and how to choose your best option. Join us as we talk with Matt Benzie, President and Owner of Indigenous Ingenuities, an environmental landscape design, build and management company located in Doylestown, PA that exclusively uses battery-powered equipment. During this 45-minute live Zoom Q&A, Matt will provide a quick overview of why we should avoid GLMEs and his reasons for making the commitment to battery-powered equipment. Then he will jump right into your questions for the bulk of this session.

    Some topics that Matt can address are:

    • Is it practical to use battery-powered equipment?
    • What brands are the best for commercial use?
    • Is electric equipment more expensive? How do you quantify the value to your customers?
    • And more…

    You can email questions in advance to help guide Matt’s remarks. Send to office@ecolandscaping.org. If you don’t submit questions in advance, no problem, we will also be taking questions throughout the event. When you register for Eco-Answers with the ELA Eco-Pros, you will receive your Zoom Webinar link in a separate email. This is a free ELA members-only event, but joining is inexpensive and simple. Visit https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/going-electric-in-the-landscape/

  • Thursday, April 21, 9:30 am – 11:30 am – The Border Brigade Season Four Kick-Off

    Under the guidance of Eric DiTommaso, Parks Care Specialist on the staff of the Public Garden, we tend the borders of the Garden, mainly weeding and light pruning. Often Eric surprises us with a special project such as planting a mass of Hostas or heavily pruning some rose bushes.

    We meet the third Thursday of each month from 9:30 -11:30, usually at the Boylston Street entrance to the Garden.

    Small gardening tools are helpful and gloves highly recommended. Our first meeting this year will be on Thursday, April 21. If you are interested in joining us, or want more information, please send an email to Sherley Smith by clicking HERE.

  • Monday, April 25, 9:30 am – Boston Committee Spring Membership Meeting- Olmsted Now: Boston’s Celebration of Olmsted’s 200th Birthday

    The Boston Committee of the GCA (of which The Garden Club of the Back Bay is an affiliate member) will hold its 2022 Spring Meeting on April 25 at Zoo New England at Franklin Park.

    We will begin the meeting at 9:30 am with member and guest registration and social time, 10:00 am business meeting and guest introductions followed by a panel presentation.  The format will be similar to past membership meetings with a bit of additional flair!

    A box lunch will be provided before we begin a guided tour of the Shurcliff Garden restoration at the Zoo that we are actively supporting with our Blossom Fund and member involvement. Price to be determined, but all members of Boston Committee Clubs will receive a separate notice with payment instructions. For further information, visit https://bostoncommitteegca.org/

  • Thursday, April 14, 2:00 pm – Garden Club of the Back Bay April Meeting – Trees from Seed: Conservation, Biology, and Ecology

    Sean Halloran, Plant Propagator at The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, will speak to us about Tree Propagation. Sean will start off with a brief overview of the plant conservation efforts at the Arnold Arboretum, and how plant conservation fits into every part of the Arnold’s mission.  He will then cover the basics of seed biology, and how seed biology and plant sexuality guide decisions about conservation and propagation. Sean will conclude by covering the many roles an urban tree may play, while highlighting a few underutilized native trees and shrubs. Questions are welcome throughout, with more opportunity for discussion at the conclusion of the talk.

    Sean Halloran received a Bachelor’s in Horticulture and a Master’s degree in Plant & Environmental Science from Clemson University where he focused on nutrient media in tissue culture propagation. His professional background includes private residential horticulture, greenhouse and nursery production, plant nutrient management in soil-less media, and temperate woody plant propagation and conservation. As the Arnold Arboretum’s Plant Propagator, Sean continues a 150-year tradition of growing woody temperate species from seed, cuttings, grafts, layers, and more; as well as being given the honor to travel and wild collect plants for the Arnold Arboretum.

    rsvp to Jolinda Taylor before April 8 by clicking HERE. Tea and light refreshments will be served after the lecture. Please be sure to let Jolinda know if you’ll be staying afterwards.

    Note the change of location. This program was originally planned to be at the Lutheran Church but will now be at the College Club

  • Monday, May 16 – Thursday, May 19 – 2022 National Garden Club Convention

    The 2022 National Garden Club Convention returns live to the Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Drive in Orlando, Florida, on May 16 – 19. Registration deadline is April 25. All details may be found at https://gardenclub.org/2022-ngc-convention-details, including booking instructions with the hotel. Danielle Flood of ECHO and Gabrielle Burns of CORAHealth are featured luncheon speakers, the Wednesday dinner will spotlight Bruce Crawford of Willowwood Arboretum in New Jersey, and the Banquet on Thursday night will welcome guest designers Kebbie Hollingsworth and J. Ross Railey. Tours to NASA at Cape Canaveral, the Daytona Speedway, and two post-convention tours to the Winter Garden/Bloom & Grow Garden Society and Wekiva State Camp-Springs/Sandhill Habitat are also on offer.

  • Wednesday, March 23, 2:00 pm – Garden Club of the Back Bay Glass Flowers Tour

    Wednesday, March 23, 2:00 pm – Garden Club of the Back Bay Glass Flowers Tour

    A docent will lead Garden Club members on a custom tour of the recently restored “Glass Flowers”. The internationally acclaimed Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants is one of Harvard’s most famous treasures and is the only collection of its kind in the world. This unique collection of over 4,300 models, representing more than 780 plant species, was created from 1887 through 1936 by glass artisans Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, a father and son team of Czech glass artists.  The Glass Flowers gallery was renovated in Spring 2016, introducing rebuilt, original historic wood and glass display cases, new state-of-the-art lighting, humidity, and vibration control systems.  The new space design and interpretation showcases the ongoing scientific relevance of the gallery and enhances the visitors’ experience of the models. In this exhibit one can see examples of the flora of the world in bloom all at once.

    This long awaited tour, twice postponed due to Covid, will take place March 23 at 2 pm at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

    This program is for Garden Club of the Back Bay members only. The Club is charged by the person and we are required to give the Museum an accurate number of attendees.  If you rsvp and can not attend, please let us know! If you’d like to add your name, rsvp by March 14 to Christine Hirshland :
    chirshland@aol.com 

    • Enter The Harvard Museum of Natural History through the 26 Oxford Street entrance.
    • We will meet at 2:00 on the third floor, just outside the gift shop, near the glass flowers exhibit area. You will be asked for proof of full vaccination plus a government issued id to enter the museum.
  • Tuesday, April 5, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm – Garden Club of the Back Bay Annual Tea

    Tuesday, April 5, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm – Garden Club of the Back Bay Annual Tea

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s Annual Winter Tea at the Courtyard Restaurant at the Boston Public Library was rescheduled – to a beautiful April date! Enjoy delicious scones, sandwiches, petit fours and a variety of teas along with warm and friendly conversations. Ticket sales are now closed. Some Covid precautions are in place: We cannot welcome walk-ins. Everyone who attends must be fully vaccinated – bring your card. If you have signed up but are unable to attend please contact Mary Ryan by clicking HERE. Mary is keeping a waiting list. Tickets are non-refundable.

  • Tuesday, September 21, 10:00 am – Guided Horticultural Tour of Zoo New England

    Tuesday, September 21, 10:00 am – Guided Horticultural Tour of Zoo New England

    The 2021/2022 Garden Club of the Back Bay program year kicks off with an outdoor field trip/walking tour of Zoo New England, 1 Franklin Park Road in Boston. Michelle Martinat, horticulturist at Zoo New England, will lead us on a tour of the gardens at the Zoo and discuss the planned changes to select areas, including the project to be funded by The Boston Committee of the GCA restoring an historic rock garden. Michelle oversees, develops and curates a living collection of plants to meet the needs of animal exhibits, display gardens and plant conservation priorities for Zoo New England.  She previously worked as a landscape designer, horticulture instructor, and conducted molecular toxicology research.This is currently planned as a members only event, due to our commitment to keep the tour group small, but if more people sign up than can be accommodated in one group, a second tour will be arranged. Masks are required while indoors. If you have not already responded, click HERE.

  • Wednesday, June 23, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Beautiful and Tough Natives Shine in Uncertain Times, Online

    A spring trip to the garden center offers a tempting array of exotic plants that promise to bloom throughout the season. The allure is great when coupled with the misconception that many gardeners have that native plants are not the most beautiful plants and can be messy.  Before succumbing to annual or exotic plant temptations, let’s consider the role that native plants play in our gardens. Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions where they naturally occur. They provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds and other animals. Native plants require little or no fertilizers and require less water. The deep root systems of many native plants stabilize the soil and increase the soil’s capacity to store water. And native plants promote biodiversity and stewardship of our natural heritage.

    Many native plants are not just beautiful, but also multi-task in tough conditions.

    Join The Ecological Landscape Alliance and Teri Speight online on June 23 at noon for this inspiring presentation on native plants. She will share insight into what native plants offer in terms of both beauty and environmental value to the landscape. Teri will reacquaint us with some familiar plants and will offer other suggestions that just might make you rethink your garden needs.

    In addition to providing valuable plant information, this presentation will inspire you to spend time in the garden and to consider native plants for your next garden project.

    Teresa (Teri) Speight is a proud Native Washingtonian, Region II Director of GardenComm International, Steward of the Land, Garden Coach, Garden Writer, Podcaster at Garden in the Court, Garden Experience Curator, Estate Gardener, History Lover, and Visionary. With ancestral sharecropping roots originating in North and South Carolina, connecting with the earth is authentic to Teri. Her ancestor’s hands helped build and feed her family for generations. Teri honors this earth in respect to her heritage. Reconnecting average people with the soil is important. Teri believes that when we reconnect with the soil, nature, and our roots, we can begin to respect all that the earth provides.

    This webinar is open to ELA members. If you are not a member, Join Us.

    Log into your ELA member account to view tickets. The event is a free, but registration is required.