Boston Flora

Category: Meeting

  • Thursday, November 13, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Gardens of the Bible

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay will hold its November meeting on Thursday, November 13 at 10 am at The Chilton Club, 152 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. Pastor James Hopkins of the First Lutheran Church, Boston, will speak on Gardens of the Bible. The garden is a popular motif in the Bible, cutting across every literary genre therein. From the account of creation to the revelation of the heavenly city, the garden is an important setting for the story of salvation. Pastor Hopkins will discuss how an understanding of the edenic arc illuminates the care we put into our own humble (or grand) gardens and justifies all the care and effort in maintaining them, especially in the city. This is a members only event. For information on joining, visit https://bostonflora.com. If you are already a member, register through Eventbrite

  • Wednesday, October 29, 10:00 am – Boston Committee of the GCA Annual Fall Meeting – What’s Good Along the Charles River

    The Boston Committee of the GCA invites member and affiliate Club members to The Country Club on Clyde Road in Brookline on Wednesday, October 29. Coffee and lecture begin at 10:00 am and optional lunch begins at noon. There will be short remarks by Esplanade Association Executive Director Jen Mergel (below) and Esplanade Association Arborist Jim Doyle. They will speak about What’s Good Along the Charles River, and you will learn more about the native tree grove that the Boston Committee will fund. There will also be another speaker, to be announced. For more information visit https://bostoncommitteegca.org/

  • Wednesday, November 19, 7:00 pm Eastern – Birdability Book Club: The Comfort of Crows

    Birdability is thrilled to continue the Birdability Book Club. Birdability is dedicated to making birding and bird activities more accessible for everyone, especially individuals with disabilities. The Birdability Book Club is an extension of this commitment, providing a welcoming space for participants to connect, share experiences, and explore the world of birds through the lens of literature. The book club will meet every other month on the 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 P.M. Eastern Time/6:00 P.M. Central Time/5:00 P.M. Mountain Time/4:00 P.M. Pacific Time.

    The November 19 session will discuss The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, by Margaret Renkl. Participation in the Birdability Book Club is open to all, and attendance is virtual, making it accessible to birders from diverse locations and backgrounds. To join the club, register for the upcoming session here. You will receive an email with the log-in information for the Zoom virtual meeting.

  • Tuesday, October 14, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – The Mystic: In Color

    The Mystic River Watershed Association Annual Meeting will take place Tuesday, October 14 from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at Mass General Brigham at Assembly Row in Somerville. All are welcome. For information visit https://mysticriver.org/

  • Wednesday, September 24, 10:00 am – Garden Club of the Back Bay Field Trip to Forest Hills Cemetery

    Forest Hills Cemetery is a 275-acre garden cemetery and arboretum that was founded in 1848, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, and was named one of the “1000 Greatest Places” in Massachusetts. Local historian Dee Morris will give a tour focusing on the property features, with a discussion of the cemetery’s history and horticulture, and the many well-known people buried there. This event is rain or shine. RSVP HERE Carpool and transportation options will be sent to registrants in mid September. This is a members only event. To join, visit https://bostonflora.com/. The Garden Club enjoyed a splendid walking tour of Forest Hills over a decade ago, and it’s certainly time to revisit.

  • Sunday, October 26 – Tuesday, October 28 – American Public Gardens Association Symposium 2025: The Climate Toolkit

    Since 2020, The Climate Toolkit has served as a network to gather cultural institutions to share, mentor, and learn how to address climate change within their institutions and inspire the communities they serve. The opening evening in Pittsburgh on October 26 is followed by Case Studies in Climate Success on Monday and A Deep Dive Into the Future on Tuesday. Complete information and registration links may be found at https://climatetoolkit.org/climate-toolkit-symposium-2025/

  • Monday, September 15 – Sunday, September 21 – Harvard Climate Action Week

    Registration is now open for Harvard Climate Action Week 2025 (September 15–21), a series of in-person and online events organized by Schools and centers across the University that will explore solutions to the most complex and challenging dimensions of climate change. Capping the week, the Salata Institute’s three-day Harvard Climate Symposium will convene leaders from government, business, the nonprofit sector, and academia to discuss actions to enhance climate resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more and Register at https://salatainstitute.harvard.edu/hcaw/

  • Wednesday, October 15 & Thursday, October 16 – Designing Change

    What will be the future of natural and built landscapes as we face climate change, political turmoil, and technological advancements? What constitutes heritage and how can it be preserved? What can be adapted to emerging and unpredictable futures?

    Renowned practitioners and researchers will gather at Longwood Gardens on October 15 & 16 to share projects, propose ideas, and discuss. This international symposium will also celebrate the relocation and reconstruction of its Cascade Garden, designed by Roberto Burle Marx.

    Speakers include Anita Berrizbeitia, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Paul B. Redman of Longwood Gardens, Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi of Weiss/Manfredi, Kristin Frederickson of Reed Hilderbrand, and Kongjian Yu of Turenscape. Learn more and register at https://designingchange.longwoodgardens.org/

  • Wednesday, November 5 – Thursday, November 6 – 2025 International Garden Tourism Symposium

    The 2025 International Garden Tourism Symposium, hosted by the Atlanta Botanical Garden, will take place November 5 and 6, 2025. The International Garden Tourism Symposium supports gardens around the world in sharing experiences and best practices in Destination Development and Promotion. It brings together speakers and delegates from the world’s public gardens, tourism boards, travel industry, and media.

    This event is relevant to the management (director, marketing, horticulture, exhibitions) of any garden, festival, or horticultural expo, that wishes to expand and broaden visitation and create impactful guest experiences. In fact, we encourage gardens to team up with their regional or national destination promotion agency and travel operators to attend the event together. Speakers include media strategist Jenny Williams, Ian Simpkins, Senior Director of Horticulture & Sustainability at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, and members of the Atlanta Botanical Garden administration, plus tours and exhibitions. In a period of disappearing tourism to the United States from abroad, and cutting back of vacations from our domestic population, there will be much to learn and consider,

    The Starling Hotel has set aside rooms. For registration and more information visit HERE.

  • 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.