Boston Flora

Friday, January 5, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Graphite Studies: Form, Pattern, and Texture

In this one-day Massachusetts Horticultural Society class with Carol Ann Morley, we will look at how to approach simple and complex forms to draw. We begin with distinguishing the underlying structure of form and how to define it from the surface details of pattern and texture. There will be graphite drawing exercises to achieve the basic forms of a sphere and the concave and convex shapes of curved surfaces and tonal application of graphite for smooth, patterned, and textured surfaces of specimens. Carol Ann Morley is a professional illustrator and dedicated teacher of botanical illustration. She is a former coordinator of the Botanical Art Illustration Certificate Program at The New York Botanical Garden. Her work has been widely exhibited and published in Science magazine, Animal magazine, and many Brooklyn Botanic Garden and NYBG publications. $125 for MHS members, $165 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.masshort.org/

Date: Friday, January 5, 2023 (Snow Date: Thursday, Jan. 11th)
Time Frame: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST

Thursday, January 4, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern – National Parks of Washington State: North Cascades, Olympic, and Mount Rainier, Online

Journey with Smithsonian Associates to high volcanoes, ancient temperate rainforests, glaciers, and big rivers in these geographically and topographically interrelated national parks. Among the most unique public lands in the country, these parks harbor a dazzling array of habitats and recreational opportunities.

Naturalist Keith Tomlinson discusses the region’s geologic evolution, biological diversity and unique hydrology from glaciers to the sea. His tour highlights ways to access and enjoy these extraordinary natural treasures and covers conservation priorities in all three parks.

Chris Williams, Interpretive Park Ranger with the National Park Service working in Olympic and North Cascades National Park, will join the program as a guest speaker. This program is presented on Zoom on January 4 from 7 – 8:30 pm Eastern. $25 for Smithsonian Associates members, $30 for nonmembers. Register at https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/national-parks-washington-state

Debbi Edelstein to Retire as Executive Director of Native Plant Trust

Native Plant Trust, the nation’s first plant conservation organization and the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants, announced on December 8 that Debbi Edelstein will be retiring as executive director at the end of January after fifteen years of service. The organization is concluding a nationwide search for her successor and is expected to make an announcement shortly. Edelstein has led the 30-person nonprofit since February 2009 and has inspired her team to significant achievements and new initiatives in conservation, ecological horticulture, and education. Edelstein’s many accomplishments reflect her lifelong commitment to making the world a better place. During her tenure, the organization expanded its work to save rare and endangered plants, undertook important restoration projects, developed the first master plan for the 45-acre Garden in the Woods in Framingham, Massachusetts, and launched the nation’s first online botany courses a decade ago. She also set a research agenda that resulted in the publication of the Go Botany website, four books, and two major research reports, “The State of New England’s Native Plants” (2015) and “Conserving Plant Diversity in New England” (2022).

In addition, she developed a successful new business model for the native plant nursery in Whately, MA, and expanded seed- processing and storage facilities to support the new Northeast Seed Network, a regional initiative led by Native Plant Trust to create a sustainable source of seed to meet the increased demand for native plants in the restoration and nursery sectors.
She is the lead author of Native Plant Trust’s new fifteen-year vision document, which describes the organization’s opportunities—and obligations—in addressing the twin environmental crises of our era, climate change and the loss of biodiversity.

Thursday, January 4, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Introduction to Herbal Medicine, Online

Are you interested in bringing the natural benefits of herbs and herbal remedies into your life? Discover the differences between herbal medicine and homeopathy, the three major branches of herbalism, and the fascinating history of herbal medicine. Learn how to choose and store herbs, how to properly take herbal medicines, and how to make and use several common herbal remedies that help reduce stress. This New York Botanical Garden online class with Karine Gordineer takes place Thursday, January 4 from 6 – 8 Eastern time.

Karine Gordineer is a Master Herbalist, Certified Plant Spirit Healing Practitioner, Shamanic Practitioner, Certified Reiki Master/Teacher, and Educator with over 28 years-experience in herbalism and the healing arts. Her introduction into herbalism, shamanism and Earth healing practices began as she learned from her father, who was of Algonquin heritage and taught her the secrets of the medicinal plants and the healing ways of her ancestors. Both her matrilineal grandfather and great-grandfather were herbalists as well. Karine is the founder of Green Girl Herbs & Healing, an herbal remedy and healing company.

$65 for NYBG members, $70 for nonmembers. Register HERE

Tuesday, December 12, 7:30 pm Eastern – Insects in the Anthropocene, Live and Online

The Cambridge Entomological Club will hold its December meeting on Zoom this Tuesday, December 12 at 7:30 with Yui Suzuki of Wellesley College, as well as in person in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Room 101 in Cambridge. For those able to attend, we will have an informal dinner at 6:00 pm at Cambridge Common Restaurant with the speaker, followed by our formal meeting (7:30 – 9:00 pm) in room MCZ101 of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (there will be signs to help direct). The meeting will begin with club announcements, followed by a 60-minute presentation by the invited speaker and Q&A. Membership is open to amateur and professional entomologists. Welcome! To access the Zoom presentation, click HERE.

How will organisms fare in the 21st century as they face extreme environmental conditions and environmental degradation? Developmental plasticity is the ability of an organism to give rise to two or more distinct phenotypes in the face of environmental changes. Developmental plasticity is thought to offer new ways for evolution to shape an organism’s phenotype, but the mechanism by which this happens remains poorly studied. A classic example of developmental plasticity that evolves through natural selection is called a polyphenism where the same individual develops into two or more alternative phenotypes depending on the environment. In our lab, we have artificially selected for a polyphenism using temperature stress to generate a novel phenotype. My talk will focus on my lab’s latest findings on how our larvae respond to thermal stress and how selection might stabilize new phenotypes. In addition to sharing some of the challenges we have faced while conducting the study and how we solved these issues, I will also share some anecdotal observations of insects in Japan.

Slow Food USA and Seed Savers Exchange Partnership

Slow Food USA’s 2024 Plant a Seed campaign will explore eight different roots and grains, and a partnership with Seed Savers Exchange and its ADAPT program will give gardeners the opportunity to build community and test out new seed varieties. This announcement came on December 5, on World Soil Day, an annual awareness day commemorated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Through educating the world about soil health, World Soil Day , this initiative emphasizes the vital connection between soil, human and planetary health.

In 2024, Seed Savers Exchange, a nonprofit dedicated to gardeners growing heirloom seeds, will bring Slow Food USA growers into its ADAPT program, allowing Slow Food USA’s garden-loving network to engage in this community science initiative. Sorghum and carrots are among the 10 experiments Seed Savers Exchange has planned for 2024, to intersect with next year’s Plant a Seed campaign, and interested participants can sign up here until January 26, 2024. Participants of this program will trial varieties from the seed bank in their own gardens and send feedback on their performance. This information will help highlight the adaptability of these seeds in different environments and will guide the selection process for new introductions into the Seed Savers Exchange catalog.

Thursday, December 14, 4:00 pm – Garden Club of the Back Bay Holiday Stroll

Another benefit of joining The Garden Club of the Back Bay – pop up events like this one. Mark your calendars for their annual holiday stroll. After a successful wreath week, why not bring a warm cup of cheer and join fellow members as we take a walk to view some of the spectacular lighting and holiday decor in our neighborhood. We will also keep an eye out for some of our decorated wreaths on homeowners’ doors! We’ll decide a meeting spot closer to the date once we know where the most decorations will be. Join the Club to participate in dozens of important and fun activities throughout the year.

RSVP to Stephanie Fletcher HERE.

Happy Hanukkah from Boston Flora

Hanukkah Sameach! The Festival of Lights is upon us. Let the light shine and bring peace and happiness in your life.

Saturday, December 9, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Kendall Square Ice Show and Winter Market

Attend the opening extravaganza that will be this year’s Winter Market and annual skate show on Saturday, December 9 from 2 – 6. Our Annual Holiday on Ice Show will be held Saturday December 9th (rain date Dec. 10th) Don’t miss out on free admission all day, rentals skates sold separately. A wonderful group of world class skaters will be here to put on a great show starting at 2pm. The address is 300 Athenaeum Street in Cambridge. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/677177177852901

Tuesday, December 19, 7:00 pm – A Christmas Carol

On December 2, 1867, Charles Dickens began his first American reading tour of A Christmas Carol in Boston. Since 2002, WBUR has hosted a reading of this timeless holiday tale at the Omni Parker House, the historic site of Dickens’ first performance.
This year, our tradition will continue on December 19 at CitySpace with a reading by your favorite WBUR hosts and reporters: Meghna Chakrabarti, Tiziana Dearing, Ben Brock Johnson, Darryl C. Murphy and Robin Young with musical performances by a cappella carol singers.

Celebrate the 21st anniversary of this annual event and support the women of Rosie’s Place with your ticket purchase. Founded in 1974 as the first women’s shelter in the United States, Rosie’s Place provides a safe and nurturing environment to help poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity and find security in their lives.

Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa will be served to attendees during intermission. This event is made possible with support from Bearly Read Books. $80. Register at www.wbur.org/events