In this Polly Hill Arboretum August 1 workshop, participants will learn to build the iconic Wave Hill Chair, designed in 1918 by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld. Dan Benarcik will provide step-by-step instruction to attendees, who will leave with their own lovely garden chair. No previous experience is necessary, and lumber will be supplied. Attendees need to bring their own cordless drill.
Dan Benarcik has had one foot in the greenhouse and the other in the wood shop his entire life. Dan is a gardener, designer, woodworker, and ambassador for Chanticleer garden outside Philadelphia.
Pre-registration required. PHA Members: $350; Non-Members: $375. Click here to register.
Join the Herbal Hummingbird Hub for its Summer Garden Party on Friday, July 24th from 4-8pm in Rockport, Maine.
Delight in the beauty of the season with dinner made from local organic food, live poetry, and music amongst the flowering plants. Celebrate the power of plants and pollinators.
This fundraising event supports their Herbal Mutual Aid Program which gifts herbal medicine and herbal education to marginalized communities in Maine and beyond. A garden walk will take place from 4 – 5, followed by dinner at Tenderwild Farm. $150. Register at https://www.herbalhummingbirdhub.org/summer-garden-party
Explore how to select, arrange, and position perennials in full-sun combinations. Build your design recipes by maximizing and extending color and texture using a wide range of plantings. This Chicago Botanic Garden class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance. The instructor is Mark Dwyer, owner of Landscape Prescriptions by MD. $52 for members of Chicago Botanic Garden, $65 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.chicagobotanic.org/learning/adult-classes/garden-design/perennial-bed-design-sun-online-0
Each year, roughly 32 million people visit the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C. It’s a place that has been called “America’s Front Yard” for a good reason – it belongs to the American people. Yet this place that commemorates so much of our history is currently under threat.
Join The National Parks Conservation Association on July 21 for a virtual Park Talk to learn about how the Trump administration is bypassing congressional oversight and disregarding the laws that protect the places that belong to all Americans. You’ll hear from NPCA’s staff of experts who will share more about how this important place is at risk and what you can do to ensure your voice is heard. For questions about registration or to submit questions to panelists in advance, please email arobertson@npca.org. REGISTER at https://support.npca.org/page/100354/event/1. Biographies of the featured speakers can be found on the registration page. Free.
TheCastine Historical Societyis proud to present the 2026 Castine House & Garden Tour on July 24, 2026 from 10 AM-4 PM, featuring 12 beautiful homes and 3 gracious gardens in the scenic village of Castine.
With history dating back to the 1600’s, Castine has been home to many: Native Americans, French, Dutch, English and Colonial Americans. Castine is named after Baron Jean Vincent de Saint Castin, a French nobleman and officer. Its strategic peninsula location at the mouth of the Penobscot River made it highly desirable. The town once served as the seat of Hancock County, a merchant port for coast trading, and a center for shipbuilding.
With growth and prosperity during the 19th century, grand Federal Georgian, Greek Revival and Victorian style homes were built. These stately homes along with charming summer cottages still grace the shade elm-lined streets.
Early bird tickets are $50.00 per person and available through July 12th. After that date, Tour tickets are $60 per person.
Tour Tickets will be available for in-person purchase on the day of the event at the following locations from 9:30am – 3:30pm. Cash, Credit Cards, and Apple Pay are accepted.
The 70th Annual House And Garden Tour, “PROMENADE ON THE POINT” will be held on August 5, 2026 from 11-4. The House and Garden Tour is the Nantucket Garden Club’s sole fundraiser, and its impact reaches far beyond a single summer day. Proceeds directly benefit organizations and programs on the island, such as Civic Improvements; Grants for Beautification, Conservation, and Environmental Education; and scholarships for local students. Every ticket sold helps preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Nantucket for generations to come. This year’s tour features homes and gardens on Brant Point. Check-in for the tour will be located at the Brant Point Coast Guard Station, 10 Easton Street. Shuttle buses will operate continuously from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM between Town and the Brant Point Coast Guard Station. $100. Purchase tickets in advance online HERE.
This annual event features a curated selection of historic and contemporary homes and gardens across rotating neighborhoods. You will enjoy:
Self‑guided tours through 5–6 private estates and gardens
Exquisite floral arrangements throughout the interiors
Complimentary tea and cookies hosted in one of the gardens
In this Polly Hill Arboretum presentation by Dr. Koen Camelbeke on July 23, attendees will learn all about the Arboretum Wespelaar in Belgium, which holds a specialized collection of trees and shrubs from around the world. The Arboretum welcomes any woody species; giant and prostrate dwarfs, the common and the rare, the beautiful and the less glorious, and, especially, all those that are threatened in the wild.
Dr. Koen Camelbeke is known for his contributions to horticulture and dendrology. He has been executive director of Arboretum Wespelaar since 2002.
Berkshire Botanical Garden’s 2026 summer family programming continues with “Family Fridays.” This series, held from 11 a.m. to noon, includes family-friendly programs on music-making, stories, drumming, community performances, and a little bit of magic. Presenters will encourage an innate curiosity about the natural world and promote a deeper connection to the Berkshire landscape and world at large. Free with garden admission.
July 17 — Tom Knight Combining elements of Mr. Rogers’ gentle spirit and the unbound creativity of Jim Henson, Knight has created an original show that entertains and enlightens young children and adults alike. July 24 — Roger Tincknell Singing, moving, dancing, and playing percussion instruments. July 31 — Aimee Gelinas African Drumming Drumming performances followed by hands-on drumming workshops for audience members. August 7 — Grumbling Gryphons perform The Myth of Persephone The Myth of Persephone is a spellbinding dramatization of the ancient Greek myth, which tells the story of how the seasons came to be, and exposes children to the classical Greek myth in a highly entertaining and engaging way. August 14 — Mr. Twisty’s Super Silly Magic Show Magic, comedy, and decades of expertise come together to create an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages! August 21 — Family Fridays: Reptile Shows of New England Where do reptiles live? What do they eat? How do they defend themselves? How big do they get? Learn fun facts about reptiles, hold bearded dragons and other small reptiles and get your picture taken with a 12-foot python in this interactive and educational show.
Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Rd., Stockbridge, Mass. Visit https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/ for additional information.
Come to the Cambridge Public Library’s Main Branch on July 20 at 6:30 for a documentary screening and discussion of Prison Garden Programs in New England. We will watch the award-winning 30-minute documentary Seeds of Change (about a 5-acre prison garden in Maine), followed by a presentation and Q&A session by the New Garden Society about their work in the Greater Boston area.
From the country’s earliest days, Americans’ survival, economy, and cultural development have been deeply tied to the natural environment. With people’s continued reliance on nature for food, timber, medicine, and raw materials, the land has been transformed. In an era of rapid environmental change, it has become vital to better understand the world around us and protect it for future generations.
Along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is located on a 2,650-acre campus in Edgewater, Maryland. Founded in 1965, SERC is a world leader in large-scale and long-term science that connects people and ecosystems. William “Monty” Graham, the new director of SERC, discusses the center’s work, beginning with a look at how Americans used the land and its resources 250 years ago. He provides an in-depth exploration of how SERC studies the environment through futuristic experiments in forests and wetlands. With a combination of knowledge from the past and innovative technology, Graham says, Smithsonian scientists can peer into the future for a glimpse at what the next decades and centuries hold for the United States’ environment.
We share deep concern that the objectives of the Smithsonian have been tarnished by the current administration’s war on science and its climate change denial. This Smithsonian Associates webinar on July 22 at noon Eastern on Zoom may shed some light on what comes next. $20 for Smithsonian members, $30 for the general public. Register at https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/serc-using-past-to-look-forward
