Boston Flora

Wednesday, November 8, 10:00 am – Small Landscapes with BIG Attitude

The Beacon Hill Garden Club has invited the Garden Club of the Back Bay to join them for a special program on November 8 at the Harvard Musical Association, 57A Chestnut Street in Boston. Kerry Ann Mendez will speak on Small Landscapes with BIG Attitude. This is a members only event. If you are not a member, consider joining the Garden Club of the Back Bay at https://gardenclubbackbay.org/

Kerry Ann Mendez is dedicated to teaching the art of low-maintenance perennial gardening and landscaping. As a garden designer, author, and lecturer, she focuses on time-saving gardening techniques, workhorse plants and sustainable practices. She has been featured on HGTV and in numerous magazines including Horticulture, Fine Gardening, Garden Gate and Better Homes & Gardens. Kerry Ann was awarded the 2014 Gold Medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, an honorary medal presented to those who have made significant contributions to the enjoyment and appreciation of plants and the environment. She has published four popular gardening books and also teaches national gardening Webinars that are enjoyed by thousands. In May 2018 she was hired as garden designer and consultant for Estabrook’s Nursery in Yarmouth and Kennebunk, ME. For more about Kerry Ann, and her business Perennially Yours, visit pyours.com. RSVP HERE no later than Wednesday, November 1.

Saturday, October 28, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Mattapan Free Tree Giveaway

Join Speak for the Trees at the Urban Farming Institute as they host a FREE Fall tree giveaway. The Urban Farming Institute (UFI) is located at 487 Norfolk Street, Mattapan, MA 02126. UFI is building on its strength to turn the neighborhood of Mattapan green. They envision deep and distributed farming networks, in which any location can be a place where food is grown for local consumption, local sales and local distribution. Register in advance at https://treeboston.org/events/event/ufi-trees/

Mattapan is listed as an EJ (environmental justice) community, where tree canopy coverage is at an inequitable level in comparison to other areas in Boston. At Speak for the Trees, we work at the intersection of environmental justice, racial and social equity, public health, and climate change to advocate for a healthy and equitable urban forest in all Boston neighborhoods. First come, first served. Boston residents only until 1pm. All residents are welcome to come after 1pm for remaining trees.

Wednesday, November 8, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Eastern – Head Gardeners at Historic Sites with Seamus O’Brien at Kilmacurragh, Online

The Gardens Trust Wednesday webinar series this Autumn will focus on head gardeners working at historic sites. This is the first lecture of the second set of five talks, exploring how individual head gardeners are balancing the heritage of their site, the wishes of its owner(s) and their own interests and experience. We’ll hear about the role from both seasoned head gardeners and those more recently appointed. Learn about the challenges they face, including climate change, as well as the joys of horticulture and heritage. you may purchase a ticket for the entire course of 5 sessions at a cost of £20 via the link here. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days prior to the start of the talk, and again a few hours before the talk. A link to the recorded session (available for 1 week) will be sent shortly afterwards.

On Wednesday, November 8, the featured speaker will be Seamus O’Brien. Kilmacurragh is a 17th century estate in County Wicklow and for several centuries was seat of the Acton family. In this talk, head gardener Seamus O’Brien traces the evolution of the estate and gardens from its monastic origins to the creation of a Dutch park in 1697, which was swept away in the 19th century to create the present wild-style Robinsonian garden. The plant collection at Kilmacurragh was augmented by successive Keepers of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin in Dublin. Following the Acton family’s bankruptcy after the Great War, the gardens and famous Queen Anne house fell derelict until 1996 when the estate was purchased by the Irish State to be managed as a satellite of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. Seamus will talk about his experiences managing Kilmacurragh today as one of the largest restoration projects in Britain and Ireland, and his work re-stocking the garden though expeditions to various parts of the world.

Seamus O’Brien has been Head Gardener at the National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh, since 2006. He trained at Glasnevin and holds an International Diploma in Botanic Gardens Management from Kew. He has studied plants in their native habitats in China, Nepal, Tibet, California, Bhutan, Myanmar, Chile, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and India, and has published two award-winning books inspired by these expeditions. He lectures internationally and is a member of the RHS Woody Plant Committee and a judge of the RHS Early Spring Shows. In 2018 Seamus was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland’s Gold Medal of Honour, in 2021 he was made a Fellow of the Explorer’s Club (New York) and in 2022 he was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s (UK) Loder Rhododendron Cup.

Thursday, November 9, 10:00 am – Boston Committee of the GCA Fall Lecture & Luncheon

The Boston Committee of The Garden Club of America invites members to the Fall Lecture and Luncheon on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at The Country Club in Brookline. The reception begins at 10 am, with business meeting and lecture at 10:30 and luncheon at noon, $30 for the lecture and an additional $35 for luncheon. Invitation will be sent electronically via Eventbrite.

The guest speaker will be the Reverend Miriama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Spaces for the City of Boston. She was appointed in April, 2021. In this role, she oversees policy and programs on energy, climate change, food justice, historic preservation, and open space. Over the course of her time with the City, she has supported the amendment of the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) to set carbon targets for existing large buildings, and convened a City-led green jobs program.

Another guest speaker is Todd Mistor, Director of Urban Forestry of the City of Boston. Todd is originally from Michigan, where he has many years of urban forestry experience working for the City of Detroit and other smaller municipalities. He has studied forestry as well and philosophy and theology which help bring a well-rounded perspective to his work. He is also a Certified Arborist with a Municipal Specialization through the International Society of Arboriculture.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay is a member of The Boston Committee of The Garden Club of America, and if you wish to attend and are not a member of another participating Garden Club, explore the benefits of GCBB membership HERE.

Tuesdays, November 14 – December 19, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Eastern – Paleobotany: The Origin of Plants, Online

Paleobotany, the study of plant evolution through fossil evidence, gives us insights into Earth’s flora, past and present. Gain a historical perspective on global diversity and climate change, and the origin and development of present-day trees and flowering plants. This online New York Botanic Garden continuing education series will be held Tuesdays, November 14 – December 19, from 5 – 7 Eastern. Instructor Jamie Boyer, Ph.D., is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Vice President for Children’s Education at The New York Botanical Garden. He holds a Masters in Paleobotany from Illinois University-Carbondale, and a Doctorate in Plant Biology from SUNY-Binghamton. NYBG members $310, nonmembers $340. For information, including prerequisite class options, visit www.nybg.org

Wednesday, November 1, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Eastern – Head Gardeners at Historic Sites: Frances Tophill at Sharpham, Online

On November 1, meet Frances Tophill at Sharpham. On the banks of the river Dart in Devon, Sharpham has been a dwelling since the 14th century. The present Palladian mansion, designed by Sir Robert Taylor, was built in the 1760s. The gardens have been through many changes over the years and are set in a Grade II registered landscape attributed to Capability Brown. There are 19th century pleasure gardens around the house, formal terraced gardens designed by Percy Cane in the 1960s (recently replanted as a tea garden), a walled kitchen garden, woodland garden and two orchards planted since 2000.

The house and gardens have been vested in the Sharpham Trust since 1982, an educational charity which aims to connect people with nature and foster mindfulness and well-being through a program of retreats, courses, events and the arts.

Frances Tophill is currently Head Gardener and Grower at Sharpham Trust and she has also worked at Monet’s Garden and the Andromeda Botanical Garden in Barbados. On screen she is known for her work with Gardeners’ World and Love Your Garden. Her love affair with plants started with an NVQ and apprenticeship at The Salutation Garden in Kent, followed by a degree in Horticulture with Plantsmanship at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Passionate about conservation and sustainability, Frances has been involved in native tree planting and, in 2022, won ‘best show garden’ for a sustainable garden design and build at Gardeners’ World Live.

Saturday, February 24 – Saturday, March 2 – History and Gardens of the Caribbean

Join a balmy Caribbean winter escape aboard the brand-new superyacht Emerald Azzurra. Sail to seven island paradises, once vital stops on transatlantic trade routes, and rediscover often-forgotten links between the Caribbean and the birth of the United States. From Barbados, sail to the little-visited yet spectacular island of Dominica and tour an 18th-century military fortress surrounded by virgin forest, shimmering rivers, and dormant volcanoes. Call at Nevis, the birthplace of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and visit his childhood home. Spend a day among the white-sand beaches of St. Barthélemy (“St. Barts”), with opportunities to swim in the warm Caribbean waters. On magical Antigua, visit the famous Nelson’s Dockyard and a restored 17th-century sugar plantation before calling at Montserrat, described as “a modern-day Pompeii” and home to a stunning botanical garden. Step ashore for a day in the archipelago known as Îles des Saintes, site of the most significant naval battle ever fought in the Caribbean between the British and the French. Before disembarking upon return to Barbados, meander through a magnificent garden in Soufrière, a town on the island of St. Lucia. This Harvard Alumni trip (open to all) is co-sponsored with the National Trust for Historic Preservation the University of Chicago Alumni Association, and Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Activity Level 3. Dates February 24 – March 2. Study leader Kay Kaufman Shelemay is the G. Gordon Watts Professor of Music, Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard. She plans to lecture on Caribbean music at home and abroad, and about Caribbean musicians and their global impact. For pricing and information on registration, visit HERE

Saturday, October 28, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Boston Park Advocates Fall Forum

Boston Park Advocates, a citywide network of people who champion urban greenspace, invites you to the Boston Park Advocates Fall Forum on Saturday, October 28 from 9 – noon at the Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse, One Circuit Drive in Dorchester. Don’t miss this key opportunity to connect with other park advocates and city and state parks agency staff. Hear from the new DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo, about his vision for the agency. Talk with Boston Parks Department staff who have been strong allies for our city parks. Engage with a panel discussing the dynamics of how to fund capital park improvements. Participate in an interactive exercise to identify breakout group topics, and then join a breakout group. Free but donations welcome. There will be breakfast refreshments and snacks. There is plenty of parking, or take MBTA bust #16, or ride a Blue Bike to the Franklin Park Zoo across the park road. Register for the Fall Parks Forum at https://bostonparks.org/

Tuesdays, October 31 & November 7, 6:00 am – 7:30 am Eastern – Hisui Sugiura, Online

The Gardens Trust is back with a two part online series on Hisui Sugiura: Botanical Illustrator and Graphic Designer, on Tuesdays, October 31 and November 7, from 6 am – 7:30 Eastern, but don’t worry – a recording of the sessions will be made available soon after the live talk and is accessible for a week, to watch at your convenience. Tickets are available through Eventbrite, £8 for both or £5 each. Registration links are HERE

In recent years, the work of Hisui Sugiura (1876-1965), a pioneering graphic designer, has been admired both within and outside Japan. In the 1920s and 1930s, his iconic poster designs and magazine covers for Mitsukoshi department store and the new Ginza subway seemed to capture the zeitgeist of a rapidly modernizing society. Less attention has been given to his highly accomplished botanical illustrations which closely reflected his own artistic development and remained a constant source of inspiration throughout a long and productive career. He successfully hybridized Japanese and Western techniques, filling numerous sketchbooks with realistic natural history and botanical illustrations, before offering more stylized depictions of plants in an album of woodblock prints known as Hisui Hyakkafu [One Hundred Flowers], and finally developing abstract floral motifs and designs which he incorporated skillfully into his graphic designs.

Utilizing a recently discovered cache of preparatory studies for Hisui Hyakkafu, these two richly illustrated talks follow Hisui on his artistic journey: his approach to plants and art, his compositional techniques, and place within the broader botanical art traditions of Japan. Illustration is Hypericum monogynum, attrib. Hisui Sugiura (非水杉浦), early 20th century. Ink and watercolour on washi. Reproduced courtesy of the Shadowlands Archive.

Thursday, November 2, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley, Online

Renowned as “the first family of American horticulture,” the du Ponts created magnificent landscapes and gardens that complement the verdant, rolling lands of the Brandywine Valley. Five of their estates—Hagley Museum and Library, Nemours Estate, Mt. Cuba Center, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, and Longwood Gardens—are open to the public, each a showplace of formal plantings juxtaposed with carefully nurtured natural woodland. Collected in one beautiful new book, Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley offers an in-depth tour of the exuberant fountains and horticultural displays at Longwood, the naturalized woodland at Winterthur, the Beaux-Arts elegance of Nemours, the tantalizing fragments of the Crowninshield Garden at Hagley, and the native plant gardens and research center at Mt. Cuba. Throughout the book, Larry Lederman’s vivid photographs exquisitely capture the beauty and spirit of each place, moving through the seasons and the day from dawn to dusk. An impressive celebration of the du Pont contributions to American horticulture and landscape design, Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley is an important record that will be a must-have for garden lovers, landscape designers, and horticulturists everywhere.

DATE AND TIME
Thursday, November 2, 2023
2:00 p.m. Eastern

LOCATION
Live on Zoom

REGISTRATION
$5 for Members of The Garden Conservancy
$10 for General Admission

A recording of this webinar will be sent to all registrants a few days after the event. We encourage you to register, even if you cannot attend the live webinar. Register HERE The speakers:

Following a successful career in corporate law, Larry Lederman turned to photography as an avocation. From an initial focus on the forms and foliage of trees, Lederman now captures the beauty of gardens and landscapes through the seasons. He is the author of many books, including Magnificent Trees of the New York Botanical Garden, The Rockefeller Family Gardens: An American Legacy, and Garden Portraits: Experiencing Natural Beauty, all published by Monacelli, and he was the principal photographer for the 125th anniversary edition of The New York Botanical Garden (Abrams).

Jeff Downing is Executive Director of Mt. Cuba Center, a botanic garden in Hockessin, Delaware, that inspires an appreciation of the beauty and value of native plants, and a commitment to conserve the habitats that sustain them. Previously, he worked at The New York Botanical Garden leading education programs; he is also a member of the Delaware Native Species Commission and chaired a land preservation task force in 2019–20 for New Castle County, Delaware. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and a master’s in Religion at Yale Divinity School.