Boston Flora

Wednesday, November 8, 6:00 pm – Boston’s Franklin Park: Olmsted, Recreation, and the Modern City

Join The Emerald Necklace Conservancy on Wednesday, November 8 at 6:00 pm EST with Dr. Ethan Carr for a talk on his new book, Boston’s Franklin Park: Olmsted, Recreation, and the Modern City (LALH 2023), which details the history of Franklin Park from the time of peak popularity to the current era of park revival.

This talk will be held in person in Rabb Hall at the Central Library in Copley Square. Following the talk, there will be time for audience Q&A, and the program will conclude at 7:00 pm with a book signing.

Dr. Carr’s forthcoming book, Boston’s Franklin Park: Olmsted, Recreation, and the Modern City (LALH 2023), documents the design and history of Frederick Law Olmsted’s most mature expression of urban park design. In this comprehensive study, Carr affirms Franklin Park as one of great works of nineteenth-century American art. Since the 1980s, historians have described Franklin Park as unfinished, obsolete, or a casualty of changing trends in public recreation. Carr disagrees, offering a persuasive argument that the park’s decline was not a consequence of its design but of a lack of stewardship on the part of the city, an example of institutionalized racism.

Ethan Carr, FASLA, is professor of landscape architecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. An international authority on America’s public landscapes and the author of many books, he is lead editor of The Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted: The Early Boston Years and coauthor of Olmsted and Yosemite: Civil War, Abolition, and the National Park Idea (LALH 2022).

Friday, November 3, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm – Hydraulic Geographies: Atlas of the Urban Water in the Andean Region

Latin America contains 31% of the world’s water sources. Adding in the Caribbean, drinking water coverage in the area reaches 94% compared to developing countries. However, 37 million people still do not have access to water, and 100 million lack access to sanitation (World Bank). Chile, for its part, has 99% drinking water coverage. However, a large amount of its territory is in a continental zone that will be strongly affected by the future consequences of climate change, both because of droughts and floods, a product of the receding of the Andean glaciers and of the evolution of projected precipitation patterns. Thus, climate change will force the Andean regions to rethink how they manage their water resources and the infrastructure that supports their management. Better collection, storage, and distribution systems will be essential when promoting ecological and socially sustainable development. It is necessary to have an integrated view of resources and the infrastructure that manages them, thinking about the multiple dimensions to which these could cohesively respond.

On November 3, the Harvard Graduate School of Design will feature Tomás Folch, in Gund Hall 112, for a free public lecture. He is currently a professor and Co-Director of the Center for Ecology, Landscape and Urbanism –CEPU- of the Design Lab of the Adolfo Ibañez University in Santiago and a Founding Partner at PAUR. Folch earned his undergraduate Architecture and Master of Architecture degrees from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, and his Masters in Landscape Architecture from the GSD.

Trained as an architect, his professional work has expanded the scales of architecture, urban design, and landscape through professional experience with production on heritage and urban recovery projects, housing and social equipment, landscape architecture, and territorial planning. He is co-founder with Sofia Armanet of Paisaje Urbano -PAUR- where their work has been oriented to public space and includes built projects such as urban parks in informal areas, restoration designs for urban wetlands in Santiago, and consultancy for international agencies for the informal city in Latin.

His work has been featured in international exhibitions, such as the 2023 Venice Biennale of Architecture and the 2006 Architecture Biennial of Chile in the category of emerging generation. He has received numerous awards, such as the National Exhibition Award in the Architecture Biennial of Santiago 2008, the South-South Professional Award of the XX Architecture Biennial of Chile 2017 for being the proposal more effective in establishing a horizontal dialogue with the geographies of the global south, and the PAU 2017 Urban Contribution Award in the categories of Best Height Building Project and Best Urban Project for Subsidized Housing.

Thursday & Friday, November 2 & 3 – Embodied Carbon: The Sustainability Imperative of Preserving Places

Plan to attend the Historic New England Summit 2023 in Providence, Rhode Island on November 2 and 3 convening leading voices in a panel discussing Embodied Carbon: The Sustainability Imperative of Preserving Places. How can we transform the predominant perception of buildings as expendable assets into a perspective where they are recognized as vital instruments in combatting climate change and addressing social disparities? Achieving this paradigm shift necessitates a multidisciplinary approach encompassing adaptive reuse, deconstruction, and innovative construction methods. This approach is essential for reshaping the discourse surrounding building lifecycles, whether existing or new, and for achieving the ambitious objectives of net-zero emissions and zero-waste sustainability.

Moderator Philip Kennicott is Senior Art and Architecture Critic for the Washington Post. He will be joined by Dan Bergsagel, Sustainability Lead at schlaich bergermann, Rebecca Berry, AIA, LEED AP, and Jonathan Rosenbloom, Professor of Law at Albany Law School and Executive Director, Sustainable Development Code.

Wednesday, November 8, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Autumn Equineox

Join the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit at Equal Measure in the brand new Eastern Standard on November 8 at 5:30 pm. The cocktail and culinary experience benefits the Friends. Equal Measure is located at 775 Beacon Street – Saddle Up to support. For more information visit info@friendsofthebprmountedunit.org. Ticket prices : $150 for under 35’s, $250 and up for everyone else. Register at https://friendsofthebprmountedunit.org/events

Thursday, October 26, 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm Eastern – Lenape Gardening: A Native American Perspective, Online

Over the last year there has been a rising interest from various partners to provide information on Lenape plants and practice, and to consult on existing gardens in order to provide native species and medicinal herbs. This has come about at a time when it is crucial to instigate horticultural practices that will increase the production of organic foods, re-introduce native plants into the earth, and provide instruction on the use of medicinal herbs, all of which will help to ensure that the next seven generations of our children will be able to consume natural, nutritious food. This is the goal! The New Directions in the American Landscape organization will present an online session with Clan Mother Shelley DePaul on October 26 at 7 pm Eastern. The session will be recorded and available for viewing for 3 months to registrants. $42. Register at https://learning.ndal.org/courses/lenape-gardening

Clan Mother Shelley DePaul serves on the Council of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania as Lenape Language Specialist and Treaty Signer Liaison. She teaches Lenape Language classes and presents educational programs on Lenape History and Culture. DePaul has conferred with numerous organizations regarding Lenape horticulture and medicinal plant practices. She is a PA State certified teacher with a BS in Secondary Education, English, and a MA in History.

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

Join Speak for the Trees at the Urban Farming Institute on October 28 as we 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.

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.

Saturday, October 28, 10:00 am – Floral Design, Principles and Practice

Join Lorraine Walsh and Mary Lou Ashur from Artistry Floral on October 28 at The Gardens at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley for a floral design class that covers the principles of design is a wonderful opportunity to learn how to create beautiful and aesthetically pleasing floral arrangements. Understanding these principles is essential for anyone interested in floral design, whether you’re a hobbyist or aspiring to become a professional florist. Together in class, we’ll explore contrast, variety, color theory, textures, and more.

Class time allows for students to practice and apply these principles in hands-on projects. It’s also a great opportunity to learn about various flower varieties, care techniques, and design styles. Practical experience and feedback from instructors and peers help to develop your skills and creativity in floral design.

Please bring floral scissors and a bucket or box to carry home your arrangement. $75 for Massachusetts Horticultural Society members, $95 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org

Thursday, November 2, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Friends of the Public Garden Members Reception

It’s not too late to join The Friends of the Public Garden, supporting the Boston Common, the Boston Public Garden, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. For information visit https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/ The annual Members Reception will be held Thursday, November 2 at the Park Plaza Hotel from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Featured – a presentation by Peter James, ScD, Associate Professor of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Cocktails to follow. The reception is a members only event, so sign up now.

Saturday, October 28, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Vines and Creepers

Wetland and disturbed areas are often a tangle of woody and herbaceous vines, creepers, brambles, and briars. Ever wondered about the differences among these groups of plants and how they twine, creep, climb, and scramble? Learn to identify a dozen species on this easy walk through successional vegetation. This field trip is sponsored by Native Plant Trust and will be led by Neela de Zoysa on October 28 from 2 – 4 at Wolbach Farm in Sudbury. The Farm is a Sudbury Valley Trustees property. $30 for NPT members, $36 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/vines-and-creepers/ Wear long pants.

Wednesday, October 25, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Eastern – Head Gardeners at Historic Sites: Sheila Das at RHS Wisley

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 October 25, join Sheila Das. RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey is the flagship of the Royal Horticultural Society, as well as its oldest and most horticulturally diverse garden. It is also one of the UK’s most visited gardens, attracting about around 1.4 million visitors each year. The gardens are maintained by a team of around 70 permanent staff and a cohort of 33 school of horticulture learners on practical training programs in the garden. The team is supported by over 100 garden volunteers. The garden has expanded hugely to its current size of 185 acres since it was gifted to the Society in 1903. From the start, Wisley has always been about Plantsmanship and experimentation, and it has continued to evolve in accordance with the Society’s needs and in response to the changing environment. RHS Hilltop – the Home of Gardening Science is the newest addition to the site, opened in 2021, alongside three new gardens, a new Welcome building and continued investment into beautiful planting.

Having changed career in 2006, Sheila Das completed the Kew Diploma and then went on to work for English Heritage at Wrest Park. She is now a Garden Manager at RHS Garden Wisley with responsibility for the garden’s practical training programs, the Members’ Seed Scheme and the Edibles and Wellbeing gardens. Alongside her focus on horticultural education, Sheila has a keen interest in sustainable gardening particularly with relevance to growing food.