Boston Flora

Saturday, August 5 (all day) – NEBS Collecting Trip to Middlesex County, Connecticut (Vascular Plants)

Middlesex County is one of the most under-collected areas in Connecticut, so this day-long collection trip will be particularly valuable. The county is rich in habitat diversity: it has 110 named hills and mountains; two rivers (Mattabesset and Connecticut) with associated floodplain forests, marshes, and beaches; upland forests; successional farmlands; and coastal habitats including brackish and salt marshes, sandy beaches, woodlands, and grasslands. The county contains at least 16 of the Critical Habitat types recognized by the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Sites that we plan to visit include Wangunk Meadows WMA, Meshomasic State Forest, Cockaponset State Forest, and The Preserve State Forest. Some sites may include forays off-trail in somewhat wet or steep terrain.
Leaders: Lisa Standley, NEBS Curator of Vascular Plants; Sarah Taylor, Scientific Collections Manager, University of Connecticut, G.S. Torrey Herbarium; Elizabeth Kneiper, NEBS Curator of Cryptogams.
Register here so leaders may be in touch with you about this trip

Sunday, July 30, 3:00 pm – Be The Change with Jane Hirschi

Join Jane Hirschi, author of We Garden Together, for Porter Square Book’s July event, Be The Change! The talk will take place at Porter Square Books, 25 White Street in Cambridge, on July 30 at 3 pm. Autographed books will be available for purchase.

Kids don’t need a big backyard or outdoor space to learn about gardening and how plants grow. This introductory garden book, We Garden Together, is packed with photos of 3 to 6 year olds in action, features hands-on planting and growing activities that can be done in a small yard, classroom, or community garden. Written by the staff of City Sprouts, a leading educational organization in promoting urban gardening and equitable access to nature, each activity—from Sorting Seeds to Going on a Worm Hunt to Planting a Tasty Salad—encourages kids to roll up their sleeves and learn about seeds, planting, and gardening. Step-by-step photos and on-the-page discovery prompts, presented in a lively design, make it easy and inviting for kids everywhere to become plant lovers and nature explorers.

Jane Hirschi is the founding director of CitySprouts, a nationally recognized program that provides early science and nature education in collaboration with 20 public schools in the greater Boston area. She is passionate about making sure that all children have opportunities for hands-on science education in the garden and the chance to get to know the natural surroundings in their own neighborhood. A regular presenter at conferences regionally and nationally, Hirschi has been recognized as a Social Innovator by Root Cause Social Innovation Forum and is the author of Ripe for Change: Garden-Based Learning in Schools. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Through October 15 – CHIAOZZA, a Sculpture Exhibition

Experience CHIAOZZA, an exhibit of imaginative, colorful sculptures and wall works displayed across New England Botanic Garden through October 15, 2023. Discover the surprising creative parallels between growing plants and making art in a show inspired by the wonders of the plant world.

In this lively and playful exhibition, Brooklyn-based artists Adam Frezza and Terri Chiao explore the curious forms found in grafted trees and plants. Strolling through the gardens, visitors will encounter a series of 10 large sculptures called “Gemels” ranging in height from five to ten feet each. The works themselves, painted paper pulp forms set on white pedestals, emerge along walking paths, nestled among plantings, in flower beds, under trees, and even in a fountain. As part of the exhibition, additional sculptures, wall works, and a short film created by the artists are on view inside the Milton Gallery.

CHIAOZZA (rhymes with “wowza” or “yowza”) is inspired by Leo Lionni, best known for his numerous acclaimed children’s books, such as Inch by Inch and Frederick, wrote the book Parallel Botany, in which he explored the world of “parallel”—or imagined—plants. He presented very convincing folklore, scientific studies, histories, and illustrations of extraordinary and peculiar plants that exist in parallel with those of the visible world, all of which were invented by him. For more information, visit https://nebg.org/chiaozza/

Wednesday, August 2, 7:00 pm – Rendezvous by The River

The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay Special Events Committee invites you to a live evening on the Esplanade with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra on Wednesday Aug 2nd at 7:00 P.M. at the DCR Hatch Shell. If there was ever a reason to join NABB now, this is it.

The concert will feature George Gershwin’s An American in Paris and a Dvorak cello concerto. A special prelude concert with the Four Strings Academy will set the stage for the rest of the evening.

Please feel free to bring a picnic or snack for dining under the stars at the event. You are welcome to bring chairs, towels and blankets and even your dogs! No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the park. There is no charge for this event. However, chairs are available for rental that evening for $5 each. We will be gathering near the information booth. Look for the NABB sign.

Please RSVP to specialevents@nabbonline.org. if you are planning on attending the event. Payment for the chair will be at the event.

Restoring the Gardens at Florence Court, County Fermanagh, On Demand

A short National Trust video will transport you to the gardens of Florence Court – a Georgian house surrounded by the rolling countryside of West Fermanagh. Discover how the estate, cared for by the National Trust, is being restored with recent projects focussing on the kitchen garden and the rebuilding of glass houses. Previous work has restored the sawmill, carpenter shop and forge. You’ll also find out fresh veg was once prepared in the kitchen and meet a volunteer helping to care for the 90 different varieties of heritage apple trees that grow here. Find out more about visiting Florence Court. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visi…

Thursday, August 17, 6:45 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – The Deep Ocean: A Mysterious World Beneath the Waves, Online

For all human history, the deep ocean has been a source of wonder and terror, an unknown realm that evoked the question: What’s down there?

Unable to answer this question for centuries, people believed the deep was a sinister realm of fiendish creatures and deadly peril. But as cutting-edge technologies have allowed scientists and explorers to dive miles beneath the surface, we are beginning to understand this exotic underworld: It’s a place of soaring mountains, smoldering volcanoes, and valleys 7,000 feet deeper than Mount Everest is high, where tectonic plates collide and separate. The deep also is home to pink gelatinous predators, shimmering creatures that are 100 feet long, ancient animals with glass-like skeletons, and sharks that live for half a millennium.

Join Smithsonian Associates and award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Susan Casey for a journey through the history of deep-sea exploration and a look at the mind-blowing complexity and ecological importance of the myriad creatures who live in realms long thought to be devoid of life. She also addresses how vital the deep is to the future of the planet and how urgent it is that we understand it in a time of increasing threats from climate change, industrial fishing, pollution, and the mining companies that are exploring this world. The live stream will take place August 17 at 6:45 pm Eastern, and is $20 for Smithsonian Associates members, $25 for nonmembers. Discounted books are also available for purchase. Visit www.smithsonianassociates.org to register and for complete details.

Thursday, August 10, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Wright-Locke Fiesta Farm Supper

Wright-Locke Farm’s Farm Suppers have become something people really look forward to. Delicious seasonal food, and a gorgeous view as the sun sets, will be enhanced with live music from the Potato Shakers this year. The August theme for the dinner on August 10 is Fiesta Farm. Complete information may be found at https://www.wlfarm.org/farm-to-table-suppers/ Sign up early – these dinners sell out.

Through October 8 – Marsh Kaleidoscope

Marshes and wetlands are key to our entire ecosystem. They clean and filter water while providing habitat for numerous birds, amphibians, and insects. They are also visually exciting to walk through: their multiple layers of growth create patterns of reflecting leaves or bushes in every spot of water. Pamela Tarbell’s “Marsh Kaleidoscope” painting series brings these kaleidoscopic wonders to the Arboretum in the form of colorful abstract paintings that highlight the beauty and value of these life-protecting, carbon-storing champions. Arnold Arboretum art shows are offered in-person at the Hunnewell Building. The Hunnewell Building at 125 Arborway is open 9am–4pm daily. The Visitor Center and exhibition space are open every day except Wednesdays from 10am–4pm, except when booked for other meetings or programs. This painting series will be on view through October 8, 2023. For more information visit https://arboretum.harvard.edu/art_shows/marsh-kaleidoscope/

Thursday & Friday, November 2 & 3 – Historic New England Summit 2023, Live and Online – Save the Date

New England’s largest conference about our collective roles in creating livable and resilient communities will take place November 2 and 3 at the VETS, Providence, Rhode Island, and livestream. The annual Historic New England Summit presents two days of exciting conversations that explore how 21st-century challenges and opportunities are transforming the fields of historic preservation, architecture, urban planning, conservation, arts and culture, museum studies, collections management, public history, and education. The program includes keynote presentations by regional and national leaders, panel discussions, provocations, networking opportunities, and more.

The 2023 Historic New England Summit is your opportunity to gain inspiration from and connect with cutting-edge thought leaders in preservation, arts and culture, social history, education, advocacy, and municipal government. Join the continuing conversation on some of today’s most complex and pressing challenges in these fields and beyond. Share your ideas, collaborate on solutions, and discover new perspectives to strengthen the livability and vitality of our communities.

One of this year’s themes is Sustainability and Climate Change. What is the role of cultural and preservation organizations in driving climate action? What strategies and commitments are essential to achieving net-zero and zero-waste sustainability targets? What innovative strategies are being deployed to protect collections from pervasive, destructive pests?

On the National Register of Historic Places, The VETS is ideally located in downtown Providence on the revitalized Avenue of the Arts across from the Rhode Island State House. It is acclaimed for its unique combination of size and intimacy. The theater celebrates flawless acoustics, a breathtaking proscenium stage, and exquisite interior.

Complete details and registration may be found at https://summit.historicnewengland.org/register/ Early bird pricing is available through July 16. Online 2-Day member price $55, nonmember $68. After July 17, $90 & $110.

Monday, July 24 – Thursday, July 27 – NOFA Summer Conference, Live and Online

The NOFA Summer Conference is the annual summer gathering of the Northeast Organic Farming Association. NOFA is a non-profit organization of over 5,000 small-scale farmers, gardeners, consumers and food system reformers. We promote healthy food, organic regenerative farming practices, and climate disruption solutions through soil management strategies.

The 49th annual NOFA Summer Conference begins online: Monday, July 24 – Thursday July 27, with evening workshops. On Friday July 28 and Saturday July 29, we gather in-person and online at Worcester State University, Worcester, MA for knowledge sharing and celebration through workshops and discussions, racial equity talks, children’s programming, plus local food and drink, music, and a fair. The 2023 theme is Buen Vivir: Celebrating Harmony with Nature and Our Communities. Buen Vivir is a contemporary philosophy rooted in Indigenous Andean traditions of collective care, land stewardship, and harmonious co-existence. For complete information and registration, visit https://www.nofamass.org/nofa-summer-conference/