Boston Flora

Wednesday, February 26, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Eastern – Places to Play: Molineux Stadium, From Pleasure Garden to Premier League

Designed landscapes are typically defined as places laid out for artistic effect or aesthetic purposes, somewhere to contemplate and admire. Yet many people have a much more active relationship with outdoor spaces, engaging with them for jogging, cycling, ball games, playgrounds and carnival rides. They are places to play.

This Gardens Trust series will examine the relationship between historic designed landscapes and organized recreation. We’ll be exploring children’s outdoor play, a world-famous theme park set among a Grade 1 Regency landscape, a Premier League football stadium that was once a Victorian pleasure ground, an early 18th-century estate that is now a golf course, and a Victorian public park which was opposed by local workers despite its claimed recreational and health-giving benefits.

This ticket (register HERE) is for this individual session and costs £8, and you may purchase tickets for other individual sessions, or you may purchase a ticket for the entire course of 5 sessions at a cost of £35 via the link here. (Gardens Trust members £6 or £26.25). 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 2 weeks) will be sent shortly afterwards.

Week Three: While many football clubs up and down the country built their stadiums upon disused waste land, some decided gardens and other green spaces were suitable homes for their pitch. Molineux Stadium, the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, was once the site of a renowned pleasure garden. Hosting fetes, exhibitions and more genteel sports, it claimed to cater to every class of Victorian Wolverhampton. Upon its decline, Northampton Brewery sold it to the football club, and Molineux was born.

Wolves were certainly not the only football club to build upon green spaces like gardens, nurseries and orchards; but there is marked symbolic and socioeconomic change that comes with the new uses of these sites.

This talk uses Molineux Stadium as a case study for these changes. From pleasure garden to Premier League, leisure is now athleisure, visitors are now primarily working class and production is now marked by performance.

Liv Beards is an independent researcher from Wolverhampton. After completing her Masters on Shakespeare, focusing on garden history, she has recently begun researching the sporting history of her hometown. A freelance writer and editor, she has previously been a cultural reviewer for art, music, film and television and has contributed to art shows, and academic conferences.

©Liv Beards

Friday, February 7, 7:00 pm Eastern – Two Tales of Floristic Change in Southern New England: Orchids and Northern Species, Live and Online

Floras change over time in response to numerous variables, including land use changes, species introductions, climate change, and other factors. This New England Botanical Society talk at 7 pm on February 7 will examine and attempt to explain changes in frequencies of two groups of plants in southern New England: orchids and northern species (i.e., those near the southern end of their range). It will include a discussion of different data sources and their limitations and the challenges of dealing with potentially confounding factors. Speaker Dr. Robert Bertin is Professor Emeritus of Biology at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. The talk will be live and on Zoom.

Non-members may register for the meeting access link here.

Saturday, February 8, 7:00 am – 1:00 pm Eastern – 12th Annual Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Conservation Symposium: Seeds of Change, Conservation Through Diversity, Online

Join The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden on February 8 online for its free 12th Annual Conservation Symposium presented by the Nakashima-Rennie family, where our community and scientists come together to celebrate the incredible world of seeds and their vital role in restoring habitats and conserving rare species. This year’s theme, “Seeds of Change: Conservation Through Diversity,” will explore the fascinating diversity of seeds, emphasizing their importance as living resources crucial to our planet’s ecological health.

Seeds are not just the foundation of life but are also powerful tools for restoration. We’ll discuss how diverse, regionally-adapted seed collections are essential to successful habitat restoration and the preservation of rare species. Genetics play a critical role, and our speakers will explain why maintaining genetic diversity in seed collections is key to resilient ecosystems.

Across the nation, movements like Seeds of Success, Seed LA, and the Northeast Seed Network are leading the charge in collecting, growing, and storing native plant seeds. At this symposium, you’ll hear directly from growers and conservationists who are at the forefront of these efforts. They’ll share their experiences and insights on what it takes to build and maintain robust seed banks and how these efforts are shaping national and regional native plant seed strategies.

We will also highlight the growing momentum behind these strategies and how the Garden and other regions are using this to guide conservation practices. Whether you’re a seasoned conservationist or a passionate newcomer, you’ll leave with practical knowledge on how you can contribute to these vital efforts.

Together, we can all play a part in conserving our natural heritage, one seed at a time. Register at www.sbbotanicgarden.org

Saturday, February 15, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Lunar New Year Festival: Year of the Snake

Come welcome the Year of the Snake at the Peabody Essex Museum on February 15 with a vibrant festival heralding new beginnings and the coming of spring! Enjoy a scavenger hunt, art making and guided tours of Yin Yu Tang.

Lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. While some traditions are shared across countries, others are unique to one region, community or national cultural identity. Our programming this year focuses on Chinese cultural traditions.

Drop-In Art Making: Decorating Red Envelopes
1–4 pm
East India Marine Hall
Decorate your own red envelope, a symbol of luck and prosperity in Chinese culture. Suitable for all ages.

Dragon Quest
1–5 pm | Ground Level, Level 2 and Level 3
Explore all three levels of the museum on the hunt for dragons and snakes! Claim your prize in the Garden Atrium. Suitable for all ages.

Outdoor Dance Performance | Gund Kwok: Asian Women’s Lion and Dragon Dance Troupe
1:15–1:45 pm
Essex Street in front of the museum’s Main Entrance

Experience the energy and grace of Gund Kwok, the first all-Asian women’s Lion and Dragon Dance troupe in the U.S. Stick around after the performance for a chance to interact with the performers and meet their dragons up close!

In the event of rain or inclement weather, the dragons will greet visitors inside the Main Atrium and roam throughout the museum instead.

Self-Guided Tours | Yin Yu Tang: A Chinese Home
1:15–4:15 pm; Every 30 minutes
Reservations required. Limited same-day tickets available at the Information desk beginning at 1 pm.
Yin Yu Tang — translated as “Hall of Plentiful Shelter” — was home to the Huang family for nearly two hundred years. For over 20 years, Yin Yu Tang has been a gateway into understanding the art and culture of generations of families living and working in rural Southeastern China.

Yin Yu Tang is currently undergoing work to preserve its roof tiles and masonry walls. During your visit, scaffolding may be present and work may be actively underway. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

For complete information visit https://www.pem.org/events/lunar-new-year-festival-year-of-the-snake

Monday, February 10, 1:00 pm Eastern – Zoo Horticulture, Online

Since the establishment of the first zoological garden in 1752 in Vienna, zoos have undergone a major transformation. Initially set up as menageries to entertain the public, they later became taxonomic animal collections and today engage in a wide range of conservation and education work. The role of horticulture in zoos has changed accordingly, as is illustrated by the remit of the horticulture teams at London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo, both run by the Zoological Society of London. When the Society opened “The Gardens at the Regent’s Park” in London in 1828 (which subsequently became known as London Zoo), the sole purpose of horticulture was to provide a gardenesque setting in which visitors could promenade past the animals on display. This contrasts a much more holistic mindset these days which uses horticulture and plant related expertise to benefit animal welfare, provide visitors with an inspiring and educational experience, and manage both sites for local wildlife. This talk by Sven Seiffert, Curator of Plants at ZSL, will look at the challenges, quirks, and enjoyment that zoo horticulturalists face as they navigate the unique demands of this approach. £8.00 The recording of the live talk will be available to registrants for one week following the lecture. Register at https://londongardenstrust.org/lecture-details/?event=Creating-Hiding-Places

Saturday, February 8, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Eastern – All About Terrariums and Vivariums, Online

Discover how to design your own terrarium or vivarium with Christopher Satch, plant scientist and award-winning exhibitor at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Through lecture and demonstration, he’ll discuss how to set up a simple, easy care terrarium, how to create an automated climate-controlled vivarium, and everything in between. This New York Botanical Garden online class on February 8 from 11 – 1 is $50 for NYBG members, $55 for nonmembers. Register at www.nybg.org

Tuesday, February 4, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Plant Propagation for the Home Gardener, Online

Discover how to reproduce the plants you love. The New York Botanic Garden will hold an online session February 4 at 6 pm with Jennifer Cappello-Ruggiero. Learn the best ways to create cuttings and make divisions for propagating different species. We’ll discuss what rooting material to use and how to care for your new plants as they grow. Practice repotting and take home a freshly planted cutting or two. NYBG members $55, nonmembers $59. Register at www.nybg.org.

Monday, February 3 – Saturday, May 3 – Frank M. Costantino: Visionary Projects

For over fifty years, acclaimed illustrator Frank M. Costantino provided the world’s leading architects, designers, and developers with hand-drawn project designs from his studio in Winthrop, Massachusetts. This Boston Athenaeum exhibition of his work features over 80 drawings and watercolors. The exhibit will be on view February 3 – May 3.

Focused on Boston and New England projects, the exhibition showcases key landmarks such as the Hynes Convention Center, Esplanade 2020 Vision, and the Old State House renovation. Costantino’s meticulous detail and vibrant depictions, from finished renderings to preparatory sketches, reveal his creative and collaborative process.

This exhibition not only celebrates Costantino’s unparalleled skill but also highlights the Athenaeum’s dedication to local artists and architectural heritage.

Wednesdays, February 5 – February 19, 11:00 am – 2:30 pm Eastern – Practical Aspects of Botanical Art, Online

Whether or not you decide to pursue botanical art as a business, knowing standard practices will be useful. Over the course of this New York Botanic Garden online class, you’ll learn the basics of dealing with galleries and artists’ reps, including; pricing, contracts and sales agreements, how/when to sell certain rights, how to market your work (best options for promotional printing such as business cards, exhibition postcards, booklets will be covered) and how to develop and license products. To round out the concepts, you’ll learn how to prepare for an exhibition or develop your own one-person show. Carol Woodin will lead. Waitlist available. Click HERE to add your name.

Tuesday, February 4, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Eastern – Celebrate the Winter Garden with Warren Leach, Online

The winter landscape may be quiet, but the garden doesn’t have to be bleak! With thoughtful planning you can celebrate winter’s unique beauty and enjoy brightly colored berries, twigs, stems, foliage, and even winter-blooming flowers that shrug off the snow and cold.

Join Innisfree Gardens on February 4 at 1 pm Eastern online with award-winning landscape designer, horticulturist, nurseryman, and plant collector Warren Leach. Showcasing stunning gardens he has created, Warren will share inspired design ideas and plant choices that will help you create a more engaging and beautiful winter garden. Warren Leach’s new book, Plants for the Winter Garden, has already garnered tremendous praise, including during a recent interview with Margaret Roach. We are delighted to host him for this exclusive virtual lecture, the only online talk he will be giving in his busy 2025 speaking calendar.

Warren Leach has been sharing his expertise and passion for more than thirty-five years, designing private gardens and displays at major garden shows throughout New England as well as teaching and publishing widely. He has received the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Gold Medal, the Elizabeth and Roger Swain Award, multiple awards from the National Landscape Association, and many others. Warren and his wife own Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth, MA.

There will be a Q&A session at the end of the lecture. A link to the recorded talk will be emailed to ticket-holders. $25 for Innisfree members, $35 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.innisfreegarden.org/2025calendar/wintergarden