Boston Flora

Friday, April 25, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm & Saturday, May 2, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Tree Giveaway: Earth Day Celebration

Berkshire Botanical Garden is celebrating Earth Day!

Join BBG’s Ron Kujawski on Friday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Stockbridge Library, and receive a bare root tree with instructions on how to plant it in celebration of Earth Day/Arbor Day! Can’t make it on April 25? An additional supply will be available at BBG on Friday, May 2, from 4 to 6 p.m. outside the Education Center at BBG. Trees planted throughout the Berkshires will benefit the earth, our people and our pollinators!

White Oak, Eastern Pine, Silky Dogwood (below) and Sugar Maple trees, all native to our region, will be available for you to take home and plant. For more information visit https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/tree-giveaway-earth-day-celebration

Thursday, May 22 & Saturday, May 24, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – City Natives Spring Plant Sale

The City Natives Nursery 2024 spring plant sale is here! Pre-orders open at https://bit.ly/citynativesplantsale

We will have a wide selection of seedlings including annual vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers, as well as native herbaceous perennials and woody plants for sale.

The 2025 plant sale will include pre-orders and in-person shopping. Pre-orders are open now (using link above) for pick up mid-May. Vegetable supply is limited- pre-order to ensure availability.

City Natives, part of The Trustees of Reservations, is located at 30 Edgewater St in Mattapan, a short walk from the Mattapan Square trolley station. There is limited parking available on site.

Pre-order pick up dates: May 8, 10, 15, 17 from 9am-3pm

In-person shopping: May 22 and 24 from 9am-3pm

We accept cash, credit, and debit for in person sales. If you show your EBT card we can offer a 50% discount on vegetable plant sales.

Saturday, April 26, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Top 40 Plants for the Naturalistic Garden

Many gardeners are experimenting with the more natural style of planting popularized by the “Dutch Wave” and New York City’s High Line, but most of the plants that work best for these designs aren’t as familiar as our classic border perennials. Join plantsman Robert Clyde Anderson as he guides you through his best recommendations, a list distilled from over 20 years of nursery and planting experience. This three-hour session on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. will include an illustrated lecture, handouts, an on-site walkabout on the Berkshire Botanical Garden grounds, and time for questions and shared experiences. BBG members $50, nonmembers $70. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/top-40-plants-naturalistic-garden

Robert Clyde Anderson is a garden designer, consultant and writer who found his way to the Hudson Valley after a New York City career in illustration and book design. A native of Louisiana and a lifelong gardener, he has designed and maintained gardens in COlumbia County as well as working in area nurseries, most recently at Pondside Nursery in Hudson, N.Y., for five years, and before that at Loomis Creek Nursery in Claverack, N.Y., for eight years. Robert makes his home in Stuyvesant, N.Y., where he maintains a two-acre “laboratory” garden that includes shrub borders, a sunny terraced xeric garden, a shady wooded streamside area, a moist meadow planting, a kitchen garden, and a small flock of chickens. He writes about plants and gardening on his personal blog, Sempervivum, at www.robertclydeanderson.com.

Saturday, May 3, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Early Spring Blooms

At the beginning of May, flowers are just starting to emerge from the trees and shrubs of the Arboretum: cherry trees, dogwood, redbuds, and magnolias are all blooming this time of year. Join Arboretum docent Paul Eldrenkamp on May 3 at 10 am in front of the Hunnewell Building to see, smell, and learn about these early spring blooms! This tour will include paved roads and woodchip paths. Please wear weather-appropriate clothing and closed toe walking shoes. Tours may be canceled in cases of the following weather conditions: severe wind, snow, ice, thunder or lightning events; temperatures over 90 degrees; temperatures below 20 degrees; or other weather events at the discretion of Arboretum staff. In the case of cancelation, you will be contacted by Arboretum staff no later than 2 hours before the start of the event. If you have questions about the status of a program, please email or call the Visitor Center at (617) 384-5209 between 10:00am and 4:00pm. Register at https://arboretum.harvard.edu/events/early-spring-blooms-302/?occurrence=2025-05-03

Friday, May 2 – Sunday, May 4 – Art in Bloom 2025

Celebrate spring’s arrival with Art in Bloom at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston! This beloved event showcases the expertise of New England garden clubs, professional designers, and MFA floral volunteers, who create interpretive arrangements inspired by artworks from the collection. Enjoy dozens of bold arrangements throughout the building, along with special events, guided tours, dining, and shopping. This year’s event takes place May 2 – May 4 during Museum hours. Specific lectures and workshops may be found at https://www.mfa.org/event/special-event/art-in-bloom. Highlights include Sandra Sigman Master Classes on Saturday, May 3 at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm (members $300, nonmembers $325), a Member Night on Saturday May 3 from 6 – 10, and a community installation with Jimmy Guzman all weekend, which allows visitors to assist him as he builds botanical pieces in Gallery 168.

Streaming Now – The Salmon Forest Project

Indigenous leaders and researchers collaborate to show how traditional knowledge and western science can work to restore the connections that sustain salmon and thousands of other species living in their delicate forest environments. The movie can be streamed at https://salmonforestproject.ca/

Directed by acclaimed British Columbia filmmaker Bill Heath, The Salmon Forest Project documentary delves into the intricate relationship between Pacific salmon, forests, and the Heiltsuk people in the coastal rainforests of British Columbia. It features insights from UBC Faculty of Forestry experts Dr. Teresa Ryan (Sm’hayetsk; Tsm’syen) and internationally celebrated author Dr. Suzanne Simard.

Tuesday, April 29, 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm Eastern – Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard, Online

A recent report commissioned by Friends of the Earth found that the U.S. food retail sector’s use of pesticides on just four crops could result in $219 billion in financial, climate, and biodiversity risks between now and 2050. The report identified $34 billion in biodiversity risks associated with pollinator-harming pesticides. Friends of the Earth’s Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard shows that major U.S. food retailers are increasingly acknowledging the role pesticides play in biodiversity loss. Since 2018, thirteen of the retailers ranked on the scorecard have established policies aimed at reducing toxic pesticides in their supply chains, signaling a significant shift taking place across the food retail sector. These efforts follow a multi-year campaign led by Friends of the Earth and supported by over 100 environmental, public health, farmer, and farmworker organizations across the country. Yet, despite this promising trend, efforts fall far short of what is needed to address this massive liability. Join Dr. Kendra Klein online on April 29 at 7 pm Eastern to learn more about the findings of the report and what companies are doing. This free Zoom is presented by Grow Native Massachusetts and you may register at www.grownativemass.org

Kendra Klein, PhD is Deputy Director of Science at Friends of the Earth. She leads research on pesticides, environmental health, and sustainable agriculture. Prior to joining FOE, she held positions at Physicians for Social Responsibility, Health Care Without Harm, and Breast Cancer Action. Klein is a Switzer Environmental Fellow and her work has appeared in publications including The Guardian, The Nation, and Gastronomica. She holds a BA from Miami University of Ohio and a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy & Management from UC Berkeley.

Monday, April 28, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Brookline Greenspace Alliance Annual Meeting

The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Brookline GreenSpace Alliance will be held on Monday, April 28, 5:30–7:30 PM, at Boston University’s Wightman House, at the corner of Monmouth Street and Hawes Street. BGSA members and the public are invited.

Nancy O’Connor, former chair of Brookline’s Park and Recreation Commission, will speak on What I Learned in Twenty-Seven Years on the Park and Recreation Commission.

The agenda also will include election of members of the BGSA Board of Directors and a vote on proposed amendments to the BGSA bylaws. Many amendments are technical corrections. Others are updates that reflect changes since the bylaws were drafted in the late 1980s, particularly the now-widespread use of email and virtual meetings.

The bylaw amendments and an explanation are available here:
https://www.brooklinegreenspace.org/pdf/2025%20Bylaw%20changes%20explained.pdf

Please email info@brooklinegreenspace.org to let us know if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting and whether you are a BGSA member. Because we will be voting on bylaw amendments, we need to know how many members will attend. BGSA members are defined as (1) any individual who has made a financial contribution of at least $25 since January 1, 2024; (2) representatives of Park Friends groups (one representative and one vote per group); and (3) members of the BGSA Board of Directors. Nonmembers may attend the meeting but may not vote. If you are not sure of your membership status, please email info@brooklinegreenspace.org to inquire.

Sunday, April 27, 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm – Pop-Up Springtime Stroll and Brunch at Powisset Farm

In this special seasonal pop-up event, join The Trustees at Powisset Farm in Dover for a perfect springtime Sunday morning. You’ll begin with a leisurely stroll around the farm with Ranger Stacie to soak in the season and hear about how spring is appearing across the property. Then, you’ll meet Chef Thi in the historic barn’s kitchen to sit at communal dining tables and experience a beautiful, bountiful brunch filled with spring’s best ingredients. Trustees members $80, nonmembers $95. For complete menu, and to register, visit https://thetrustees.org/event/427271/

Tuesdays, April 15 – June 3, 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm Eastern (but recorded) – Chocolate: From Commodity Crop to Ephemeral Luxury, Online

Chocolate. The word evokes images of rich desserts, steaming bowls of hot cocoa, and artistic displays of delicious truffles. The so-called “food of the gods” may be the most universally loved food in the world. What consumers experience as an ephemeral indulgence is also a crucial commodity crop for 5 million cacao producers worldwide, as well as the basis of global chocolate and confectionery markets valued at approximately $100 billion.

To love chocolate is to know it deeply enough to make informed decisions when buying and consuming it. In this Stanford University online continuing education course on Tuesdays, April 15 – June 3, we will explore the historical, cultural, and scientific implications of our society’s fascination with chocolate. Together, we will learn how cacao and chocolate move from the farm to your palate, engaging with questions of tropical agronomy, international trade and manufacturing, global politics, contemporary ethics, and social justice. Of course, the most satisfying way to learn about chocolate is by eating it. The course will include guided tastings to help you develop a comprehensive understanding of how chocolate is not just one flavor but rather a gateway to many sensory experiences. This course is for people who seek to be more confident in their ability to navigate chocolate products and who want to be more thoughtful about their chocolate consumption.

Tuition $425. Recordings will be available. Register HERE. This course includes optional chocolate tastings. The cost will be approximately $150–$200. Enrolled students will receive information about how to order.

Faculty:

Carla D. Martin is a lecturer at Harvard and the founder and president of the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing inequality and information asymmetry throughout the cacao and chocolate value chain. She lectures widely and has taught extensively in African and African American studies, critical food studies, social anthropology, and ethnomusicology. Martin has received numerous awards in recognition of excellence in teaching and research.

José López Ganem is the director of innovation at the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute and an instructor at Boston University. He is also a trained sensory professional in the fields of cacao, chocolate, tea, sake, and wine via the Culinary Institute of America and Wine & Spirit Education Trust.