Boston Flora

Wednesday, August 10, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – In Search of Butterflies & Dragonflies

On Wednesday, August 10 at 10 am, join Jeremiah Trimble, Curatorial Associate, Ornithology, Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, for a leisurely walk around Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, exploring habitats from pond edges to wildflower patches, in search of the various types of butterflies and dragonflies. Free for Friends of Mount Auburn, $12 for general public. Register online at https://mountauburn.org/event/in-search-of-butterflies-and-dragonflies-3/

Funding for programs has been provided in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Image result for Butterflies in Mount Auburn Cemetery

Tuesday, August 9, 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Modern Tree Climbing Techniques & Trends

Join Massachusetts Arborists Association and Shelter Tree on August 9 from 2 – 7 for an afternoon of climbing and gear demos. Barbecue dinner will follow at the festive outdoor German Club biergarten, 8 County Street in Walpole. MCA & ISA credits available.

Monday, August 8, 5:00 pm – Implications of a Changing Arctic, Online

The Arctic is changing rapidly, with effects near and far. This Context Learning online seminar on August 8 will examine how those changes affect people and ecosystems in the Arctic and also global society.

The loss of Arctic sea ice affects winter weather in the eastern United States. China and Russia see shipping opportunities through Arctic waters. Ten countries cooperate to stop illegal fishing in the central Arctic Ocean. What happens in the Arctic is not staying in the Arctic. Join an experienced Arctic scientist to dig deeper into why the Arctic matters now more than ever.

Arctic change has profound effects on the people who call this region home. The ramifications of change are spreading around the world. Although much of the news is alarming, there are also stories of resilience and action as people respond to change in many ways, large and small. What is happening in the Arctic is a warning for the globe, and can also be an inspiration to those seeking a sustainable future for our planet. From Shanghai to Svalbard, this seminar will address Arctic affairs locally and globally.

Led by an expert on Arctic science and policy, Henry Huntington, this interactive seminar will dig beyond the headlines. Designed to stoke curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of the influence the Arctic has on our planet’s present and future.

This conversation is part of a 3-part series on the arctic with Dr. Henry Huntington. Each session is designed as a stand-alone seminar as well as part of the series. Price per lecture: $26.50. Register at https://www.contextlearning.com/collections/seminars/products/implications-changing-arctic

Saturday, August 6, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, and Sunday, August 7, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Chatham Liberty Summer Craft Festival

Come and meet the Artisans …. This intimate fair at the Chatham Community Center Lawn, 702 Main Street in Chatham, features 55 select artisans who will display and sell their American made works including fine jewelry, pottery, scarves, quilts, photography, vintage chic, metal, wall hangings, fiber art, candles, soap, dried floral, furniture, aromatherapy, wearable art, folks art, pet treats, slate and more. Come and sample specialty foods such as kettle corn, oils, jams, jellies and more. The Community Center is located directly on Main Street in charming Chatham, MA. Free admission, rain or shine, friendly pets on a leash welcome.

Friday, August 5, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Ask the Expert: Backyard Gardening, Online

How do you transform a backyard from a blank plot of land into a lush paradise to enjoy? Whether it’s a vast field or a cozy corner, any yard can be a place to connect with nature around you. At GBH’s next Ask the Expert: Backyard Gardening event, public garden expert Karen Daubmann is prepared to help you transform your space into something ethereal. Bring your questions, and before you know it, you will have your own wildlife getaway!

Daubmann has committed to create effective and longstanding change in public gardens throughout her 25-year career. She joined Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MHS) in March 2022, where she brings her experience in advancing the operational and planning scale of public gardens. In the development and execution of exhibitions that have welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors, Daubmann focuses her work on encouraging guests to connect and interact with gardens through art, nature and culture. Prior to joining MHS, she worked for 14 years at the New York Botanical Garden, culminating in her position as vice president for exhibitions and audience engagement. She has been featured in Jennifer Jewell’s The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants and has contributed essays for Kusama: Cosmic Nature, 2021 and Frida Kahlo’s Garden, 2015.

Daubmann lives and gardens with her husband Matt and dog Klaus in coastal Rhode Island.

Register HERE for this virtual Ask The Expert event. GBH will email you the link to this virtual event once you have registered.

GBH will be using Zoom Webinar for this event. Zoom is free to the public but will require a computer download. You can download Zoom here. If you already have Zoom you will not need to download the platform again.

Saturdays, August 13 – October 22 (excluding September 3 & October 8), 11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Soil Science 1: Physical Properties, Online

Soil is a dynamic, living organism and the very foundation of sustainable horticulture and agriculture. This course focuses on the texture, structure, density, and color of different soils and the dynamic relationship that exists among soil, water, and plants. Through lectures, learn irrigation and drainage techniques and explore how soil, organic matter, and microbiology relate to plant health and soil conservation. This New York Botanical Garden class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Recommended text is Edward J. Plaster’s Soil Science and Management, 6th Edition. The instructor is David Bulpitt.

David Bulpitt is the head of the Horticulture Department at Tarrant County College in Ft. Worth, Texas, teaching classes in a broad range of Horticulture topics from Soil Science to Greenhouse management. Before moving to Texas in 2014, David was teaching classes at NYBG for over 18 years. David also managed a full service nursery business in the NYC metro area for years, and was involved in many local projects including Battery Park City Parks , and the Highline in NYC.

The series is $455 for NYBG members, $495 for nonmembers. Register at www.nybg.org

Tuesdays, August 2 – August 30, 3:00 pm – Greener Greenspaces in Canada, Online

The Society for Organic Urban Land Care (SOUL) celebrates the 2022 Year of the Ecological Garden with an online series of virtual tours. On August 2, see Nature Regina’s Native Plant Demonstration Garden in Saskatchewan, on August 9 visit Petite Rivier Community Park in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, August 16 is to be confirmed, August 23 – Windermere United Church Pollinator Garden in Toronto, and finally, on August 30, see Eglinton Community Garden and Medicine Wheel Garden. The programs are free, but registration required through Eventbrite by clicking HERE.

Wednesday, August 10, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Why Native Plants Matter: Beauty, Biodiversity, and Resilience

The Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury is sponsoring the Annual David H. Smith Memorial Lecture on August 10 at 5:30 pm at the Arboretum.

Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project, will share the many reasons we should bring native flora back into our developed landscapes. Native plants are excellent additions to our gardens; they are beautiful, they are important for our regions’ ecosystem functioning, and they do not need the high inputs of water and nutrients of commonly cultivated plants. Heather will provide insight into what is happening in the nursery trade with native plants, including loss of genetic diversity and cloning, and how we can all promote our native flora by planting seed-grown native plants. $5 for PHA members, $10 for nonmembers.

Registration is required. Sign up here: bit.ly/Heather-McCargo-Lecture

Tuesday, August 16, 12:00 – 1:00 pm Eastern – The Art of Bonsai Explained, Online

In this Missouri Botanical Garden virtual presentation on August 16 at noon Eastern time, Jesse Gilbertson from the Bonsai Society of Greater Saint Louis will discuss the traditional Japanese art of Bonsai and how it is evolving in the modern world. Closely associated with Japanese Garden aesthetics, today many people are bringing miniature trees into their own small gardens and city yards to enjoy and engage with nature during a time when we are spending more time at home.

Join Jesse to learn about the basics of bonsai aesthetics, plant care, and how this 2000 year old artform has evolved to become practiced all over the globe.

FREE for MBG members; registration required. Click here to register and to learn more about becoming a member of MBG.

Tuesdays, August 23, September 20, October 25, November 15, & December 13, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Massachusetts Horticultural Society Book Group

Join other enthusiasts in great conversation while immersed in the beauty of the Garden. Our Book Club meets at 1:30pm in the Crockett Garden, or in the event of weather, in the Dearborn Room in the Education Center, at the Gardens at Elm Bank in Wellesley. Enjoy the sunshine and discussion with like-minded individuals.

Tuesday, August 23, 1:30 p.m. – The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean

· Tuesday September 20, 1:30 p.m. – Around The World In Eighty Plants by Jonathan Drori.
For those who have read this one, another option could be Around The World In Eighty Trees and again we might have an interesting discussion comparing the two books.

· Tuesday October 25, 1:30 p.m. – Old Herbaceous by Reginald Arkell

· Tuesday November 15, 1:30 p.m. – The Gardener’s Bedtime Book by Richardson Wright.

· Tuesday December 13, 1:30 p.m. – Hands On The Land, by Jan Albers.

Free with Admission to the Garden. To join the list visit www.masshort.org