Boston Flora

Saturday, October 12, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Creating the Brooklyn Bridge Park

On October 12 at 3 pm, enjoy a talk at The Polly Hill Arboretum Far Barn, 795 State Road in West Tisbury. Brooklyn Bridge Park, 1.3 miles long and more than 20 years in the making, has transformed an abandoned waterfront into a public landscape visited by 5 million people a year. Combining the perspectives of designer and horticulturalist, Michael Van Valkenburgh and Rashid Poulson will discuss the planning, realization, and stewardship of the landscape with a special focus on planting design and ecology, emphasizing the continued collaboration between the firm and park operations team. The conversation marks the arrival Brooklyn Bridge Park, a visual biography of the landscape by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates released by the Monacelli Press in early 2024. $20 ($10 for PHA members). Please pre-register at https://www.pollyhillarboretum.org/event/creating-the-brooklyn-bridge-park/?instance_id=2439

Saturday, October 12, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Chesterfield Foliage Hike with Adventure East

October can be the most beautiful time of year for exploring the local forests of New England. We have carefully chosen the best scenic Trustees of Reservations properties for optimal foliage viewing. This hike will take place October 12 beginning at 10 am in lovely Chesterfield. Go on an adventure with a knowledgeable guide who can help you identify all the wild wonders of our local forests. Time spent in nature has been proven to improve cognitive and mental health benefits, as well as improvements in mood and emotional well-being. Equipped with the proper gear, our guides will help you safely navigate in the natural world. Let’s go on an adventure and reconnect with nature! Trustees members receive a 20% discount, please email aduquette@thetrustees.org for the discount code to be entered on the Adventure East website. $35.

Age Level: 10+
Skill Level: Beginner
Fitness Level: Basic

What’s included:
• 2-hour guided hike with experienced naturalist

What To Bring:
• Layers appropriate to the weather
• Plenty of drinking water
• Sturdy comfortable hiking footwear

Friday, October 11, 9:00 am – 1:30 pm – Cacao, Gift of Gods: Celebrating Mesoamerican Cacao and Chocolate Heritage

Boston University’s Departments of Arts & Sciences and Pardee School of Global Studies, invite you to an exhibition and cooking demonstration at the Boston University Food Studies Program, 808 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, on October 11 from 9 am- 1:30 pm. Many of the ﬁnest pieces of art from Mesoamerica can only be seen outside of the region, in museums and private collections of North America, Europe and East Asia. Chocolate researchers Jose Lopez Ganem (Boston University), Dr. Carla D. Martin (Harvard University), and Dr. Kathryn Sampeck (University of Reading) of the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute (FCCI) are on a mission to change this. Over the past year, the FCCI team has worked to secure the repatriation of more than 50 antique Mesoamerican pieces in collaboration with the governments of Mexico and Central America. In advance of the return of these pieces to their countries of origin, come view these examples of priceless cultural heritage, celebrate their impact on the history of cacao and chocolate, and taste traditional cacao and chocolate recipes.

BU Food Studies faculty Dr. Karen Metheny and Jose Lopez Ganem will present a snapshot on the intersection of Food Studies, Archeology, and Cacao and Chocolate, followed by traditional indigenous chef Estela Calzada demonstration of Pre-Hispanic cuisine; featuring dishes with nopales, grasshoppers, corn, squash seeds and blossoms, and cacao. This portion of the event will run from 10 AM to 1 PM. Due to the size of the space, a limited number of tickets will be available. You must have a ticket to attend. Free. Tickets available on Eventbrite HERE.

Thursday, October 17, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Pumpkin Centerpieces

Join us at Gore Place in Watertown on the evening of Thursday, October 17, 6:30 – 8:30, to create a seasonal centerpiece. Using pumpkins, succulents, moss, and ribbons, we will guide participants through the process of creating a beautiful display piece that can transition from the fall to the winter season.

After you finish your centerpiece, you’ll have the chance to make two other cute pumpkin decorations, one using mason jar lids and the other plaid fabric. All supplies will be provided. Participants will take home at least one large centerpiece and may also have to chance to make mini versions as well!

Space is limited, so make sure to reserve your spot! *This workshop is intended for ages 13 and up. Cost: $40 General Admission, $35 Member. Register at https://goreplace.org/whats-on/traditional-skills-october-workshop

Sunday, October 6, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Eastern – Styling Flowers for Photography, Online

Professional prop stylist Robin Zachary shares creative ways to style and photograph your finished floral arrangements for use on your website, portfolio, and/or social media accounts. Learn how to design a set with a variety of backdrops and props in different styles and discover tips on how to find the optimal spots to capture these photos in your home or studio.

Please be advised that this New York Botanic Garden class is focused on photography and styling. As such, participants will not be creating floral arrangements. The class will be held online, and is $65 for NYBG members, $70 for nonmembers. Register at www.nybg.org

Uli Lorimer Named as “Ask the Gardener” Columnist for The Boston Globe

Native Plant Trust, the nation’s first plant conservation organization and the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants, announced that Uli Lorimer, Director of Horticulture, will become the next “Ask the Gardener” columnist for The Boston Globe. Following his predecessors, long-time columnist Carol Stocker and more recently, R. Wayne Mezitt, Lorimer will explore garden-related topics and answer questions submitted by Globe readers in a bi-weekly column, while remaining full time at Native Plant Trust.

“Anyone who knows Uli knows that he was made for this role,” notes Tim Johnson, CEO of Native Plant Trust. “He has been teaching and inspiring gardeners for decades as a speaker, sage, and author of The Northeast Native Plant Primer and other works. His garden scholarship, personal insights, and poetic language constantly straddle science, art, and philosophy, encouraging us all to live a little more in tune with the natural world and to lighten our footprint on this earth through ecological horticulture.”

Saturday, October 12, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm – Cranberry Festival

Edaville Family Theme Park is excited to bring back a scaled-down version of a beloved New England tradition, the Cranberry Festival, featuring a flea market, craft market, steam train rides, live music, amusement rides, and more! The fair is located at 5 Pine Street in Carver, Massachusetts. Website https://www.facebook.com/events/7917677828262074

Season Passes are accepted at this event.

Wednesday, October 16, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Transformative Landscape Design: Reconnecting People to Ecology, Online

Studio Lily Kwong’s practice sits at the intersection between horticulture, urban design, contemporary art, and climate awareness with a mission to reconnect people to ecology through transformative landscape projects and site-specific art installations. This American Horticultural Society talk on October 16 at 7 pm will focus on the studio’s philosophy and its unique approach of using plant life as an artistic medium, using exhibitions The Orchid Show: Natural Heritage and an upcoming public art piece for Madison Square Park as examples of works that embody the inspirations and goals of SLK’s projects. $15 for AHS members, $20 for nonmembers.

We will also delve into process – Studio Lily Kwong’s commitment to ecological work starts with our commitment to materials and community. From initial concept development through build, use and end of life, the materials and practices used for our programs are ethically sourced, executed, reused and recycled. In addition to exploring the philosophical framework of our projects, we will also share the technical and logistical aspects of approach that make our pieces thrive and grow.

LA-based Artist Lily Kwong works at the intersection between horticulture, urban design, contemporary art, and climate awareness, reconnecting people to nature through transformative landscape projects and site-specific botanical art installations.

Kwong has been part of numerous public art initiatives since beginning her practice in 2017, including botanical installations at The Highline, NY; Faena Arts, Miami; Grand Central Station, NY; Salone del Mobile, Milan; EXPO CHICAGO, Chicago; and many more. Most recently, she made history as the first female & person of color to take on the role of guest designer for the New York Botanical Garden’s 20th anniversary orchid show – The Orchid Show: Natural Heritage focused on Lily’s Chinese roots & broke attendance records with 265,000 visitors throughout the show’s 3-month run in 2023. She has received numerous accolades for her work: ARCHMARATHON & Dezeen Awards in 2020 for Glossier Seattle, and the World Spa Awards for Shou Sugi Ban House in East Hampton, NY. Kwong has also featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 under the Art & Style Category in 2018 and ELLE Decor’s A-List. She has been selected to speak at MOCA, The Aspen Ideas Festival, The World Youth Forum, Design Miami and NeueHouse.

Kwong graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Columbia University’s Urban Studies program in 2012 and participated in the certificate program at the New York Botanical Gardens in 2017. She was a fellow at the Academy of Global Humanities & Critical Theory in Bologna, Italy (2019) and part of the New Museum’s incubator program NEW INC from 2018-2020.

Recognizing her efforts, Kwong was named one of ‘9 Young New Yorkers Poised for Creative Greatness’ by The New York Times and her work has been featured in the New Yorker, Vogue, Architectural Digest, Domino, Forbes, Fast Company and more. She previously served as Landscape Editor for Cultured magazine, where she profiled legends in her field from Agnes Denes to Fernando Caruncho.

Mondays, October 7 – November 11, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern – Virtual Seed School, Online

This Seed Savers Exchange course will take place over six weeks. Zoom webinars will be presented live each Monday at 7:00 pm Eastern Time from October 7-November 11. Beginning at 6:30 pm Eastern there will be an optional online Seed Social. Students will also have access to a shared folder with webinar recordings and additional educational content.

This series is intended for beginning seed savers and those looking to expand their seed-saving knowledge to new crops and techniques.

Required text: The class series will be based on The Seed Garden, and students will need a copy of the book to participate.

For questions on this workshop series, please contact events@seedsavers.org, or Seed Savers Exchange customer service at (563) 382-5990. Customer service hours are 9 am – 4 pm Central, Monday through Friday. $60 – $110. To register visit www.seedsavers.org

Tuesday, October 8, 6:00 pm – Franklin Park: Boston’s Imperiled Public Landscape

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy and the Library of American Landscape History invite you to a film premiere and panel discussion on Tuesday, October 8 at 6 pm at Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley Street, #200, Boston, Massachusetts. Based on Ethan Carr’s award-winning book Boston’s Franklin Park: Olmsted, Recreation, and the Modern City, the new film from director Ian Forster weaves together interviews with the author, park advocates, and park users, to trace the park’s decline, caused by patterns of institutionalized racism on the part of the City of Boston and the heroic efforts of local residents to save it from ruin. Register and learn more at www.emeraldnecklace.org