Boston Flora

Tuesday, January 11, 10:00 am – 11:30 am, and Thursday, January 13, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Let’s Try Creative Design, Online

The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts will sponsor two free Zoom events on January 11 from 10 – 11:30 and on January 13 from 7 – 8:30. Award-winning designer and Master Judge Kaye Vosburgh demonstrates the basics of creative floral design. Creative Design is not bound by traditional styles or patterns, but features a relationship between form and space. It is a style frequently included in Flower Show schedules. Please register at www.gcfm.org in advance to receive your Zoom link.

As a teacher of both Eastern and Western styles of floral arranging, Garden Club of the Back Bay member Kaye Vosburgh brings a wealth of knowledge to her Creative Design work. In October, 2021, Kaye was named National Garden Club Designer of the Month. Learn more about Kaye on her website, http://createwithflowers.com

Sunday, January 23, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Rivers of Paradise: Water in Islamic Culture and Architecture, Online

Context Learning’s January 23 conversation focuses on water and its multiple roles in Arab-Islamic culture. Its prismatic nature allows a transversal intersection of art, architecture, landscape, technology, science, literature, jurisprudence, or religion. Within the context of Arab-Islamic civilization and the framework of the heritage and legacy of al-Andalus (the medieval Islamic Iberian Peninsula), this seminar will examine the dialogical relations between water and the architectonic space.

Flowing water has always been a critical component of Islamic ceremony and architectural design, filled with inspirational symbolism and practical use. Within its functional role, it reminds us of the arid lands of the Arab-Islamic world. The gentle ebb and flow of water also convey aesthetic, decorative, and symbolic ideals–which will define and model the Islamic architectonic space and transform its world. Paradise Gardens are just one of the most visible examples of that close relationship. Water models and changes how we live and understand the world around us, becoming a crucial element in the design, construction, and enjoyment of space.

Led by an expert on Architecture and Art History, Tiago Miranda Neiva, this interactive seminar will explore the multiple roles of Water in Islamic Culture, the main concepts of Islamic architecture, and finally, the impact of those water references on contemporary Islamic architecture. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with a better understanding of Islamic architecture and the use of water to maintain, transform, or modify its forms, contents, and meanings.

Tiago Miranda Neiva was born and raised in Lisbon. He studied architecture in Rome and worked later in distinct offices in Portugal and Spain. For several years he was Professor of Arts and Art History, having a Master’s degree in Teaching of Visual Arts. He is currently working towards a PhD focused on the Art and Architecture of al-Andalus: the confluence between the Arab, Jewish and Christian medieval world. In recent years he has been working as a tour guide in his hometown, seeking to show and reveal its most intimate secrets through an authentic and passionate local vision. $36.50. The lecture will take place online and a recorded version will be available for a week following that date should you miss all or part of the presentation. Register at www.contextlearning.com

Friday, January 21, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Eastern – Shaking Off the Historical Shackles: Make or Break, Online

The wealth and patronage of the nineteenth century provided a rich horticultural canvas that was undermined by the wars and then weather catastrophes such as the 1987 great storm. However, rather than look back here The Gardens Trust rejoices in seven that display a contemporary verve that sets the scene for the future. The most colorful and yet contrasting are Great Dixter and the newly restored Leonardslee, both hugely popular inspirational sites. Often inspiration flourishes in the hands of keen private gardeners as can be admired at Fairlight End on the maritime edges of the High Weald, and, tucked in across this unique region, Falconhurst, Goddards Green, Upper Pryors and Wych Warren await discovery.

Featured landscapes and gardens: Fairlight End, Falconhurst, Goddards Green, Great Dixter, Leonardslee, Upper Pryors, and Wych Warren. The lecture will take place online on January 21 at 2 pm Eastern, and is £5 through Eventbrite. Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/where-the-wildness-pleases-shaking-off-the-historical-shackles-tickets-169776430875

Wednesday, January 26, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm – Incorporating Fruit into Flower Arrangements, Online

In the winter, although flowers can be hard to come by, citrus and pomegranates are plentiful and can add color to nature’s otherwise muted palette.

Learn how to incorporate various fruits into your arrangements and tips on using them as part of a table-scape. Techniques include using wire and skewers to secure your fruit and choosing the best container for your arrangement. This Smithsonian Associates virtual workshop takes place January 26 from noon – 1:30. All levels are welcome.

Note: This streamed program will not be recorded. $35 for Smithsonian Associates members, $45 for nonmembers.

Other Information

The instructor is Arrin Sutliff.
One 1.5-hour session
This studio arts program is a Zoom Meeting to allow for patron and instructor interaction.

Patron Information

All Studio Arts classes require a ticket for each participant so that the instructor can provide individual attention to every student listed on the roster.
If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.

Tuesday, January 11, 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Eastern – Forgotten Women Gardeners: Weeding, Writing, and Illustrating, Online

Following the success of the Gardens Trust series on gardeners last year they are pleased to be offering six more lectures this time focusing on some less well-known women and their contributions to horticulture.

This ticket costs £24 for the entire course of 6 sessions or you may purchase a ticket for individual sessions, costing £5. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days prior to the start of the talk. A link to the recorded session (available for 1 week) will be sent shortly afterwards.

In this introduction to the series Twigs Way will explore the broader history of women’s involvement in gardens from medieval weeders paid in ale and herrings to Victorian ladies gardening in corsets via ambitious royal creators of botanic gardens and forgotten illustrators. Highlighting the way in which women were forced into the margins of the traditional overview of garden history, we will shine a spotlight on the forgotten, the neglected and the poorly paid to whom the ‘art and craft of gardening’ in its broader context owes its existence.

Twigs Way is a garden historian, writer and researcher. Twigs’ talks and books reflect themes of symbolism and meaning, class and gender, art and literature, and her desire to follow unknown paths towards the unexpected. Twigs has a specific interest in the roles of women in and out of the garden, which was the topic of her first book. Twigs is an accredited Arts Society lecturer and her history of the Chrysanthemum in art and culture was published by Reaktion in 2020. She is currently working on the equally golden daffodil, but dreams of having a publisher for a biography of Frances Garnet Wolseley.

Thursday, January 20, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Demystifying Willows, Online

Willows (Salix) are a well-known and taxonomically difficult group of woody plants whose members can be found from sea level to the tops of the highest mountains in New England. With 30 species (and hybrids between some of them), willows present identification challenges that can seem insurmountable. However, everyone can learn how to distinguish the different willows. This January 20 Native Plant Trust webinar is designed to give novice and skilled botanists a chance to understand the vegetative morphology of this genus and organize the diversity present on the regional landscape into manageable groups. Taught by Arthur Haines, from 1 – 2 pm, it is $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/demystifying-willowsthursday-january-20-2022-1-2-pm/

Wednesday, January 5, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Eastern – The Gardens at Walmer Castle, Online

We know this lecture is today, but if you sign up you may access it for a full week following. This lecture is organized by The Gardens Trust in partnership with Kent Gardens Trust and is the first of a four week series on Wednesdays. The price is £5 each or all 4 for £16. 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 1 week) will be sent shortly afterwards. Register through Eventbrite HERE.

Philip Oostenbrink will discuss The Gardens at Walmer Castle on January 5 from 1 – 2:30.

There are over eight acres of park and gardens surrounding Walmer Castle, the Tudor Fort in Deal that is now the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Philip Oostenbrink will look at both the castle itself and the evolution of the gardens from the 16th century, noting in particular the contributions of the Lord Wardens. Key contributions have been made by the first Duke of Dorset between 1727 and 1765 who enclosed the captain’s kitchen garden and added ornamental flower beds; by William Pitt between 1802 and 1806 who planted extensively in the park surrounding the castle, adding a second walled garden, and an evergreen shrubbery. Pitt’s work was continued by Lord Hawkesbury who fashioned the gardens into the shape evident at Walmer today. When the 2nd Earl Granville became Lord Warden he revitalised Pitt’s tree planting and added the striking Boardwalk, and a serpentine walk around the bottom of the moat. From 1913 to 1931, the family of Earl Beauchamp made the castle a summer home and altered the planting style to reflect the then contemporary manner of Gertrude Jekyll. The last major alteration was made in 1997 when Penelope Hobhouse was commissioned to create an entirely new garden within Pitt’s walled garden to commemorate the 95th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Philip Oostenbrink became Head Gardener at Walmer in 2020. Born in the Netherlands he moved to the UK in 2008 to set up his own garden maintenance company. In 2011 he became Deputy Head Gardener at Hadlow College, then Head Gardener at Canterbury Cathedral in 2015. He has recently published a book The Jungle Garden. He nurtures four National Plant Collections.

Wednesday, June 1 – Wednesday, June 8 – Great Gardens of Scotland

The Berkshire Botanical Garden is sponsoring a one week garden tour to Scotland June 1 – 8. Highlights include:

A stop by Calton Hill, ‘The Athens of the North’, to see many of its famous landmark buildings.
A visit to the Edinburgh Botanical Garden with a talk about the history of the gardens.
Manderston House, home of The Lord Palmer, where we will be entertained to lunch,
followed by a tour of this grand Edwardian house and a visit to the gardens with the head
gardener.
Floors Castle & Gardens, in Roxburghshire, is the seat of the Dukes of Roxburgh. The grounds are listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, the national listing of significant gardens in Scotland.
Balcarres House & Gardens, pictured below, the ancestral home of the Earls of Crawford, this house eventually became the family seat of the Earl of Crawford and its grounds are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens.

These are just a selection of highlights; please inquire about the full itinerary! To register or learn more contact Lani at lani@classicalexcursions.com

Please note in an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of our community and the communities we visit proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all participants taking part in Berkshire Botanical Garden’s overnight trips. An image of your vaccination card, alongside a photo ID, must be presented in order to complete registration. Additional health and COVID-based safety measures at our destinations may be in place as well. Lani Summerville will communicate updates regarding health guidelines as needed.

Fridays – Sundays, Through February 13, 10:00 am and 2:00 pm – Tours of Berlin Farms

To celebrate the completion of a multi-year restoration, Berlin Farms is hosting a limited-time docent-guided tour of the interior of the former farmstead of Charles Edward Cotting in Berlin, MA. This agricultural landmark is local and decorated for the season. Families can avoid the crowds, keep warm and enjoy a special event. .

Tickets at (617)710-8810 or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holiday-farm-tour-tickets-221425097427

Details are as follows:A festive guided tour of an historic New England farmstead and agricultural landmark. Now open to the public for a limited time! Step into an historic farmstead and relive your agricultural roots. This quintessential New England farm is now open to the public after years of restoration.
Highlights include: A warm and welcoming docent-guided tour • An educational and fun visit about rural life from the 18th century to present day. Enjoy “Tales of Yore” about the Starlette, the Patriot and Maxine…the cow. A collection of American and European art including period furnishings. Meet-and-greet with a rare barnyard friend. Complementary memento & hot beverages. Tours run now through February 13 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 10am and 2pm.

There is a Back Bay connection to Charles Edward Cotting. According to Thomas High’s excellent website Back Bay Houses:

Charles Cotting was an investment banker, a partner in the firm of Lee, Higginson and Company. In 1922, he had purchased land in Berlin, Massachusetts, where he founded the Chedco Farm, where he established one of the first Guernsey cattle herds in America. He purchased 410 Beacon in anticipation of his upcoming marriage in June of 1926 to former stage and silent film actress Constance Binney. After their marriage, they made 410 Beacon their Boston home and also maintained a home in Manchester.

We include a photo of Ms. Binney because she is arguably more attractive than the cow.

Thursday, January 13, 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm – A Brief History of Earth, Online

How well do you know the ground beneath your feet? Odds are, where you’re standing was once cooking under a roiling sea of lava, crushed by a towering sheet of ice, rocked by a nearby meteor strike, or perhaps choked by poison gases, drowned beneath ocean, perched atop a mountain range, or roamed by fearsome monsters. Probably most—or even all—of the above.

The story of our home planet and the organisms spread across its surface is far more spectacular than any Hollywood blockbuster, filled with enough plot twists to rival a bestselling thriller. But only recently have we begun to piece together the whole mystery into a coherent narrative.

Drawing on his decades of field research and up-to-the-minute understanding of the latest science, Andrew H. Knoll, a geologist and professor at Harvard University, offers a short biography of Earth, charting our home planet’s epic 4.6 billion-year story and placing 21st-century climate change in deep context. This Smithsonian Associates online lecture will take place January 13 from 6:46 – 8:15. $20 for Smithsonian Associates members, $25 for nonmembers. Register HERE.

His book, A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters (Custom House), is available for purchase.

Book Sale Information

Purchase your copy of A Brief History of Earth by Andrew H. Knoll here.
SPECIAL NOTE: Politics and Prose is offering a 10% discount to Smithsonian Associates ticket-holders. To claim your discount, enter the code SPECIAL10 (no space between letters and numbers) in the “Coupon discount” section on Politics and Prose’s check-out page.