Boston Flora

Sunday, August 8, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Hypertufa Planters

Containers made from hypertufa are wonderful for displaying rock-garden plants or succulents. Over time, the hypertufa ages gracefully, collecting a patina of mosses and lichens.

This August 8 Massachusetts Horticulture Society live and in person at The Gardens at Elm Bank class will be led by Garden Educator, Melissa Pace. Participants will learn how to make their own hypertufa pots. Each participant will receive one completed pot ready to be planted along with three succulent plants of their choice. Together, we will discuss best practices and how to’s when creating hypertufa pots, the best soil mix for succulents, the use of top dressing with succulent, and the best places to purchase plants.

Each participant will plant their own pot to take home. Materials provided will be:

· One approximately 6 inch hypertufa pot

· Recipe and instructions on how to make more pots

· Three succulent plants in approximately 2.5 inch pots

· Succulent soil mix enough to fill a 6-inch pot

· Care instructions

Melissa Pace is an award-winning horticulturalist who competes in numerous garden and flower shows, from Philadelphia Flower Show to the Bolton Fair. She has been a University of Rhode Island Master Gardener since 2003. Melissa has been a presenter for numerous garden clubs and civic organizations throughout New England since 1995. Melissa holds a master’s degree in teaching from Bridgewater University, is an artist and art teacher and is currently employed as a Garden Educator for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

The fee is $40/Mass Hort member
$57/general admission. Register at www.masshort.org.

Friday, October 1 – Sunday, October 10 – Gardens of Provence

Join the American Horticultural Society May 3 – 12, 2021 with host Sherran Blair and tour leader Amy Kupec LaRue of SpecialTours for a picture perfect excursion to the South of France. Highlights include a stay in Nice, on of the most envied cities in the world, superb cuisine, several private gardens, a visit to Grasse, where you will be surrounded by fields of lavender, jasmine, and roses, a tour of the Villa Fort France garden (below), the city of Aix with Roman origins and center of medieval culture, and a stay in the walled city of Avignon. For more information and to make reservations, please contact Susan Klejst, Director of Development & Engagement at (703) 768-5700 ext. 127, or email development@ahsgardening.org. For complete brochure visit www.ahsgardening.org.

Tuesday, July 27, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Grafting the Grape: Choctaw Foodways, Online

Missouri Botanical Garden sponsors a free presentation and discussion on July 27 at 2 pm Eastern on Choctaw foodways with Choctaw Nation Tribal Preservation Officer Dr. Ian Thompson on the use of grapes and other plants and animals in the Choctaw Nation, from pre-contact to the present. Dr. Thompson will also present on the indigenous knowledge and land management principles. Preregistration is required. ASL interpretation and live captioning provided for each program, and presentations will be recorded for later viewing on the MOBOT’s YouTube channel. A Zoom link will be sent in your confirmation. Register at www.missouribotanicalgarden.org

Saturday, July 24, 1:00 pm – Amazing US National Parks of the Southwest: Bryce, Zion, and Beyond, Online

Interested in learning more about the natural wonders of the U.S. National Parks in the Southwest? Join Context Learning and an expert on U.S. National Parks as we venture to Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and Southern California and discover just what splendor is on offer in this educational seminar on July 24 at 1 pm.

The national parks of the Southwest range from big-name National Parks including Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon as well as lesser-known sites such as Big Bend, Hovenweep, Capitol Reef, and Mojave National Preserve. We will discuss each of these parks including location, history, highlights, and a few travel trips. With over 50 national park sites in the region, we will hear stories and tips from some of our favorites and also encourage the participants to add their own stories or ask questions about specific parks.

Led by an expert on the U.S. National Parks, Ben Sander, this interactive seminar will discuss the national parks of the Southwest. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of the diversity of parks in the Southwest as well as travel tips for a handful of national parks. A born world-traveler, Ben is passionate about combining education and travel, while also protecting the environment. He has worked in ecotourism ventures in Costa Rica, Kenya, Tanzania, Peru and Pohnpei, Micronesia. His love of ecotourism also led him to be a bike tour guide in Washington DC offering bike tours of the national memorials. He spent 7 years managing the travel program for the National Parks Conservation Association connecting members with the best in educational travel to the U.S. National Parks. He has visited over 140 national park units (his favorites are Glacier, American Samoa, and Mojave) and loves to connect travelers to amazing experiences in our national parks and public lands. He has also taken part in Climate Ride five times to help raise awareness around climate change, bike advocacy, and national park protection.

$36.50. Register at www.contextlearning.com

Saturday, July 31, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Monet’s Garden Floral Centerpiece

Just like Helen and John were inspired by French gardens for their beloved Ashdale Farm, Claude Monet also used his gardens for inspiration for his famous garden paintings. Inspired by French Impressionist Claude Monet, this floral workshop on July 31 at the Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens in North Andover will take a closer look at his celebrated paintings as the inspiration for your floral centerpiece.

Whether you are inspired by the robust reds, pastel pinks, or cobalt blues of his brushstrokes; participants will explore Monet’s paintings and the gardens that inspired them. Participants will learn about the types of flowers grown in his gardens in Giverny, France in comparison to the flowers grown in our garden at Stevens-Coolidge. Participants will then explore the gardens with a guided tour finishing with a stop in our Cutting Garden to cut the flowers for your centerpiece inspired by the color palette of Monet’s impressionist paintings.

In this workshop, participants will learn:

Step-by-step centerpiece construction techniques
Choosing the correct floral supplies and vessels
Understanding colors and fundamental ingredients
Understanding basic floral design fundamentals

Space is Limited. Pre-Registration is required. Trustees members $65, nonmembers $75. Register HERE.

Thursdays, July 29 – August 12, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, and Saturdays, August 7 & 14, 9:00 am – 11:00 am – Butterfly Institute: Introduction to Butterflies

This 3-week hybrid course led by members of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club (3 online lectures, 2 field experiences) will introduce you to the diversity, ecology, and life history of our beautiful New England butterflies, along with management tools to help them. This Tower Hill Botanic Garden course is designed for the butterfly enthusiast who wants to dig deeper, and for those who would like to further their appreciation of the natural world around them. This program consists of five classes. When registering, please make sure all five classes are selected.

General Outline (For a full breakdown click this link)
Week 1: Introduction to New England Butterflies: Diversity, Anatomy, Field Identification
Week 2: Butterflies in the Wild: Ecology and Behavior
Week 3: Butterfly Conservation: Creating Habitat through Gardens

Bill Benner is a life-long East Coast gardener who has been planting for wildlife and pollinators in western Massachusetts since 2004. His gardens are particularly focused on butterflies and hummingbirds, with both nectar and host plants, and a strong emphasis on natives. He is eager to share his enthusiasm for pollinator gardening with others, and he has lectured and taught on butterflies and gardening for the Native Plant Trust, the Hitchcock Center, and a number of garden centers, garden clubs, and conservation groups. He is a past president of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club, and currently serves as the editor of its publication, Massachusetts Butterflies.

Martha Gach is current president of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club and Conservation Coordinator and Regional Education Manager with Mass Audubon, based at Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary and Conservation Center in Worcester. She also teaches at Worcester State University. An ecologist and evolutionary biologist, Martha designed the Broad Meadow Brook campus landscape to support butterflies and pollinators, but also birds and wildlife, and was featured on “Ask This Old House” for a segment on butterfly gardens.. She coordinates the annual Butterfly Festival at Broad Meadow Brook and serves on her town’s Conservation Commission, advocating for native plantings.

Dave Small is president of the 250-member Athol Bird and Nature Club and Director of the Millers River Environmental Center. Dave shares his passion for Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies and most recently moths through workshops, lectures and field trips around New England. Dave volunteers for several non-profits including Millers River Watershed Council, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, Mass Watershed Coalition, and Mass Audubon’s Important Bird Area Technical Advisory Committee, National Moth Week Science Advisory Board, and the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Advisory Committee. Working for the Commonwealth of Mass for 35 years, Dave served as Assistant Regional Director at the DCR Quabbin Reservoir in Central Massachusetts retiring in 2013.

$150 Member Adult, $175 Adult(Registration includes admission to the Garden on field session days) To register, click HERE

Wednesday, July 28, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Tick-Trefoils and Bush-Clovers

There are about 25 species of Desmodium, Hylodesmum, and Lespedeza in New England. These summer-blooming members of the legume family often look alike, presenting challenges to identification. This Native Plant Trust class on July 28 at 1:30 pm at Garden in the Woods will focus on the features that distinguish each species and discuss their ranges and habitat preferences. $38 for NPT members, $45 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/tick-trefoils-and-bush-clovers/ Ted Elliman is the instructor.

Friday, August 13 – Tuesday, August 17 – The Gardens of North Wales

Set amongst glorious scenery that includes the mountains of Snowdonia, dramatic seascapes and ancient castles, North Wales is home to some outstanding gardens. One of the best is Plas Cadnant, which 20 years ago was an overgrown, abandoned wilderness of ivy and decrepit fruit trees. Its new owner has brought it back to life and, rather like Heligan in Cornwall, Plas Cadnant has emerged as a gem of a garden, full of interest.

Further highlights include the private garden of Maenen Hall with its dramatic views of Snowdonia; Bodnant Garden, with a range of beautiful plants from all over the world, and Portmeirion, the eccentric and rather surreal Italianate village which has been enhanced in recent years with improvements made to the gardens.

Brightwater Holidays is offering this four day itinerary, with four departure dates: August 13, 2021, May 27, 2022, June 10, 2022, and August 12, 2022. The prices vary by date but range from $765 – $805, since transportation from the US is not included. Trips originate in London. You will be guided by Tony Russell, former Head Forester at Westonbirt Arboretum, whose expertise and enthusiasm will add greatly to the enjoyment of this holiday. Details of the itinerary may be found at https://www.brightwaterholidays.com/us/tours/garden-tours/gardens-of-north-wales/may-27-2022/

Thursday, July 29, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Selection and Care of Houseplants, Online

Growing living plants in apartments, condominiums, single family resistance, offices and public areas can provide pleasant indoor environment, purify air, and improve health. This Tower Hill Botanic Garden online talk on July 29 from noon – 1 will take you through the steps of how to choose right plants for the indoor conditions and how to care for houseplants through winter and year round.

Dr. Yonghao Li, a plant pathologist, works in Plant Disease Information Office at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, CT. Dr. Li’s oversees the execution, coordination and daily oversight of The Plant Disease Information Office, a full-service plant disease diagnostic laboratory serving Connecticut. He has more than 30 years of experience in gardening, disease diagnosis, and pest management.$10 Member Adult; $15 Adult This program will be held virtually. Once you register you will receive a Zoom link in the confirmation.This webinar will be RECORDED and available for 2 months all registrants. Register HERE.

Sunday, July 25, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Pollinators and Plants: Watercolor Techniques

Take a short walk through the Tower Hill Botanic gardens on July 25 looking for just the right blossom to paint. Take a few photos of blooms that have a butterfly or bee if you’re lucky. Then at the comfort of a table, use your watercolors to paint your favorite flower. There will be instruction from Carol Schwartz on the steps involved in painting a flower and how to add a butterfly or bee. Materials are not included.

Carol graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute, attending her senior year at Rhode Island School of Design. She earned her MFA in Illustration from the University of Hartford, Connecticut in 2014. Her education equipped her to be diverse and adaptable, with work appearing in 60 picture books and countless magazines, newspapers and advertisements.

$30 Member Adult; $40 Adult (Registration includes admission to the Garden) Register at https://purchase.towerhillbg.org/PatronEducation.aspx?pid=420

Additional Program Information

Materials (Supply your own–not included with registration)
1. Watercolor or mixed media paper pad, 9? x 12?, such as Canson XL or Strathmore 400 Serie
2. No. 2 pencil and an eraser
3. Watercolor set, pan or tubes, suggested brands include Winsor & Newton, Pelikan, Raphael, Royal Talens Van Gogh, Koi
4. Three watercolor brushes; one small round brush size 0 or 1, one medium round brush size 2-5, one large round brush size 6-8
Please note, there is currently construction happening at Tower Hill, which may result in altered or obstructed walkways, parking lots, or parking spaces, in addition to some noise.