Boston Flora

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.

Thursday, April 24, 7:00 pm Eastern – Ecological Maximalism with Kinetic Plants, Online

Join Grow Native Massachusetts and Nicholas Anderson to learn about his practice of ecological maximalism, which centers on embracing abundant, charismatic native weeds to coauthor ecological succession, and transform our landscapes at the pace and urgency required to confront the joint crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. This very popular program was given in person at the Arnold Arboretum last year, and now you will have the opportunity to join online on April 24 at 7 pm Eastern. $28 for Grow Massachusetts members, $38 non-members. Register at https://grownativemass.org/Our-Programs/calendar

Thursdays through Sundays, April 18 – May 11 – Naumkeag Daffodil & Tulip Festival

The Daffodil & Tulip Festival at Naumkeag returns for its 6th year on Thursdays through Sundays, April 18 – May ll. Stroll through the 8 acres of the Trustees’ world-renowned gardens artfully decorated with daffodil, tulip and minor bulbs as we celebrate the return of Spring to the Berkshires. The 48 acre estate in the heart of Stockbridge will come to life with the colors and spirit of spring. There will be a plant sale, food, and refreshements for sale on site. Advanced purchase of timed tickets is required – tickets will not be sold on site. Member adults $15, nonmembers $25, children FREE. To learn more, reserve tickets, and for more information on parking and weather cancellations visit https://thetrustees.org/event/427419/

Saturday, May 10, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm – Explorers Garden Tour

The Explorers Garden rests in a microclimate just below the summit of Bussey Hill. This nearly five-acre site provides ideal growing conditions for many species that have been challenging to grow in less protected areas of the Arboretum. As such, it has proven to be a perfect testing ground for plants collected in the expeditions of E. H. Wilson in the early 1900s to the NACPEC (North America-China Plant Exploration Consortium) expeditions of our own time. Join docent Marie Herbert on May 10 at 1 pm for a guided tour to learn more about some of the plants showcased in this special collection and to hear stories of the plant exploration expeditions that brought them to the Arboretum. 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 cancellation, 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. Free but register at www.arboretum.harvard.edu. Meet at the Centre Street Gate.

Tuesday, April 15, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Eastern – Wonderlands: British Garden Designers at Home, Online

The Garden Museum is delighted to host the official launch of garden writer Clare Coulson’s new book, Wonderlands: British Garden Designers at Home, showcasing the stunning private gardens of eighteen leading landscape architects and garden designers. The event will be streamed online on April 15 from 3 – 4 pm Eastern, and is £10 Livestream.

With breathtaking photography by Éva Németh, the book offers a rare glimpse into the inventive and idiosyncratic ways these designers craft their own gardens, some of which have been photographed for the first time.

Miranda Brooks, one of eighteen designers featured in the book, will join Clare in conversation to discuss her career in landscape, which has taken her from apprenticing with Arabella Lennox-Boyd to founding her eponymous landscape studio in New York, where one of her first commissions was to create a garden for Anna Wintour.

Miranda’s gardens are distinctive yet completely timeless, with a deep sense of the pastoral and a connectivity to nature. Alongside discussion of her design practice, the talk will also cover her latest project developing the gardens and landscape at her home in Gloucestershire, which includes an expansive kitchen garden, herbaceous borders and meadows, all of which is managed biodynamically. Book at https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/events/talk-wonderlands-british-garden-designers-at-home/?mc_cid=40c0190e3d&mc_eid=03faa403db

Thursday, April 24, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – Native Plant Groundcovers, Online

Short native plants and low-growing groundcovers have the potential to form dense undergrowth, creating a lush floor for your garden and contributing to the local ecosystem. Join the American Horticultural Society online on April 24 at 2 pm Eastern to explore the dynamics of plant competition in the understory, the role of site preparation, and plants native plants that will enrich your garden. Kathy Connolly is a landscape designer who specializes in naturalized designs, low-impact landscape techniques, and native plants. She works with homeowners, municipalities, and organizations through her business, Speaking of Landscapes. She has a master’s degree in ecological landscape planning and design from the Conway School and is an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional. Connolly has received award and recognition for her communications efforts on the topic of invasive plants.

Tuesday, April 22, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Women of Color in Leadership in the Environment

As we mark the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, BHWOCC, in collaboration with the Conservation Law Foundation, invites you to a special event celebrating and uplifting women of color in the environmental sector.

Join us on Tuesday, April 22nd, from 6 to 8 PM for an insightful conversation with impactful BHWOCC members who have made significant strides in environmental leadership in Boston.

Our panel, “Women of Color in Leadership in the Environment,” will bring together voices from across the industry to share experiences, strategies, and reflections on the evolving landscape of green and blue spaces. Together, we’ll explore the future of these industries, the cultural wisdom that shapes our environmental work, and more. This is a great opportunity to connect, learn, and inspire alongside fellow BHWOCC members and other women of color in the field. Date & Time: Tuesday, April 22nd | 6:00 – 8:00 PM  Location: 62 Summer St, Boston, MA 02110. RSVP HERE.

Sunday, April 27, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – NABB Spring Fling

Step into spring with The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay at our exclusive NABB members-only gathering on April 27 at The Newbury Hotel. Indulge in an elegant atmosphere filled with good company, delightful drinks—including beer, wine, and a specialty cocktail—and an array of exquisite hors d’oeuvre crafted to tantalize your taste buds. $50 per person. If you haven’t joined the Neighborhood Association yet (no residency requirements!) visit https://nabbonline.org/. This is your chance to connect with fellow NABB members, both old and new, while discovering how our dedicated volunteer committees are working tirelessly to enhance and preserve the charm of our historic neighborhood. Learn how you can contribute to our thriving neighborhood!

Ensure your place at this highly anticipated event by purchasing your tickets in advance; there will be no ticket sales at the door.

Wednesday, April 23 – Friday, April 25 – Saving America’s Working Lands National Conference

SAVING AMERICA’S WORKING LANDS, a national conference hosted by American Farmland Trust, focuses on the threatened and irreplaceable land that America relies upon to grow food, fiber, and fuel, provide critical environmental benefits, and sustain rural communities and agricultural economies. Whether you are new to the world of farmland retention and protection or a seasoned veteran, there is programing for you. Attend to learn about strategies to combat conversion or ways to make the case for working lands conservation. Expand your knowledge of how state conservation and beginning farmer and rancher tax credits are being used to incentivize land transfers or how sources of capital can be stacked to improve access to land for next generation producers. The event will take place April 23 – 25 at the Fairmont-Dallas Hotel. Register at www.whova.com