Boston Flora

Saturday, March 23, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Blooming Buttercups

Through a power point presentation and herbarium specimens, this New England Wild Flower Society class at Garden in the Woods in Framingham on March 23 from 10 – 1 investigates many of the native and non-native buttercup species that bloom in spring and early summer. The class, taught by Ted Elliman, focuses on the characteristics that distinguish each species of this large and sometimes confusing group and discusses their typical habitats. $40 for NEWFS members, $48 for nonmembers. Image from www.livescience.com. Register at http://www.newenglandwild.org/learn/our-programs/blooming-buttercups

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Monday, March 25, 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm – Giving Voice to Nature Simulcast

Richard Powers, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Arnold Arboretum Director William “Ned” Friedman will join voices On March 25 at 7 pm in this guided conversation about trees. Melding readings with discussion; drawing on mystery, lore, and science; they will convey the challenges and rewards of trying to represent non-humans—speaking both for and as the trees. Register online at https://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/education/adult-education/?ob-start=2019-03-13 or call 617-384-5277.

The live Weld Hill event is filled to capacity. Register for the simulcast viewing in a the Hunnewell Building, 125 Arborway, Jamaica Plain.

Richard Powers is the author of twelve novels, most recently The Overstory. He is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and the National Book Award, and he has been a Pulitzer Prize and four-time National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. He lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. The Overstory has been a New York Times Bestseller; shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize; a New York Times Notable; Washington Post, Time, Oprah Magazine, Newsweek, Chicago Tribune, and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018.

Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants, which has earned Kimmerer wide acclaim. Her first book, Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, was awarded the John Burroughs Medal for outstanding nature writing. In 2015 she addressed the general assembly of the United Nations on the topic of “Healing Our Relationship with Nature.” Kimmerer is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology, and the founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment.

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Wednesday, March 20 – Vernal Equinox Full Moon Hikes

Join The Trustees on Wednesday, March 20 at one of a number of properties under their care for a full moon hike to celebrate the first day of Spring.

At the Ward Reservation in Andover, join a Trustees staff member at 6:30 pm on the trails at Ward Reservation to discover what signs of spring have already sprung. Wear shoes that can get wet and muddy, just in case. Flashlights are welcome but not required as we will be using the light of the full moon to guide us. This hike will be approximately 2 miles long. Please wear appropriate footwear and dress for the weather.

If you are in Ipswich, join a group at Castle Hill at 6:30. March’s full moon coincides with the Vernal equinox and the first day of Spring. Known to Native Americans as the Worm Moon because of the earthworms that come out at the end of winter, it is also known as the Crow Moon or Sap Moon. Always a cause for celebration, we’ll honor the first day of Spring by taking a brisk walk on the beach at sunset and a hike among the dunes of the Crane Wildlife Refuge. Recommended for ages 13 & up. Pre-registration is required.

In Concord, at the Old Manse, from 7 pm – 8 pm, you’ll share readings from Emerson and Thoreau before taking time for quiet reflection under the full moon and perhaps even hear the sounds of spring. The fire will keep you warm if needed and also provide the hot coals for s’mores that will cheer you at the end of the meditation. Members $5, nonmembers $10.

At Fruitlands in Harvard at 6:30, a program ($9 members, $15 nonmembers) is entitled Night and Moonlight: A Transcendental Night Hike. We will take to the trails to discover nature by night and explore the elements, sites, and sounds that awaken when the sun sets, pausing along the way to hear and contemplate passages from Thoreau’s 1863 essay “Night and Moonlight.” Thoreau describes, “As for the moon, I had seen her only as it were through a crevice in a shutter, occasionally. Why not walk a little way in her light?” Please note that space is limited and pre-registration required.

For complete details on all the above excursions, visit http://thetrustees.org Image below from The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

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Saturday, September 28 – Saturday, October 5 – Tuscany

Join Pacific Horticulture Society for an Indian summer ramble through the golden rolling hills of Tuscany as we explore the Italian countryside and cities that gave birth to the Renaissance. Our itinerary features gardens designed throughout the ages, including Medici villas reflecting Renaissance ideals, theatrical Baroque landscapes, the influence of English landscapers on private romantic gardens, and contemporary creations bringing new life to this ancient landscape. Discover history, culture, cuisine, and beauty in Tuscany. Our program has a lovely combination of historical and contemporary gardens, villas, and palaces which we plan to visit while also enjoying the culinary delights of this land, complete with a farm-to-table cooking class experience. You will visit Lucca, Chianti, Siena, and Florence. $4,995, single supplement $950. The complete itinerary may be found at https://www.pacifichorticulture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/brochure_Tuscany_2019_-_Signature-Italy.pdf

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Saturday, March 16, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – An Herbalist’s Approach to Sleep

Healthy sleep is foundational to our overall health, yet many of us are not getting the sleep our bodies need for health and vibrancy. Quality of sleep is as important as amount, and sleep difficulties can show up in many different forms from difficulties falling asleep to staying asleep. In this Trustees of Reservations class on March 16 at 2 pm at the Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover, Clinical Herbalist Liane Moccia will teach you simple healthy sleep habits with a focus on herbs to easily incorporate into your daily routine to help you get your sleep cycles back on track.

Liane is a Certified Herbalist who specializes in stress, energy and mental clarity, mood, and healthy sleep. Her approach to health is simple and holistic. Using traditional herbal knowledge and the latest scientific research, she combines herbs with lifestyle and dietary changes to help bring the body back into balance. Liane works with clients to help them live a life of less stress, more energy, mental clarity, and deep joy.

Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. $9 for Trustees members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/northeast/event-43063.html

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Saturday, March 16, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Seed Starting Workshop in Martha’s Vineyard

Join The Trustees on March 16 at 10 am at The FARM Institute , 13 Aero Avenue in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard for this annual workshop on getting your own seeds started. We’ll discuss:

-plant hardiness zones and gardening on the Island
-plant families and their differing needs
-creating a garden design and planting calendar
-what to start indoors now
-light, heat and moisture needs
-transplanting and hardening off
-thinking ahead: companion planting and seed saving

Each participant will start their own tray of 6 packs, using organic soil and seeds, to take home with them and grow. $15 for members of The Trustees, $25 for nonmembers. Register at www.thetrustees.org.

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Saturday, March 23, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm – Orchard Management

Successfully growing fruit for your family becomes straightforward when you narrow the big picture down to getting the basics right. This Berkshire Botanical Garden workshop on March 23 from 9 – 4, led by expert Michael Phillips, of Lost Nation Orchard in northern New Hampshire, covers complementary sprays backed by biodiversity and soil health to set the stage for successfully growing tree fruit in the western Massachusetts/tri-state region. Learn how fungal disease becomes manageable with wise variety choices and enhanced soil biology. Even major insect challenges can be resolved safely when you perceive who, what, and when. All sorts of fruits–from apples and pears to peaches and cherries and onward to berries–make for a diverse home-orchard planting.

Instructor: Michael Phillips, of Lost Nation Orchard in northern New Hampshire, is the author of Mycorrhizal Planet:How Fungi and Plants Work Together to Create Dynamic Soils, The Apple Growers: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist, The Holistic Orchard: Tree Fruits and Berries the Biological Way.

BBG Members: $110, Non-Members: $125. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/orchard-management

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Saturday, March 23, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Pruning Project: Hydrangeas

Confused about how to prune your hydrangeas to maximize flowering and increase health? You are not alone! Join Jen Kettell on March 23 at 10 am at the Arnold Arboretum for a lively discussion on the species behind the hot trade names (Hydrangea ‘Pistachio’ reblooming shown below) and how to prune them. In addition, Jen will focus on how to match appropriate plants to your site conditions. She’ll suggest which species are drought-tolerant or benefit pollinators and other essential growing tips. Jen will focus on hydrangeas that are hardy in Zones 5-7. Class includes an indoor lecture and walk to a demonstration in the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden. Fee $25 Arboretum member, $35 nonmember. Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

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Monday, March 11, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm – Kenneth Helphand on Lawrence Halprin

The Harvard Graduate School of Design will host a free lecture at noon on March 11 at 48 Quincy Street in Cambridge, featuring author Kenneth Helphand speaking about his book Lawrence Halprin.

Kenneth I. Helphand FASLA is Philip H. Knight Professor of Landscape Architecture Emeritus at the University of Oregon where he has taught courses in landscape history, theory and design since 1974. He is a graduate of Brandeis University (1968) and Harvard’s Graduate School of Design (MLA 1972). He is the recipient of distinguished teaching awards from the University of Oregon and the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture. He is the author of the award winning books: Colorado: Visions of an American Landscape, Yard Street Park: The Design of Suburban Open Space (with Cynthia Girling), Dreaming Gardens: Landscape Architecture & the Making of Modern Israel, and Defiant Gardens: Making Gardens in Wartime and Lawrence Halprin. Helphand served as editor of Landscape Journal, is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects and CELA, Honorary Member of the Israel Association of Landscape Architects, a recipient of the Bradford Williams Medal, a Graham Foundation Grant, a board member of the Foundation for Landscape Studies, and former Chair of the Senior Fellows in Garden and Landscape Studies at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington DC.

Anyone requiring accessibility accommodations should contact the events office at (617) 496-2414 or events@gsd.harvard.edu.

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Friday, April 26 – Sunday, April 28 – 73rd Annual Garden Symposium at Colonial Williamsburg

The evolution of any garden happens naturally or at the whim of our own mind and hands. Whether you’re starting from scratch or renovating an existing garden that has lost its character, it’s almost always desirable to work with a plan. Even the most well-intentioned efforts result in disappointment when approached without a cohesive design strategy. Learn how to create harmonious gardens that sing with creativity, as well as those that reflect personal expression and reverence for design fundamentals. Guest speakers at the 73rd Annual Garden Symposium at Colonial Williamsburg on April 26 – 28 will discuss how to integrate existing elements, effectively combine plants and hardscape materials, and create features of distinctive landscape styles. If you are currently undecided about your own future gardens or simply ready for a refreshing renovation to existing ones, this symposium is for you!

This year’s theme of design recalls the title of Colonial Williamsburg’s magazine, Trend and Tradition, focusing our attention on how gardeners blend the old and the new to great effect in a variety of spaces. Gardens provide people with beautiful places of respite, and the art of designing and caring for them constantly evolves. While mixing tried-and-true traditions with new trends can make a space shine, it’s important to consider the latest innovations within the context of longstanding best practices, understanding why they have withstood the test of time. Experts with a breadth of knowledge in growing food, providing wildlife cover, making smart plant choices and cleverly utilizing small spaces are here to help.

Throughout the two-and-a-half-day Garden Symposium, nationally known experts on garden design and maintenance, including some of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s own landscape and nursery staff, will lead a wide variety of sessions. Guest speakers will discuss how to rehabilitate an old space, create a pet-friendly oasis for your four-legged friends and design the perfect garden to enhance its ecosystem and help the flora truly thrive. This symposium is perfect for those new to gardening or seasoned professionals—there’s something for everyone!

** Shuttle service will be provided between the property hotels, Lane Auditorium, First Street in Williamsburg, and Historic Area for those who do not wish to drive. Register at www.colonialwilliamsburg.com

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