Thursday, March 7, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Get Ready! The Spring Garden

On March 7 at 7 pm at The Gardens at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley, Garden Speaker Cheryl Monroe will cover important topics of the season such as: what to prune now and why, tool sharpening (demonstration and bring yours too!), flower bed cleanup and evaluation, transplanting, lawn care, pest control (voles, winter moth, and scale), houseplant basics, bulb care, and bare root plants.

Get through this busy season informed, prepared, and ready for whatever Mother Nature throws your way. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society lecture is $12 for Mass Hort members. $20 general admission. For more information visit http://masshort.org

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Friday, March 1, 6:45 pm – Floristic and Climate Change on Mount Desert Island, Maine

Dr. Nancy M. Eyster-Smith, Associate Professor Emerita, Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts, will address the New England Botanical Club on Friday, March 1 at 6:45 pm in the Haller Lecture Hall (Room 102) of the Geological Museum, 24 Oxford Street in Cambridge, on Celebrating Edward Lothrop Rand, NEBC Corresponding Secretary for 25 Years. Additionally, Dr. Caitlin McDonough MacKenzie, Postdoc, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine will address Floristic and Climate Change on Mount Desert Island, Maine, from the Champlain Society to Acadia National Park’s Centennial. Free and open to the public. For more information visit http://rhodora.org.

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Nature’s Superheroes – Life at the Limits

Many extraordinary species have developed unique (and often weird!) “superpowers” to overcome the challenges threatening their survival. This Museum of Science captivating temporary exhibition (open now) lets you discover bizarre mating serenades, explore a mysterious cave environment where animals live without eyes, and investigate how a giant elephant seal can hold its breath for nearly two hours while diving a mile to find food.

Nature’s Superheroes: Life at the Limits offers a fascinating lens on the breathtaking diversity of the natural world and the incredible power of evolution to shape exceptional responses to the challenges, and opportunities, of life on Earth. Multi-sensory experiences, immersive scenic displays, and hands-on interactive components bring exceptional creatures to life!

Nature’s Superheroes: Life at the Limits is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and sponsored by Bank of America. Free with admission. For more information visit https://www.mos.org/exhibits/natures-superheroes

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Thursday, February 28, 11:00 am – Saving Aphrodite: Conserving Garden Statuary and Fountains

Join Patricia Miller, Preservation Society of Newport County Chief Conservator. on Thursday, February 28 at 11 am at Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, for a lecture entitled Saving Aphrodite: Conserving Garden Statuary and Fountains, part of the 2019 Winter Lecture Series. The gardens of the Preservation Society properties are well known for their abundant flowers and foliage. But have you ever wondered about the statues that inhabit these gardens and how they are cared for? Learn about the outdoor sculpture collection and the work that goes into conserving it.

Admission is $10 for Preservation Society members, $15 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required. Learn more and purchase tickets at www.newportmansions.org.

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Saturday, March 2, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Seed Starting Workshop

This Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s hands-on workshop on March 2 from 10 – 12, led by Senior Horticulturist Hannah Traggis, will have you start your own seeds to take home for your garden. Through a series of demonstrations, you will learn the proper care and handling of young seedlings. Seeds and materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your own selection of seeds to plant!

Hannah Traggis is Mass Hort’s Senior Horticulturist. She assists with maintainence and propagation of our twelve gardens, manages Mass Hort at the Flower Show, and lectures and demonstrates best garden practices to Mass Hort visitors, garden clubs, and teachers. Additionally, she manages the edible gardens throughout The Gardens at Elm Bank.

$25 for Mass Hort members, $35 for nonmembers. Register at https://masshort.org/education-events/seed-starting-workshop/

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Tuesday, February 26, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Sanctuaries of the Society Webinar

The New England Wild Flower Society owns nine plant sanctuaries scattered throughout the region. This February 26 webinar from 1-2 offers a brief history, description, and explanation of the ecological-botanical significance of these sanctuaries as well as a discussion of threats to their ecological integrity. This session also covers the challenges of managing a plant sanctuary in today’s changing world. The session is led by Bud Sechler, Ecological Programs Coordinator, and is $10 for NEWFS members. $13 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.newenglandwild.org/learn/our-programs/sanctuaries-of-the-society

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Registration Open for Esplanade Association Group/Corporate Volunteers

Bring your company’s employees to volunteer on the Esplanade as part of our award-winning Volunteer Program!

Volunteering with the Esplanade Association is a great way to build your team while participating in a visible corporate philanthropic effort to benefit a local nonprofit. Volunteers report a sense of pride caring for a public space that they are likely to return to with friends and family.

If you are interested in scheduling a separate volunteer opportunity on the Esplanade, please email Micah Jasny, Stewardship Manager (mjasny@esplanade.org)
Activities May Include:

Painting benches or fencing
Planting new gardens and bulbs
Removing invasive plants or weeds
Sweeping park pathways
Mulching
Raking leaves

Scheduling and Time Commitment

A minimum of 15 confirmed participants is required to set up a group day. Please email us to inquire about hosting groups larger than 100 people.
Volunteer days are three hours long (longer by request)
Volunteer days are typically scheduled for Tuesday or Thursday (others by request)
During winter and late fall, we will continue to schedule volunteers at the park as long as the weather is favorable.
Each group is required to designate one or more volunteer leaders from their group who will be present during the event to assist with coordination.

Please email Micah Jasny, Stewardship Manager at mjasny@esplanade.org if you have any questions. We would love to set up a volunteer day for your group.

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Tuesday, February 26, 5:15 pm – 7:30 pm – Our Own Orient: Mecca, California, and Dates

The Massachusetts Historical Society will hold a free Modern American Society and Culture Seminar on February 26 at 5:15 at its headquarters on Boylston Street, with Eleanor Daly Finnegan of Harvard University and comment by Laura Barraclough of Yale University on the topic of dates. Residents changed the name of Walters, California to Mecca in 1904. They were trying to use the exoticism of the Middle East to sell dates. This paper will focus on Mecca, California and the Indio Date Festival, looking at the complicated ways in which Orientalism has changed in the United States, its relationship to consumerism, and the economic connections made to the Middle East.

To RSVP: email seminars@masshist.org or call (617) 646-0579.

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Wednesday, March 13 – Sunday, March 17 – Boston Flower & Garden Show: The Beauty of Balance

The 2019 Boston Flower & Garden Show will take place March 13 – 17 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston.  This year’s theme is The Beauty of Balance. Discover new ideas and become inspired for a year of successful gardening. View landscaped gardens, edible gardens, and floral designs, plus attend lectures and demonstrations from master gardeners, designers, and chefs. Shop 200 vendors in The Garden Marketplace. Some of the region’s top professional florists will decorate the venue, and the amateur competitions, coordinated by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, will feature arrangements by some of our very own Garden Club of the Back Bay designers. The Boston Flower & Garden Show and the Seaport World Trade Center are handicapped accessible. Wheelchairs are available on loan in the building’s main lobby. Order tickets now (Adults $20, Seniors $17) at http://BostonFlowerShow.com.

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Saturday, February 23, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm – Maple Sugaring At Home

This February 23rd Berkshire Botanical Garden workshop from 10 – 12:30 will demonstrate the beloved New England tradition of making maple syrup at home, using the sugar bush on the grounds of the Berkshire Botanical Garden. Chris Wellens, Director of Education at BBG, will cover all aspects of maple sugaring: identifying suitable trees, the when and how of collecting sap, the boiling down process for the home setting, and preserving the syrup for year-round use. Participants will walk through the BBG sugarbush, install spiles, consider collection schedules, and boil down the maple sap to syrup. A tasting will follow.

Chris Wellens, Director Education at BBG, is an experienced home maple syrup maker. He educates the community about the environment, gardening, beekeeping, and agriculture.

Advance registration is highly recommended, but walk-ins are always welcome, space permitting. $25 for BBG members, $35 for nonmembers. Register online at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/maple-sugaring-home

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