Boston Flora

  • Wednesday, February 26, 10:00 am – Tour of Prudential Center Winter Gardens

    Wednesday, February 26, 10:00 am – Tour of Prudential Center Winter Gardens

    Please join other members of The Garden Club of the Back Bay for a tour of the Prudential Center’s winter gardens, led by Winston Flowers Kelly Bonzani on Wednesday, February 26th, at 10 am.

    On July 1, 2019, Winston Flowers began maintaining and revitalizing the winter gardens. Come learn about the different areas that have been re-energized with new plantings, and the design, plant and sustainability choices behind each.  

    A new seasonal rotation will be going into the Prudential on February 17th, so if you have time to catch what is planted there now, please do so for a “before” perspective.

    The tour will last 30-45 minutes. SPACE IS LIMITED TO 10 PARTICIPANTS due to the ambient noise of the Prudential Center. We regret this tour is open only to members – visit our membership page to learn how to become a member. The first 10 people to respond will be notified that your spot has been confirmed. If we have enough interest, we will inquire about scheduling a second tour.

    Please RSVP to Stephanie Fletcher at ss.fletcher@yahoo.com

  • Saturday, February 22, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Natural Facial Salve

    The natural facial salve is a beautiful blend of astringent and healing herbs blended with oils, to create a deeply nourishing facial cream. It is made with only 9 all-natural ingredients, including the flowers of calendula, chamomile, and rose, blended together to create a powerfully healing concoction. The salve is a truly beautiful and simple way to nourish your face and neck to prevent wrinkles, brighten your complexion and reduce pore size. In this Tower Hill Botanical Garden workshop on February 22, you will be provided with all of the necessary ingredients to make a 2 oz. jar of salve as well as information on herbs and essential oils so you will be equipped on how to live a more holistic life beyond the workshop. Be sure to bring a notebook to take notes so you can create more in the future! All materials included.

    Tori Cummings began her holistic journey at the age of 17. Her goal was to truly help people feel vibrantly healthy, and she began studying with Sage Mountain and Rosemary Gladstar when she realized she wanted to bring people back to the source of health. Her journey thus far has included becoming an herbalist, a reiki practitioner as well as a yoga instructor.

    Jennie Backstrom offers space and thoughtful guidance to her clients who feel stuck or who seek to improve a certain aspect of their life. Whether you seek wellness in health, spirituality, life-balance, or gaining confidence and a sense of purpose, Jennie’s gift is to help her students and clients feel empowered by offering a new perspective and by giving voice to your inner truth. Helping you feel safe, confident, and strong from within is foremost on Jennie’s mind when devising her classes and workshops. An athlete all her life, Jennie has had her fair share of injury – and yoga, along with essential oils, tops her list as the healing source for the body and where she turns first for prevention.

    The class will take place at Tower Hill, 11 French Drive in Boylston, on Saturday, February 22, from 10:30 – 12:30, and costs $40 for THBG members, $55 for non-members. Register at www.towerhillbg.org.

  • Tuesday, March 10, 7:00 pm – Charlesgate Alliance New Playground Discussion

    Tuesday, March 10, 7:00 pm – Charlesgate Alliance New Playground Discussion

    As The Charlesgate Alliance continues to hone its plans with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and its partner, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the design firm, Landing Studio, is developing ideas for the North Field area of Charlesgate. Please join them for a conversation about this exciting part of the project at 91 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215, starting at 7pm.

  • Saturday and Sunday, February 29 and March 1, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm – Sugaring Off Tours

    Spring celebrations begin early at the sanctuary with the age-old tradition of maple sugaring. The warm days of late winter awaken the flow of sap in the maples, causing buds to swell and resulting in sweet-smelling, billowing clouds of steam rising from the sugarhouse. On Mass Audubon’s naturalist-guided tours at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield on February 29 and March 1, learn how to identify a sugar maple, observe tapping and sap collection methods, watch the sap being boiled down in the sugarhouse, and get a sweet taste of the final product.

    Afterwards, warm up by the woodstove in the Barn, where hot beverages and food will be available for purchase. Visit our gift shop to browse a selection of maple products, and be sure to bring home a bottle of our own freshly made maple syrup. Tours last about an hour and run in all weather. Register online or call 978-887-9264 to register by phone.

  • Ducklings on Parade

    It is with great excitement that we announce a new project that Garden Club of the Back Bay friend Nancy Schon is involved in, and it requires your help! 

    As you may know, her Make Way for Ducklings sculpture is decorated or dressed regularly and mysteriously (and lovingly) with seasonal, holiday, sporting, or special events outfits. We have all been enchanted with these surprise hats, outfits or decorations!

    In consultation with her publisher, she has been asked to create a charming book showing photographs of the Ducklings wearing different outfits.

    So, we need your photographs!

    Working together with her publisher’s staff, Nancy will choose a diverse representation of all photos submitted. Please choose the most interesting and engaging photograph and of the best quality possible.

    To submit your photo: Click on this link https://nancyschon.typeform.com/to/IhTbAA

  • Saturday, March 7, 9:30 am – Cultivating Place: Women in Horticulture and Place-making

    In this year’s “cultivating women” symposium, we highlight contemporary efforts by women to create, share, and preserve greenspaces for all and will showcase the importance of community spaces in this era of increasing urban and suburban density. Speakers: Jennifer Jewell, Creator/Host, Cultivating Place, NPR Radio Show and Podcast; Garden Writer Kaki Martin, ASLA, PLA, Principal of Klopfer Martin Design Group ; Kristin McCullin, Horticulturist, Allen C. Haskell Public Gardens ; Patricia Spence, President and CEO, The Urban Farming Institute of Boston.

    Fee $50; Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

    Co-sponsored by the Mary M.B. Wakefield Charitable Trust and the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.

  • Wednesday, February 26, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Flora for Fauna Webinar

    This Native Plant Trust webinar on February 26 from 1- 2 addresses the human need to interact with wild plants on the regional landscape. When done in accordance with reciprocal conservation methods, both parties (humans and plants) benefit from the interaction. In many circumstances, reciprocal conservation has merit and is the historical practice humans have used to steward wild plant populations and their health. $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. The instructor is Arthur Haines. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/flora-fauna/

  • Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm – ELA Conference and Eco-Marketplace 2020

    Looking for New Ideas? Solutions? Inspiration? From the practical to the applicable, join the Ecological Landscape Alliance in March for the 26th Annual ELA Conference & Eco-Marketplace at the UMass Campus Center, Amherst, MA. Immerse yourself in a two-day exploration of ecological concepts as our speakers share their experiences and expertise.

    Forests and natural systems are under enormous pressure from the effects of climate change, insect damage, invasive plants, and rapid urbanization. What can you do to protect these systems? Join us to learn more about how to restore lost ecological connections, better manage urban land, and create beautiful, highly functioning landscapes!

    Wednesday features two educational workshop tracks. Track One – explore soils from “micro to macro” with a dive into the intricacies of soil…. hear about the latest research, and learn how to apply new practices for results in the landscape. Track Two explores the detailed workings of meadow ecosystems and what it takes to make a successful meadow project and more.

    Thursday offers a broad range of sessions. Delve into landscape design elements from native shrubs to playscapes and larger ecological landscapes, including rain gardens and modern agricultural models. Enjoy a presentation or join an idea exchange to engage with your peers on timely topics.

    Registration fees range from $20 to $330. Register online and get complete details at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/ela-conference-eco-marketplace-2/

    Image result for ela conference 2019

  • Native Plant Garden Design Challenge

    Native Plant Trust, the nation’s first plant conservation organization and the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants, announces the launch of a two-year collaboration with the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts (GCFM). The initiative anticipates reaching more than 11,000 member gardeners throughout the state, spreading the message of native plants to 147 communities.

    The collaboration, called the Native Plant Challenge, sets goals for garden clubs throughout the state to learn about native plants, identify ones appropriate for their locations, and design and implement native plant gardens in their communities. “Native plants provide significant ecological and aesthetic value to our landscapes. The Native Plant Challenge will educate thousands of people on how to encourage healthier environments and ecosystems in Massachusetts,” says Courtney Allen, Native Plant Trust’s Director of Public Programs.

    Under the leadership of GCFM president Bonnie Rosenthall, the Native Plant Challenge supports GCFM’s century-long mission to assist member clubs with education and appreciation of horticulture, landscape and floral design, gardening and environmental concerns.

    As part of the initiative, Native Plant Trust is making available special resources to GCFM member clubs, including an online course “Designing with Native Plants” and selected plants from Nasami Farm, its nursery in Whately, MA. Participants may also access Native Plant Trust’s public resources, including the online Plant Finder, a tool to help gardeners discover plants native to New England that will thrive in specific garden conditions, while meeting practical and aesthetic preferences.

  • Saturday, February 29, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Botany Story Slam!

    Reserve your seat now to hear some of the region’s most colorful plant geeks top each other with adventure stories—scrambling through briars, dangling off cliffs, and kayaking through mosquito-ridden swamps. Then cast your vote for the night’s best storyteller. Let’s just hope they don’t show scars. At Garden in the Woods, February 29, 6-8 p.m. Register here. NPT members $30, non-members $36.

    Mug available on etsy.com