Boston Flora

  • Saturday, August 2 – Tuesday, August 11 – The Downton Abbey Experience & Classic English Manor Houses

    The picturesque South West of England is home to a veritable treasure trove of impressive stately homes and atmospheric manors. These magnificent properties boast extraordinary interiors and often feature fascinating garden styles and parkland too, many of which were created by 18th-century garden design trendsetters such as ‘Capability’ Brown.

    On this Royal Oak Foundation tour, we will enjoy a wonderful Downton Abbey experience with a special visit to Highclere Castle, an evening Downton Abbey-themed event and a tour of filming locations of this iconic television series and film.

    We also will uncover some classic and sometimes hidden gems, from the Elizabethan Longleat House to the tranquil Heale House Gardens and Italianate Peto Garden. There is a guided walking tour of Bath with afternoon tea at The Pump Rooms for all you Jane Austen fans, a guided tour of the Bishop’s Palace & Gardens, tour and lunch at Bowood House, and much more. The trip, August 2 – 11, is $4,990 per person, and details may be found at https://www.royal-oak.org/downtown-abbey-experience-with-royal-oak/

  • Wreath of the Day – Pet Friendly Wreath

    Toxicity is an issue with many holiday decorations if you live with a cat or a dog, and the wreath is hung inside. As materials dry they fall to the ground and can easily be accidentally ingested. No one looks forward to Christmas Eve at Angell Memorial. Below is a wreath created with pets in mind – nothing here will do harm unless it falls off a nail from a great height and hits the poor kitty on the head. And, of course, it’s beautiful.

  • Friday, March 20 – Thursday, April 2 – Tour Sicily

    Join TCLF as we explore the breathtaking treasures of Sicily’s archaeological sites, historic cities, landscapes, and gardens. Sicily’s unique history defines its culture and civilization, which are reflected in the distinctive attitudes and bonds shared by its people. Walk the streets of Taormina, perched high above the Ionian Sea, and explore the ruins of its Greco-Roman theater in the shadow of Mt. Etna. Travel back in time to Catania and Siracusa and experience the grandeur and beauty of one of Sicily’s oldest and largest palaces. And dine with Virginia Borghese, the daughter-in-law of Princess Maria Carla Borghese, at the lovely family villa in Lentini.

    We’ll also explore the Temple of Apollo, one of the many tangible reminders of Sicily’s Greek past. Our classical journey will continue in Selinunte by the sea, Segesta’s mountains, and, of course, Palermo, where we’ll savor the flavors of the city’s Saracen history while surrounded by Norman-inspired mosaics. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience centuries of Sicilian art, culture, and landscapes firsthand, all while enjoying the best of what modern Sicily has to offer. The trip takes place March 20 – April 3, and complete itinerary may be found at https://tclf.org/sicily-tour-archaeological-sites-historic-cities-landscapes-and-more

  • Wreath of the Day – Hunt Wreath

    Everyone loves a challenge. An order came in this year for a woman who loves horses and rides at Myopia. The designer chose a black and red ribbon reminiscent of hunting jackets and black velvet helmets, and actually searched eBay for child’s stirrups which she painted with glitter. The jewels symbolize the prizes and pick up the red in the ribbon. Very successful and the client was thrilled.

  • Monday, January 13, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Crow-Quill Pen for Beginners

    Would you like to draw with pen and ink and learn how to work with the Crow-Quill pen? Then this Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Garden class on January 13 (rain date January 17) is for you. Through exercises and demos. instructor Carol Ann Morley will show you how to hold the pen to achieve different strokes, create textures and produce a variety of ink techniques like cross-hatch and stipple. Pen and ink has a unique language of its own with its expressive flowing lines and range of tonal depth. Explore the wonders of this unique medium and learn how to build your own visual vocabulary. This class will help give you the techniques and technical skills that you will need to proceed to representational ink drawings. You will be working with sepia ink. This class is perfect for beginners as well as those who wish to refresh their ink skills. Class will take place in the Putnam classroom at Elm Bank. Friends members $110, nonmembers $130. Register at 781-283-3094, or email wcbgfriends@wellesley.edu.

    copyright John Dunstall

  • Wreath of the Day – New Decorators

    This year we were especially fortunate to have members who had either never decorated with us before, or had done some limited number of wreaths or assisted in the past, step up and create some absolutely beautiful items. A few new people said they felt intimidated at first to jump in and decorate, but we have a method. Not only do we have a page of instructions on our process, including how to attach things, what materials go inside and outside, where to place the bow, etc., but we have new people work with or next to one of the experienced decorators, so they can ask questions. Often the new people come with fresh ideas and outstrip the old-timers! There is a lot of talent in our Club, and we hope even more people will participate in the decorating next year.

  • Sunday, December 22, 4:00 pm – Menorah Lighting in Copley Square

    THE GRAND BOSTON MENORAH LIGHTING!
    THE TALLEST MENORAH IN NEW ENGLAND!
    A CELEBRATION OF LIGHT, UNITY & LIBERTY!

    1st Night of Chanukah
    SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2019
    Copley Square 4:00 PM

    Live Berklee Music Ensemble. Menorah kits, Dreidels & Chocolate Gelt

    All are Welcome. Fun for the whole family. No RSVP Required but appreciated. Wishing you a Joyous and Luminous Chanukah!

    Any questions or comments email: Info@BostonChabad.org
    or call: 617.247.7100

  • Wreath of the Day – Cream Cheese

    There is a lot of laughter during Wreath Week. This year one of our newer volunteers came out of the ladies room and commented “No judgment, but you know someone left cream cheese by the sink.” We then realized it was our bar of Crisco, which we use for removing pine tar from our hands prior to washing with soap or dishwashing liquid. Nothing works better. The trick came to us during a Garden Club decorating workshop years and years ago, from a floral designer who had struggled for years with black marks all over her hands during the holidays. Try it at home – butter would work, too, but vegetable shortening is cheaper. Below is an all natural wreath with burgundy bow which had its share of pine tar in the materials.

  • Tuesday, December 17, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Master Plan Meeting – Kenmore Section of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall

    Interested groups, including the The Charlesgate Alliance, have scheduled the final meeting to discuss the Master Plan for the redevelopment of the Kenmore section of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The public is invited to participate in a presentation of the preferred design which incorporates many of the suggestions put forward at the first two meetings. Input is needed on several critical questions.  Date: Tuesday December 17th Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Location 565 Commonwealth Ave: Boston Kenmore Classroom Building – Room 106

  • Wreath of the Day – Define Natural

    Our volunteers had a lively discussion this season over the term “natural.” Customers are given three basic choices when ordering fully decorated wreaths: all natural, designer’s choice, or glamorous glitz. The glamorous glitz designation is obvious, and the all natural designation has meant, in the past, absolutely no paint, glitter, or artificial elements of any kind. Often we despair when people choose all natural because a tiny bit of gold or a small painted white tipped pine cone can enliven the design and make it show up better, rather than being a sea of brown. However, this year more designers used elements which were manufactured to look natural but actually were not, and we hesitated to send them out to an “all natural” customer. Take the gorgeous wreath below as an example. Nothing shiny here. Yet the poinsettia nestled in the bow is clearly not real, and the red berried branches are man made. Does this qualify as “all natural?” We would send this order out if the order form said designer’s choice, but just where is the line? Opinions always welcome at info@bostonflora.com, or respond on Facebook.