Boston Flora

  • Wreath of the Day – Lenox Hotel Lunch Treat

    Every day we feed our troops, for strength, energy, and to make sure they don’t leave too early! This year our friend Dan Donahue, General Manager of The Lenox Hotel, Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro, and the Saunders Hotel Group, sent over lunch during the Monday rain/ice/snow event, which was greatly appreciated. He is also a customer. Below is one of a trio of wreaths made for his home in the suburbs, and our only complaint is we can’t see it walking around the neighborhood. Thank you again, and be sure to have holiday lunch at the Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro if you are shopping in Beacon Hill this December and tell them the Garden Club of the Back Bay sent you.

  • Friday, January 10 – Friday, April 10 – Designing with Native Plants

    This Native Plants Trust online course teaches the basics of designing with native plants and shows how to incorporate native plants into the garden and landscape. Discover the variety of native plants found throughout New England and learn how to design a visually interesting landscape that also supports biodiversity. You can complete the course at your own pace. Class access begins Friday, January 10, 2020 and continues through Friday, April 10, 2020. $80 for NPT members, $98 for nonmembers. http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/designing-native-plants/

  • Wreath of the Day – Cupcake Wreaths

    We sell two sizes of wreaths – standard and large. Standard wreaths are built on a 12″ round wire base, and large wreaths are built on a 16″ base. We also special order other sizes with advance notice from customers. This year, for some unknown reason, our standard wreaths came in two forms, a very thick and tightly woven wreath which we quickly dubbed the cupcake, and a looser and lighter version which were equivalent to the wreaths we have sold for years. Both types were built on a 12″ base, and technically both were standard wreaths. The smaller versions actually worked quite well for matched pairs on double doors, since the swinging or active door would be less likely to hit the matching wreath every time the door opened. We did have one complaint, from a customer who assumed she had somehow been sent the wrong size, but we assured her she received the correct wreath. We will definitely speak with our supplier, however, since we don’t want people disappointed with their orders. What do you think? Email info@bostonflora.com if you have a strong preference.

  • Native Plant Trust Volunteer Opportunities for 2020

    Native Plant Trust, the nation’s first plant conservation organization and the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants, announces volunteer opportunities for 2020. Volunteer initiatives span the region and include openings in field conservation, horticulture, and educational outreach. Training begins in Winter 2020. Volunteering with Native Plant Trust offers adults a unique chance to learn about native plants from experts, to make a difference locally and regionally by supporting the environment, and to build community and friendships with others who share their interests. All volunteer opportunities come with complimentary training and enrichment.

    Plant Conservation Volunteers (PCV) training is in March and April 2020. PCVs help conserve native flora by participating in plant monitoring, seed collection, and habitat management throughout New England. Interested applicants should have some botanical knowledge, a strong commitment to native plant conservation, good observation skills, and a sense of adventure.

    Community Outreach Volunteers support Native Plant Trust by sharing information about the organization’s work and resources at events in their local areas. Requirements: Community Outreach Volunteers should be active in their local communities or willing to be more engaged, attend, or serve on the planning committee for large/community events. They must enjoy interacting with the public.

    Garden Guides offer visitors a personal introduction to Garden in the Woods, the renowned botanic garden of Native Plant Trust and sharing the beauty and importance of native plants. Requirements: Garden Guides should enjoy interacting with both people and plants, and enjoy learning and sharing that knowledge. They must be comfortable spending extensive time outside.

    For more information about volunteer programs at Native Plant Trust or to apply, please contact publicprograms@NativePlantTrust.org or visit http://NativePlantTrust.org/about/volunteer.

  • Wreath of the Day – Firefighters Scholarship Fund

    This year we were asked to donate a gift certificate to a fundraising event for the Boston Fire Department’s Firefighters Scholarship Fund, and we of course were delighted to comply. In the spring we planted a memorial tree on Beacon Street in honor of Lieutenant Edward J. Walsh Jr., and Firefighter Michael R. Kennedy, who lost their lives fighting a blaze at that location in 2017, and we received in turn an organizational award from Local 718 of the IAFF. The sweet young man who won the certificate asked that we create a traditional wreath for his mother, and a wreath with a seaside theme for his aunt. Below is the seaside wreath – the decorator found shells, along with a marine blue bow and dried materials reminiscent of a shoreline garden. We thank all our first responders for the work they do on our behalf.

  • Wreath of the Day – Injury Update

    One of our most valued volunteers, who in the past took charge of site management, and who, in addition to co-chair Margaret Pokorny, is one person who makes spectacular bows, fell in Maine over Thanksgiving and was in rehab during Wreath Week. Nancy Devereaux, you were missed, and expect you back with us in 2020. Another co-chair, Francine Crawford, had hip replacement surgery four weeks before the project and was clearly limping around at half capacity. Kathy Dietz struggled with shoulder issues, Laurie Thomas’s carpal tunnel syndrome is always a concern, and we think a good third of the volunteers had some version of a winter cold. Nevertheless, we soldiered on, as the spectacular wreath below shows. A few crutches won’t stop us – although we’ll stock up on tissues next year.

  • Sunday, May 31 – Monday, June 8 – Symphony of the Senses (Heart of Italy)

    • Harvard Alumni Travel presents a trip from May 31 – June 8 through the heart of Italy.
    • Activity Level 3 – moderately active, requiring walking over uneven, often cobblestone, paths with no handrails, and standing in museums for up to two hours at a time. There will be walking tours for up to two hours with periodic stops but no guarantee of places to sit.
    • Gain unique insights through an exclusive lecture program by Harvard study leaders Dr. Lisa Mei- Inn Wong and Mr. Lynn Chang.
    • Discover the surprising cultural and culinary capitals of the Po Valley through a diverse array of highlights, from a morning visit to a Parmesan cheese dairy to a dinner with the owners of a balsamic vinegar distillery at their historic farmhouse.
    • Stay at the charming, four-star Hotel Posta in Reggio Emilia, a converted 14th-century noble palace that is a landmark in itself!
    • Explore the culinary and agricultural specialties of the heart of Italy through discussions with local farm owners and vintners.
    • Delight in Lynn Chang’s unparalleled talent as he performs several violin pieces throughout the week.
    • $5,795 per person, double occupancy, or $6,290, single occupancy. For detailed itinerary, and to register, visit https://alumni.harvard.edu/travel/trips/italy-2020?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=travel_monthly&utm_content=haa_travel_all_alumni_2019-09-10

  • Wreath of the Day – Chinese Tariffs

    Politics rarely interferes with The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s wreath week. Our members span the political spectrum and we wouldn’t want it any other way. Politics did play a part in our 2019 pricing, however, and how the trend may continue next season has yet to be determined. We sometimes forget how many materials we use are made in China – wires for hanging hooks, picks for attaching both real and artificial materials, glass balls, tinsel and ornaments, and most importantly, ribbon. We usually do a fair bit of shopping at post-Christmas sales, and store the materials at our off-site storage unit in Brighton. During the fall run up prior to wreath week, we take stock of special needs and orders and do a bit of targeted shopping as well. This year we definitely experienced sticker shock. Some materials costs were almost 50% higher than in previous years. Luckily we had a stash of saved decorations so the full impact was not felt, and although we had raised the price of our fully decorated standard wreaths by $15, we kept the undecorated wreath prices constant. If the tariffs go away, we hope our costs will return to their 2018 levels. So in tribute to our Chinese manufacturers, today we feature a bright red outdoor wreath (red is considered a lucky color in China).

  • Tuesdays, January 7 – February 11, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Botany for the Home Gardener

    In this six-session course January 7 – February 11, join the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Senior Horticulturist, Hannah Traggis, to explore the fundamentals of plant structures and their function, reproductive and floral biology, introductory concepts in physiology and metabolism, and overall systematic organization and classification of major plant groups within the plant kingdom. Participants will better understand the world of plants and gain a far deeper appreciation for their wonder. The class takes place at The Gardens at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley, from 6:30 – 8. $175 for Mass Hort members, $220 for nonmembers. To register visit www.masshort.org

    SAMSUNG

  • Wreath of the Day – First Lutheran Church and Community Engagement

    We have taken over the courtyard and basement of The First Lutheran Church of Boston during the first week in December for many years, and always say that if, for any reason, the Church should close for renovation, we might have to suspend our operations. The combination of a locked outside and partially covered space with a large work area with kitchen below is unbeatable. The staff at the Church has always been a joy to work with as well. This year, following the retirement of Pastor Ingo Dutzmann, we have been privileged to meet the new Pastor, James Hopkins, who is as dedicated to community involvement as his predecessor. In fact, this year Pastor Hopkins and Church Administrator John Lindemann insisted we suspend our annual nominal rent payment, saying our presence there is part of their mission of community outreach and engagement. The Garden Club of the Back Bay is now in the process of overseeing the installation of a small walled garden on the side of the Church, and we intend to contribute financially to the small congregation’s ongoing projects as well. Our flower arranging classes are held in the kitchen and workspace (stay tuned for announcements of winter and spring sessions). Thank you again, First Lutheran Church! Without you we would not have produced the elegant satin bowed wreath below.