Boston Flora

Wednesday, September 12, 10:00 am – Frederick Law Olmsted and the Massachusetts Legacy

Alan Banks, Supervisory Park Ranger of Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, will talk about the firm Frederick Law Olmsted founded over a century ago, and was involved in over 1,200 landscape architecture projects throughout Massachusetts, ranging from expansive 500-acre public parks to intimate private gardens. One of the greatest achievements is the six-mile long “emerald necklace” of ponds, parks, and parkways that winds its way through Boston.

Alan Banks oversees the historical interpretation of Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline. He has researched and developed a variety of landscape walking tours and presentations on the Olmsteds and their work across the country. He has lectured at Wellesley College Davis Art Museum, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Appalachian Institute at Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and American Society of Landscape Architects in Atlanta, among other locations. He consulted on PBS productions Olmsted and America’s Urban Parks and Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America. Banks wrote the first comprehensive guide and map to the Boston Park System.

This program, to be held Wednesday, September 12 beginning at 10 am at The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue, kicks off The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s 2018-2019 season, and will be followed 2 weeks later on Wednesday, October 3, by a field trip at the Olmsted Home and Office in Brookline (Fairsted). Garden Club members will receive notices of both meetings. If you are not a member but are interested in attending, email info@gardenclubbackbay.org

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Tuesday, March 26 – Saturday, April 6 – Awe Inspiring New Zealand Scenery

Explore breathtaking New Zealand next spring, March 26 – April 6, with Hidden Treasures Tours. Tour extravagant gardens, delve into the beauty of the fjords, and enjoy decadent food and local wine while enjoying the company of your fellow travelers. This tour is perfect for the novice or experienced New Zealand traveler. Tour highlights include Ayrlies Garden in Auckland, one of the most celebrated private gardens in New Zealand, Totara Waters Garden, the private garden of Jocelyn Coyle, and the Auckland Botanic Garden. Then, travel to the South Island to the Dunedin Botanic Garden, Larnach Castle, and a wildlife tour on the Otago Peninsula where you will see the world’s rarest penguins, fur seals, and Stewart Island Shags. Wylde Willows Garden in Dunedin and an optional excursion to the Te Anau Glowworm Caves are next, then enjoy an overnight cruise of Doubtful Sound deep in Fjordland National Park. In Queenstown, you will visit the private home and gardens of celebrated artist DaVella Gore, The Stoneridge Chapel and Water Garden, and historic Arrowtown. There will be a stop at Gibbston Vallery Winery and an evening cruise across Lake Wakatipu on the steamer TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak Station to dine at the Colonel’s Homestead. Traveling north over Lindis Pass into Mackenzie Country, you will pass along the shores of Lake Pukaki to Mt. Cook Village in the heart of the South Alps, home to New Zealand’s tallest peak – Aoraki Mt. Cook. Lastly, two nights in Christchurch include a visit to Ohinetahi, the famous private garden of Sir Miles Warren, and the Giants House in Akaroa. There is actually much more, all of which may be found at https://hiddentreasurestours.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/New-Zealand-2019-1.pdf. $5,999 per person based on double occupancy, $1,550 single supplement.

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Saturday, September 15, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – Photography Special Effects

Have some fun with your garden photos! Learn how to add depth to your landscape images, “star” the sun, use the zoom technique, create panoramic images and more. Bring your camera and lenses to this Tower Hill Botanic Garden class on September 15 from 10 – 3 and learn how to create great effects with the equipment you already have.

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance photographer and photography teacher who has been creating images for 20 years. Steve first began by shooting sports photography for local high schools, then weddings, and stock agencies. Then his love of the outdoors led him to focusing more on his true passion, “nature photography”. Steve was an active member of the Gateway Camera Club for many years, and has won many ribbons and awards at fairs and competitions through the group and on his own. Several of his images have been published in school textbooks. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Intermediate level class is $60 for Tower Hill members, $70 for nonmembers. Register at https://towerhillbg.thankyou4caring.org/pages/event-registration-form—photography-special-effects

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Wednesday, September 12 – Saturday, November 17 – The Landscape Architecture of Lawrence Halprin

The Landscape Architecture of Lawrence Halprin, a traveling photographic exhibition about the life and work of landscape architect Lawrence Halprin (1916-2009), will be on view in Boston, Massachusetts, at the Boston Architectural College, 320 Newbury Street, Boston, from September 12 through November 17, 2018. Created in 2016 during the centennial anniversary of Halprin’s birth, The Cultural Landscape Foundation exhibition features 56 newly commissioned photographs by leading landscape photographers of dozens of Halprin’s major works, including recently rediscovered residential projects created early in his career in the 1950s; the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.; capstone projects such as the Yosemite Falls approach and Stern Grove in San Francisco; the Los Angeles Open Space Network; and Plaza Las Fuentes in Pasadena.

Halprin was, without doubt, among the foremost landscape architects of the twentieth century. His prolific career spanned more than six decades, with highlights that also include Freeway Park (in Seattle, Washington), and the Portland Open Space Sequence (in Portland, Oregon). His firm was a seedbed for many talented designers now celebrated in their own right, and the innovative techniques he pioneered changed the field forever. While the traveling exhibition will honor Halprin and his career, it will also call attention to the need for the informed and effective stewardship of his irreplaceable legacy. Like much of the work of prominent landscape architects in the post-War period, many of Halprin’s designs are now in a diminished state, while some face an uncertain future.

For more information, and to view the online exhibition, visit https://tclf.org/landscape-architecture-lawrence-halprin-boston

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Thursdays, September 6 and 13, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Introduction to Aquatic Plants of New England

Aquatic habitats of the Northeast support a high diversity of plants. Learn how to identify local native and invasive aquatic plants through hands-on review of vegetative and floral characteristics. Discover the amazing adaptations plants have made to live in water. This two session New England Wild Flower Society class will be taught by Dr. Lori Benoit at Nasami Farm in Whately, on September 6 and 13 from 6 – 9. Cosponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions. $80 for members of sponsoring organizations, $96 for nonmembers. Register at www.newenglandwild.org.

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Thursday, September 13 or Thursday, October 25, 9:30 am – 12:00 noon, or Thursday, November 29, 11:00 am – 1:30 pm – Sogetsu Ikebana

Sogetsu Ikebana is an internationally recognized school of Japanese flower arranging, and Kaye Vosburgh will conduct three separate sessions for students at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston. Some materials included. For new students only (first Sogetsu Ikebana class) – the instructor will be in contact with the student prior to the start of the class with instructions and a list of materials to bring to class. Flowers will be provided; however, some additional materials will be required and may be purchased from the instructor. The instructor requests cash or check only. The dates are September 13 and October 25 from 9:30 – noon, and Thursday, November 29 from 11 – 1:30.

Kaye Vosburgh is a Master Judge and Design Instructor for the National Garden Club as well as a Sogetsu Ikebana teacher of the highest rank, Riji. She has won numerous medals and awards in the New England Spring Flower Show. She teaches in New York where she used to live and in Massachusetts where she now resides. She has demonstrated in New England, Central Atlantic Region, Florida and Ecuador. She has traveled to Japan on several occasions for conferences and lessons at the Sogetsu School. Her favorite activity is sharing creative moments with other designers and students.

$35 for THBG members, $50 for nonmembers. Register at https://towerhillbg.thankyou4caring.org/pages/event-registration-form—sogetsu-ikebana-fall-2016

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Announcing BackBayTrees.org

The Tree Committee of the Garden Club of the Back Bay announces http://BackBayTrees.org, a new website to document and help protect the neighborhood’s alley trees, which are often at risk for removal without City approval. In 2016, volunteers inventoried the alley trees in the area bordered by Back Street, Arlington Street, Charlesgate, and Newbury Streets. Each tree was photographed and assessed for species, size, location, and condition. This information appears on the website for each address.

Currently, there are about 413 trees in Back Bay’s alleys. Between the 2016 inventory and the previous one in 2010, about 82 trees were removed from private property. New trees were also planted, yet the Club and city official are concerned about the dwindling tree canopy. The wild Ailanthus is the most common species by far. “The ‘Crown Jewels’ of our alleys” says Tree Committee member Laurie Thomas, “They are the tallest, thrive in the toughest spots, and provide the most shade.”

The Tree Committee created the website to serve three purposes:

1. To document and protect alley trees. Many were illegally removed to add parking spaces or because residents were unaware of tree removal guidelines. All alley trees are protected by the Back Bay Architectural Commission’s (BBAC) guidelines.

2. To inform residents and property managers about the BBAC’s guidelines for tree removal and planting. The guidelines protect all trees on private property (the Parks Department governs street trees). To remove a tree, owners must submit a formal application to the Commission and attend a hearing; certain criteria must be met before permission is granted. BackBayTrees.org includes information about the BBAC’s Tree Removal Policy, also available on our main website at http://www.gardenclubbackbay.org/tree-removal-policy-in-the-back-bay/.

3. To encourage the preservation of existing trees and the planting of new ones. Boston’s tree canopy is shrinking. Trees provide many ecological benefits, including reducing air pollution, preventing flooding in overtaxed storm drainage systems, providing shade to reduce energy costs, mitigating the effects of the urban heat island, reducing wind and noise, and providing wildlife habitat, food, and shelter. Trees also have a calming effect on people, enhance our quality of life, are a source of beauty, and increase property values.

The Tree Committee will conduct an inventory of front garden trees this summer, and add that information to the website.

The Garden Club’s mission is to promote civic beauty; improve, advance and encourage horticultural improvements; ornament the streets and public squares of the City of Boston, especially the Back Bay, by planting and cultivating ornamental trees; and to educate the public in the art of gardening. The Club welcomes questions from residents about caring for their trees. Contact them at gardenclubbackbay@gmail.com, or info@gardenclubbackbay.org. Photo by Laurie Thomas.

Saturday, September 8, or Sunday, September 9, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Bog Building Workshop

On either Saturday, September 8 or Sunday, September 9 (your choice) from 3 – 4, build a complete miniature bog with four temperate carnivorous plants in a 10 inch bowl. Learn about the plants, how to build a bog, and how to take care of it. All materials and instruction included. Lauren Sitterly will instruct, at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive in Boylston. No prior experience necessary. $30 for THBG members, $45 for nonmembers. Register at https://towerhillbg.thankyou4caring.org/pages/event-registration-form—bog-building-workshop

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Sunday, September 9 or Sunday, September 30, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm, or Friday, September 21, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Farm-To-KITCHEN Cooking Class: Native Foods of Massachusetts

This September, The Trustees are excited to bring you a very special cooking experience at The KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market that focuses on the foods and cooking styles of Massachusett’s Native American Tribe, the Wampanoag, who resided in Eastern Massachusetts during the 17th century and whose descendants still live in the Commonwealth today. This class will highlight pre-colonial diets and farming practices, including seasonal rounds of fishing, planting, harvesting, hunting, and seed saving, while also providing some insight into the past and current Wampanoag population. While fairly invisible in our current food system, the Wampanoag contributed greatly to our food production knowledge and our understanding of seasonal eating.

This class, to be held on three separate occasions, September 9, 21, or 30, sets out to honor these great people and educate attendees on the history of local food. Our menu focuses on the Wampanoag’s “three sisters” crops of corn, beans and squash, which will be in peak season in September.

In this lively, hands-on cooking class you’ll learn how to utilize the produce and products of the farmers and artisans of the Boston Public Market. Guided by Chef Alexis Daniels, you’ll create an exciting three-course meal based on seasonal, local food, and increase your comfort in the kitchen through new knife skills, techniques, and flavor profiles. Alexis began catering at 13-years-old in the San Francisco Bay Area, and launched her own private catering company at 16. Rather reluctantly, she closed her business and uprooted to chilly Boston to earn a BA in Anthropology, Community Health, and Fine Art from Tufts University. Delighted to learn food does in fact grow here too, she stayed a while longer and earned her Master’s in Occupational Therapy. After testing the waters in rehabilitation hospitals, clinics, and schools, she decided the kitchen best suits her creative, culinary mind. These days, she is Enrichment Programs Manager at the Acera School, a founding member of Eastie Farm (the neighborhood’s first non-profit urban farm), and an avid world traveler. Alexis is excited to extend her love of global cuisines to students at the Boston Public Market, through classes highlighting New England’s highest quality local food.

In addition to learning a new cooking style, you’ll enjoy tastes of three local New England wines that pair perfectly with recipes we’ll be making, courtesy of The Massachusetts Wine Shop. $60 for Trustees member and $75 for Non-Trustees Members. Members must bring their current member card and number. Register at http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/greater-boston/event-41346.html?srregion=greater-boston&srrelated_property=580688683&srevent_type=&dateType=srevent_start_date&srstartDate=&srendDate=&x=36&y=7

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Sunday, September 30 – Deadline for Picture This: Your Great Outdoors Photo Contest 2018

Mass Audubon is once again seeking photos that highlight people in nature and the beauty of Massachusetts wildlife and landscapes. Last year, they received more than 4,000 images – they can’t wait to see what you have in store this year!
Submission deadline is September 30, 2018. Be sure to read the contest guidelines and rules to learn all about how and what to enter. For those who have entered before, they have updated the submission guidelines. Visit https://www.massaudubon.org/news-events/photo-contest?utm_source=june2018&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=explorations You may enter up to 10 images. Award winning image below – copyright Bernard Creswick.