THE GOATS ARE BACK! Join The Boston Parks Department, the American Red Cross, and the Muddy Water Initiative for our Goats’ N Boats’ Celebration & Cleanup on Sunday August 30th from 12pm-2pm at the Muddy River. Thanks to all of our volunteers for making this GOAT season possible. All materials will be provided. Please wear close-toed shoes and clothes that can get muddy.
The Fourth of July may have passed, but the semiquincentennial celebrations continue! Join friends at The Gibson House Museum in September for a lecture by Dr. Trent Taylor to learn about how the centennial was celebrated in Victorian Boston, and about the ties between the Gibson family and the legendary Revolutionary War figure Dr. Joseph Warren. From $24 at Eventbrite HERE.
Whales make some of the longest migrations on Earth, traveling thousands of miles round-trip annually. They follow routes that connect critical feeding and breeding habitats across the globe, linking distant ecosystems into a single living ocean.
Amanda Hunter, marine biologist and polar expedition guide, considers whale migration and ocean conservation and examines the growing threats whales face—from climate-driven shifts in food availability to ship traffic and ocean pollution. Hunter also highlights conservation solutions that are making a difference. Uncover the surprising ways whales help regulate ocean health and climate, acting as powerful drivers of nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and marine productivity and reminding us why protecting these giants is essential for the future of our planet.
This August 27 Smithsonian online program begins at 6:45 pm Eastern on Zoom. $20 Smithsonian members, $30 nonmembers. Register at www.smithsonianassociates.org
Early July is a glorious time to explore the gardens of Austria and Bavaria, when long days and warm light bring landscapes into full, exuberant bloom. This thoughtfully curated American Horticultural Society journey with Panayoti Kelaidis traces a path from imperial Vienna through the Danube Valley and Upper Austria to the Bavarian Forest, revealing a rich spectrum of garden styles, from grand Baroque masterpieces to intimate, passion-driven private gardens. Along the way, enjoy expert-led explorations of historic palace grounds, owner-guided visits to gardens rarely open to the public, and meaningful conversations with horticulturists who share both technique and philosophy. Balanced with elegant accommodations, regional cuisine, and scenic drives through some of Central Europe’s most beautiful landscapes, this program offers a deeply engaging experience that connects you to the people, traditions, and ideas shaping these remarkable gardens today.
Trip Highlights
For complete itinerary and information visit https://ahsgardening.org/travel-study-program/germanyandaustria2027/. You may also call (703) 768-8801 or email travel@ahsgardening.org
In her book A Moment in Time: Designing a Country Garden, the award-winning landscape designer Kathryn Herman presents a four-season exploration of her own home, the historic Pepperidge Farm estate in Connecticut, which she has tended and developed lovingly for over 30 years. Her garden is a favorite destination in the Garden Conservancy Open Days program. Herman is well-known for creating poetic gardens that are contemporary yet inspired by quintessential English gardens— perfect for today’s lifestyles and a lovely way to update and complement a historic house. Here, she breaks down her design process by touring her garden in sections and adding thematic essays full of a career’s worth of tips and tricks so all home gardeners can adapt elements of her approach themselves. Join an online discussion and gain insights into elements such as form and structure, color, ornament, incorporating history, creating meadows, cultivating an orchard, planning a perennial garden, making a garden appealing to wildlife, and planning for seasonality.
Kathryn Herman is founding Principal of her Connecticut-based landscape architecture firm. Her work encompasses a wide range of distinguished residential estates and select commercial projects across the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. She has received numerous honors including American Society of Landscape Architects awards, Palladio Awards for excellence in classical design, and the Arthur Ross Award. Her projects have been featured in publications such as Veranda, Architectural Digest, House & Garden UK, and The Wall Street Journal.
$15 nonmembers, $5 members. Register at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/events/web26-a-moment-in-time-webinar-only. The book may be purchased separately for $60 HERE.
This autumn, Garden/Art/Garden is a new series of Garden Museum talks chaired by Tim Richardson bringing together curators, gardeners, and artists exploring gardens, landscape, and environment as artistic practice. From modern Japanese gardens to experimental land art, wilderness and utopia to environmental hopes and challenges, join us to stretch our ideas of what gardens and place can mean as artistic practice in an era of climate change.
Coming up in our first session on Tuesday 15 September, environmental artist Chris Drury – whose large-scale works have sparked international debate about fossil fuels and dying forests – describes his practice and why he resists the ‘Land Artist’ label. He is joined by curator and writer Ben Tufnell, whose decades of thinking on art, land and nature make him one of the field’s most authoritative voices.
Tues 15 September, 6.30pm GMT. £10
Livestream available, watch live or on demand, Register at gardenmuseum.org.uk
Experience a stunning field of thousands of blooming sunflowers available for display and pick-your-own. Join the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at the Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley to be a part of one of the newest and closest sunflower fields to Boston. Admission includes pick-your-own sunflower stems, access to the 1.3 acre display area, and access to the 36-acre Garden at Elm Bank. Entries are from 10 – 5 Sundays through Thursdays, and 10 – 4 Fridays and Saturdays. $5 for MHS members, $20 for nonmembers, $10 for kids 3- 17, children two and under free.
Tickets are on sale now. Sign up for updates to visit Sunflower Spectacular this August! https://www.masshort.org/sunflower-spectacular#signup
Roughly 1/3 of the food we produce ends up in a landfill. Learn how to fight food waste using the black soldier fly! These incredible insects eat spoiled food and produce two amazing outputs: protein-packed larvae to feed animals and frass (insect poop) to supercharge your soil. Compared to traditional methods, composting with black soldier flies offers a much faster decomposition process, boosts beneficial microbes, and can handle a wider variety of waste, including meat and dairy. This class covers their fascinating biology and gives you the resources you need to decide if a black soldier fly setup is right for your home or farm. Class will include a demonstration of the set up so you will have all you need to get started.
Destiny Mann is a PhD student in the agricultural entomology lab at the University of Delaware. She holds a MS in Entomology also from UD. Her research has focused on reducing food waste by upcycling it into useful products with the help of insects. She enjoys sharing her research with her community from 4H camps to Master Gardeners to Mt. Cuba! Outside of her research, you will catch her continuously fighting to keep invasive plants off of her property.
This Mt. Cuba Center class takes place August 20, but online only attendance is available. Virtual class ends at 2:15, as the instructor takes the in-person students outside for a demonstration. All virtual registrants will receive a recording of the class with access to view the class for 30 days after the live session. Register at https://mtcubacenter.org/event/upcycle-food-waste-with-black-soldier-flies-online/
Sweet summer days are here. Join the staff at White Barn Farm, 431 South Street in Wrentham on August 22 from 10 – 4 for live music, delicious food, and fun for the whole family. From kids activities to laid-back farm vibes, our Watermelon Festival is the perfect way to celebrate the season. White Barn Farm is a charming vegetable farm and farmstand located in Wrentham, Massachusetts.
Committed to sustainable farming practices, the farmers prioritize the importance of providing fresh food for their community. They aim to inspire local residents to embrace seasonal eating and to take the time to create delicious meals for their loved ones, using ingredients that are grown with care.
The Farm was founded in 2008 by Christy Raymond with the joined force of Chris Kantlehner in 2009. White Barn Farm has been nurturing the environment and community ever since!. Register at https://www.whitebarnfarm.org/events-1/watermelon-festival
As fall approaches, the New England fair season kicks into high gear. From The Big E to The Topsfield Fair to King Richard’s Faire, crowds flock to the fairgrounds for the rides, livestock competitions, giant pumpkins — and, of course, the food. Think stuffed baked potatoes, Thanksgiving sandwiches, corn dogs, fried dough and other iconic favorites.
WBUR is bringing some of the region’s beloved fair food vendors to CitySpace on August 19 to share the stories behind the snacks that inspire long lines and devoted fans. Former WBUR midday host Jack Lepiarz — better known to many as Jacques Ze Whipper and no stranger to fair life — moderates. Guests enjoy apple cider whoopie pies and Craz-E Burgers (smash burgers between two glazed donuts) after the conversation. Panelists:
Jonathan Cunningham — Owner, Joey’s Deli & Market
E.J. Dean — Owner, Fiesta Shows
Gino and Michelle Orlandi — Owners, Poppie’s Concessions
Tickets range from $10 – $30. Register at https://wbur.org/events/
