Boston Flora

  • Plantastic Podcast

    The Plantastic Podcast is a show for plant killers, green thumbs, and everyone in between. Listen along as Dr. Jared Barnes deconstructs the practices of the best plantspeople of our time so that you can better cultivate your plants and yourself. Recent episodes include a conversation with Heather Holm on Pollinators and Native Plants, Shelby Radcliffe on Designing with Florida Natives, Tim Boland on Lessons from the Polly Hill Arboretum. and Shaun McCoshum on Natural Habitats and Wildlife Gardening. His website, Meristem, will link you to his blog and podcasts,

    Jared Barnes, Ph.D., started gardening when he was five years old, and since then he has enthusiastically pursued how to best cultivate plants and cultivate minds. He currently fulfills those passions as an award-winning associate professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX where he stewards the Plantery, SFASU’s student botanic garden. He writes a weekly newsletter titled plant•ed that was featured in the NY Times, hosts The Plantastic Podcast, and gardens with his wife Karen and daughter Magnolia at their smallholding Ephemera Farm which was featured in the 2025 book Gardens of Texas by Pam Penick.

    He obtained his Ph.D. in horticultural science from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC; he interned the summer of 2008 at The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA; and he has traveled around the US and into eleven countries to gain a national and global perspective of horticulture.

    Recent awards include the 2021 Stephen F. Austin State University Teaching Excellence Award, 2019 Perennial Plant Association’s Academic Award, the 2017 Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful Sustainability Award, the 2016 Perennial Plant Association’s Young Professional of the Year, and a member of GPN’s 2016 Class of 40 Under 40.

  • Wednesday, August 5, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – Art & Design in Providence: A Day Out with the President

    Horticulture and art have a long and storied history, often co-mingling and inspiring each other to exciting ends. In this near-daylong program in Providence—America’s “Renaissance City”—join Garden Conservancy President & CEO James Brayton Hall on a visit to the house and garden of acclaimed artist Andrew Raftery in the morning, followed by lunch and a visit to the RISD Museum in the afternoon. James, who began his career in Providence, eventually serving as Deputy Director of the RISD Museum, will discuss the rich interchange between Andrew’s garden and artistic practice. At the RISD Museum, one of America’s foremost university art museums, this discussion will expand to consider a rich array of design objects that draw on horticultural themes in a private session with museum curators Emily Banas and Kate Irvin. This program is currently sold out but join the waitlist at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/events/gm26-art-design-in-providence

  • Wednesday – Friday, September 23 – 25 – Olmsted Network 2026 Annual Conference

    The Olmsted Network’s 2026 Annual Conference—The Power of Connection: Shaping Resilient Public Landscapes—will convene park leaders, designers, advocates, funders, policymakers, and practitioners from across the country September 23 – 25 to explore how connection shapes resilient public landscapes.

    Set against the backdrop of Portland Oregon’s renowned park system and enduring Olmsted legacy, this year’s conference examines the relationships that sustain public spaces—linking people to parks, history to innovation, and vision to stewardship.

    As public landscapes face mounting pressures from climate change, funding constraints, public health needs, and evolving community expectations, the conference offers a timely forum for collaboration and problem-solving. Through panels, roundtables, and site visits, participants will exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and gain practical strategies to support the future of public spaces.

    Grounded in the principles of Frederick Law Olmsted while looking firmly toward the future, the conference invites participants to learn from the communities and environments of the Pacific Northwest and to experience connection in action: between parks and policy, design and equity, and climate response and cultural stewardship. As public landscapes face mounting pressures from climate change, funding constraints, public health needs, and evolving community expectations, the conference offers a timely forum for collaboration and problem-solving. Through panels, roundtables, and site visits, participants will exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and gain practical strategies to support the future of public spaces.

    Grounded in the principles of Frederick Law Olmsted while looking firmly toward the future, the conference invites participants to learn from the communities and environments of the Pacific Northwest and to experience connection in action: between parks and policy, design and equity, and climate response and cultural stewardship.

    Additional information about conference scholarships, hotel blocks, and LA CES is available below. For logistical questions, please contact Ella Menees, Logistics & Engagement Manager, at emenees@olmsted.org.

    Tickets & Pricing
    Each ticket includes access to the welcome reception, conference sessions, happy hour, and awards dinner (with RSVP), as well as two breakfasts, two lunches, and a swag bag. The menu is available here; let us know of any food allergies during registration.

    June 1 to September 15:
    Partner (with code): $350
    Student (with scholarship code): $40
    Regular: $400

    Partner Code & Scholarship Codes:
    All listed partner organizations will be provided a partner discount code for $350 tickets. This code will come to your organization’s listed contact via email. You can also reach out to us if needed. Visit https://olmsted.org/events/2026-annual-conference/

  • Wednesday & Thursday, August 26 & 27 – Ecological Landscape Alliance’s 32nd Annual Conference & Ecomarketplace: Navigating Uncertainty

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance (ELA) is excited to announce the 2026 Annual Conference & Eco-Marketplace to be held in Providence, Rhode Island. The Annual Conference brings together leaders in ecological landscape practices with a diverse range of professionals involved in landcare, including landscape architects, designers, growers, horticulturists, land stewards, arborists, and installation/maintenance technicians. We also welcome students, educators, native plant enthusiasts, community activists, and home gardeners. The event will feature a two-day, multi-track program with opportunities to network, learn, and share new insights and strategies that contribute to sustainable and regenerative landscape management.

    Explore innovative ways to use native plants, mitigate climate change, and design spaces that encourage biodiversity, including habitats for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Join us for some interactive workshops and discussions that will equip participants with practical tools and ideas for integrating ecological principles into landscape design.

    One keynote presentation will be led by Dr. Evelyn Beaury of the New York Botanical Garden on Seeding Ecosystems of the Future. The decisions we make in our gardens will have a large effect on what species will persist under climate change, which is already impacting the distribution of biodiversity across time and space. In this talk, Dr. Beaury will discuss the latest research on these impacts and give you some ideas for how your garden can help ecosystems for the future, such as reducing the spread of invasive species and supporting climate-resilient native plants. 

    Another talk will be by Christopher Roddick , head arborist of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Working with trees is hard. The work can be demanding and sometimes dangerous: long hours in all kinds of weather, cutting wood with a chainsaw while hanging from a rope, or chipping brush into a man-eating machine.

    As hard as all of that is, it was actually far more difficult and stressful for me to acquire the level of knowledge I needed to do the job well. Thousands of plant names to memorize, insects and diseases to identify, soil science, biology, ecology, and the list goes on. It’s daunting, especially for people like myself who aren’t traditional learners. But not knowing a plant, a pollinator partner, or a mushroom growing on a tree seemed far more unsettling.

    This is the story of one tree guy’s 40-year journey, seeking knowledge from plants, trees, eccentric plant people, while fighting distraction, trying not to get killed or joining too many plant societies.

    To register for this two day event at the Omni in Providence, Rhode Island, visit https://ecolandscaping.org/events/

  • Thursday, August 20, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Art by the Sea

    The Ogunquit Museum of American Art joyfully invites you to this year’s Art by the Sea Auction & Gala. This year we are excited to celebrate our most anticipated event of the season again at Cliff House Maine! We hope you will join us for an evening filled with excitement, our signature live auction, vibrant drinks and delicious passed hors d’oeuvre, and of course, the very finest company. $250. Register HERE.

  • Saturday, August 15 – Windy Hill Open Day

    The Garden Conservancy will sponsor three separate sessions of an Open Day at Windy Hill in Hancock, New Hampshire on August 15. Registration for each session (10 – 12, 12 – 2, and 2 – 4) is separate. Please check the website when signing up to be sure you have chosen the correct time.

    This landscape garden sits on a rocky, windy ridge with expansive views of New Hampshire mountains continuing south to Massachusetts. It is the work of the owners and Bill Noble, teaming with Lindsay Johnson, Kyle McCabe and Barrett Proctor.

    The garden is dictated by the harsh and imposing landscape. Boulders provide structure and echo the mountains. The garden is also a sanctuary for many species of fireflies, amphibians and other insects and wildlife. The garden includes an entry drive through restored native woodland, pollinator beds, a meadow lawn, a Tree Garden (oaks pruned to frame the hills) and a Rockery planted with native shrubs and ground covers.

    To the south, an approximately mile-long stroll garden passes through the colorful, insect-filled energy of a wild flower meadow, to the tranquil light and shadow of deep forest, over a board walk through a stumpery (a garden of stumps, snags and fallen trees embedded in the forest), past woodland clearings and back to the house.

    Another approximately half-mile stroll garden passes through another meadow to a grove of pruned birch and around a pond. The garden is four years old and is very much a work in progress. $10 for nonmembers.

  • Saturdays & Sundays, August 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 & 30, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Sunflower Fest

    Come to Lincoln, Rhode Island’s Butterfly Farm for their annual Sunflower Fest, a celebration of summer on the farm. Each August, the sunflower fields burst into bloom, creating a beautiful backdrop for a family-friendly farm experience. Visitors can stroll through the sunflower fields, take photos among thousands of bright yellow blooms, and enjoy a relaxing day surrounded by the sights and sounds of the farm. During the festival, guests can also shop from a variety of local artisans, makers, and food vendors, making it a wonderful opportunity to support small businesses while enjoying the beauty of the season. Families can explore the farm, meet some of our animals, and enjoy a laid-back afternoon filled with sunshine, flowers, and community. Whether you’re visiting for the perfect photo, local shopping, or simply to spend time outdoors, Sunflower Fest is a summer tradition you won’t want to miss. The farm is located at 679 Great Road in Lincoln, Rhode Island.

  • Thursday, August 20, 8:45 am – 1:00 pm – 41st Annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest

    Join the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture on August 20 for the 41st Annual Tomato Contest, sponsored by the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and the Boston Public Market Association. This friendly contest is open to commercial tomato growers and is designed to increase consumer’s awareness of local agriculture. Tomato drop-off and registration begins at 8:45 – 10:45, followed by 11:00 am judging by a panel of experts, and the award presentation at 12:30 pm. All criteria and registration information may be found at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/annual-massachusetts-tomato-contest

  • Saturday, August 8, 7:00 am – 11:00 am – Andrew Grossman’s Garden

    Andrew Grossman’s one-acre property, which borders the Martin Wildlife Refuge and the Runnins River in Seekonk, Massachusetts, includes a blue-and-white garden with a rectangular lily pond, a hot-colored garden with a checkerboard thyme patio, a cottage garden planted with roses and other old-fashioned cultivars, and a rustic pond surrounded by bog plantings. There is also a cutting garden currently planted with David Austin roses and dinner plate dahlias. In the spring of 2021, he completed work on a swimming pool garden, which is planted with a low maintenance assortment of predominantly summer-blooming favorites. Finally, last year he installed a pond-less stream and planted the adjoining beds with flowering shrubs, perennials, ground covers and spring flowering bulbs. The house and property have been featured in numerous national publications, including Design New England, Old House Journal, Garden Gate, Flower, Country Living Gardener, Country Home, and Fine Gardening. In 2016 the gardens were awarded first place in HGTV’s Gorgeous Gardens competition.

    This garden’s estimated size is 1 acre. The garden will be open as part of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program, and the website has conflicting information on the hours, so double check upon registration. $10 for nonmembers. https://www.gardenconservancy.org/garden-directory/open-days/andrew-grossman-s-garden

  • Monday, June 14 – Tuesday, June 22 – Great Gardens of Southern England

    Immerse yourself in the rich horticultural heritage of southern England on this American Horticultural Society expertly curated journey through some of the world’s most celebrated gardens and landscapes. From iconic destinations like Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, and Kew Gardens to intimate, privately owned estates, this program offers rare access, behind-the-scenes insights, and meaningful connections with the people who shape these extraordinary places. Along the way, explore the evolution of British garden design, from Arts & Crafts masterpieces and Victorian glasshouses to contemporary plantings, while enjoying charming accommodations, thoughtfully curated meals, and cultural visits to historic towns such as Canterbury and Rye. The trip, June 14 – 22, 2027, may be explored in detail at https://ahsgardening.org/travel-study-program/england2027/. You may also call (703) 768-8801 or email travel@ahsgardening.org

    Trip Highlights

    • Expert-led visits to iconic gardens including Sissinghurst and Great Dixter
    • Insider access to extraordinary gardens not typically open to the public, with intimate tours led by owners, head gardeners, and expert horticulturists
    • Engaging, behind-the-scenes conversations that bring each landscape to life, from historic restoration stories to modern design approaches
    • A rich journey through British garden design, from Gertrude Jekyll–inspired Arts & Crafts masterpieces to Victorian glasshouses and contemporary plantings
    • Immersive visits to world-renowned horticultural institutions, including Kew Gardens and RHS Wisley, with time to explore their vast collections
    • Exploration of England’s cultural landscapes, including Canterbury, Rye, and Chartwell, blending garden history with literary and architectural heritage
    • Moments of classic English charm, from afternoon tea at a historic estate to strolls through walled gardens, orchards, and countryside settings