Boston Flora

Tag: American Horticultural Society

  • Wednesday, March 21 – Sunday, March 25 – Bold Colors and Exuberant Flowers: San Diego County

    Join the American Horticultural Society, with host Evelyn Alemanni, on Wednesday, March 21 through Sunday, March 25 for a tour of exciting public landscapes and spectacular private gradens during one of the most colorful months in southern coastal California.  You will stay at the  historic Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in the foothills of Northern San Diego County, pictured below.  Trip highlights include a sneak preview of new plants being introduced to the horticultural trade at the California Spring Trials, a stop at the world-famous Flower Fields to view a stunning display of ranunculus, and a private tour of both the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the San Diego Botanic Garden.  For more information, contact MacNair Travel by emailing ahs@macnairtravel.com, or call 866-627-6621.

  • Friday, October 21, 7:00 pm – Wicked Bugs

    In  her book Wicked Bugs, a darkly comical look at the sinister side of man’s relationship with the natural world, author Amy Stewart tracks down more than 100 of the worst entomological foes – creatures that infest, infect, and generally wreak havoc on human affairs. Ms. Stewart is the bestselling author of five books on the perils and pleasures of the natural world, including Wicked Plants. Her essays and commentaries have appeared on NPR, in the New York Times, and in Fine Gardening, where she is a contributing editor. Stewart is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship and the American Horticultural Society’s 2010 Book Award. She lives in Eureka, California, where she and her husband own an antiquarian bookstore.  Amy Stewart will make an appearance at Porter Square Books in the Porter Square Shopping Center, 25 White Street, Cambridge, this Friday, October 21, beginning at 7 pm.  If you plan to attend this free event, call 617-491-2220, or email ellen@portersquarebooks.com.

  • American Horticultural Society Online Auction

    For the third year in a row, the American Horticultural Society will reprise its online auction. This year’s auction features exclusive opportunities for four people to have lunch and a garden tour with notable horticulturists and landscape designers throughout the United States.

    Among the tours is Fallingwater in Pennsylvania with Landscape Architect Melissa Marshall, principal designer for the award winning firm MTR Landscape Architects. Ms. Marshall was instrumental in the recent renovation of the last great Frank Lloyd Wright house with its original setting, furnishings, and artwork intact.

    Also available is a tour with Allan Armitage, internationally known for his multifaceted teaching and research in new plants for the garden and greenhouse at the University of Georgia Horticulture Gardens.

    Visit http://www.ahs.org/auction/ for a full list of these exceptional experiences and more information about the auction process. The deadline to bid on the auction items is September 26, 2011, 5:00PM EST. All proceeds benefit the AHS’s outreach programs and stewardship of its River Farm headquarters.

  • September 26 – October 6, 2011 – Castles and Gardens of Bohemia and Moravia

    The American Horticultural Society will begin this autumn trip (September 26 – October 6, 2011) to the Czech Republic in the capital city of Prague, renowned for its castles and cathedrals.  From there you will venture to the historic and picturesque regions of Bohemia and Moravia (see Kromeriz Gardens in central Moravia, below.)  Experience a wealth of gardens in styles ranging from formal Italianate, Renaissance, and Baroque to Neo-classical and modern – including several 20th-century gardens created by visionary designers.  For full information and itinerary, contact the AHS Travel Study Program through its travel planner, MacNair Travel, at ahs@macnairtravel.com, or call 866-627-6621.

  • Thursday, July 21 – Saturday, July 23 – National Children & Youth Garden Symposium

    The American Horticultural Society’s 19th Annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, Digging into the Art and Science of Gardening, will take place July 21 – July 23 in East Lansing and Grand Rapids, Michigan, hosted by 4-H Children’s Garden at Michigan State University and the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. For more information, or to be added to the mailing list, visit www.ahs.org, email youthprograms@ahs.org, or call 703-768-8700, ext. 132.

  • Garden Photography Competition

    The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Club of America (TGOA/MGCA) sponsors an annual photography contest, with categories such as wildflowers, roses, landscapes, and more. This competition is meant to encourage good photography and continual education in conjunction with home gardening and other interests of the TGOA/MGCA membership.  American Horticultural Society members are encouraged to enter, as well as members of the sponsoring organizations, and complete rules may be found on their website, www.tgoa-mgca.org, or you may request a copy of the contest manual from Sherra Schuck at sschuck4@kc.rr.com.  There is a February 16 deadline, so get on this right away if you are interested.  You may also call 515-278-0295. Best of Show 2009 winner, Echinacea purpurea with two-tailed Swallowtail butterfly by Karyn Chaffin of the Denver Gardeners of America is shown below.

  • Friday, April 1 – Saturday, April 2 – Eighth Annual Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium

    The inspirational and exhilarating Eighth Annual Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium (that has sold out for several years) will energize your approach to gardening.  The symposium will be held Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2 at The Equinox Resort, a world class, four diamond resort in Manchester, Vermont.  The symposium features six info-packed lectures led by nationally and regionally renowned professionals in their fields, as well as a vendors area.  Exchange ideas and swap “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” gardening stories with other passionate gardeners at workshops, meals and free time.  Drawings for great gardening gifts throughout the Symposium will sweeten the deal.  One and two night packages are available, as well as day-only rates.  Speakers include Ellen Ecker Ogden on The Complete Kitchen Garden: The Art of Designing a Classic Potager, Bill Cullina on The Botany of Design, as well as Beyond Black-eyed Susans and Border Phlox: Exceptional Native Perennials for Creative Gardening, Charlotte Albers on Mad About Blue, Heather Poire speaking on Proven Winners Annual: The Perfect Accessory for Perennial Gardens, and Kerry Ann Mendez presenting Exciting New or Underused Perennials for 2011. Symposium sponsors include The American Horticultural Society, Equinox Valley Nursery (see their lilac image below,)  The Espoma Company, Fine Gardening Magazine, Gardener’s Supply Company, Liquid Fence, Luster Leaf Products, Neptune’s Harvest, Proven Winners, SmileMonster.com, and White Flower Farm.  You may register on line at www.pyours.com/Symposium2011.html.  Registration deadline is March 28.

  • May 5 – May 14 – The Loire Valley and the Festival of the Domaine de Courson

    Explore the beautiful and storied Loire Valley in northwestern France in springtime, May 5 – 14, 2011. This exclusive American Horticultural Society tour will provide entree to some of the finest privately-owned historic chateaus and gardens, including Chateau de Cheverny (below, also called the Chateau of Tintin,)  Chateau de Chenonceau, and the inspirational ornamental potager at Villandry.  For the grand finale, you will enjoy the international “Journees des Plantes” festival at the Domaine de Courson, south of Paris.  For complete information, contact AHS travel planner MacNair Travel at 866-627-6621, or email ahs@macnairtravel.com.

  • Saturday, October 23, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Ornamental Grasses with Robert Herman

    The stature, movement and rustling of grasses make them a unique group of plants for the garden. Join horticulturist and educator Rob Herman at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge on Saturday, October 23, from 10 – noon, to discover the reasons for using grasses, how to place them and how to select the right grasses for any garden. Explore the beautiful grasses, some known and some relatively unknown, for every habitat from sunny, dry locations to wet shady spots. This program is designed for both gardeners new to gardening with grass as well as experts in the field.

    Robert Herman has over 25 years of experience as a professional horticulturist and educator, including seven years in Europe as “Meister” for Countess von Zeppelin Nursery in Germany. He has worked for the Missouri Botanical Garden and as the Director of Horticulture for White Flower Farm. He was recently awarded the 2010 Teaching Award from the American Horticultural Society.  $20 for BBG members, $25 for non-members.  You may register on line at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or call 413-298-3926.

  • One on One with Great American Gardeners Online Auction

    In conjunction with the American Horticultural Society’s 17th Annual Gala, taking place this year on Saturday, September 25 from 6 – 10 pm at River Farm in Alexandria, Virginia, the AHS is proud to announce its second annual online auction, “One on One with Great American Gardeners.” This is your chance to bid on an opportunity for you and three friends to spend time as exclusive guests of a prominent American horticulturist, botanic garden director, or landscape designer.  One such local experience will be hosted by Michael Dosmann at the Arnold Arboretum here in Boston. Visit www.ahs.org/auction for a sample of available experience options and more information about the auction.  The deadline to bid is October 25, 2010.

    If you are interested in attending the gala, which includes an elegant formal dinner under the stars and silent auction, call Courtney Capstack at 703-768-5700, ex. 127, or email ccapstack@ahs.org.  The gala’s honorary chair is Laura Dowling, celebrated White House florist and owner of Interieurs et Fleurs in Old Town, Alexandria.  Laura and her floral arrangements have been featured on broadcasts on  Home and Garden Television and the Fox network morning news show, and in international publications such as the Journal di Dimanche (Paris).  The event is black tie, advance reservations only.  All proceeds from the gala and online auction benefit the stewardship of River Farm and the American Horticultural Society’s outreach and educational programs.

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