Boston Flora

Tag: Arnold Arboretum

  • Wednesday, October 10, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – What a Plant Knows

    Join The Arnold Arboretum for a captivating journey into the lives of plants—from the colors they see to the schedules they keep—with renowned biologist Daniel Chamovitz. Director, Manna Center for Plant Biosciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Ecology of Plants at Tel Aviv University. Highlighting the latest research in plant science, he will take us into the lives of different types of plants, and draw parallels with the human senses to reveal that we have much more in common with sunflowers and oak trees than we may realize. Covering touch, sound, smell, sight, and even memory, Chamovitz considers whether it’s too much to ask if plants are aware. His book, What a Plant Knows, is a true field guide to the senses for science buffs and green thumbs, and for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of our place in nature. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Fee $5 member, $20 nonmember.  Register on line at www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

  • Tuesday, October 2, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Birch: More than Meets the Eye

    White-barked birches hybridize freely, suggesting that current species are too narrowly defined. Even the well-known common native North American paper-bark or canoe birch (Betula papyrifera) causes consternation. Birch expert Hugh McAllister of University of Liverpool and Ness Botanic Garden will explain a bit about the white-barked birches’ propensity to cross-pollinate and thus confound taxonomists, on Tuesday, October 2, from 6:30 – 8 at the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum. He will discuss birch distribution around the world while showing images of his research travels and herbarium specimens and posing some as-of-yet unanswered questions that keep this botanist awake at night. Free, but registration requested at www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

  • Sunday, September 30, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Best in Show: 6 National Collections

    Michael Dosmann, Curator of Living Collections at the Arnold Arboretum and past Garden Club of the Back Bay speaker, will lead a walk through the Arboretum on Sunday, September 30, from 2 – 3:30. The Arboretum is committed to growing a diverse and comprehensive collection of plants. In particular, they are growing six important genera for the North American Plant Collections Consortium, a group of public gardens working to conserve plants with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the American Public Gardens Association. Learn more about the six genera that make up our “national collections,” the importance of preserving biodiversity, and current research using these plants. Free, but register on line at www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

    In case of inclement weather, contact 617.384.5209.

  • Saturday, September 29, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm – Bark Ecology and ID: Get to Know Your Trees

    Identifying tree species can be challenging when the traits typically used to describe them—leaves, buds, and twigs—are not clearly visible or, in the case of leaves, not even present. On Saturday, September 29, from 9 – 1, join Michael Wojtech, author of Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast, for an exploration of bark, the tree characteristic that provides clues in every season. You will learn how to differentiate six different bark types, how to use the book’s identification keys, and begin to discover why such a variety of bark characteristics has evolved—Why do some species have smooth bark, while on others it is thick and broken? Why does bark peel? After a classroom session you will practice identifying native tree species on the grounds of the Arboretum. Open to naturalists at all levels of experience. Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast is required for the class and can be purchased at the time of registration. Purchased books will be distributed in class. Birch bark photo from www.fondofsnape.com.  Fee: $40 member, $55 nonmember and $17.00 per book.  Register at www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

  • Wednesday, October 3, 7:30 am – 7:30 pm – The High Line: An Extraordinary Urban Space

    Join gardener extraordinaire Robin Wilkerson for a day trip to the remarkable High Line in New York City on Wednesday, October 3.  The garden is built on a formerly abandoned mile and a half of elevated railroad line.  Both the hardscape and the plant material are informed by the structure’s history as a rail bed.  Native oaks, sassafras, sumacs, and an array of ornamental grasses are just a few of the plants rarely encountered in public gardens, but among many of the outstanding plant choices.  A High Line docent will lead this Friends of Wellesley Botanic Garden, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, and New England Wild Flower Society tour.  There will be time for lunch and exploration on your own.  Don’t miss this chance to see and experience what has quickly become one of the world’s great urban wonders.  Fee ($120 for members of the sponsoring organizations, $145 for non-members) includes private coach with restroom, snacks, box lunch and guided tour.  Bus departs Garden in the Woods, Framingham, at 7:30 a.  To register, visit www.wellesley.edu/wcbgfriends.

  • Monday, September 24, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – A Brief History of Plant Pathology: from the Irish Potato Famine to the Present

    Plants maintain complex relationships with a wide spectrum of microorganisms. A significant portion of these interactions are with plant pathogenic microorganisms, which cause diseases of various plant parts and thereby decrease crop productivity. Studying plant diseases is vital to understanding the biology of plants, which, in turn, provides crucial information for successful agriculture. Archana Vasanthakumar, Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, SEAS, Harvard University,  will explore the impact of plant diseases on humankind, beginning with the Irish Potato Famine in the late nineteenth century—an event that has been heralded as the beginning of plant pathology as a discipline. She will go on to examine the role of plant pathology in current agriculture. The program will take place Monday, September 24, from 7 – 8:30 at the Hunnewell Building at the Arnold Arboretum. Free, but registration requested (www.arboretum.harvard.edu).

  • Wednesday, September 19, 6:00 pm – Artists in the Arboretum 2012: Looking Closely

    The Arnold Arboretum, in conjunction with Jamaica Plain Open Studios, will host a juried group exhibition devoted to art inspired by the plants, landscape, and collections of the Arnold Arboretum. The theme for this year’s show is “Looking Closely.”  Join the Arboretum staff on Wednesday, September 19th at 6 pm for a reception with the artists in the Hunnewell Building Lecture Hall at the Arboretum.  The show will run through November 18, 2012.

  • Sunday, September 30, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Nature in Focus: Taking Great Close Ups

    Kim Smith, photographer and filmmaker, will give a class at the Arnold Arboretum on Sunday, September 30 from 9 – noon on Nature in Focus: Taking Great Close Ups. Learn tips for taking great close-up photographs from celebrated butterfly and garden photographer Kim Smith. Through slides and hands on demonstrations, Kim will guide you in capturing the beauty of the flora and fauna found in nature. Bring your camera and questions, and a tripod if you have one. You will gain more from the class if first you familiarize yourself with your camera’s manual. (Note: This is not a macro-photography class.) Fee is $40 for Arboretum members, $55 for non-members. The class will take place at the Hunnewell Building, and you may see examples of Kim’s work on her blog http://kimsmithdesigns.wordpress.com/.   Register at www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

     

     

  • Thursday, September 13, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Very Fine Vines

    Whether twining, clinging, or scrambling, vines know how to get around. Take a walk with Nancy Rose, editor of Arnoldia magazine, through the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden at the Arnold Arboretum on Thursday, September 13, from 1 – 2:30 in the afternoon, to learn more about how vines grow and climb. See vines with the best ornamental features, as well as those that provide tasty fruit. You’ll also learn about a few vines that you won’t want to plant!. Below is Parthenocissus tricuspidata ‘Fenway Park’ discovered by the Arnold Arboretum’s  Dr. Peter Del Tredici at – wait for it – Fenway Park.

    In case of inclement weather, contact 617.384.5209. To register for this free session, visit www.my.arboretum.harvard.edu.

  • Saturday, September 15 – Arnold Arboretum Plant Giveaway

    Now is the time to join or renew your membership with the Arnold Arboretum. The plant list for the 2012 Plant Giveaway is now available online. The 2012 event brochure [pdf] will be mailed to members in August, along with tickets and free plant vouchers.

    The Fall Plant Giveaway, held annually in September, celebrates the Arnold Arboretum’s longstanding tradition of sharing and promoting woody plants for temperate climates. In addition to making plant material available to researchers and other botanical institutions, the Arboretum has traditionally distributed plants to members of the Friends of the Arnold Arboretum in recognition of their support. Held annually in September, the Plant Giveaway gives members the opportunity to receive free Arboretum-grown plants as a part of their membership benefits, gain first-hand expert knowledge from our staff, and enjoy the beauty of our landscape during the change of seasons.

    If you have any questions, or would like to join the Friends of the Arnold Arboretum in advance of the 2012 Plant Giveaway, please email membership coordinator Wendy Krauss at membership@arnarb.harvard.edu or call 617.384.5766.