Boston Flora

Tag: Back Bay Fens

  • Saturday, May 16, 9:00 am – 11:00 am – Back Bay Fens: Visions and Revisions

    This two-hour National Park Service walking tour on Saturday, May 16, from 9 – 11, will examine the multifaceted history of the Fens focusing on its transformation from “the foulest marsh and muddy flats to be found anywhere in Massachusetts” into an urban oasis of greenery. Afterwards, we will visit one of the many Boston cultural institutions that migrated to the surrounding neighborhood following the Fens’ creation, Boston Symphony Hall. REGISTRATION is required – please click on to http://www.nps.gov/frla/planyourvisit/walks-and-talks.htm. Aerial view from www.pressleyinc.com.

  • Saturday, May 9, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm, and Sunday, May 17, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Historic Treasures of the Back Bay Fens

    What do a 17th-century Japanese Temple Bell, an historic bridge made of Roxbury puddingstone, and a tree once thought extinct have in common? They all reside in the Back Bay Fens.  Learn about these and other treasures on a guided walking tour of the Back Bay Fens that is sure to bring out the history detective in you.  The tours, presented by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, will take place Saturday, May 9 from 11 – 12:30, and Sunday May 17 from 1 – 2:30.  Free and open to the public – meet at the Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway.  Contact 617-522-2700 or email info@emeraldnecklace.org for more information. Dan Tobyne photo below.

  • Wednesday, August 13, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm – MFA Outdoor Tour: Art, Architecture, and Landscape

    On Wednesday, August 13, beginning at 11 am, take an hour long walking tour of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and its Fenway neighborhood.  Learn about nearby buildings and their architecture, along with fascinating information about the Back Bay Fens and other sites in the Fenway neighborhood.  The tour is free with Museum admission and leaves from the Sharf Visitor Center.  For more information visit www.mfa.org/programs.

  • Sunday, May 18, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Historic Gems of the Back Bay Fens

    From once foul mud flats to a recreated salt marsh to today’s gardens and park land, the Fens has undergone many transformations in the last 130 years.  Join Emerald Necklace docents as they talk and walk the landscape on Sunday, May 18, uncovering the layers of history from Olmsted’s 19th-Century sanitary improvement and H.H. Richardson structures to the 20th-Century transformations that brought gardens, memorials, and ball fields to the Fens.  What do a 17th-Century Japanese Temple Bell, a historic bridge made of Roxbury puddingstone, the oldest continually operating World War II Victory Garden in the country, and a tree once thought to be extinct have in common?  They all reside in the Back Bay Fens.  Learn about these and other historic gems on a guided walking tour that is sure to bring out the history detective in you.  Meet your guide at 11 am at the Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway.  Free and open to the public.  Contact Jeanie Knox at jeanine@emeraldnecklace.org for more information, or call 617-522-2700. Image below is from 1892.

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Ymx9e66vrGc/TNo8kH9j1mI/AAAAAAAANAg/75lIXzLQoZE/s1600/110026r.jpg

  • Sunday, March 2, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – The Secret Life of Cones

    Led by Emerald Necklace docent Barbara Balasa, this informal talk on Sunday, March 2, from 1 – 2:30, focuses on all things coniferous and will feature a hands-on exhibit of a variety of cones from North America, including the infamous “widow-maker.” The program begins at the Shattuck Visitor Center located in the Back Bay Fens across the street from the Museum of Fine Arts, and is free and open to the public.  Image from www.travelinggardener.com.

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  • Monday, December 2, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – The Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted Volume VIII: The Early Boston Years, 1882 – 1890

    Frederick Law Olmsted relocated from New York to Boston in the early 1880s. With the help of his stepson and partner, John Charles Olmsted, his professional office grew to become the first of its kind: a modern landscape architecture practice with projects throughout the country. During the period covered in Volume VIII of the Olmsted Papers, Olmsted and his partners designed the park system of Boston and Brookline—including the Back Bay Fens, Franklin Park, and the Muddy River Improvement.

    Though Olmsted would never provide a definitive treatise on landscape architecture, this volume contains some of his most mature and powerful statements on the practice of landscape architecture. Join The Arnold Arboretum and the sponsors below on Monday, December 2 at the Weld Hill Research Building for a lecture, panel discussion and celebration of this newly published landscape design resource.  Fee: $10 (Students: Call 617.384.5277 to register for free.)

    Doors open at 6:00pm. Light refreshments served.  Books available for purchase and signing.  Weld Hill Research Building is located at 1300 Centre Street, Roslindale, MA.

    Sponsored by the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Friends of Fairsted, and National Association for Olmsted Parks in collaboration with the City of Boston, Parks and Recreation Department, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Town of Brookline, Parks and Open Space Division.

    http://www.olmsted.org/storage/images/00_Home_Page/volume_8_cover.jpg

  • Thursdays, July 11 – July 25, 10:30 am – 12:30 am – Gardens Around the World

    Gain insight into the unique design styles and objects that add to the pleasure of Boston, English, and Chinese gardens with this Museum of Fine Arts Boston three-session course, Thursday mornings July 11–25, 10:30 am–12:30 pm.

    On July 11, Keith Morgan, director, Architectural Studies and professor, American and European Architecture, Boston University, will speak on Frederick Law Olmsted’s Public Landscape. Hear the fascinating story of how a saltwater marsh was transformed into a park of winding walking paths and gentle streams that comprises today’s iconic Emerald Necklace. Following the talk, enjoy a one-hour guided walking tour of the Back Bay Fens adjacent to the Museum, and learn about the area’s landscape elements and community gardens. A scholar of nineteenth and twentieth century American and European architecture, Professor Morgan is interested in the relationships between architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture. Professor Morgan has taught at Boston University since 1980. He has served as the director of the Preservation Studies Program and of the American and New England Studies Program and as the chairman of the Art History Department on two occasions. He is a former national president of the Society of Architectural Historians. His recent publications include Shaping a New American Landscape: The Art and Architecture of Charles A. Platt, Boston Architecture, 1975-1990, which he coauthored with Professor Naomi Miller, and a new introduction for the republication of Charles Eliot, Landscape Architect. He is the editor and one of the principal authors for Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston, and serves as the architecture editor for The Encyclopedia of New England. He has received research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Buildings of the United States project, several committees for the restoration of historic landmarks and is a trustee of the Hancock Shaker Village.

    On July 18, Curt DiCamillo, fellow, Royal Society of Arts and President of The DiCamillo Companion Ltd. will discuss The English Garden: Perfection on Earth. Whether stately and formal or natural and romantic, English gardens have been called Britain’s single most important contribution to world culture. Learn about the history of these gardens and why their influence remains with us to this day.  A guided tour of the MFA’s exceptional collection of garden paintings and country-house objects follows the lecture. Curt DiCamillo is an American architectural historian. Between 2004 and 2012, he was the Executive Director of the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA (he is currently Executive Director Emeritus). Previously, he worked for 13 years for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Since May 2012, Mr. DiCamillo, in his role as president of The DiCamillo Companion, Ltd., has focused full-time on lecturing, writing, and leading tours about the architectural and artistic heritage of Britain and its influence around the world.

    Finally, on July 25, Nancy Berliner, Wu Tung Curator of Chinese Art, will present The Chinese Home and Garden. The Chinese home, its architecture, gardens, and contents are created to reflect the values and ideals of its residents. Dig into the world of Chinese gardening to learn how these landscapes combine artistic elements and nature in perfect harmony. Following the discussion, visit Chinese galleries that touch on house and garden themes, including “Beyond the Screen,” a gallery that evokes the home and gardens of a 16th- and 17th-century Chinese household. She is the author of The Emperor’s Private Paradise: Treasures from the Forbidden City.

    Three-Session Course Tickets
    $90 MFA members, seniors, and students; $108 nonmembers
    Order at 1-800-440-6975 or in person at any MFA ticketing desk

    Individual Session Tickets
    $35 MFA members, seniors, and students; $42 nonmembers
    Online: http://www.mfa.org/programs/series/gardens-around-world
    By phone: call the MFA Ticket line at 1-800-440-6975
    In person: at any MFA ticketing desk

    Ticketing desk hours: Mon, Tue, Sat, and Sun, 10 am–4:15 pm; and Wed–Fri, 10 am–9:15 pm.  Capacity is limited.

    http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/images/full13/9780300163896.jpg

  • Sunday, May 5, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – A Walk with Mr. Olmsted in the Back Bay Fens

    See the Back Bay Fens through the eyes of the man who designed and built it. Join Frederick Law Olmsted, as portrayed by Gerry Wright and an Emerald Necklace docent as they lead a walk through the historic landscape of the Fens on Sunday, May 5, beginning at 1 pm. Learn how Mr. Olmsted transformed the area once described as, “The foulest marsh and muddy flats to be found anywhere in Massachusetts,” into the first link in his chain of parks we know today as the Emerald Necklace. Tour starts and ends at the Shattuck Emerald Necklace Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway, Boston 02115. Free and open to the public.  Reservations recommended. Register by clicking this link or call 617-522-2700.

    http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4017/4703667971_fedfe7b4f7_z.jpg

  • Tuesday, May 14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s 15 Year Celebration

    The Emerald Necklace Conservancy will celebrate 15 years connecting people and parks, and conserving the Emerald Necklace, on Tuesday, May 14, from 6 – 8 in the Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens. The Olmsted Award of Excellence will be presented, and Emerald Necklace Parks Champions John Blackwell (posthumous) of the Arnold Arboretum, Isabella Callanan (posthumous) of the Riverway, Christine Cooper and John Iappini of Jamaica Pond, Sarah Freeman of the Emerald Necklace Parkways, Walter Little and Dan Richardson of Franklin Park, Arlene and Hugh Mattison of Olmsted Park, and Freddie Veikley of the Back Bay Fens will be honored.  Individual tickets $50, patron tickets $150. Purchase tickets at http://www.emeraldnecklace.org, or send a check to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115.  Kindly respond by May 1. For more information contact Jillian Levine at 617-522-2700, or email her at jlevine@emeraldnecklace.org.

    http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs057/1101800735703/img/43.jpg?a=1108955821088

  • Sundays, July 15 – August 26, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Walking Tours of the Emerald Necklace

    The Emerald Necklace Conservancy invites you to join them for free walking tours on Sundays, July 15  – August 26, from 1:00 – 2:30 pm, led by Emerald Necklace docents.  Tours will begin and end at the Shattuck Emerald Necklace Visitor Center.  The specific tours are as follows:

    Sunday, July 15
    The Changing Landscape of the Back Bay Fens
    Frederick Law Olmsted turned a foul-smelling tidal creek and swamp that periodically flooded into “scenery of a winding, brackish creek, within wooded banks; gaining interest from the meandering course of the water.” Much has changed to Olmsted’s landscape over the years. Hear the fascinating story of the Fens on this guided walk.

    Sunday, July 22
    19th Century Women Activists and Reformers and the Back Bay Fens
    Several 19th Century women played a part, though often overlooked, in Fens history. Join Emerald Necklace docents on a guided walking tour of the park and hear the stories of Marie Antoinette Evans, Mrs. Johnson, Ida Agassiz and others, while stopping at gardens and historic sites along the way.

    Sunday, July 29
    History and Landscape of the Back Bay Fens
    From foul muddy flats to the parkland of today– the Fens has undergone many transformations in the last 125 years. Join Emerald Necklace docents as they talk and walk the historic landscape. Includes stops at the Kelleher Rose Garden, with its 1,500+ roses, and the oldest World War II Victory Gardens in continuous operation in America.

    Sunday, August 5
    Along The Muddy River

    Where does it start and where does it go? Learn the answers and more on this guided walking tour of all things Muddy! Once tidal, the Muddy River has been reconfigured, widened, narrowed, dredged and filled. Hear the story of Olmsted’s plan for the Muddy and what the future holds for this waterway. Tour includes stops at two historic bridges that span the Muddy.

    Sunday, August 12
    The Plant Life of the Back Bay Fens
    Explore the plant life in the Back Bay Fens with Emerald Necklace docents. Stroll among cherry trees and crabapples, see (and smell!) 200 varieties of roses in the Kelleher Rose Garden; view recently planted native species such as oakleaf hydrangea, sweet and hay-scented fern, witch hazel, common snowberry, and mountain laurel on the slope at Mother’s Rest; and meander through the Victory Garden for an eye-popping array of blooms and veggies. You may want to bring along a camera and notebook!

    Sunday, August 19
    The Changing Landscape of the Back Bay Fens
    Frederick Law Olmsted turned a foul-smelling tidal creek and swamp that periodically flooded into “scenery of a winding, brackish creek, within wooded banks; gaining interest from the meandering course of the water.” Much has changed to Olmsted’s landscape over the years. Hear the fascinating story of the Fens on this guided walk.

    Sunday, August 26
    History and Landscape of the Back Bay Fens
    From foul muddy flats to the parkland of today– the Fens has undergone many transformations in the last 125 years. Join Emerald Necklace docents as they talk and walk the historic landscape. Includes stops at the Kelleher Rose Garden, with its 1,500+ roses, and the oldest World War II Victory Gardens in continuous operation in America.