Boston Flora

Tag: Bbg

  • Saturday, January 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Seed-Saving Vegetables

    This Berkshire Botanical Garden program on Saturday, January 28 from 10 – 12 will provide an introduction to the basics of saving vegetable seeds. You’ll discuss issues of pollination, isolation, timing, spacing, harvesting, cleaning, drying and storage. We’ll explain terms such as hybrid and open-pollinated, “selfers” and “crossers,” and touch on the different requirements of annuals and biennials. Finally, we’ll talk about choosing the best varieties to start with.

    Sylvia Davatz has been gardening organically for over 25 years and saving seed for 18. What started as an act of protest against decreasing variety selection and a narrowing within the seed industry quickly expanded, fueled by curiosity about potential for season extension in our area and a desire for greater self-sufficiency. She is a member of the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, and offers seed of over 80 varieties through their annual yearbook. An additional 60 varieties are maintained in her garden for personal use. Three years ago she launched Solstice Seeds, a small seed company dedicated to offering locally adapted, regionally appropriate, Hartland-grown open-pollinated seed.  Register on-line ($22 BBG members, $27 non-members) at www.berkshirebotanical.org.

  • Saturday, January 21, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – New-Wave Gardening: Designing Perennials with a European Flair

    While most of us are familiar with the English borders and cottage gardens, designing and planting by habitat is a continental European ecological approach to combining perennials. Consider the gardens of European designer Piet Oudolf and learn about this cutting-edge design concept that has widely influenced European gardens for many years, in this Berkshire Botanical Garden class to be held Saturday, January 21, from 10 – noon. Robust, low-maintenance plants are selected and grouped according to their ideal growing situation. Robert Herman, an American who managed one of the top European perennial plant nurseries, will explain the habitat concept and design strategy and feature gardens from some of the foremost European designers.

    Robert Herman has over 30 years of experience as a professional horticulturist, almost 7 of which were spent in Europe as “Meister” for the Countess von Zeppelin Nursery in Germany. At the Missouri Botanical Garden he served in the horticulture and education departments and lead White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut as Director of Horticulture. He frequently lectures at plant conferences and botanical gardens in North America and Europe. His articles have appeared in American Nurseryman, Fine Gardening, the German magazine Garden and Landscape, and the Hardy Plant Society Journal in England. BBG member price $22, non-members $27, and you may register on-line at www.berkshirebotanical.org.  Below is an image of the “Lady’s Mantle path” into the German nursery that Robert Herman managed for seven years.

  • Saturday, August 13, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Build a Stone Trough Planter

    Learn how to make planters that look like old stone troughs out of a mixture called “Hypertufa”. In Europe, plants are often grown in stone troughs-ancient vessels once used for watering livestock. The craggy look of the hewn stone perfectly complements herbs, flowers and most especially rock garden and drought tolerant plants. Planting in troughs also raises the height of plants in the garden and segregates them from their larger neighbors. Learn how to design and produce unique Hypertufa troughs for your garden. Students will be guided through the process and will take home several troughs of their own creation. Debra Pope is an artisan working with Hypertufa medium to construct artistic custom troughs. Her troughs are sold throughout the northeast including Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Berkshire Botanical Garden and Stonecrop. Her popular workshops are offered at botanical gardens and for garden clubs in New England.  The workshop will be held Saturday, August 13, from 10 – noon at the Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road in Stockbridge, and costs $45 for BBG members, $50 non-members, plus a $15 materials fee.  For more information, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org. Molds for project below from www.delsmolds.com.

  • Wednesday, December 1, 1:00 – 3:00 pm – Wreaths from the Wild

    Get ready for the Garden Club of the Back Bay’s annual wreath making week (a detail of one of our wreaths is seen below)  by trekking out to the Berkshire Botanical Garden in West Stockbridge for this hands on workshop on Wednesday, December 1, from 1 – 3 pm.

    Create a beautiful evergreen wreath for the holidays, using the bounty of the fields and forests of the Berkshires. Learn about the natural history of common and not-so-common plants that can be used to create interesting holiday decorations. Consider a wide selection of plant material including: evergreen boughs, berries, seedpods, fern fronds and moss. Construct and take home a simple evergreen wreath. Take it home and the knowledge to create wreaths for holidays to come. Elisabeth Cary is the Director of Education at the Berkshire Botanical Garden and has been collecting plant materials from the wild and creating wreaths for over fifteen years. The cost of this workshop is $40 for BBG members, $45 for non members, and the materials are included in the cost of the class.  Bring pruners and gloves.  To register, or for more information, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org.

  • Saturday, October 23, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Stone Walls for the Garden and Stone Steps, Pathways and Flatwork

    Two interesting hands on workshops will be held at Berkshire Botanical Garden in  Stockbridge on Saturday, October 23.  Each session may be taken separately, or both may be taken – there is a 10% discount if a student takes both classes.

    The first, Stone Walls for the Garden, begins at 9 am.  This hands-on program will cover the basics of wall building, including: planning and layout, learning to look at stone and demonstrations on cutting and fitting. Various applications for the garden will be considered, with special attention to building a freestanding wall. All questions will be answered. Participants should bring: work gloves and safety glasses; dress for outdoor work.

    Mark Mendel (below) is the master mason of Monterey Masonry. He apprenticed with Maine stonemasons in the 1960’s and taught at the Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine. He has built scores of walls, arches, terraces and walks in addition to many fireplaces in both brick and stone. Locally, his work includes the kitchen at Hancock Shaker Village, and Guido’s Marketplace. BBG members $50, non-members $55.

    The second, Stone Steps, Pathways and Flatwork, will begin at 2 pm. Flatwork will be the focus of this workshop: paving with stone and brick for terraces, walkways, paths and garden edging. Watch a demonstration and participate in construction of a stone walkway using a variety of materials including stone and brick. Learn how to evaluate a project and choose the best material. All questions will be answered in this popular workshop. BBG members $50, non-members $55.

    To register, or for more information, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org. Rain date for both sessions is Sunday, October 24.

  • Wednesday, December 2, 1:00 – 3:00 pm – Wreaths from the Wild

    Get ready for the Garden Club of the Back Bay’s annual wreath making week by trekking out to the Berkshire Botanical Garden in West Stockbridge for this hands on workshop on Wednesday, December 2, from 1 – 3 pm.

    Create a beautiful evergreen wreath for the holidays, using the bounty of the fields and forests of the Berkshires. Learn about the natural history of common and not-so-common plants that can be used to create interesting holiday decorations. Consider a wide selection of plant material including: evergreen boughs, berries, seedpods, fern fronds and moss. Construct and take home a simple evergreen wreath. Take it home and the knowledge to create wreaths for holidays to come. Elisabeth Cary is the Director of Education at the Berkshire Botanical Garden and has been collecting plant materials from the wild and creating wreaths for over fifteen years. The cost of this workshop is $40 for BBG members, $45 for non members, and the materials are included in the cost of the class.  Bring pruners and gloves.  To register, or for more information, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org.
    http://www.anthonyschristmastrees.com/images/lg_traditional_22.jpg

  • Saturday, October 24, 9 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 5 pm – Stone Walls for the Garden and Stone Steps, Pathways and Flatwork

    Two interesting hands on workshops will be held at Berkshire Botanical Garden in West Stockbridge on Saturday, October 24.  Each session may be taken separately, or both may be taken – there is a 10% discount if a student takes both classes.

    The first, Stone Walls for the Garden, begins at 9 am.  This hands-on program will cover the basics of wall building, including: planning and layout, learning to look at stone and demonstrations on cutting and fitting. Various applications for the garden will be considered, with special attention to building a freestanding wall. All questions will be answered. Participants should bring: work gloves and safety glasses; dress for outdoor work. Mark Mendel is the master mason of Monterey Masonry. He apprenticed with Maine stonemasons in the 1960’s and taught at the Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine. He has built scores of walls, arches, terraces and walks in addition to many fireplaces in both brick and stone. Locally, his work includes the kitchen at Hancock Shaker Village, and Guido’s Marketplace. BBG members $45, non-members $50.

    The second, Stone Steps, Pathways and Flatwork, will begin at 2 pm. Flatwork will be the focus of this workshop: paving with stone and brick for terraces, walkways, paths and garden edging. Watch a demonstration and participate in construction of a stone walkway using a variety of materials including stone and brick. Learn how to evaluate a project and choose the best material. All questions will be answered in this popular workshop. BBG members $45, non-members $50.

    To register, or for more information, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org. Rain date for both sessions is Sunday, October 25.

    http://cdn-write.demandstudios.com/upload//7000/900/70/1/17971.jpg

  • Saturday, October 10, 10 am – 12 noon – Gardening with Bulbs

    Consider the many ways to integrate bulbs into the home landscape including enhancing the perennial border, designing foundation plantings or naturalizing a woodland setting. Learn all about the cultivation of bulbs both minor and major. Review a wide variety of both traditional bulbs (daffodils, tulips, lilies and hyacinth) and learn about the more unusual ones including allium, colchicum, scilla, galanthus, camassia, and frittilaria. Watch a demonstration on planting. David’s wonderful bulbs will be on sale following the lecture. David Burdick has been a practicing horticulturist in Berkshire County for more than twenty years. He worked for nine years at BBG and an additional nine years at Windy Hill Nursery. He is a popular teacher for the Horticultural Certificate Program and is currently operates a specialty bulb and cut flower business Daffodils and More at Holiday Farm, Dalton.  This program will take place at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 10, from 10 – noon, and costs $16 for BBG members, $21 for non members.  For more information, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org.

    http://www.artcom.com/Museums/nv/af/Chicago%20Botanic%20Garden%20Bulb%20Garden%20SpringBlooms.jpg

  • Saturday, September 26, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Pruning Shrubs and Small Trees

    Autumn is a great time to assess your woody plants for shape and structure. This demonstration/workshop, to be held at the Berkshire Botanical Gardens in Stockbridge, Massachusetts on Saturday, September 26, from 10 am – 1 pm, will focus on pruning, including: when, why and how to shape, renovate, train or rejuvenate your woody plants. Learn about pruning tools, timing, and specific techniques available to the home gardener. Participants will learn the basics of pruning, including rejuvenating an old lilac and shaping a small flowering tree. Pruning techniques specifically for hedges both evergreen and deciduous will be covered. Ken Gooch, Massachusetts Certified Arborist, is the Department of Environmental Management’s Forest Health Specialist for Berkshire County. He is an educator and lectures widely on a variety of topics including forest health, pruning, and arboriculture.  Cost of workshop is $20 for BBG members, $25 for non-members.  For directions and more information, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org.  Wear waterproof outerwear and footwear and bring pruners.

    http://www.tlcfortrees.info/images/Pruners.jpg