Boston Flora

Tag: Berkshire Botanical Garden

  • Saturday, July 31, 10:00 am – The Global Migration of Ornamental Plants – How the World Got Into Your Garden

    Learn about the history of how the world got into your garden in this Horticulture in History program sponsored by The Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road, West Stockbridge, on Saturday, July 31 at 10 am. Consider the horticultural endeavors of plant explorers in the far reaches of the globe and how the plants that they brought back with them have impacted our everyday lives. This is a lively account of some of the characters and their intriguing explorations in India, China, Japan, and beyond.

    Judith Taylor is an Oxford educated retired physician with a keen interest in horticulture and history. Dr Taylor has published three books on the history of horticulture, including The Global Migration of Ornamental Plants; How the World Got into Your Garden. The cost of this lecture, where books will be available for purchase and signing by the author, is $20, and you may register on line at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or by calling 413- 298-3926.

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  • Thursday, July 22, 4:00 pm – Herbs in History: The Practice and Lore of Medicinal Botany

    The Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road, West Stockbridge, continues its Horticulture in History series on Thursday, July 22 at 4 pm with a lecture, book sale and signing by author Judith Sumner. Beginning in prehistory, plants were known as the most reliable sources of essential medicines. Learn about traditional herbs and their many uses from ancient to modern times. Consider the best known herbal families, such as the mints and the mustards, and examine the basis for their efficacy. Traditional lore such as the Doctrine of Signatures, will provide historical context and breadth. This is an herbal adventure, spanning the medicinal botany practiced by the Greeks and Romans to the herb gardens of colonial America, herb use during wartime, herbs in the New England landscape, and modern herbal practices.

    Judith Sumner is a popular lecturer for botanical and horticultural organizations, including the Arnold Arboretum, New York Botanical Garden, and Garden in the Woods. She is the author of several books including The Natural History of Medicinal Plants and American Household Botany.  To register ($20), log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org, or call 413-298-3926.

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  • Friday, July 23, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – Wrapping Flowers Japanese Style

    In Japan, presentation influences so much – food, flowers, tea. But Japan is not the only culture this workshop will be inspired by. There are wonderful, exciting flower arrangement traditions from many cultures and this workshop will draw from them. July 23 from 10 – 3 is the perfect time for the Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road, West Stockbridge  to offer a flower-oriented workshop as there will be many flowers to choose from in our gardens. Participants will use basketry materials, papers and metal screening to “wrap flowers” in a new way. Be prepared to be newly excited about presenting the flowers you already love to live with and give as gifts.

    Nancy Moore Bess is a master basket maker and exhibits her baskets worldwide. She has championed Japanese basketry in the west and is the author of Bamboo in Japan. She teaches basket making workshops throughout the United States including for the Haystack School of Crafts on Deer Isle, Maine. Her popular workshops always sell out. BBG members $75, nonmembers $85, plus a $20 materials fee paid directly to the instructor.  To register, log on to www.berkshirebotanical.org, or call 413-298-3926.

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  • Thursday, July 15, 12:00 noon – 5:00 pm – Photographing Your Garden

    This Berkshire Botanical Garden workshop on Thursday, July 15, from noon to 5, will help participants use cameras to see gardens in new ways and bring their garden photography to a higher level. Instruction will cover basic camera functions and digital basics in easy-to-understand concepts and then apply them to the unique challenges of photographing a garden. Participants will spend time outdoors photographing the beautiful gardens at Berkshire Botanical. Following the shooting session review/critique the images made during the afternoon. Participants with specific questions about their camera should bring the camera manual along.

    Rich Pomerantz, one of this year’s Garden Club of the Back Bay speakers, is a full time freelance photographer who specializes in garden photography for books, and magazines. Rich’s images have appeared in periodicals including Garden Design, Traditional Home, Horticulture and Fine Gardening, and Brides Magazine. Rich’s book Great Gardens of the Berkshires was published in October, 2008.  The workshop will cost $50 if a BBG member, $60 if not.  Bring a digital camera to class. You may register on line at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or call 413-298-3926.

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  • Saturday, June 26, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Hedgemania

    The Berkshire Botanical Garden is holding a workshop on shearing, pruning and shaping hedges of all sizes and shapes on Saturday, June 26, from 10 – 1, in Richmond, Massachusetts.

    Join horticultural expert Matt Larkin for a hands-on hedge pruning workshop. The focus is on creating and maintaining a healthy, beautiful hedge. Learn about the different plants available for hedging including boxwood, yew, hornbeam, and privet. See first hand how these plants grow and learn techniques needed to tame them into formal and not-so formal shapes. Matt will share his “tools of the trade”, and his knowledge of cultivating these useful plants. Step-by-step instruction on pruning will be provided, and participants will sharpen their pruning skills on a variety of plants.
    Matthew Larkin established Black Barn Topiary in 2001 in an effort to provide large scale living sculpture to the garden obsessed. His work is currently growing at the Hartford Children’s Hospital, The London Hotel and various gardens in Connecticut and New York.  The class costs $35 for BBG members, $45 for non members, and you may register on line at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or by calling 413-298-3926.

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  • Saturday, June 19, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Making More Woody Plants – Taking Cuttings

    Longing for that special hydrangea? Learn how to propagate easy to grow shrubs and trees in a class at Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road, West Stockbridge on Saturday, June 19,  from 10 – noon,  with woody plant specialist Adam Wheeler. He will cover how to collect, prepare and propagate shrubs and trees from softwood cuttings. Set at a good time of the year, participants will take cuttings, make a simple propagator and learn techniques needed for insuring successful rooting. Easily propagated shrub varieties, cultivation requirements, timing and care will be the focus of this program. Participants will go home with some great plant material.  Materials are included in the cost of the class, but please bring your own hand pruners.   $40 members of BBG, $45 non members.  Register on line at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or call 413-298-3926.

    Adam Wheeler is the Propagation and New Plant Development Manager for Broken Arrow Nursery located in Hamden, Ct. a specialty nursery with a focus on woody plants, especially kalmias (below.)  He has an M.S. in Plant and Soil Science form the University of Vermont and he teaches woody plant propagation workshops throughout New England.

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  • Saturday, June 12, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – The Essentials of Garden Maintenance

    The Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road, West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, will hold a lecture and field study afternoon on Saturday, June 12, from 1 – 3 with Elisabeth Cary. After the first bloom of spring, as summer advances, the perennial border can often lose its lovely appearance. Learn how to keep the perennial border looking its best all season long by shaping perennials to produce more flowers, encouraging new growth, staggering bloom times, discouraging pests and encouraging vigorous plant health. Simple techniques for pruning, shaping, pinching, thinning, deadheading and staking perennials will be discussed and demonstrated. Weed control and mulching will be covered.

    Elisabeth Cary is the Director of Education at the Berkshire Botanical Garden and has been gardening for over twenty years. She specializes in perennial, vegetable and mixed border gardens. She teaches woody plant identification for the horticulture certificate program and perennial and vegetable gardening for beginners.  The class is $18  for BBG members and $24 for non members.  You may register on line at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or by calling 413-298-3926.  Image below from www.thegardenerseden.com.

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  • Saturday, June 12, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – The World of Peonies

    There has been tremendous development in the genus Paeonia in the last decade that has caused a resurgent interest in this wonderful garden plant. Along with an in-depth look at tree and herbaceous peonies,  learn about the new intersectional group which crosses tree and herbaceous peonies. Consider some of the more delicate woodland peonies that serve as parent plants to many common garden peony varieties. This talk on Saturday, June 12, from 10 – noon at the Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road, West Stockbridge, will focus on siting, planting, and successfully cultivating these lovely and historical garden plants. Plant sale will follow the talk.  You may register on line ($18 BBG members, $24 non members) at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or by calling 413-298-3926.

    Kasha Furman is owner of Cricket Hill Garden, a specialty grower of peonies, located in Thomaston, Connecticut. They specialize in tree and herbaceous peonies. Their plants are healthy, well grown, 4 year specimens and they offer over 75 varieties. Their display gardens are open on weekends in May and June.  The photo below was taken at Cricket Hill by Christine Boyka Kluge.

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  • Saturday, May 15, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Hardy Primroses for New England Gardens

    With over 425 species of primula growing under every possible condition over the globe, selecting a primrose that will not only survive but will also compliment your garden setting is a challenging task. This illustrated lecture at The Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Road in West Stockbridge,  will introduce you to many of the species, from the tiniest rock garden plants to three foot tall bog dwellers, with emphasis on how to grow some of the best in a New England garden. A walk through the Berkshire Botanical Gardens’ newly developed primrose pathway will provide an example of siting and cultivation in our climate.

    Judith Sellers is a Master Gardener and active member of American Primrose Society and its New England Chapter. Her first primroses, grown from seed in 1974, initiated an addiction which now includes exhibiting at shows and growing and sharing seeds and plants of many Primula species. Her articles have appeared in Horticulture and in the APS Quarterly, Primroses.  $18 Berkshire Botanical Garden member price, $24 non-members.  Register on line at www.berkshirebotanical.org, or call 413-298-3926.  You may also email info@berkshirebotanical.org.

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  • Saturday, March 27, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Spring Forward

    Learn tips and techniques for 365 days of gardening with garden experts Bob Hyland and Margaret Roach, on Saturday, March 27, from 10:00 – 1:00 at the Berkshire Botanical Garden (www.berkshirebotanical.org).  This is a hands-on workshop devoted to preparing for the upcoming gardening season, and will cover a “to do” list packed with detailed tips and techniques.  Learn about soil/bed prep, garden clean-up after the long winter – what’s really necessary and when shortcuts are appropriate.  Consider cool season techniques, what’s myth and what’s most useful.  Consider cool season container plantings – violas, pansies, arctotis, osteo’s, and prepare cuttings for summer containers, ensuring a supply of plant favorites from previous seasons.  Learn about new perennials and shrubs for 2010.  The speakers will share their thoughts on color trends (what’s in, what’s out) and how to read between the lines in catalog hyperbole.  Margaret and Bob will bring some of their very favorite plants and the botanical garden will lend its fabulous scented geranium collection for cuttings.  Finally, participants will transplant newly propagated woody shrubs.

    Bob Hyland is former vice president of horticulture and operations at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and worked for 25 years in leading public gardens on both coasts, including Longwood Gardens and San Francisco Botanical Garden.  He is currently co-owner and principal of Loomis Creek Nursery in Hudson, NY.  He is the author of Designing Borders for Sun & Shade.  Margaret Roach is the former garden editor and editorial director of Martha Stewart Living.  She currently gardens in Colymbia County, NY, where her garden has been open for the Garden Conservancy Open Days program for eleven years.  Her book, A Way to Garden, was named best garden book of the year in 1998 by the Garden Writers Association of America.  Margaret launched her garden blog www.awaytogarden.com in 2008 to great national media acclaim.  Members of BBG – $45, non members $50.

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