You have a second chance to take this two session program with Kyle Stevens, if you missed the November dates. The Arnold Arboretum is sponsoring a two session class on Saturday mornings, February 27 and March 5, beginning at 9:30 a.m., with Arborist Kyle Stephens. This class will provide an overview of the information necessary to identify deciduous trees during their dormant season. Looking at specific character combinations, participants will learn to determine the genus and species of several types of trees in the Boston area. The group will begin indoors with a discussion of basic classification techniques and then go outside to the Arboretum grounds to explore maples, oaks, lindens, buckeyes, hickories, hornbeams and as many other trees as time will allow. This class is recommended for the beginner-to-intermediate tree observer. The first class meets at the Dana Greenhouse Classroom. The second class meets at the Hunnewell Building. Dress warmly for spending the morning outdoors. A hand lens may be helpful, but is not necessary. Fee $65 Arboretum member, $75 nonmember. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.
Tag: Boston Area
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Thursday, November 19, 12:15 pm – Girls’ Night Out in the 1890s
On a hot July day in 1891, four wealthy women set off for ten days of “roughing it” on Great Brewster Island and kept a diary of their summer adventure on their “enchanted isle.” Now in the collection of the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University, the diary is a snapshot of a time when the Harbor Islands played a prominent role in the lives of Boston-area residents. Author Stephanie Schorow introduces us to the “Scribe, Autocrat, Aristocrat and Acrobat” and their delightful get away.
Stephanie Schorow is a long-time Boston-area reporter and writer. If she’s not working on a book project, she’s hammering away at articles for a host of publications and institutions, including the Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, Lifescript.com, MIT, Harvard and many others. She writes on health issues, history topics and cultural trends. She reviews restaurants for Globe North and music reviews for the Chicago Blues Guide. She also writes and takes photographs for travel features.
Ms. Schorow is the author of the nonfiction book, The Crime of the Century: How the Brink’s Robbers Stole Millions and the Hearts of Boston, published in February 2008 by Commonwealth Editions. Her book on the Boston Harbor Islands, East of Boston: Notes from the Harbor Islands, was published in July 2008 by The History Press.
$5 admission. The talk will take place at the Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington Street, on Thursday, November 19 beginning at 12:15 pm. For more information, call 617-482-6439, or log on to www.oldsouthmeetinghouse.org.
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Holiday Wreaths from The Garden Club of the Back Bay
We wish to highlight reasons why supporting The Garden Club of the Back Bay through our 2009 Holiday Wreath Sale is so important to the Back Bay, the City of Boston, and the Greater Boston Area, so from now through the end of November, we’ll feature posts which focus on different projects funded by our loyal and generous customer base.
Today, let us consider the rather prosaic but important task of tree pruning. It’s not glamorous – no one ever swoons over the thought of lopped off tree limbs. Without periodic pruning, however, tree branches fall in storms, tearing off bark and allowing pathogens to enter the trees, weakening and often ultimately killing them. Tree limbs which are not pruned back hit pedestrians in the face, interfere with traffic, obscure traffic signals, and create misshapen and often ugly silhouettes. Building shadows force trees to lean toward the light, so growth is lopsided. Pruning can give such trees a more graceful appearance. The City of Boston naturally believes in pruning, but budgetary restrictions only allow pruning when a tree is in danger of toppling over and crushing personal property.
The Garden Club of the Back Bay came to the rescue a number of years ago, allocating a portion of our yearly budget to the task of pruning. We hire an excellent licensed arborist, Bob Lorie, to prune existing trees during street cleaning days when cars have been cleared from the streets. There are approximately 600 sidewalk trees in the Back Bay and most trees have been pruned at least once. We continue regular pruning of the smaller trees to get them above the height of traffic and to give them a good shape as they mature. We also offer pruning services for front yard trees at a group rate. We hope you will consider purchasing one of our lovely wreaths. Proceeds support our pruning efforts. To order, and for more information, click here.
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Saturday, November 21 & Saturday, December 5, 9 – 12:30 – Introduction to Winter Tree Identification
The Arnold Arboretum is sponsoring a two session class on Saturday mornings, November 21 and December 5, beginning at 9:30 a.m., with Arborist Kyle Stephens. This class will provide an overview of the information necessary to identify deciduous trees during their dormant season. Looking at specific character combinations, participants will learn to determine the genus and species of several types of trees in the Boston area. The group will begin indoors with a discussion of basic classification techniques and then go outside to the Arboretum grounds to explore maples, oaks, lindens, buckeyes, hickories, hornbeams and as many other trees as time will allow. This class is recommended for the beginner-to-intermediate tree observer. The first class meets at the Dana Greenhouse Classroom. The second class meets at the Hunnewell Building. Dress warmly for spending the morning outdoors. A hand lens may be helpful, but is not necessary. Fee $65 Arboretum member, $75 nonmember. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.
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Saturday, October 17, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm – 41st Annual South End House Tour
The South End Historical Society (SEHS) presents its 41st Annual South End House Tour on Saturday, October 17, from 10 – 5. This self-guided tour of private homes and public spaces begins at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street, where you pick up your tickets and guidebook. Tickets are $25 each, and may be purchased on line at www.southendhistoricalsociety.org. For more information, call 617-536-4445, or email admin@southendhistoricalsociety.org.
The South End Historical Society is a group of interested citizens that recognizes the unique architectural and cultural history of the South End of Boston. Through the efforts of the society, the South End has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the largest Victorian brick rowhouse district in the United States.
During its first thirty years, the SEHS has worked continuously to retain the Victorian integrity of the South End and reintroduce the greater Boston area to the South End with its annual House Tour as well as numerous historical programs and events. The SEHS also encourages research, conservation, and education to protect and promote interest in our local historic buildings, monuments, and sites.
The South End Historical Society is one of the primary contributors to the preservation of the South End and a supporter of its ongoing revitalization.
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Tuesday, October 13, 6:00 pm – A Tasteful Pursuit
While not strictly garden related, we would like to inform our web site readership of an event taking place Tuesday, October 13, beginning at 6 pm at Hamersley’s Bistro, 553 Tremont Street in the South End. A Tasteful Pursuit – Boston is part of Chefs On Tour For Childhood Hunger. In the world’s wealthiest nation, no kid should grow up hungry. Join host Chef Gordon Hamersley for a unique dinner event featuring the Boston area’s most talented chefs. The dinner will raise funds to support Share Our Strength’s efforts to end childhood hunger in the United States. 9.6 million eligible kids don’t get free or reduced price school breakfast. Joining Chef Hamersley will be Jody Adams of Rialto, Andy Husbands of Tremont 647 and Sister Sorel, Barry Maiden of Hungry Mother, and Richard Vellante of Legal Sea Foods, Inc.  Reception is hosted by Stella Artois, Heogaarden, and Leffe. $250 per person. To purchase tickets, log on to www.strength.org, and click on “A Tasteful Pursuit.”
