Boston Flora

Tag: Cambridge Public Library

  • Tuesday, February 11, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Designing Biodiversity from Gardens to Regions

    Grow Native Massachusetts hosts Evan Abramson on February 11 at 7 pm at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway in Cambridge. Cities, towns and watersheds have a vital role to play in strengthening, expanding and enhancing regional biodiversity, ecological health, and climate resilience. On sidewalks, parks, campuses, working lands, conservation properties, front lawns and backyard gardens, functionally diverse native pollinator habitat can serve as a building block for linking intact natural areas across a fragmented landscape. But what to plant, where to focus on first and how to measure the results? Evan Abramson of Landscape Interactions will present a series of case studies from project sites across the Northeast. An interactive discussion with audience members will follow. The program is free and open to all.

    Evan Abramson is a results-driven designer and planner on a mission to rebuild biologically diverse ecosystems through pollinator-plant interactions. As Principal of Landscape Interactions, he works closely with project partners on every step of the process, from conception to design, implementation, and maintenance. Since 2019, his firm has been responsible for over 380 acres of habitat installed in the Northeast, specifically targeting at-risk bees and Lepidoptera at each project location.

  • Wednesday, September 23, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Native Bees: Our Pollination Powerhouses

    Grow Native Massachusetts is proud to present our 2020 Evenings with Experts lecture series. These talks at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, are free and open to all.

    Join us for this September 23 talk beginning at 7 pm with Heather Holm, the author of Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide. This program was originally scheduled for May but had to be rescheduled due to Covid-19.

    Native bees are the most important and effective pollinators for our flowering plants. Although they play a crucial role in sustaining biodiversity, they are poorly understood and under threat from human activity.

    Heather Holm will teach us how to recognize common bee genera, and enlighten us about their fascinating life cycles, nesting habitat, and foraging needs. Come learn more about the mutualistic relationships that they have with native plants – a powerful reminder that the salvation of one is inextricably linked to the proper stewardship of the other.

    Heather Holm is an expert on pollinators whose first book, Pollinators of Native Plants, brought her national attention. She is a sought-after speaker who is passionate about educating audiences. Her recent book, Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide, won the 2018 American Horticultural Society Book Award.

    Thank you to our community partners, the Cambridge Public Library, Mount Auburn Cemetery and the Boston Society of Landscape Architects, for their support of this series.

  • Wednesday, March 4, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Climate Change, Conservation, and the Role of Native Plant Horticulture

    Grow Native Massachusetts is proud to present our 2020 Evenings with Experts lecture series. These talks are free at The Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway in Cambridge, and open to all.

    Join us at 7 pm on March 4 for this talk with Jesse Bellemare, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Smith College.

    As our world warms, the distributions of many native plant species are shifting with the climate. But not all species will keep pace with modern climate change, and some could face extinction.

    This poses a dilemma: what role should we take in helping native plant populations migrate? How do we balance our instinct for preservation with the risk of a relocated plant species disrupting the ecology of its new region?

    Jesse Bellemare will explore these questions in the context of the constant evolution of plant ranges over time, and the current insights we can gain from native plant horticulture.

    Jesse Bellemare’s research focuses on the ecology and biogeography of forest plants in the eastern United States. He has authored numerous scientific articles about the impacts of climate change, invasive insects, and land-use history on plant populations. He is currently the president of the New England Botanical Club.

    Thank you to our community partners: the Cambridge Public Library, Mount Auburn Cemetery and the Boston Society of Landscape Architects — for their support of this series.

  • Wednesday, March 6, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Sugar, Sex, and Poison: Understanding the Vital Powers of Plants

    Wednesday, March 6, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Sugar, Sex, and Poison: Understanding the Vital Powers of Plants

    Are we humans masters of our world, or are plants really the ones in charge? What they lack in locomotion, they compensate for in structure and chemistry. Celebrated author and botanist Bill Cullina, Executive Director, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, will explain why plant life is at the center of a carefully balanced natural economy that is critical to the functioning of our ecosystems. Through photosynthesis, plants produce the energy that powers the food chain. And although eaten by others, they are far from helpless prey, having evolved a dizzying arsenal of relationships to create ecologically sound landscapes. The free Grow Native Massachusetts lecture will take place March 6 at 7 pm at the Cambridge Public Library,449 Broadway in Cambridge.

    William Cullina is the author of many celebrated books about native plants, including the well-known trio: Growing and Propagating Wildflowers; Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines; and Native Ferns, Moss & Grasses.

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  • Wednesday, February 6, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – The Challenge and Promise of Restoring Urban Landscapes

    Human activity has degraded much of our urban landscape, making the rebuilding of native habitat on these lands an important priority. But potential restoration sites are often small and heavily altered, and questions about best strategies abound. Can these landscapes be designed and managed to support native biodiversity? How can we rebuild functioning ecosystems on them? Which target sites are practical ones, especially in this time of rapid climate change? Noted ecologist Steven Handel has been researching these challenges for most of his career and his work illustrates the surprising and significant transformations that are possible. On Wednesday, February 6 at 7 pm at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway in Cambridge, He will discuss projects that he has worked on, including Freshkills Park (a former landfill on Staten Island), Brooklyn Bridge Park, and other coastal sites. Join us to learn more about urban ecological restoration in a world that desperately needs it.

    Dr. Steven Handel, Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolution at Rutgers University, is currently a Visiting Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and editor of the journal, Ecological Restoration. This free program is sponsored by Grow Native Massachusetts.

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  • Saturday, August 18, 10:30 am – 12:00 noon – Native Plants for New England Gardens

    Dan Jaffe, coauthor of Native Plants for New England Gardens, wants to teach you how to create lovely, low-maintenance gardens that support biodiversity and thrive in New England. This handy guide to more than 100 great native perennials, trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses, and vines features practical information accompanied by beautiful color photography. Join him on Saturday, August 18 at 10:30 am for this informative discussion about native plants and all their garden uses–from plants to use instead of mulch to tough plants for urban gardens. The Urban Gardening Series is a set of lectures designed to help city dwellers grow healthy, sustainable, and beautiful gardens. Led by New England Wild Flower Society in partnership with the Cambridge Conservation Commission, these free lectures take place at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA.

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  • Saturday, July 28, 10:30 am – 12:00 noon – Native Lawn Alternatives for Urban Spaces

    “Lawns are a soul-crushing time suck” cries the media. Lawn covers more surface area of the U.S. than any other single irrigated crop, according to NASA. Lawns are resource-heavy, requiring irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticides to thrive in our climate. Learn some of the best, environmentally friendly lawn alternatives for urban gardens. Mark Richardson will discuss Native Lawn Alternatives for Urban Spaces on Saturday, July 28 beginning at 10:30 am. The program is free. The Urban Gardening Series is a set of lectures designed to help city dwellers grow healthy, sustainable, and beautiful gardens. Led by New England Wild Flower Society in partnership with the Cambridge Conservation Commission, these free lectures take place at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA.

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  • Wednesday, May 2, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Evoking Nature: Form and Function on the High Line

    Wednesday, May 2, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Evoking Nature: Form and Function on the High Line

    The High Line in Manhattan was born of a city that is constantly reinventing itself. Built on a mile-and-a-half long elevated railroad, this dynamic landscape was inspired by the tenacity of plants in its industrial setting, and it uses a matrix of perennial and woody plants to evoke a natural landscape. Wildly successful and overwhelmingly popular, caring for this garden in the sky poses unique challenges. Andi will describe how her team uses traditional and innovative horticultural techniques, how they work to promote the park’s biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and how they foster an emotional connection to nature in this challenging urban environment.

    As Director of Horticulture for the Friends of the High Line, Andi Pettis leads a world-class team of gardeners who care for this beloved elevated park in Manhattan. Andi’s horticulture career in New York City spans nearly two decades, including work in both private and public garden settings, park management, and teaching at the New York Botanical Garden. Join Grow Native Massachusetts on Wednesday, May 2 at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, at 7 pm for a free lecture featuring Andi Pettis. For more information visit http://www.grownativemass.org/programs/eveningswithexperts. Photo by Liz Ligon of Ms. Pettis carrying a tote bag designed for the Friends of the High Line by Diane von Furstenburg.

  • Saturday, January 20, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Native Lawn Alternatives

    “Lawns are a soul-crushing timesuck…,” reads the headline of a recent article on washingtonpost.com. According to NASA, more surface area in the U.S. is covered by lawn than by any other single irrigated crop. Lawns are resource-heavy, requiring irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticides to thrive in our climate. Learn some of the best, environmentally friendly lawn alternatives for urban gardens.

    This class is part of the Urban Gardening Series, a set of classes designed to help city dwellers grow healthy, sustainable, and beautiful urban gardens. Led by New England Wild Flower Society in partnership with the Cambridge Conservation Commission, these free classes take place at the Cambridge Public Library (449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA). Native Lawn Alternatives will be held Saturday, January 20 beginning at 1:00 pm. Free admission.

  • Saturday, October 21, 10:30 am – 11:30 am – Pruning Fundamentals

    Proper pruning of trees and shrubs improves their health and structure while enhancing their appearance in the landscape. On October 21 at 10:30 am, learn basic pruning principles, including how to make proper cuts, when to prune different species, and how to select and maintain tools. This New England Wild Flower Society class is part of our Urban Gardening Series, a set of classes designed to help city dwellers grow healthy, sustainable, and beautiful urban gardens. Led by New England Wild Flower Society in partnership with the Cambridge Conservation Commission, these free classes take place at the Cambridge Public Library (449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA).