Boston Flora

Tag: Ecological Landscape Alliance

  • Wednesday, June 21, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Growing a Vibrant Shade Garden

    Walk into most botanical gardens and you will see a few shade trees in an otherwise sunny garden. Though bee balm, anise hyssop and milkweeds display a blast of color in the sunny garden many folks find themselves at a loss when dealing with the shade.

    Join Dan Jaffe at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham on Wednesday, June 21 at 1 pm for a crash course on all things shade. From blasts of color to great groundcover filler species we’ll have you walking out ready for any shady site. Dan is the propagator and stock bed grower at New England Wild Flower Society (NEWFS) in Framingham, Massachusetts. He earned a degree in botany from the University of Maine and an advanced certificate in Native Plant Horticulture and Design from NEWFS. After interning at Garden in the Woods, Dan worked for a year as Plant Sales Coordinator at the Garden. $26 for Ecological Landscape Alliance members, $32 for nonmembers – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/growing-a-vibrant-shade-garden/#sthash.KYWGPuSQ.dpuf

  • Tuesday, June 20, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Eco Tour: Heritage Museums & Gardens

    Heritage Museums & Gardens is a premiere public garden featuring a 100-acre property located in historic Sandwich Village, Massachusetts. Heritage boasts beautifully landscaped gardens, an extensive network of nature trails, and special exhibits in the museum galleries.

    The entrance to this historic property has recently been redesigned to create a green parking area, offering a more beautiful entrance for visitors and much-needed stormwater infrastructure.

    There is a growing interest in green parking lots that reduce environmental impact, improve safety, while being designed with appealing aesthetics in the process. The Heritage Museum & Gardens project is an excellent example of this multi-functional approach.

    To the Heritage visitor, it looks like a more colorful entrance with better pick-up and drop-off access. But beyond the lovely view, there is a highly functioning stormwater management system where rainwater is directed to the landscaped bioretention system. The series of bioretention basins collect and treat the runoff but are viewed simply as lovely gardens to visitors. The parking lot project boasts over 8,000 perennials, 350 flowering shrubs, and 50 specimen trees. The project also incorporated permeable hardscape features including decorative pavers, native boulder walls, and a wave-model sidewalk grate.

    From the beginning, the project has maintained a strong focus on landscape design, enhancing the visitor’s experience with a beautiful first impression of the gardens. Final touches will complete the project this spring, in time to celebrate the 2017 garden season.

    Join Ecological Landscape Alliance and Horsley-Witten, project lead, on Tuesday, June 20 at 1 pm to learn more about the entrance gardens and parking lot project and be treated to a guided walking tour through the Heritage Gardens to experience the beauty and learn about the many sustainable initiatives underway at the gardens.

    Brian Laverriere is a landscape designer at the Horsley Witten Group. He is a recent graduate of the University of Rhode Island where he earned his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture with a minor in community planning; during Brian’s last year at URI, he was nominated as the 2015 University Select Olmsted Scholar. Brian offered technical and creative support generating construction level site and landscape plans for the most recent parking gardens development project at Heritage. Brian has experience with LID stormwater management, site planning and design. His professional interests include climate adaptation, green infrastructure and community resiliency.

    Leslie Lutz is the Director of Horticulture and Facilities Management for Heritage Museums and Gardens, Sandwich, MA. Les manages all aspects of the 100 acre Garden including design, care, and maintenance of display gardens, trails and natural woodlands. He also responsible for operational maintenance, security, and capital projects. Les has extensive experience in botanical gardens having spent much of his career at Longwood Gardens as the Curator of Bonsai; New York Botanical Garden as the Conservatory Manager; Salisbury University as the Director of Horticulture; and Omaha Botanical Garden as the Chief Operating Officer.
    $23 for ELA members, $33 for nonmembers – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-heritage-museums-garden/#sthash.fQdynYDY.dpuf

  • Friday, June 16, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Designing a Garden for All Seasons

    How do you both captivate people and provide for wildlife year-round in a garden for all seasons? On Friday, June 16 at 10 am at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, Anna Fialkoff will talk you through the type of design that focuses your plant palette on structure and seasonal themes that carry you through the year. Afterwards join Anna on a walk through the garden and hear about how the horticulture team took on this question in the Curtis Woodland and Old Meadow designs. Anna is an Ecological Horticulturist & Designer at Garden in the Woods, New England Wild Flower Society. She is a graduate of the Conway School of Landscape Design. $62 for Ecological Landscape Alliance members, $73 for nonmembers. – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/59824/#sthash.GmrLj2CN.dpuf

  • Sunday, June 4, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm – Rain Garden Fundamentals

    As more land is developed for building, badly needed space for storm water absorption and cleaning is rapidly disappearing. Rain gardens can play a significant role in urban and suburban areas by cleaning, cooling, and slowing runoff so that it doesn’t pollute water bodies. On Sunday, June 4 from 1:30 – 3 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, learn how rain gardens work, how you can create a low-tech and effective rain garden, and which durable natives you should plant there. Presented by Anna Fialkoff in conjunction with the Ecological Landscape Alliance. $20 for members of sponsoring organizations, $24 for nonmembers. Anna Fialkoff is an Ecological Horticulturist & Designer at Garden in the Woods, New England Wild Flower Society. She is a graduate of the Conway School of Landscape Design. Register and see more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/rain-garden-basics/#sthash.ugPoQ05C.dpuf

  • Tuesday, May 23, 10:30 am – Eco-tour of Roger Williams Park: Artful Stormwater Solutions

    Designed by renowned landscape architect Horace Cleveland in 1878, the historic Roger Williams Park (RWP) is located in the southern part of Providence, Rhode Island and contains approximately 435 acres of landscaped areas, including the Roger Williams Park Zoo. The original plan included many of the curvilinear roads that follow the natural landscape and the large lakes and strategically placed man-made structures that still exist today. Unfortunately, like many of the historic parks designed in that era, the water quality of the ponds is severely degraded and suffering from impacts associated with the development of dense urban areas that drain into the ponds. On Tuesday, May 23 at 10:30 am, Brian Kuchar RLA, P.E. from the Horsley Witten Group, Inc (HW) and Brian Byrnes, the Deputy Superintendent for the Providence Department of Parks and Recreation (PDPR), will lead a tour of the on-going innovative stormwater management work being completed in Roger William Park.

    In 2011, the City of Providence received funding from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 1 to improve the water quality and biodiversity conditions of the RWP Ponds. The PPRD collaborated with the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) and sub-consultants to develop a comprehensive Water Quality Master Plan to address pond nutrient pollution in the ponds of Roger Williams Park. Since its inception, this project has been a true collaboration between federal, state and local agencies, non-profits, design consultants and contractors and highlight the benefits of public/private partnerships. As part of the project, six innovative stormwater practices were designed, permitted and constructed within the Park’s historic landscape. Practices include a grass surface sand filter, vegetated wet swale, a staged bioswale, with both wet and dry swale practices, a bioretention area, and road replacement with pedestrian shoreline walk with bioswales.

    The tour will visit four of the six sites and will:

    – Outline the challenges of working within a historic landscape
    – Describe each of the six innovative stormwater practices
    – Discuss lessons learned for design and construction based upon two-years of operation and maintenance an – Explain the revolving park maintenance program to adapt to 21st century realities
    – Provide details of the creation of the Rhode Island Park Conservancy to assist with the planning and funding of park-wide Improvement projects.

    Brian Kuchar, RLA, P.E., LEED accredited professional, Horsley Witten Group, Inc. has over 17 years of experience in the combined fields of landscape architecture and environmental engineering including: site planning, green infrastructure, ecological restoration, stormwater management, and land management planning. Brian has been employed in both the public and private sector and has experience with a broad range of projects including institutional, commercial and residential land development, multi use paths, park design, and ecological restoration. He has also served as an adjunct professor in the Landscape Architecture Department at the University of Rhode Island. Brian served as the Project Manager for this Project.

    Brian Byrnes, CPSI, Deputy Superintendent – Providence Department of Parks and Recreation, holds a degree in Urban Planning from the University of Rhode Island. Brian has over 30 years of experience as a contractor for site work and landscape construction in Rhode Island. Throughout his career, he has participated in the construction of over 100 storm water retrofits and drainage projects. As Deputy Superintendent, his main responsibility is to oversee design and construction projects throughout the Parks system, focusing on engaging the community and creatively using resources to make unique and sustainable community spaces. Brian brings a unique perspective to this presentation. Prior to joining Providence Parks, Brian served as a contractor project manager and oversaw the construction of four of the five stormwater practices built within the park in 2013.

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance tour is $23 for ELA members, $33 for nonmembers. See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-roger-williams-park-artful-stormwater-solutions/#sthash.v7Pne2iI.dpuf

  • Tuesday, May 16, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Eco-tour of Lincoln Park

    Join tour guide Miles Connors on Tuesday, May 16 at 4 for a walking tour of Lincoln Park. The story of Lincoln Park in Lexington MA is one of land reclamation on what historically was a town dump. Today it is an evolving and powerful statement about a community’s ability to restore the landscape and create places of beauty and ecological value. The Lincoln Park Committee (a subcommittee of the Lexington Recreation Committee) stewards the 60-acres for the Town of Lexington as open space for the community.

    Lincoln Park offers visitors a system of boardwalks and woodland trails through native gardens. There are upland woodlands, red maple wetlands, native wildflower meadows, ponds, streams, and other native plant communities. Established groves of Rhododendron and Leucothoe beneath white pine, American Beech with Mountain Laurel, native Azalea varieties with Dogwood for spring flower, and establishing Cypress along the pond edge all contribute to the native plant communities. These native plant communities provide a range of habitat to support wildlife, and a rich experience for visitors.

    To maintain the native plant communities, there is a seasonal Maintenance Plan that is approved and implemented to enhance the ecological value of Lincoln Park each season. Site walks and oversight from a Landscape Architect and Arborists, combined with weekly stewardship from dedicated Horticulturalists, facilitate the ongoing maintenance. The Park has also implemented a comprehensive invasive plant management program designed to identify and manage common invasive plants, and raise public awareness of the negative environmental impact of invasive species.

    Miles Connors is the Director of Parterre Ecological Services, a locally owned business specializing in restoration services to sustain our native plant communities through invasive plant management and native restoration strategies, necessary permitting, and planning. Miles holds undergraduate degrees in Environmental Planning & Policy and Biology and a Masters in Sustainable Landscape Planning & Design. Ecological Landscape Alliance members $23, nonmembers $33. See more and register at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-lincoln-park/#sthash.02bfi3kY.dpuf

  • Saturday, April 29, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Xeriscaping

    Xeriscaping is landscaping that requires no supplemental irrigation once plants have been established. Native plants that are well adapted to the environment and climate can help reduce the need for watering in a garden. Alternatively, landscapes can be designed to eliminate the need for irrigation through water conservation. This class will explain techniques for creating a more drought-proof garden and discuss native plants for xeriscaping in New England. Benjamin Crouch is the proprietor of Land of Plenty, which specializes in edible and naturalistic landscapes for Greater Boston. Ben was previously Urban Orchards director for the Boston-based non-profit, EarthWorks. For more information about Land of Plenty, go to www.landofplentygardens.com.

    The April 29 class will take place from 1 – 3:30 at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, and is $33 for ELA members, $40 for nonmembers. See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/xeriscaping/#sthash.Oj2rXJ2a.dpuf

  • Tuesday, March 21, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Designing with Plant Communities in Mind Live Webinar

    Ecological plantings are gaining popularity, but also face challenges due to environmental conditions and cultural expectations. When these plantings fail, it discourages future ecological landscaping efforts. We won’t solve this problem if we continue to design as if it we were painting on canvas, perceiving plants as individual objects in space. It is time for a new approach: a plant community based approach that evolved from the world of ecological science. Join Claudia West on Tuesday, March 21 on line at 12:30 EST as she explains how plants fit together in the wild and how we can use this knowledge to create landscapes that are resilient, beautiful, and diverse. This presentation will provide information that is practical as well as inspiring.  This Ecological Landscape Alliance live webinar is free to ELA members, $10 to nonmembers.  See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-designing-with-plant-communities-in-mind/#sthash.pB873Ube.dpuf

    Claudia West is the ecological sales manager at North Creek Nurseries, a wholesale perennial grower in Landenberg, Pennsylvania. Ms. West holds a Master’s Degree of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. In her current role, Ms. West works closely with ecological design and restoration professionals, offering consultation services from initial project planning stages to adaptive management strategies after project completion. Her work is centered on the development of stable, layered planting designs and the desire to bring American native plants back into our landscape. Together with co-author Thomas Rainer she recently published her first book Planting in a Post-Wild World, which promotes a new approach to ecological planting design.

  • Saturday, February 25, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Design with Water in Mind

    On Saturday, February 25 from 9 – 12 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, learn techniques to help you direct, store, and use water in your garden with instructor Amy Nyman. We’ll discuss practices that can be applied to all conditions, from extremely dry soil to soil that inundates during storms. We’ll begin with an overview of site analysis, discuss various water management systems, and conclude with native plant selections suitable for various sites. $39 for NEWFS and co-sponsor Ecological Landscape Alliance members, $47 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/design-with-water-in-mind  Image from www.houzz.com.

  • Wednesday, January 11, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Keeping Invasive Plants Out of Landscaping

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance will sponsor a webinar on Wednesday, January 11 from 1 – 2 on Keeping Invasive Plants Out of Landscaping, with Doug Johnson. Invasive plants can cause significant damage to native ecosystems, and horticulture has been a top pathway for introducing invasive plants. Now that we know more about the environmental risk, how can we make sure landscaping does not cause problems in the future? Numerous efforts are making progress on this front, many with explicit support from the green industry.

    The PlantRight partnership in California has brought together stakeholders to reach consensus on plant species that can voluntarily avoided. Efforts in other states have pursued both voluntary and regulatory lists. To ensure that invasive plant lists are developed with appropriate scientific basis and transparency, state invasive plant councils have developed a standard process. Such lists can be used to support green building codes. In California, recent inclusion of Cal-IPC’s invasive plant list in water-efficient landscaping guidelines and green building code point out challenges inherent in bridging between our evolving ecological understanding and sensible landscaping rules and guidelines.

    Doug Johnson is Executive Director of the nonprofit California Invasive Plant Council. Along with overseeing Cal-IPC’s programs, he currently serves on the executive board for the National Association of Invasive Plant Councils, and was the first chairperson of California’s Invasive Species Advisory Committee. He holds an MA in Geography from San Francisco State University and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. As a leader in the land management community, Cal-IPC delivers science-based tools and training, facilitates implementation of landscape-level projects, and advocates for strong public policy. Current projects include screening potential future weeds, mapping giant reed across the Central Valley, and developing vulnerability indices for Sierra meadows and San Francisco Bay salt marshes. The 2016 Cal-IPC Symposium—the organization’s 25th—celebrates park stewardship in honor of the National Park Service Centennial. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register and see more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-keeping-invasive-plants-out-of-landscaping/#sthash.Wx8q0fvK.dpuf