Boston Flora

Tag: ELA

  • Thursday, November 15, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm – Examining Nature as Medicine: Designing Landscapes that Improve Quality of Life and the Human Psyche

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance Mid-Atlantic Conference on November 15 at Winterthur from 8 – 5 explores the intersection of ecological landscape design and its effect on human beings. Sometimes referred to as Social Landscape Design or Ecological Psychology, emerging research is taking a closer look at the interaction of people and landscapes. Join ELA for leading-edge research, compelling case studies, and practical strategies to consider in your future designs.

    In both urban and suburban locales, rising health concerns have prompted research on how the human body changes when introduced to planned landscapes. Compelling conclusions point to the benefits of evaluating the intersections between specific elements in ecological landscapes and human health, specifically in the context of urban, public spaces. As an ecosystem of people, nature, and infrastructure, the built landscape can become a prescription to improve human health. This landscape trend in urban social-ecology is a design imperative to create gardens informed by nature in order to improve the environment, benefit human health, and develop cities that are resilient, healthy, sustainable, and livable.

    Sessions include Time in Nature = A Healthier You with Dr. Donald Rakow, Beyond “Nature is Good”: Research on the Benefits of Contact with Nature on Human Health, The Vibrant Cities Lab and Urban Forest Toolkit with Larry Wiseman, Observe/Inform/Improve: Nurturing Living Landscapes through Social Performance Research with Lauren Mandel and Erin Ramsden, and Landscapes as Living Infrastructure with Gena Wirth. Complete biographies and descriptions are found at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/ela-mid-atlantic-conference-winterthur/. $119 for ELA members, $139 for nonmembers.

  • Monday, November 5, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm – Season’s End Summit: The Sensory Garden – Elements to Enrich Every Landscape

    Monday, November 5, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm – Season’s End Summit: The Sensory Garden – Elements to Enrich Every Landscape

    As designers we aspire to create remarkable landscapes for ourselves, landscapes primarily measured in terms of visual, ecological, and functional appeal. Yet all of our senses are engaged as we experience the space and weigh the merits of the landscapes we enter. With planning, a sensory garden can deliver elements that involve all of the senses and ultimately deepen our connections with the space. In a culture dominated by technology, professional and amateur landscape designers have a unique opportunity to provide a rich experience for clients so that once disconnected from work, screen, headphones, and device, they can enjoy a multi-faceted garden that engages all of the senses and reconnects the soul.

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance invites you to slow down for one day on November 5 to contemplate a sensory-inspired journey into landscape design. Attend ELA’s 9th Annual Season’s End Summit as we explore sensory design elements, not just for specialty gardens but for every garden. Challenge the status quo, learn new approaches, reconnect with colleagues, and get inspired to embrace sensory dimensions in your next designs.

    Tovah Martin – The Garden in Every Sense and Season
    Gain inspiration for your next design as nationally known and celebrated Tovah Martin shares advice and ideas to deeply enhance the gardening experience for you and your clients. Tovah explores the garden on all levels by attuning your nose to the scents and training your ears to listen. Learn to garden with eyes wide open, ears to the ground, and hands outstretched as Tovah leads us on an odyssey of exploration to awaken the senses and arouse our abilities of perception on all levels.

    Ellen Sousa – Savor the Fragrance and Feast on the Bounty

    The sense of smell merges delightful sensory experience with lasting associative memory. It is easy to incorporate fragrances into a garden through blooms or aromatic foliage. Ellen will discuss how and when plants release their fragrance, provide placement suggestions for greatest impact, and share design tips for overlooked plants that offer floral, spicy, and fresh fragrances. But it is not just about the aroma. As we catch the scent of ripening fruit, the taste-buds begin tingle with anticipation of mouth-watering edibles. Ellen will inspire us with design options that satisfy the sense of taste from vegetables, herbs, and spices to fruits, nuts, edible flowers, and more.

    Trevor Smith – Tap into Your Inner Child

    Children touch everything to fully engage with their surroundings, a well-planned sensory garden invites visitors of all ages to experience this enjoyable sensation. In the sensory garden there are many textural options to invite interaction. Trevor encourages designers to incorporate plants featuring smooth, rough, waxy, hairy, silky, spiny, and even sticky elements and shares some favorite plant options. Of all of the senses, incorporating sound is where Trevor’s designs excel. Sound elements in the garden create a sense of calm and serenity. There are several ways to incorporate sounds by including: plants that rustle in the breeze; enhancing habitat features to invite wildlife bringing chirping, buzzing, and birdsong; adding man-made features such as wind chimes; or integrating a water feature to provide the most soothing of sound of moving water. Trevor will share ideas and address questions as we channel our inner child in the sensory garden.

    After lunch, all of the Summit speakers will join in a lively panel discussion. Panelists will answer questions to help address some challenges posed by sensory gardens. And regardless of a landscape’s design theme, there is a checklist of strategies at the core of any successful, ecological landscape. Panelists will discuss issues and provide tips for putting these principles and practices to work in any landscape.

    The day long event will take place at the Community Harvest Project Barn, 37 Wheeler Road in North Grafton, and is $119 – $129. Visit www.ecolandscaping.org for registration and complete information.

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  • Tuesday, August 28, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm, Tuesday, September 4, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, and Tuesday, September 11, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm – Native Woody Plant Materials

    Explore the huge variety of native trees, shrubs, and woody vines. Learn which species grow well in shade, which support local wildlife, and how you should stagger your plantings for continuous bloom, fruit production, and fall color. We’ll discuss growth characteristics, cultural requirements, and best horticultural uses.

    The three session Ecological Landscape Alliance course on Tuesdays, August 28 – September 11, will include lectures and walks in the Garden as well as a field trip to The Arnold Arboretum. Bring a bag lunch. Instructor Dan Jaffe 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. The classes will take place at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, and are $170 for ELA members, $200 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/native-woody-plant-materials/

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  • Tuesday, March 27, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Plants for Pollinators

    From meadows to mountain tops, our natural areas are often touted as the best places for pollinators and wildlife but what about our gardens? Join Dan Jaffe for a crash course on all things alive in the garden. Ecological gardening techniques, strategies for attracting new pollinators to your landscape, and the best native plants for each site will be discussed. The class is sponsored by the Ecological Landscape Alliance and will take place at Garden in the Woods in Framingham on Tuesday, March 27 from 1 – 4. $40 for ELA members, $48 for nonmembers. Register online at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/class-plants-pollinators/

    Instructor: Dan Jaffe 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, Mr. Jaffe worked for a year as Plant Sales Coordinator at the Garden. In addition to many years of experience in horticulture, he has boundless enthusiasm for native plants.

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  • Wednesday, March 21, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Invasive Plants: What Are They? And What Can Be Done? Webinar

    What are invasive plant species and what harm do they do to an ecosystem? Invasive plant species are a threat to natural areas throughout the country. No habitat or region is immune from the threat of invasive species. They displace native plants, eliminate native food and cover for wildlife, and threaten rare plant and animal species. Nearly all landscapes, both private gardens and public spaces, have become the unwelcome home to many invasives.

    Bruce Wenning, is an invasive plant specialist who will help to shed light on the invasive plant challenges that face most property owners. If you are a homeowner who wants to understand more about invasives, join Bruce on Wednesday, March 21 at 7 pm for this Ecological Landscape Alliance free webinar to learn:

    * How to identify different types of invasive plants
    * How to safely remove them your own landscape
    * How different invasive plants spread
    * What removal methods are effective on each
    * The importance of proper disposal of invasive plants once removed

    Bruce Wenning is a horticulturist at The Country Club, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where he is responsible for garden management and design, invasive species management, natural history of the grounds; and frequently lectures on horticultural subjects. Bruce’s background includes formal garden design and installation as well as public space management. Bruce has nearly 20 years of experience working with exotic invasive plant species common to Massachusetts for both private and public clients. Bruce’s career has also included several years at Massachusetts Audubon and at Land’s Sake. In addition to his general horticulture expertise, Bruce specializes in plant pest diagnostics; insect taxonomy; invasive species management; ecological landscaping consultation and design; as well as natural history. Bruce is on the Board of Directors for the Ecological Landscape Alliance (ELA) where he has served since 2003 and is a regular contributor to the ELA Newsletter and a local publication, the Newton TAB.

    Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-invasive-plants-can-done/

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  • Monday, March 19, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Developing a Comprehensive Integrative Pest Management Plan Webinar

    An Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPM) is a tool for plant professionals to control pests in a timely, safe, and efficient manner and is a vital component in producing and maintaining healthy plants and landscapes. An IPM plan includes several aspects: sanitation and prevention, conservation, and augmentation methods using beneficial organisms. Traditionally, IPM plans also include the judicious use of chemical pesticides when all else fails. In this webinar, Alexis will discuss the negative effects of chemicals on beneficial insects and will evaluate other options such as OMRI certified and ‘safer’ products that can be incorporated as a last resort. This webinar will explore and discuss the components of an IPM plan and explain the basics of how to design an IPM plan tailored to individual needs.

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance will host a webinar on Monday, March 19 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm EST, free to ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-developing-comprehensive-integrative-pest-management-ipm-plan/

    Alexis Doshas is a graduate of the Environmental Studies Department at Antioch University New England with a concentration in Conservation Biology. She ran a small organic gardening business for over a decade and worked with Safe Harbor Environmental Services as a restoration associate. She is a field researcher in a long-term NSF-funded study on the effects and mitigation of chronic atmospheric deposition of N on heathland communities of Cape Cod, MA. Currently, Alexis is the Propagator and Facilities Coordinator at New England Wild Flower Society’s Nasami Farm, where their mission is to conserve and promote the region’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes. Alexis’ interests include landscape ecology, soil ecology, nutrient processes, field research, sustainable agriculture, forest medicinal plants, and climate change. Her professional and personal goal is to serve the processes that contribute to a balanced ecosystem, both in the scientific and social disciplines.

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  • Saturday, March 10, 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Native Plants for Landscape Design

    Native plants offer as much design value as the traditional exotic plants used in most American landscapes – and they provide considerably more in terms of ecosystem value. This Ecological Landscape Alliance class at Garden in the Woods on Saturday, March 10 from 10 – 11 will identify native plants formerly unused in the designed landscape and discuss the characteristics they offer in specific site conditions.

    Instructor: Amy Nyman is a Landscape Designer and owner of Ruby Leaf Design providing landscape planning and ecological solutions including site analysis, landscape restoration, water management, native plant use, hardscaping, master plans, planting plans, and edible landscaping. Amy’s believes that design is a balance of function, beauty, and health. Her professional goal is to help people find that balance within their living spaces, whether those spaces are personal, business, or public. $15 for ELA members, $17 for nonmembers. register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/native-plants-landscape-design/

  • Saturday, February 24, 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Native Plants for Urban Design

    Join Amy Nyman on Saturday, February 24 at 10 am at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, to learn about native plants for urban design. She will identify native plants that can be used in urban landscapes and explain the specific design characteristics those plants offer. She will also include an overview of urban challenges and strategies for supporting plant resiliency. This Ecological Landscape Alliance class is $15 for members, $17 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/native-plants-urban-design/

    Instructor: Amy Nyman is a Landscape Designer and owner of Ruby Leaf Design providing landscape planning and ecological solutions including site analysis, landscape restoration, water management, native plant use, hardscaping, master plans, planting plans, and edible landscaping. Amy’s believes that design is a balance of function, beauty, and health. Her professional goal is to help people find that balance within their living spaces, whether those spaces are personal, business, or public.

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  • Wednesday and Thursday, March 7 & 8 – ELA Conference & Eco-Marketplace

    Looking for New Ideas? Solutions? Inspiration? Immerse yourself in Ecological Landscape Alliance’s two-day conference on March 7 and 8 at UMass Amherst. From the practical to the inspirational, join them as they explore a range of topics, from designing and maintaining landscapes for maximum carbon capture to looking at the intuitive side of design.

    New this year, Food for Thought is a ticketed breakfast where you can nourish your body while you challenge your mind – all before the first session begins. Table topics will be hosted by experts who will be on hand to answer you questions and spark lively conversation.

    March 7 includes:
    * Two workshops: Designing for Carbon Sequestration and
    Ecological Methods of Maximizing Landscape Productivity and Potential
    * Keynote speaker: Darrel Morrison, ecologically-based landscape architect, whose talk is entitled Landscape Design as Ecological Art

    March 8 features eight Sessions, a Design Building Tour, and three Idea Exchanges covering a range of ecological topics. Session sampling:
    * Quest for Resilience: Adaptive Strategies for Sustainable Planting Design
    * Nature Integration – The Future of Design
    * Beyond the War on Invasive Species
    * Authentic, Whole, and Alive: Design Lessons from Wild Landscapes

    Hotel rooms at Hotel UMass are available to participants for $115 per night. Reservations will be taken no later than February 25, 2018. Register online or call (877) 822-2110 and specify the ELA group promotional code: ELC18C. The discount is NOT available at check-in. Register for the conference ($20 – $330) at http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/ela-conference-eco-marketplace-2018/

  • Friday, February 9, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Green Up for Clean Up: Planting to Remediate Contaminated Landscapes Webinar

    When soil tests confirm the presence of site contaminants, cost-effective phytotechnology (phytoremediation) plantings can often be effective in mitigating on-site pollutants. These interactions are complicated, sometimes taking decades for remediation, and many times plant-based remediation strategies are not a good fit for environmental cleanup.

    Phytotechnology is the use of vegetation and their associated microbes to remediate, contain, or prevent contaminants in soils, sediments, and groundwater. The term ‘phytoremediation,’ where plants are used to remediate sites that are already polluted, is often used interchangeably with ‘phytotechnology,’ but is only one subset of the field. ‘Phytotechnology’ is a much broader term that includes techniques such as pre-emptive installation of vegetation to mitigate ecological problems before they actually occur, as well as stabilization of pollutants on site, beyond just contaminant removal. Green roofs, constructed wetlands, bioswales, bioenergy crop cultivation, and phytoremediation plantings are all forms of ‘phytotechnology,’ a term which encompasses all uses of plants to meet environmental and technological goals.

    Plants are a cost-effective method of tracking and mitigating contaminated landscapes. In this Ecological Landscape Alliance online presentation on Friday, February 9 from 12:30 – 1:30, Kate Kennen will explain phytoremediation (plants uptake and remove contaminants) and phytoforensics (plants detect and delineate pollutants). She will discuss some of the limitations of phytoremediation, how to integrate the science of phytoremediation into landscape design practices, preventative (phytobuffering) capabilities, and recommend plant species that can be utilized.

    Kate Kennen is the founder and president of Offshoots, Inc., a Boston landscape architecture practice focused on productive planting techniques and phytotechnology consulting. Ms. Kennen’s book PHYTO: Principles of Site Remediation and Landscape Design was published in 2015. Ms. Kennen completed her undergraduate studies in Landscape Architecture at Cornell University, and received her master’s degree with distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Having spent her childhood at her family’s garden center in Massachusetts, Ms. Kennen is well versed in the plants of the Northeast. She currently teaches a research seminar in phytoremediation and plant-based technologies at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

    Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-green-clean-planting-remediate-contaminated-landscapes/

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