Sarah Roche helps you capture some of spring’s most beautiful specimens in watercolor, in a four session course on Tuesdays, May 5, 12, 19, and 26, from 9:30 – 12:30 in the Cheney classroom at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley. Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Gardens members $195, nonmembers $245. Register at 781-283-3094, or email wcbgfriends@wellesley.edu.
The graphite pencil is a fundamental tool in botanical art. It is humble, overlooked and essential. There is a great deal to be gained by using this simple device with accuracy and finesse. Susan Fisher will help you explore familiar graphite skills – line, form, value, edges and textures – to take each one beyond your current ability. Exercises in graphite application will focus on the subtle and more obvious methods of use for each of these critical elements. Develop the patience and appreciation for this enduring medium and improve all your botanical work. This Wellesley College Botanic Garden three day course, April 27 – 29 from 9:30 -3:30, will be held in the Cheney classroom at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley, and is $395 for Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Garden members, $495 for nonmembers. Register at 781-283-3094, or email wcbgfriends@wellesley.edu.
Susan Fisher teaches you how to mix the colors you want, not the ones you end up with trial and error. In a three day Wellesley Botanic Garden class, to be held in the Putnam classroom at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley, learn an easy system for combining colors consistently to achieve the broadest possible spectrum for any “wet” medium, including watercolor, gouache, oils, acrylics. etc. Ideal for artists of all levels. $395 for Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Gardens, $450 for nonmembers, and prices include color mixing sheets. Register at 781-283-3094, or email wcbgfriends@wellesley.edu
This Massachusetts Horticultural Society talk at The Gardens at Elm Bank on February 20 at 7 pm will be an introduction to common invasive plants found the Northeast. Horticulturist and Ecological Landscaping Alliance Board member Bruce Wenning will discuss why these new pests of the landscape are dangerous to the ecology and sustainability of unmanaged landscapes, and what you can do to manage these plants at home.
$15 Mass Hort member, $20/general admission. To register for this class, click here.
Far from ordinary, begonias are wonderful houseplants; many make lovely terrarium specimens. This Massachusetts Horticultural Society program on February 11 at 7 pm at The Gardens at Elm Bank will feature how to grow begonias both inside and out. A season by season plan for enjoying this diverse and versatile genus will be described. As winter wanes and we think about spring, begonias as bedding and container plants are a beautiful addition to any garden. Fall brings cooler weather, and is the time to think about bringing plants inside and perhaps taking a few cuttings. With the holidays, it’s time for “winter-flowering” and fancy-leaved hybrids to enjoy while waiting for spring. Instructed by Betsy Szymczak, President, Buxton Branch – American Begonia Society. MGH members $20, general admission $35. Register at www.masshort.org
A lecture of The Making of Long Hill Gardens will take place February 6 at 10:30 at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley. Free, but registration required at https://www.gcfm.org/events-1/ldc-presents-lecture-on-the-making-of-the-long-hill-gardens/form
You are invited to attend a benefit at the Gardens at Elm Bank on Thursday, September 19, from 6:30 – 9.
The gardens await you for an early evening stroll with hors d’oeuvre and drinks in hand. Dinner will be served inside on beautifully decorated farm tables with inspired floral arrangement. John Lawrence, chef and owner of Peppers’ Fine Catering, will give demonstrations and a seasonal fare dinner will be served, featuring produce from our gardens! $200 per person.
For details and tickets, please call Elaine Lawrence at 617-933-4945, or visit www.masshort.org.
Join artist and naturalist Louise Barteau for a one-day botanical workshop on June 21 from 9:30 – 3:30 in the Putnam classroom at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley. Using a hand lens and a notebook, examine many examples of plant structures while considering their role in plant growth. Brief slide presentations will be accompanied by hands-on observation and exercises. This Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Gardens class is $70 for members, $85 for non-members. Register at www.wellesley.edu/wcbg/learn
Come to The Gardens at Elm Bank on June 8 from 10 – 4 and enjoy family activities in the gardens that will help kids learn about the water cycle, the differences between water-loving and desert plants, and more. There will be fun and games, and presentations to help adults find ways to garden in water-savvy ways. Bring a picnic to enjoy a special day at The Gardens at Elm Bank! Rain date Sunday, June 9.
If you’re interested in volunteering at the event, please contact education@masshort.org
Admission: Members: Free; Children 12 and under: Free; General Public: $10
Terrific tomatoes can be the centerpiece of your summer garden and table with a few simple considerations! Join Senior Horticulturist Hannah Traggis at The Gardens at Elm Bank on June 2 from 10 – noon as she demonstrates how to handle, transplant, and care for tomato seedlings early after transplanting to ensure season-long success. Discussion will surround suitable varieties and types, trellising, pruning, and mulching. You will go home with an assortment of 6 healthy tomato plants.
Hannah Traggis, our senior horticulturist, manages Mass Hort’s edible gardens throughout The Gardens at Elm Bank. She oversees the Seed to Table vegetable garden which produces more than 4,000 pounds of produce each year to support our educational mission and local food pantries.
$25 Mass Hort members, $35 nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org. Image from www.bestfoodfacts.org.
