Boston Flora

Tag: Emerald Necklace

  • Wednesday, June 5, 6:00 pm – Boston’s Gardens and Greenspaces

    On Wednesday, June 5, The College Club of Boston is pleased to welcome Meg Muckenhoupt, author of Boston’s Gardens and Greenspaces, as a featured speaker. Meg will bring us back through history to understand why we have parks in the first place, how they have changed over time, and how new parks are created today. From the suburban wilderness and urban wilds to the Emerald Necklace and newly created Big Dig parks, Meg will change the way you look at the green world around you. Rediscover the city through its most revered historic parks and explore its ever-expanding network of public spaces as the author takes us on a fascinating journey through green Boston, past to present.

    Meg spoke to The Garden Club of the Back Bay two years ago, following the publication of her book. We expected a lovely talk with pretty pictures about public gardens in Boston. Instead, we were treated to a fantastically interesting lecture on the archaeology of the Massachusetts colony, the building of Boston, the politics of public spaces, and the ecological influences leading to the creation of Boston’s park lands and open spaces. History buffs, archaeologists, scientists, environmentalists, political junkies, and anyone living in or around Boston should not miss this program. We walked away with new appreciation of how things happen, finally grasping the importance of fish weirs and cow commons, marshland and land fill. This is a five star event!  Dinner is included.

    Wednesday, June 5 @ 6pm.  $35 plus tax, public invited.  For more information and reservations please call 617-536-9510 or email info@thecollegeclubofboston.com

  • Sunday, May 5, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – A Walk with Mr. Olmsted in the Back Bay Fens

    See the Back Bay Fens through the eyes of the man who designed and built it. Join Frederick Law Olmsted, as portrayed by Gerry Wright and an Emerald Necklace docent as they lead a walk through the historic landscape of the Fens on Sunday, May 5, beginning at 1 pm. Learn how Mr. Olmsted transformed the area once described as, “The foulest marsh and muddy flats to be found anywhere in Massachusetts,” into the first link in his chain of parks we know today as the Emerald Necklace. Tour starts and ends at the Shattuck Emerald Necklace Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway, Boston 02115. Free and open to the public.  Reservations recommended. Register by clicking this link or call 617-522-2700.

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  • Tuesday, May 14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s 15 Year Celebration

    The Emerald Necklace Conservancy will celebrate 15 years connecting people and parks, and conserving the Emerald Necklace, on Tuesday, May 14, from 6 – 8 in the Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens. The Olmsted Award of Excellence will be presented, and Emerald Necklace Parks Champions John Blackwell (posthumous) of the Arnold Arboretum, Isabella Callanan (posthumous) of the Riverway, Christine Cooper and John Iappini of Jamaica Pond, Sarah Freeman of the Emerald Necklace Parkways, Walter Little and Dan Richardson of Franklin Park, Arlene and Hugh Mattison of Olmsted Park, and Freddie Veikley of the Back Bay Fens will be honored.  Individual tickets $50, patron tickets $150. Purchase tickets at http://www.emeraldnecklace.org, or send a check to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115.  Kindly respond by May 1. For more information contact Jillian Levine at 617-522-2700, or email her at jlevine@emeraldnecklace.org.

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  • Monday, April 22 – 5% for Earth Day

    Boston has long been known for its commitment to preserving green space. The Boston Common, The Public Garden, the Emerald Necklace, the creation of the Charles River Basin, the clean-up of Boston Harbor, the revitalization of the Waterfront, the completion of Big Dig and the opening of the Rose Kennedy Greenway are but a few examples of the Commonwealth and the City’s dedication to public, open space throughout the years. All of these improvements were made possible through the commitment of a number of non-profit organizations that work hand in hand with our local, state and national government to keep our parks and open spaces in shape.

    For Earth Day 2013, five of these non-profits (the Charles River Conservancy, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the Esplanade Association, the Friends of Public Garden, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy) are joining forces to bring 5% for Earth Day to Boston. The campaign, which has seen three years of success in Austin, TX and expanded to the Houston, TX area in 2012, will ask Boston-area retailers to donate 5% of their gross proceeds on Monday April 22, 2013 to a coalition of non-profits that support projects in Boston’s parks and open spaces.

    Kickass Cupcakes, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Momogoose, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Henrietta’s Table, SkinHealth Centers, Shuckin Truck, and The Chubby Chickpea are among the participating businesses. Go to www.give5Boston.org for a complete list.

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  • Sunday, April 14, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Spring Walk in the Back Bay Fens

    Join Emerald Necklace docents on Sunday, April 14, beginning at 1 pm at the Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway in Boston, as they talk and walk through the sites of the Back Bay Fens, including the Kelleher Rose Garden and the oldest World War II Victory Gardens in America. Free and open to the public, reservations recommended, RSVP online or call 617-522-2700.

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  • Arbotopia

    Birding in the Emerald Necklace is attracting lots of fans, and we’re not the least surprised. Recently, we’ve had reports of cardinals, Red-tailed hawks and a Red-headed woodpecker near the Shattuck Visitor Center and so we were excited to learn of Robert Mayer’s new blog on birds and other fauna of the Emerald Necklace, titled “Arbotopia.” Mayer notes sitings of Barred Owls in Boston’s greenspaces and in his first entry, he details his personal encounter with a Great Horned owl earlier in January. Visit www.arbotopia.com.

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  • Sunday, February 24, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – The Secret Life of Cones

    Led by Emerald Necklace docent Barbara Balasa, this informal talk on The Secret Life of Cones, Sunday, February 24, from 1 – 2:30, at the Shattuck Visitor’s Center, focuses on all things coniferous and will feature a hands-on exhibit of a variety of cones from North America, including the curiously named “widow-maker!” Space limited, reserve online at https://25749.thankyou4caring.org/eventregistration?erid=140278&trid=419898e4-8a51-4a9b-9bd7-1eba4020b332  or call 617-522-2700.  Photo from www.wildliferanger.co.uk.

  • Sunday, November 4, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Olmsted Park: The Lost Jewel

    Explore this sometimes-overlooked link in the middle of Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace. With a guide from The National Park Service, you will stop at ponds, pastures, and even pass by a babbling brook. This distinctive landscape enhances the surrounding Boston and Brookline communities and offers a glimpse into the area’s topographical history.
    Meet at Daisy Field Parking Lot, Willow Pond Road, Jamaica Plain. Free.  For more information visit www.nps.gov.

  • Sunday, July 15, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm – Circle the City

    Circle The City will feature a car-free corridor on Sunday, July 15, between 11 – 4, between Franklin Park and Jamaica Pond.  Come out and walk, bike, roll and play on Open Streets. All Circle The City events will include free live performances, outdoor fitness, dance and yoga classes, Farmer’s Markets, bike clinics, children’s activities, culinary demonstrations, roller skating, hula hooping, and countless other opportunities to have fun on the streets and in the parks. A 2012 Urban Signature Project of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, Circle The City  is a collaborative venture of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness, LivableStreets Alliance, Franklin Park Coalition and the City of Boston. Demonstrating an innovative model connecting conservation and recreation, Circle The City will serve as a national leader for exemplifying healthy living in the city and improved accessibility to urban green spaces.  For more information, visit www.emeraldnecklace.org/circle-the-city/.

  • Tuesday, July 10, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Evening Garden Stroll

    Summer blooms, scented gardens, and a leisurely stroll all combine to make this one-hour guided walk on the Emerald Necklace the perfect antidote to the workday. The Tuesday, July 10 tour starts and ends at the Shattuck Visitor Center.  Free, beginning at 6:30 pm.  For more information, and to see a complete schedule of summer tours of the Emerald Necklace, visit www.emeraldnecklace.org/tours-presentations/.