Boston Flora

Tag: First Baptist Church

  • From the Archives: Blossomtime – Newbury Street

    Back in 1971, then Garden Club of the Back Bay President Myrna Esser, along with John N. Williams of The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay, initiated Blossomtime: Newbury Street, a project to adorn 35 lamp posts on the entire stretch of Newbury Street with 70 baskets of petunias and vinca in hanging double planters. In preparation for this endeavor, she wrote to our area churches asking for their help in caring for the floral baskets.  She was especially concerned with watering from May through the fall. The baskets were to be hung “above vandalism height but reachable by a solid length of hose and sprayer attachment hooked into a 17 1/2 gallon tank on wheels.”

    Reverend Frederick Meek of Old South Church responded that after exploring several possibilities in person and by letter, he was unable to assume the responsibility, although he felt warmly toward the project.  The Reverend Charles W. Griffin of the First Baptist Church was also contacted but appears not to have responded.  Dr. Theodore Ferris of Trinity Church contributed financially to the project, but due to the fact that the planters would not be visible from the Church, was having trouble finding anyone willing to push around the tank.

    A college age girl, unidentified in our archives, was found to try the job, and arrangements were made to keep the tank in the garage at Bonwit Teller’s (now Restoration Hardware) on Newbury Street. Anyone with pictures of the baskets is encouraged to forward them to info@bostonflora.com.

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  • Tuesday, January 27, 6:45 pm – Water Features & Fountains

    The Norwood Evening Garden Club presents a Panel Discussion about Water Features and Fountains on Tuesday, January 27, beginning at 6:45 pm at the First Baptist Church Parish House, 71 Bond Street in Norwood.  $5 donation – public is encouraged to attend.  For more information contact Nancy Costa at 781-248-4038 or visit http://www.norwoodeveninggardenclub.org. Image from www.bonicklandscaping.com.

  • Tuesday, October 30, 6:45 pm – Soil Health: From the Bottom Up

    The Norwood Evening Garden Club will host Tom Akin, Conservation Agronomist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, tomorrow, October 30, at the Carriage House of the First Baptist Church, 71 Bond Street, Norwood.

    Mr. Akin will discuss the characteristics of healthy soil, its importance in gardening and how to improve your soil’s health. He will also cover how to interpret soil test results, how to optimize plant nutrition and plant health, organic matter in the soil and why you should sell your rototiller.  The public is invited to attend. A $5.00 donation is requested and includes refreshments. For more information call 781-769-3854.

    Tom Akin has been the Conservation Agronomist and Grazing Lands Coordinator with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Amherst, MA since 2003. He is passionate about the environment, soil health, composting and helping farmers and gardeners improve their soil’s health. Prior to working for NRCS, Tom was assistant superintendent and internship coordinator at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. He has also worked as an Extension educator with the University of Massachusetts and for the Peace Corps in the Central African Republic.

  • Tuesday, March 27, 6:45 pm – Clematis: The Queen of Climbers

    The Norwood Evening Garden Club will host clematis specialist and master gardener Cheryl Monroe on Tuesday March 27, at 6:45 p.m. at the Carriage House behind the First Baptist Church, 71 Bond Street, Norwood.

    Ms. Monroe grows more than 50 varieties of clematis, what she calls the queen of the climbers up, through and around her garden in the sun, shade, in the ground and in containers.

    This lively presentation will inspire you to learn more about this exciting genus of plants. The public is invited to attend. A $5.00 donation is requested and includes refreshments.  More information may be found at www.norwoodeveninggardenclub.com.

  • Tuesday, February 28, 6:45 pm – Grow What You Eat

    The Norwood Evening Garden Club will host biologist, gardener, writer, and entertaining storyteller, Roger Swain, on Tuesday February 28, at 6:45 p.m. at the Carriage House behind the First Baptist Church, 71 Bond Street, Norwood. The public is invited to attend. A $10.00 donation is requested.

    Recognized by millions of people as the man with the red suspenders, Mr. Swain is the former host of the popular PBS-TV horticulture show, The Victory Garden, and long-time science editor of Horticulture magazine. He will speak on his favorite topic, vegetable gardening, encouraging listeners to Grow What You Eat. Mr. Swain has penned four books on gardening for which he received the American Horticultural Society’s award for writing. He is also the recipient of a Massachusetts Horticultural Society gold medal for his power to inspire others.

    When he is not writing, lecturing or being filmed for television, Mr. Swain can be happily found working in his own gardens, either at his home outside Boston or at his farm in southern New Hampshire. For information about the Norwood Evening Garden Cub, contact Susan Pearson at 508-668-4039 or visit www.NorwoodEveningGardenClub.com.