Celebrate Earth Day by joining a group of New England Wild Flower Society volunteers to restore Arthur Morency Woods, a 15-acre parcel of conservation land in Framingham. These “habitat islands” in densely populated areas are of great importance to wildlife. Meet at the Arthur Street Extension in Framingham at 10 AM. Plenty of parking at the entrance on Arthur Street. For more information visit www.newfs.org, or call 508-877-7630.
We’re taking a break from endless plant sale postings to highlight an event taking place Sunday, May 19, from 12 – 5 throughout the town of Framingham. The Framingham History Center will hold their annual house tour, sponsored by Bernardi Auto Group, Fletcher Tilton Attorneys, and Mutual One Bank. If you are interested in architecture, history, or real estate this could be the event for you. Sites this year include a renovated Campanelli ranch (see a sample archival photo below,) a dramatic contemporary overlooking a lake and an Arts and Crafts style home. For more information visit www.framinghamhistory.org, or call 508-626-9091. Tickets are $25 – $35.
What makes a landscape design sustainable? The New England Wild Flower Society will hold a two-part seminar for people interested in learning how to design landscapes that follow an ecological paradigm, and that enhance a site’s beauty and utility. Landscape Architect and LEED accredited professional Tom Benjamin will define and discuss principles of sustainable landscape design, techniques to improve the ecological and human functions of existing landscapes, and how to approach sites with a variety of challenges. Discussion will include sustainable measures to improve your own projects, as well as a short trip to a nearby site that was designed for sustainability. Bring a bag lunch. The classes will take place Thursday and Friday, October 18 and 19, from 9 – 4 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. $216 for NEWFS and ELA members, $254 for non-members. Co-sponsored by the Ecological Landscaping Association. Register on line at www.newfs.org.
Healthy soil is the basis of healthy plant communities – join the Ecological Landscaping Association and Garden in the Woods for this in-depth, full-day workshop on Saturday, September 29, from 8:30 – 3:30 (lunch included) with instructors Dawn Pettinelli, Manager of the Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory at the University of Connecticut and Peter Schmidt, Certified Arborist and Certified Soil Foodweb Advisor. This workshop will include microscope work and additional soil demonstrations in the gardens. Register at www.ecolandscaping.com, or at Eventville at https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1009610.
During the end of the last ice age, retreating glaciers carved some of New England’s most unique habitats, vernal pools. These ephemeral bodies of water harbor an array of plants, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, and other wildlife. Mark D. Cooperman begins this Saturday, April 16 New England Wild Flower Society workshop with an introduction to the geology and ecology of these pools. He will discuss the natural history of the organisms inhabiting them, devoting particular attention to those that rely upon vernal pools for successful reproduction. The afternoon session at Garden in the Woods in Framingham brings us into the field where we take a first hand look at the Garden’s Lost Pond, a classic woodland vernal pool. Bring a lunch and rubber boots. $60 for NEWFS members, $72 for non-members. Register on line at www.newfs.org. Photo of the Lost Pond by Andrew Watson.
Forget the petunias and potato vines; create container plantings using native perennials adapted to our New England winters. Container plantings add accents to your outdoor spaces whether large or small. Learn which natives are ideal for containers and how to combine them effectively. First, explore design elements, container and plant selection, lighting requirements, temperature, growing media, irrigation, fertilization, over-wintering, and long-term maintenance. Then assemble and plant your own container under the instructor’s guidance.  BYOC–bring your own container. The class fee includes potting mix, fertilizer and mulch for your container. Plants will be available for sale at a discount to class participants that day. The workshop will be held simultaneously in two locations. Kate Pawling leads this New England Wild Flower Society hands on workshop at Nasami Farm in Whately, and Terry Morrow is in charge of the workshop at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, both on Saturday, June 12 from 10 – noon. The cost per person is $25 for NEWFS members and $30 for nonmembers. To register, log on to www.newfs.org.
Ted Elliman, Vegetation Manager of the New England Wild Flower Society, in collaboration with the Arnold Arboretum, will present this one day class on Saturday, April 17, from 10 am – 2 pm at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. This course will provide an introduction to about 40 of the most common invasive non-native plants in our local landscapes (see Japanese knotweed below). Through lecture, discussion, power point presentation, herbarium specimens, and a walk outside, you will become familiar with identification clues as well as the habits of a number of these plants which are so disruptive of natural ecosytems. Ted will discuss management techniques for many of these species, on both a home and a larger landscape scale. Homeowners and property managers who wish to get a head start on invasive control this year will appreciate the timing of this course, which will allow them to learn to identify young invasive plants before they become camouflaged by other vegetation. The New England Wild Flower Society’s Invader’s Magazine, as well as the Massachusetts Field Guide to Invasives, will be available for purchase at a discount. Fee $44 for members of the Arboretum or NEWFS, $52 nonmembers. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.
When herbaceous plants have died back and look “disenchanted,” it is still possible to identify some of them by closely examining their dried leaves, stems, and persistent fruits and seeds.
Join Frances Clark on Saturday, December 5, beginning at 10 am, for a classroom exploration to investigate 25-30 weeds and native herbaceous species growing in disturbed habitats, fields, and woodland edges. Examine specimens close at hand to learn identification features and intriguing seed- dispersal mechanisms. (Naturalist photographer Nathan Cook took the image of arrow leaf plantain below)
Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303. The program will take place at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, and is co-sponsored by the New England Wild Flower Society and by Massachusetts Audubon, Drumlin Farm. The cost is $36 for members of NEWFS or Mass Audubon, and $42 for non members. You may also email registrar@newenglandwild.org, or log on to www.newenglandwild.org/learn.
Unable to to come to the Commonwealth Avenue Mall on Saturday morning at 9 am, November 14 for the Asian Longhorned Beetle Battle? If you are yet unsure what the dread Asian Longhorned Beetle looks like, you have a second chance. Come to Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, on Wednesday, November 18 at noon for a one and one half hour lesson and lecture. Hear what is being done to control this damaging pest. Bring a brown-bag lunch. There is no cost, but pre-registration is necessary. Call 508-877-7630, ext. 3303, or email registrar@newenglandwild.org. For more information, log on to www.newenglandwild.org.
Say goodbye to the season at Garden in the Woods in Framingham with a candlelit stroll through parts of the garden on Wednesday, October 21, from 5 – 7 pm. This is a New England Wild Flower Society members only event, but annual membership levels begin at $50, and entitle you to a host of benefits, which can be found on the web site, www.newfs.org. Make your reservation for this lovely evening by calling 508-877-7630, ext. 3001, or email information@newenglandwild.org. The Cabot Creamery Cooperative has donated cheese for this event. If you are interested in gardens at nightfall, we recommend Linda Rutenberg’s beautifully photographed book The Garden at Night.
