The Native Plant Trust’s annual fall event, exclusively for members, is right around the corner. On Thursday, October 22, Garden in the Woods will be lit by more than 1,000 luminaria and delightful displays. Tickets are on sale at https://nativeplanttrust.org/event/night-of-illumination/ Remember, this special evening is just for members, so join or renew now to enjoy intriguing sights on this “one night only” nocturnal stroll. See you on October 22!
Boston Dance Theater (BDT) returns to the Garden this September for Plants: Solos for Native Species. On September 26, visitors are invited to experience immersive dance performances throughout the Garden, featuring 20-minute solo works inspired by native plant species. Four solo performances will loop throughout the day in different locations, allowing guests to discover each piece at their own pace and to come and go freely during regular Garden hours. Free with Garden Admission. For more information visit https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/plants-solos-for-native-species/
Mushrooms are tremendously diverse and play an important ecological role. In this June 19Native Plant Trust class at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, we will first learn about basic fungal biology and identification from Thomas Roehl and then head out to the Garden for a mushroom foray. After lunch, we will identify our finds using field guides and microscopes. Bring a bag lunch and a hand lens if you have one. $100. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/mushrooms-for-beginners-2/
Join Cole Campbell, Production Horticulturist at Native Plant Trust, at Garden in the Woods to learn about how to care for your native plant seedlings. The June 13 and June 14 workshops will focus on how to successfully pot up seedlings and set them up for success as they grow in their first season. This is a follow up from the winter workshop, Introduction: Native Seed Sowing. $50 for either session. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/native-seedling-care-1/ or https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/native-seedling-care-2/
The grass family (Poaceae) is one of the largest families of flowering plants and generally the most diverse family in any local or regional flora. In this June 6 Native Plant Trust workshop at Garden in the Woods we’ll learn to identify the genera and common species of early-season grasses in New England that are dominant features of meadows and wetlands. This course is ideal for field botanists as well as gardeners interested in native meadow restoration and planting. The instructor is Dr. Lisa Standley, Botanist and Curator of Vascular Plants, New England Botanical Society. $150. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/early-season-grasses/
In this April 11 Native Plant Trust watercolor workshop at Garden in the Woods, we will observe the flora and fauna of Garden in the Woods and capture the essence of spring through painting. We will practice foundational color washes and explore the warm and cool tones within spring greens. When painting in plein air (outdoors), something new begins. As your thoughts are quiet, you’ll observe nature’s new growth and capture its details with earth colors. All materials are provided, and all experience levels are welcome. Taught by Heidy Sumei Chuang, the cost of the four hour session is a modest $100. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/spring-watercolor-verdant-greens/. Painting below copyrighted by Heidy Sumei Chuang.
Whether you’re gardening on a back porch, patio, or in a larger green space, learn essential container gardening techniques in this make-and-take, hands-on workshop. Explore how to use containers to create an ecological garden, grow food, and add pops of beauty and biodiversity to an outdoor area. Learn how to choose the right plants, and take home a beautifully designed container filled with native plants from Native Plant Trust’s own plant shop. The illustration below is the antithesis of what will be discussed – April Fool. The program will be held at Garden in the Woods in Framingham on April 7 at 6 pm, and is taught by Shoma Haque. $50. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/container-gardening-first-offering/
Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), and common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) are the best-known buckthorns in New England, renowned for their invasiveness. Both shrub species are native to Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia.When did they arrive in North America? What is their status and ecology in their home ranges? How did they become so rampant in many habitats in New England, and what can be done to manage them? Join longtime instructor Ted Elliman at Garden in the Woods in Framingham on March 14 to discuss these two species and the region’s third, less well known member of the group, alder-leaf buckthorn (Rhamnus alnifolia), an uncommon native shrub species that inhabits rich fen communities. Explore the morphological distinctions between Frangula and Rhamnus, and take a quick look at other buckthorns—native and non-native—in the United States. $50. Register with Native Plant Trust at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/bot5153-introduction-to-buckthorns/
In this August 24 Native Plant Trust workshop at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, we will learn the basics of natural dyeing using many of the New England native plants that grow around us. We will tap into the energy of this current season, and get to know each of the materials we will be working with. Participants will learn to build a dye bath, how to harvest plants respectfully, and more. Beginners warmly welcomed! $45. Sign up at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/coaxing-color-from-plants-seasonal-connection-through-natural-dyes/. The instructor is Maggie Ruth Haaland.
Connect with your creative impulses in this exclusive deep-listening workshop, facilitated by sound designer and 2025 Visiting Artist Skooby Laposky. Discover the unheard patterns and activities at Garden in the Woods, and practice using geophones, parabolic mics, and other listening tools that Skooby uses for his nature-based sound projects.
The Native Plant Trust special event takes place Sunday, August 17 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham from 10 – 3, is $100, and you may register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/wild-sounds-exploring-nature-through-amplified-listening-at-garden-in-the-woods/
