Boston Flora

Tag: Garden in the Woods

  • Tuesday, February 24, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Native Alternatives to Problem Plants

    Why grow invasive burning bush for its one season of interest when you could grow native blueberry, a multi-season star? Isn’t it time to replace boring, weedy vinca with something more dynamic, like ‘Grow Low’ sumac (below?) Andrew Keys, author of Why Grow That When You Can Grow This?, discusses native alternatives that are sexier and more sustainable than everyday problem plants. Book signing at the end of class. The New England Wild Flower Society class will take place Tuesday, February 24, from 2 – 3:30 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. $26 for NEWFS members, $32 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newenglandwild.org/learn/our-programs/native-alternatives-to-problem-plants.

  • Sunday, October 19, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Wild Fruits

    Spring and summer flowers produce a bounty of wild fall fruits that we will discover in this hands-on workshop on fruit form, function, and diversity, taught by Judith Sumner at Garden in the Woods, Framingham, on Sunday, October 19, from 10 – 4. We will study the significance of fruits in the flowering plant life cycle and then examine and dissect diverse fruit types, from capsules and follicles to pomes and drupes. You will learn fruit terminology and practice constructing and using dichotomous keys to sort out the remarkable variety of fruits produced by flowering plants. We will look at seed-dispersal mechanisms, the connection between fruit and seed forms, and strategies for seed dispersal. You are encouraged to bring fruit specimens from your own gardens for dissection and identification. Pack a bag lunch. $80 for NEWFS members, $96 for nonmembers. Image of serviceberry from Christian Science Monitor. Register at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/wild-fruits.

  • Tuesdays, October 7 – 21, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm – Horticultural Techniques

    Good horticultural practices form the backbone of any successful garden. Understanding how to apply these practices is the first step to becoming a horticulturist. In this three-session course at Garden in the Woods, Framingham, the horticulture staff of New England Wild Flower Society will discuss how to plant native plants and choose the right plant for the right place. Students will practice proper techniques for transplanting woody and herbaceous plant material and learn the correct methods for preparing soil, mulching, and watering. Other topics include plant maintenance, pruning techniques, and steps for winterizing the garden and preparing it for spring. Bring a bag lunch. Class will be held October 7, 14 and 21 from 10 – 3.  $231 for NEWFS members, $272 for nonmembers.  Register at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/horticultural-techniques.

  • Friday, October 3, 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Native Plants, Native Brews, Native Talent

    Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, is the 45-acre botanical garden of New England Wild Flower Society, America’s oldest plant conservation organization, and boasts over 1,000 native plant species on display including 150 rare and endangered species.

    Native plants are a riot of color in autumn and there is no better place to see them in a mature garden setting than at Garden in the Woods.

    Join the Ecological Landscaping Alliance on Friday, October 3, from 5:30 – 8 for this unique opportunity to enjoy the fall foliage of native plants while reconnecting with native talent (colleagues) and sharing your favorite native brew. Bring a couple of your favorite native brews to this BYO & S (Bring Your Own and Swap) gathering for a twilight tour that is sure to sell out.  $25 for NEWFS and ELA members, $30 for nonmembers.

    Native brew soft-drinks will be provided.  Image from www.nourishedkitchen.com.

    Mark Richardson is the Horticulture Director at New England Wild Flower Society and oversees the Society’s botanic garden, Garden in the Woods, and its native plant nursery operation, Nasami Farm. Mark studied ornamental horticulture at University of Rhode Island while helping to run a mid-sized ornamental plant nursery before finding his true passion in public horticulture. He led undergraduate programs at Longwood Gardens, where he overhauled the curriculum of the Professional Gardener Program, and oversaw adult education at Brookside Gardens. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Delaware’s Longwood Graduate Program.
    – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/native-plants-native-brews-native-talent/#sthash.hmZp64LC.dpuf.

  • Tuesday, August 12, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – The Trouble with Earthworms

    The Ecological Landscaping Association and the New England Wildflower Society will sponsor The Trouble with Earthworms, a tour led by Mark Richardson, on Tuesday, August 12 from 6 – 8 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham.  $25 for ELA/NEWFS members, $35 for non-members.

    Leaf collection, hauling, and disposal are a large annual cost to property owners and a waste of resources ecologically.  Across the industry, many have adopted the practice of mulch-in-place, which eliminates the expense of hauling leaves off site and purchasing mulch.  Using leaf litter as mulch builds soil organic matter, and fosters a healthy soil food web.  It is a sound horticultural practice with many benefits.  However, it also may be encouraging localized populations of invasive earthworms, which in turn destroy soil structure, speed up nutrient cycles, and favor invasive plant growth.

    Part of the confusion surrounding earthworms might be explained best by Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies ecologist Peter Groffman, who states that “Earthworms are not necessarily making the soil healthy, but they are attracted to healthy soil.”  Earthworms can improve the physical condition of certain soil such as heavy clay soil or soil compacted by heavy equipment.  But if good soil management is being practiced, earthworms do not have a positive effect on aeration or the movement of water or air through the soil.

    Join tour guide Mark Richardson, who will discuss Garden in the Woods ecological management practices as well as research aimed at slowing down the booming population of earthworms in the Garden.  Register by calling 617-436-5838, or on line at https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1011038.

     

  • Tuesday, July 15, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Garden in the Woods: Enjoying the Present, Planning for the Future

    The Ecological Landscaping Association, New England Wild Flower Society, and Boston Architectural College will present Mark Richardson, Director of Horticulture, New England Wild Flower Society, on Tuesday, July 15, from 1 – 3, at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, speaking on Garden in the Woods: Enjoying the Present, Planning for the Future.

    New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods is a 45-acre botanical garden.  With over 1,000 native plant species on display and 150 rare and endangered species, the Garden is a valuable resource promoting conservation of native New England plants and their habitats.  The Garden serves as the Society’s laboratory for horticulture, gardening, conservation, and education, and has long been a model of naturalistic garden design.

    Today, Garden in the Woods must grapple with a future of uncertainty in the face of climate change.  Get a behind-the-scenes look at the master plan recently completed by Andropogon Associates to envision the future and advance the sustainable operations of this botanical gem.  $20 for members of sponsoring organizations, $30 for nonmembers.  Register on line at https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1011136.  

  • Thursday, June 26, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Exploring Wetland Shrubs

    With so many wetland habitats, and a pond, stream, and bog, Garden in the Woods is an excellent field site to examine shrubs that grow in and around wetlands. On Thursday, June 26, from 10 – 2, you will be introduced to 15-20 New England shrubs as well as a handful of shrubs that grow in higher and drier habitats. Please bring lunch, and a hand lens and shrub field guide, if you have them. Roland “Boot” Boutwell, naturalist, will lead this class co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissioners. Fee $53 for members of the sponsoring organizations, $64 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.newfs.org/learn/catalog/wet3019. (Sambucus canadensis, below.)

  • Wednesdays, June 18 – July 16 – New England Plant Communities

    The diversity of plant communities in New England is truly astounding, including multiple forest types, freshwater wetlands, coastal dunes, grasslands, heathlands, tidal marshes, and montane communities. Understanding the dominant canopy species, indicator species, and range helps us to interpret our own landscape’s ecological identity. Lectures at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, sponsored by the New England Wild Flower Society, cover effects of soils, topography, moisture, geological conditions, and glaciation. Field trips to study the composition and structure of some distinctive plant communities complement the lectures. Extensive handouts included. Dates are Wednesdays, June 18 (6 – 8), June 25 (5 – 8), July 2 (5 – 8), July 9 (6 – 8) and July 16 (6 – 8.) Pat Swain, Community Ecologist, MA Natural Heritage Endangered Species Program, will be the instructor, and the fee is $227 for NEWFS members, $267 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newfs.org/learn/catalog/bot4000.

  • Friday, May 2, 6:45 pm – Flora Conservanda 2012: Changes in New England’s Rare Flora

    The New England Botanical Club will meet on Friday, May 2, at 6:45 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham to hear Bill Brumback, Conservation Director of the New England Wild Flower Society speak on Flora Conservanda 2012: Changes in New England’s Rare Flora.  For complete information, visit www.rhodora.org.  The meeting is open to the public.

    http://www.newfs.org/grow/images/grow/LadysslippersatGardenintheWoodsFraminghamMAPhotoSZiglar.jpg/image_preview

  • Sunday, April 6, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Tick-borne Disease: Awareness, Prevention and Treatment

    The Ecological Landscaping Association and the New England Wild Flower Society will co-sponsor Tick-borne Disease: Awareness, Prevention, and Treatment, on Sunday, April 6, from 1 – 3:30 pm at Garden in the Woods in Framingham.

    Lyme and other tick-born diseases are increasing each year and expanding northward. People who work in and enjoy gardens and wild areas are at high risk for exposure, as are their families and pets.  This panel discusses the latest research on changes in climate, habitat, and predators that affect the distribution of ticks and diseases; tick life cycles and disease hosts; and infection-prevention methods such as improved landscape practices and personal protection.

    The panel will also cover what to do if bitten, including tick removal, disease symptoms, accurate diagnosis, and treatment options.  It will explain the scope of the public health emergency: epidemiology, legal issues, and available resources.  Attendees will come away empowered with preventative strategies and knowledge of treatment options.  Please bring questions.

    Instructor Jeanne Hubbuch, MD, is a family practice physician in Newton, with experience in acute and chronic Lyme and other tick infections.  She will focus on treatment of Lyme disease, including the latest research results, and will discuss lifestyle and stress reduction for treatment and recovery.  Alan Geise, Professor of Biology at Lyndon State College, Vermont, and researcher into the rise of tick populations and disease, will highlight the environmental issues involved.  Dori Smith, M.Ed., owner of Gardens for Life in Acton, is a writer and educator in recovery from Lyme disease.  She will discuss landscape management and personal prevention, as well as the public health issues.

    $20 for ELA or NEWFS members, $25 for nonmembers.  Refreshments will be served.  Register by calling 617-436-5838 or visit https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1010933.

    http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2011/04/parenting/lyme-disease-risk-map-600.gif