Trees are valuable landscape elements and warrant special attention during and after construction. Join professional arborist, Carl Brodeur at the Garden in the Woods on Tuesday, February 19, from 10 – 12, to learn how to protect your trees during construction projects and how to keep them healthy after project completion. $20 for NEWFS and ELA members, $25 non members. Register at www.ecolandscaping.org, or by calling 617-436-5838.
Andrew Keys, designer , consultant, writer, and lifelong gardener, host and producer of Fine Gardening’s Garden Confidential podcast, and author of Why Grow That When You Can Grow This? will speak on Tuesday, February 12, from 10 – noon at Garden in the Woods, Framingham, in a program co-sponsored by the Ecological Landscaping Association and the New England Wild Flower Society. Tired of fussy plants that require excessive care and maintenance? In this presentation, Mr. Keys will discuss native New England alternatives that are sexier and more sustainable than high-maintenance plants in every way. Pining to grow lilac but lack the full sun? Try the fragrant pink and white flowers of Korean spice viburnum. Love the drama of canna but need something hardier? Tr4y the bold foliage of variegated fleece flower. Hundreds of all-star alternatives that replace, and often outshine, popular problem plants will be discussed. $26 for ELA and New England Wild Flower Society members, $32 for non members. Register by calling 617-436-5838 or visit www.ecolandscaping.org.
Disregard traditional design rules and adopt a new approach to garden design. Look to nature for your inspiration. What clues can you take from your landscape to help you provide the right plant for the right place? Learn to evaluate sunlight, moisture, soil and other factors to encourage a successful garden that does not require many inputs in the way of watering, fertilizing, or extra coddling on you part. Create a low maintenance garden that actively supports the environment and provides beauty for all – people and pollinators alike. Registrations for this Wednesday, February 6 class, 10 – noon, at Garden in the Woods is limited. Co-sponsored by the Ecological Landscaping Association and the New England Wild Flower Society, and led by Dan Jaffee, the cost is $26 for sponsor members and $32 for nonmembers. Register by calling 617-436-5838, or email ela.info@comcast.net. Photo courtesy of www.hbgbs.org.uk.
Decisions we make in our gardens today can have large impacts on the landscapes of tomorrow. How do we ensure the long term sustainability of our backyards, business parks and public spaces? Identify and address these potential problems by taking a comprehensive look at the landscape through the eyes of designers, horticuturists and botanists, in this three part New England Wild Flower Society class, to be held on three successive Mondays, October 22 (10 – 3), October 29 (10 – 3) and November 5 (10 – 2) at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. Receive hands-on training in soil health and composting, plant ID and selection, storm water management and organic techniques – all filtered through the concepts of modern design. Bring a bag lunch. $216 for NEWFS members, $245 for non-members. Register at www.newfs.org. Photo from www.verbeeksculpture.com.
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.
Join gardener extraordinaire Robin Wilkerson for a day trip to the remarkable High Line in New York City on Wednesday, October 3. The garden is built on a formerly abandoned mile and a half of elevated railroad line. Both the hardscape and the plant material are informed by the structure’s history as a rail bed. Native oaks, sassafras, sumacs, and an array of ornamental grasses are just a few of the plants rarely encountered in public gardens, but among many of the outstanding plant choices. A High Line docent will lead this Friends of Wellesley Botanic Garden, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, and New England Wild Flower Society tour. There will be time for lunch and exploration on your own. Don’t miss this chance to see and experience what has quickly become one of the world’s great urban wonders. Fee ($120 for members of the sponsoring organizations, $145 for non-members) includes private coach with restroom, snacks, box lunch and guided tour. Bus departs Garden in the Woods, Framingham, at 7:30 a. To register, visit www.wellesley.edu/wcbgfriends.
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.
Join Rolf Briggs and Matt Foti at Garden in the Woods for this all-day Ecological Landscaping Association workshop on Thursday, September 27 from 8:30 – 3:30 (rain date Friday, September 28) in Framingham to explore how quickly and effectively you can use air tools to access the roots to identify and successfully address problems. The air tools demonstrations will feature:
* Addressing soil compaction
* Trenching for utility work, fencing, and more
* Proper planting of ball & burlap and container nursery stock
* Bare root tree transplanting
* Locating roots to establish tree protection zones prior to construction
For more information, visit www.ecolandcaping.org. To register on line, go to https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1009609.
There will be a special tour of the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens Margaret C. Ferguson Greenhouses on Monday, August 13, from 2:30 – 4 pm. The tour is part of the Massachusetts Botanic Gardens Reciprocal Membership Week, with the participating organizations: the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Botanic Garden at Smith College, Garden in the Woods, Tower Hill Botanic Garden, and Wellesley College Botanic Gardens. For directions, visit www.wellesley.edu/WCFH.
Why moths? With more than 10,000 species in North America alone, moths offer endless options for study, education, photography, and fun. Moths can be found everywhere from inner cities and suburban backyards, to the most wild and remote places. The diversity of moths is simply astounding. Their colors and patterns range from bright and dazzling, to so cryptic that they define camouflage. Moth shapes and sizes span the gamut, with some as small as a pinhead and others as large as a hand. Most moths are nocturnal and need to be sought at night to be seen, but others fly like butterflies during the day. Finding moths can be as simple as leaving a porch light on and checking it after dark. Serious moth aficionados use special lights and baits to attract them. Popular interest in moths is rapidly growing, as noted by recent publications and web-based resources. The new Peterson Field Guide to the Moths by David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie, moth caterpillar guides by David Wagner, and a vast number of moth-oriented Internet resources such as the “Moth Photographers Group†and “BugGuide†are just some examples of moth’s growing popularity. Moths are also featured widely in literature and art providing a different angle for enjoyment and study. “Moth Nights†are often held by nature groups, and provide an opportunity for either an introduction to the creatures, or a venue for more serious pursuits.
National Moth Week brings together everyone interested in moths to celebrate these amazing insects. This summer, groups and individuals from all the across the country will spend some time during National Moth Week looking for moths and sharing what they’ve found. Getting involved during National Moth Week is easy: attend a National Moth Night event, start an event, join friends and neighbors to check porch lights from time to time, set up a light and see what is in your own backyard, or read literature about moths, etc. But no matter what, participate; the richness of moths is sure to fascinate. Check out www.nationalmothweek.org for more.
Locally, four programs with the Athol Bird & Nature Club will be of interest to our readers. The first, on Tuesday, July 24 from 8:00 pm – midnight, is The Moths of the Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary. Join naturalists Dave Small and Lula Field as they travel to the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary in Worcester for an “Introduction to Moths†– a PowerPoint program at 8 introducing the families of moths likely to be encountered, followed by an evening of looking at moth-attracting lights and baited trees. Location: Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Rd., Worcester, MA. Bring your point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Free for ABNC and MAS members, a small fee for others. Questions: Dave@dhsmall.net.
Next, on Wednesday, July 25, from 9:00 pm – midnight, join Sue and Ron Cloutier at their home on South Main Street, New Salem, for The Moths of New Salem, the ABNC local kickoff to National Moth Week. This will be a casual evening demonstrating the placement of various types of lights to attract moths Bring your point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Free and open to all. Questions & RSVP: cloutier@tiac.net.
Then, on Thursday, July 26, from 8:00 pm – midnight, join biologist Jenn Forman Orth and Athol Bird & Nature Club naturalists Dave Small and Lula Field in an exploration of the nighttime world of moths at New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA. They’ll start with a brief introduction on how to attract moths with lights and bait, and include a few tips for good nighttime photography. If conditions are good, you should see up to 100 different moth species, plus a plethora of beetles, caddisflies and maybe even a cicada or two! Bring your own camera, flashlight, water and insect repellent.
Wrapping up the week, on Saturday, July 28 – Sunday, July 29, the finale of the National Moth Week celebration will be an overnight experience on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. ABNC naturalists will be joined by scientists from The Nature Conservancy, the University of Massachusetts and other organizations at the headquarters of the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest, a 5,100-acre property in the heart of Martha’s Vineyard. Bring your tent, sleeping bag, point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Details are still being coordinated. RSVP Dave@dhsmall.net for updates.
