On Saturday, January 26 from 10 – 2 at The Gardens at Elm Bank, David Fiske, Mass Hort Gardens Curator, will lead a workshop that will show you ways to best utilize your greenhouse and indoor growing spaces. He’ll discuss not only how to use these spaces to grow specific plants and starts, but also review maintenance needs that should be on your seasonal checklist. $25 for Mass Hort members, $40 for general public. Register at www.masshort.org.
The Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham, Massachusetts is among the oldest surviving greenhouses in the United States, with four attached structures built between 1804 and 1930. Historic New England announces that this summer and fall, a comprehensive preservation project will help ensure the sustainability of the greenhouses and make them more accessible. The buildings will be stabilized and their character-defining features will be preserved, along with providing increased ventilation and heat. The bald cypress sash windows will be conserved, rather than replaced, and mobility access will be improved by upgrading exterior pathways. The $335,000 project will be funded in part by two grants, one from the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund and another from the City of Waltham Community Preservation Fund, but a significant amount is still needed to cover the cost of this essential project. If you are interested in donating, you may do so online at www.historicnewengland.org/PMF or call 617-994-5951.
Once again Historic New England will feature orchids at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 23 at 10 a.m. Bring up to three orchid plants for evaluation by experienced horticulturists. Get advice on maintaining healthy blooming plants. Other services offered include repotting and educational handouts about orchids. Books, pots, and growing supplies are for sale. Admission fee is $10. For more information call 781-891-1985. For directions, log on to www.historicnewengland.org.
Hundreds of orchid plants are for sale, including many hard-to-find varieties. Visit these antique greenhouses and enjoy gorgeous floral colors, shapes, and scents. Among the many varieties on display and for sale are cattleyas, laelias, oncidiums (below), Paphiopedilum, and Phalaenopsis. Their long lasting and showy blooms make orchids a dramatic addition to any indoor environment and this adaptable species can be grown in a variety of home conditions. The sale will take place October 8 – 10 from 10 – 4 at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham, Massachusetts, and is sponsored by Historic New England. For more information and directions, log on to www.historicnewengland.org, or call 781-891-1985.
Carol Govan is back at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden on Saturday, April 10, with a class beginning at 9:30 a.m. Do you love plants and want to understand them better? Enjoy early arrival of spring in the WCBG Greenhouses as Carol Govan introduces botany using basic terminology, direct observations and journaling to explore basic plant morphology (seeds, roots, shoots, flowers and fruit). No previous experience is necessary. Class meets at the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens Visitor Center. Fee $50 Arnold Arboretum or WCBG member, $65 nonmember. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.
Take photos within inches of your subject. Discover how to create stunning close-ups of flowers and other plant features in this one-day workshop with photographer David Kahn. Begin the day with a discussion of equipment, preparation, composition, lighting, tips and tricks, as well as see examples of what can be achieved. Then practice macro techniques using a variety of settings in the Ferguson Greenhouses and Visitor Center of the Wellesley College Botanic Garden. This hands-on workshop is ideal for photographers who want to explore their own creative vision as well as artists who want to record small details as a reference for future artwork.
Requirements: a digital camera and a good working knowledge of how to use it. A more complete list of requirements and options will be available online, at www.wellesley.edu/SCFH. You may email horticulture@wellesley.edu if your are unsure if your equipment or experience are sufficient. Course Number DIG 10 101. Cost: WCFH members $75, non-members $95. Snow date Friday, March 19.
Jack Alexander, Plant Propagator for the Arnold Arboretum, presents a single session class at the Dana Greenhouses in Jamaica Plain on Saturday, March 13, from 9 am – 1 pm. There’s nothing more satisfying to a gardener than growing plants from seeds. From annuals and perennials to trees and shrubs, success can be achieved if you understand what triggers germination. Expert propagator Jack Alexander will share techniques and tips for starting various types of plants from seeds. This workshop is for beginners and those who have been frustrated in past attempts to transform seed to seedling. Students will leave class with a selection of seeds raring to grow. Aftercare will be necessary. Fee $45 Arnold Arboretum member, $55 nonmember. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.
Join Plant Propagator Jack Alexander at the Dana Greenhouses at the Arnold Arboretum on Saturday, January 30 at 9 am for this day long workshop sponsored by the Arnold Arboretum. Grafting is the technique of joining parts of plants in such a manner that they unite and continue their growth as one plant. It is sometimes the most practical propagation method for the hobbyist, since it does not require special conditions or equipment. This workshop will teach methods of grafting and offer practice in making graft unions from actual plant material. You will graft both deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The plants may include two- or five-needled pines and crabapples. (Simple aftercare will be required until planting out in late spring.) If you own pruning shears or a grafting knife, please bring them to class. You must sign an assumption-of-risk-and-release form in order to practice the techniques taught in class (yes, you can cut yourself if you’re not careful!)
Fee $90 Arboretum member, $110 nonmember. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.
Where in the world are all those exotic fruits, vegetables and spices grown? In this four-day seminar at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden, learn about exotic produce in their native lands and see up close those growing in the Ferguson greenhouses. Observe, research and record them in drybrush watercolor. Sarah Roche’s expert instruction will give you the skills to capture textures and tones and the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables – your paintings will look good enough to eat. Snow date Tuesday, January 19, should a session be canceled. Course number BAC 10 148. WCFH members $200, non-members $250. To register, or for more information, log on to www.wellesley.edu/WCFH, or email horticulture@wellesley.edu.
Historic New England is sponsoring a Beginning Orchid Growing Clinic at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham, Massachusetts on Friday, November 6, beginning at 10 a.m. Learn the essentials of growing orchids, including requirements of growing media, light, water, temperature, and fertilization. With their long-lasting and showy blooms, orchids are one of the most beautiful and dramatic of all flowering plants. This popular course is taught by Lyman Estate horticulturist Lynn Ackerman, an accomplished orchid grower and member of the Orchid Society. Admission fee is $35. Contact Susanna Crampton at scrampton@historicnewengland.org, or call her at 781-891-4882 to register. For more information, log on to www.historicnewengland.org.
