Boston Flora

Tag: Horticulture

  • Saturday, July 17 – Saturday, July 24 – A Garden Tour

    The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. and the Southeastern District presents “A Garden Tour”, a standard flower show at the Barnstable County Fair,  Fair hours: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm every day.  Entries are open to all members of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. and any members of National Garden Clubs, Inc.  New entry days are Saturday, July 17 and Wednesday, July 21.  An exhibitors’ meeting will take place Friday, June 11, at 9:30 am.  For more information on entering, contact Flower Show Chairman Robin Murphy at 508-295-9076, or email heroncreekdesign@msn.com.  For a complete schedule or entry information contact Hila Lyman, Design Division Entries Chairman, at 508-548-0841, or email her at hilajeanne@comcast.net.

    The Barnstable County Fair has been an annual summer tradition on Cape Cod for 164 years. The Fair is a place where families can spend the day together and share experiences they can only experience at the Barnstable County Fair.

    There are animal shows, 4-H demonstrations, petting zoos, horticulture displays, rides, games, live music, arts & crafts, food and commercial vendors with various arts and crafts for sale.

    For more information on the fair, log on to www.barnstablecountyfair.org.

    http://www.flowergarden.com.au/images/roses/arrangements/arrangements.jpg

  • Tuesdays, April 6 – 27, 6:30 – 8:30 pm – Growing Vegetables in the City

    Abby Hird, Putnam Fellow at the Arnold Arboretum, will give a three session class in the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum on Tuesdays, April 6, 13 and 27, from 6:30 – 8:30 pm.   Learn the where, what, and why of urban vegetable gardening with horticulturist Abby Hird. Raised on a Nebraska farm, educated in horticulture, and now living here in Boston, Abby Hird will talk about her gardening adaptations in the city environment. She will guide you through site evaluation, plant selection, and common problems and possible solutions in raising home-grown food. She’ll also talk about community resources for gardening, ideas for maximizing yield from a small plot, as well as ways to grow food more sustainably. This class is for nascent gardeners and those who have been frustrated by previous run-ins with vegetables.  Fee $60 Arnold Arboretum member, $72 nonmember. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3642385367_0f64ebee25.jpg

  • Saturday, April 3, 9 am – noon – Pruning Basics

    Learn the why’s and how’s of pruning – why to prune, if you even need to prune, when to prune, and what cuts to make.  Wellesley College Botanic Gardens Senior Horticulturist Tricia Diggins teaches you to make cutting edge decisions about nearly every pruning job from house plants to large tres.  She explores with you how these general principles relate to specific plants like flowering shrubs, evergreens, older trees, young plants and fruit trees.  Approximately half the class time will be indoors and the remaiinder will be outside in the Hunnewell Arboretum and Alexandra Botanic Gardens, looking at the pruning needs of a variety of trees and shrubs.  The Wellesley College Hunnewell Arboretum can be damp under foot in early spring.  Please dress appropriately for the weather.  Class number HOR 10 080, WCFH members $20, non members $25.  To register, or for directions, log on to www.wellesley.edu/WCFH, or email horticulture@wellesley.edu.

    Pruning Tools

  • Monday, March 29, 10:00 am – Growing Organic Vegetables and Herbs

    The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts presents a Horticulture Morning on Monday, March 29, beginning at 10 a.m. at The Espousal Center, 554 Lexington Street, North Waltham, Massachusetts (off Route I-95/128, Exit 27A Totten Pond Road).  Rita Wollmering, organic gardener and owner of The Herb Farmacy, will speak on Growing Organic Vegetables and Herbs: Great Growing Ideas from a Professional.  A donation of $5, payable at the door, is suggested.  To call for information on cancellations due to snow or storm, call 781-391-0261.  You may also contact Betsy Williams (betsy@betsywilliams.com) or Rita DeLollis (rdelollis@aol.com) for more information on Horticulture Mornings.

    http://www.mofga.org/portals/2/mof&g/djf%200809/14-Herb-Garden.jpg

  • Friday, March 12, 10 am – 4 pm – It’s a Small World: Macro-Digital Photography

    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.

  • Thursday, March 4, 8:00 am – 3:30 pm – Landscape Maintenance: An Organic Approach

    The Arnold Arboretum is sponsoring a one day seminar with James J. Agabedis, Jr. of Minuteman Landscaping, Inc. on Thursday, March 4, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Improve your understanding of horticulture and enhance your landscape skills. This all-day class will introduce the basics of horticultural landscape maintenance. James Agabedis is the owner of Minuteman Landscaping, an all-organic land care company. Having worked in the industry since 1986, Jim is a pro at communicating with customers and employees, and brings a solid understanding of current landscape practices to the classroom. He is a Northeast Organic Farming Association-certified Organic Land Care Professional and emphasizes organic techniques in this class. Jim will present the following topics: landscape maintenance practices; soil fertility; plant growth and health; planting and pruning techniques; plant evaluation; equipment safety; and turf care. The class will take place indoors and on the grounds of the Arnold Arboretum. Certificates of attendance will be given to attendees. The fee includes morning coffee and program materials. Bring a lunch and beverage. Register early as this class fills quickly – log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.  Fee $90.

  • Monday, February 22, 10:00 am – At Home With Orchids

    The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts presents a Horticulture Morning on Monday, February 22, beginning at 10 a.m. at The Espousal Center, 554 Lexington Street, North Waltham, Massachusetts (off Route I-95/128, Exit 27A Totten Pond Road).  Rita DeLollis, orchid enthusiast and organic gardener, will present At Home with Orchids: Tips for Successful Growing and Use in Designs.  A donation of $5, payable at the door, is suggested.  To call for information on cancellations due to snow or storm, call 781-391-0261.  You may also contact Betsy Williams (betsy@betsywilliams.com) or Rita DeLollis (rdelollis@aol.com) for more information on Horticulture Mornings.

  • Massachusetts Agricultural Calendar Photo Contest

    Amateur photographers who enjoy capturing local rural scenes, farm animals and fresh produce are invited to enter the Massachusetts Agriculture Photo Contest sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources(MDAR), the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. Winning photos will be featured in the 2011 Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar.

    Twelve photos will be selected, one for each month. Photos will be selected that depict the diversity of agriculture, horticulture, and natural resources on the Commonwealth’s farms throughout the year.  To view last year’s winners, click here.

    Winning photographers will be credited in the calendar, will be invited to attend a winner’s ceremony at the Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) in Springfield in September, and will receive copies of the calendar and tickets to the fair.

    The Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar will also feature facts and figures about Bay State agriculture, horticulture and conservation, as well as other educational resources. Information about how to order the calendar will be announced on the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ Website in the fall. Calendars will also be available at selected public events.

    Deadline for submissions is June 1, 2010. For details and an entry form, visit Photo Contest Rules and regulations: or contact Rick LeBlanc at Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, 617-626-1759 or send an e-mail to him.

    http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/galleries/photos/35063.jpg

  • Thursday, February 4, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Garden Design: A Perfect Plant Palette

    Like dabs of paint and brush strokes in a painting, individual plants and their placement are what creates a garden or yard. It’s easy to walk into a nursery or garden store and become overwhelmed by the wide selection of plants, tools, soil choices, gardening tips, and helpful accessories. With so many choices how is it possible to comprise plant schemes with ease? This class will give an overview of the first steps to take in creating your perfect plant palette. You  will discuss the basic design features of plants and how to use them in combination to make your available garden space into the retreat you wish it to be. Topics will include using plant forms to define outdoor rooms, using leaves and/or bark as a prominent feature of the garden, and using flowers and fruits to accent the garden. You’ll talk about color theory and the use of texture to create a balanced composition in the landscape.  This course, sponsored by Brookline Adult Education, will be held on Thursday, February 4, beginning at 7 pm, at Brookline High School.  The fee is $28, and you may register on-line at www.brooklineadulted.org, or by phone at 617-730-2700.  The instructor, Kimberly Turner, is a principal of KDTurner Design, a landscape architecture firm in Newton.  She has a background in both horticulture and landscape architecture and is the author of the soon to be published book Botany For Designers.

    http://www.ktpdesignsinc.com/images/kimbytree.gif

  • Tuesdays & Thursdays, January 5,7,12 & 14, 9:30 – 2:30 – Where in the World?

    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.

    Tropical fruits in the Philippines by Roberto Verzo.