Boston Flora

Tag: invasives

  • Tuesday, April 12, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Early Detection of Invasive Plants, Online

    Invasive plants are not typically prohibited from the nursery trade until after the species has already spread prolifically throughout an ecoregion. However, a proactive new approach evaluates the threats of invasive plants before they become a significant problem. This Native Plant Trust webinar on April 12 from 1 – 2 offers a regional proactive approach to listing invasive plants, with a focus on early detection of potential invasive plants that may become established in New England. Bud Sechler leads the talk, and it’s $15 for NPT members, $18 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/early-detection-invasive-plants/

  • Saturday, September 25, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Solutions for Backyard Invasives

    In our backyards, invasive plant species alter the ecosystem by crowding out our native plants that support pollinators and birds.   On September 25 at 10 am at Hollister House Garden in Washington, Connecticut, Christian Allyn will share solutions to help us identify and remove these unwanted troublesome invaders. He will take a close look at the characteristics of five of the worst offenders in our region  and give us the knowledge along with the cultural, mechanical and chemical tools to help us take an active role in repairing our gardens and land. He will make suggestions for replacement plants to use after eliminating these invaders. You will have an opportunity to ask questions so come prepared with your invasive species problems.

    Christian Allyn is a graduate of the UConn College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture. Christian started his company Invasive Plant Solutions to fill the growing need of firms dedicated to Invasive Plant management. Invasive Plant Solutions strives to provide effective invasive plant management by strategic and gradual control measures leading to limiting the use of herbicide and healing the land, one property at a time.

    HHG Members $25.00 Non-members $35.00

    RESERVATIONS

    Japanese knotweed photo courtesy of Connecticut Gardener Magazine

  • Wreath of the Day, From the Archives – Invasives

    In November, the Garden Club of the Back Bay enjoyed a very informative online lecture by Bud Sechler of Native Plant Trust on the topic of invasives. Member Kaye Vosburgh noted that the use of invasive plants in flower arrangements is now expressly forbidden by the Garden Club Federation and the Garden Club of America, and while still allowable in ikebana, seed disposal protocols are strictly followed. This brought to mind our own Wreath Week foraging and how often we may have been guilty of using inappropriate plants, berries, or grasses over the years. A case in point, from ten years ago, is the wreath below with Japanese wisteria pods attached as part of the decoration. Be assured that in the future we will be very careful in our choices of materials. We have, by the way, always been careful not to use anything that is on any endangered list.

    We thank Lois Kunian and Gibson/Sotheby’s for their generosity in sponsoring today’s Wreath of the Day post.

  • Friday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Invasive Plant Identification, Removal, and Control Strategies

    Michael Nadeau, founding member of the Organic Land Care Project, will explore invasive plants, their identification, removal and control strategies for gardeners and homeowners on Saturday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1 at the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. On Friday, his lecture at the botanical garden will focus on plant identification, removal and control strategies of common invasives.   On Saturday, the class will undertake an offsite site evaluation to demonstrate how to develop a realistic plan to manage invasive plants. This program focuses on practical applications to help the home and professional gardeners tackle this problem which is becoming increasingly pervasive.

    Michael Nadeau has been a landscaper, arborist, and ecological designer for over 40 years. He was a founding member of the Organic Land Care Project, a sister organization of the CT Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, which created the first set of standards for organic landscaping based on NOFA and USDA Standards. Michael is a co-creator and instructor of the CT-NOFA Organic Land Care Accreditation Course, a previous owner of Plantscapes Organics, a Fairfield County-based landscape restoration company since 1980, and owner of Wholistic Land Care Consulting, LLC, in Sharon, CT. www.michaelnadeau.org. Photo of innovative invasive control by www.nyis.info.

    BBG members $40, nonmembers $45. Register online at https://berkshirebotanical.org/education/lectures-and-workshops/

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  • Wednesday, July 29, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Out of Control: Chemical-free Strategies for Invasive Plant Control

    Invasive non-native plant species surround us: along roadsides, deep in forests, and in our own backyards. After decades using synthetic herbicides to control invasives, the invasive species remain out of control and growing environmental concerns are driving landscape professionals and the public to consider alternative control methods. Join the Ecological Landscape Alliance (ELA) at the Garden in the Woods for an afternoon workshop from 1 – 5 on Wednesday, July 29 to explore chemical-free options for invasive species control.This workshop will feature six concise and information-packed presentations plus a powerhouse panel discussion. Topics will include:

    Chemical-free Riparian Restoration
    Invasive Control in Closed-loop Systems
    Comparing Control Options
    Mobilizing Volunteers for Invasive Plant Removal
    Invasive Species Management Realities
    “Goatscaping” – A 4-Legged Approach to Invasive Control
    Chemical-free Controls – Get Your Questions Answered by the Panel of Experts

    ELA members price $30, nonmembers $40. Register today at www.ecolandscaping.org. Image from www.landscapeonline.com.

  • 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.

  • Tuesday, September 9, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Controlling Invasives at Home

    Take control of your home landscape with information and tips from an invasive-plants expert, on Tuesday, September 9, from 10 – 2 at Garden in the Woods.  This class will cover about thirty of the most common invasive plants in the local landscape.  Through discussion, lecture, examination of herbarium specimens, and a visit to a local invasives control site, you will learn to recognize non-native invasive plants and understand the features that make them so disruptive to natural ecosystems.  The class will discuss management techniques for many of these species on the home and landscape scale.  The Invaders issue of the New England Wildflower Society’s magazine and the MA Field Guide to Invasives will be available for purchase at a discount.  Alliaria petiolata pictured below. The instructor is Ted Elliman, Senior Botanist, and the fee is $66 for NEWFS members, $80 for nonmembers.  Register at www.newfs.org.

  • Saturday, October 12, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Invasive Plants: What Are They and What Can Be Done?

    The Ecological Landscaping Association will present a free educational event at Cold Spring Park, 1200 Beacon Street in Newton, on Saturday, October 12, from 10 – noon, with Bruce Wenning, a horticulturist at The Country Club, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where he is responsible for garden management and design, invasive species management, and natural history of the grounds.  Invasive plant species damage the lands and waters that native plants and animals need to survive.  During visits to Cold Spring Park, Bruce discovered that several types of invasive plants are present and spreading along the trails.  Learn how to identify several types of invasive plants and learn what you can do in your own landscape to safely remove them.  Register by calling 617-436-5838, or email ela.info@comcast.net.

    http://0.tqn.com/d/landscaping/1/0/b/O/bittersweet_berries_orange_.jpg

  • Wednesday, June 5, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – The Restoration of Consecration Dell

    Grow Native Massachusetts wraps up its 2013 Evening with the Experts at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge on Wednesday, June 5, from 7 – 8:30, welcoming Dave Barnett, President of Mount Auburn Cemetery, who will speak on The Restoration of Consecration Dell.  At the heart of Mount Auburn, Consecration Dell is a landscape of great beauty and a hot spot for birding. Yet not long ago, it was overrun by invasive species and suffering from erosion. With their commitment to stewardship, Cemetery staff have spent over a decade restoring this special place, establishing a thriving community of native plants and improving vital habitat for wildlife. This story is full of lessons about the significant challenges and rewards of ecological restoration. Dr. Barnett is a respected ecologist and horticulturalist, as well as the President of the Cemetery. Free and open to the public.  Photo from www.inktalks.com.

  • Wednesday, February 6, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Managing Invasives at Home and Around Town

    Grow Native Massachusetts is sponsoring a public lecture series from February through June, 2013, from 7 – 8:30 on the first Wednesday of each month at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway in Cambridge.  The first of the free series in entitled Managing Invasives at Home and Around Town, with Eric Olson and Josh Ellsworth, lecturers at Brandeis University and citizen stewards. Founder of the Newton Invasive Plant Task Force, Dr. Olson has led substantial volunteer efforts to control invasive species in Newton and Waltham. He will discuss this management challenge, especially the importance of building trust with local Conservation Commissions, and the risks and pleasures of depending entirely upon volunteer labor. Josh Ellsworth will help us understand the ecology of invasives, along with specific techniques for controlling the species we most commonly encounter in Greater Boston. Dr. Eric Olson and Josh Ellsworth both teach at Brandeis University. Lecture Co-sponsored by The Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation.  Photo of knotweed pull site from www.newtonconservators.org.