Boston Flora

Tag: Ipswich

  • Wednesday, April 22, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Native American & Environmental Art at The Trustees

    Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 at noon with a lecture at the Crane Estate, focused on art inspired by nature and Native American Heritage. Join us for a lecture with Tess Lukey, The Trustees Associate Curator of Native American Arts. Learn about The Trustees efforts to center Indigenous voices and culture via our exhibits and programming, to recognize the important contributions of Indigenous peoples to the lands now stewarded by The Trustees. Tess will discuss her work curating the Across Boundaries Across Barriers gallery at The Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, focused on the medicine wheel & seven directions, featuring historic and contemporary works of art from several Native American communities in five sections that center the concepts associated with each direction. Tess will also discuss recent collaborations with local Indigenous educators & The Trustees statewide education team to develop curricula connecting students to this gallery and the medicine wheel. Tess will touch on other projects and collaborative work, such as the next installation in the Art & the Landscape Exhibition: The Land Tells Our Stories, featuring outdoor art on display at The Crane Estate.

    If your schedule allows, we invite you to arrive early and explore the grounds of Castle Hill, where you can view one of three works in the new Art in the Landscape Exhibition: The Land Tells our Stories. This sculpture, created by Maine-based artist Posey Moulton, invites viewers to reflect on environmental impacts on The Great Marsh, and explore how reclaimed materials that wash up as marine debris can be repurposed into art. The sculpture will be on view from mid-April through October 2026.

    Tess Lukey joined The Trustees in 2022 as our first-ever Curator of Native American Art to develop exhibitions and research initiatives related to The Trustees’ Indigenous art collections.

    Lukey, an Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal member and lifelong New Englander, works across the state, and is based both at Fruitlands Museum and the deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum. She works closely with community members, collectors, and donors for potential acquisitions while offering broader access to and knowledge of The Trustees’ collections of art made by Indigenous peoples.

    $5 for Trustees members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at https://thetrustees.org/event/445538/

  • Friday, December 5 – Sunday, December 28 – Christmas at Castle Hill

    Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s event celebrating the beauty of the natural world. You’ll see birds, flowers, snowflakes, and more as you view 18 spaces decorated for the holidays. Go at your own pace and learn from interpreters stationed in rooms.

    Enjoy freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate, try the Crane holiday eye spy, and shop in the Castle Hill Gift Shop during your visit.

    Timed entry will limit the number of guests for the comfort of guests and staff. Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Ipswich residents: apply discount code “IPSWICH” for resident rate and show resident beach sticker or other identification at gate. Children ages 4 and under are admitted free; ages 5-14 receive the discounted child rate.

    Christmas at Castle Hill runs Fridays, December 5, 12, 19, and 26, 4-7PM; Saturdays, December 6, 13, 20, and 27, 10AM-4PM (sensory-friendly hours 10AM-11:30AM); Sundays, December 7, 14, 21, and 28, 10AM-4PM.

    Sensory-friendly Hours: 10AM-11:30AM on Saturdays, Dec 6, 13, 20, and 27. Reduced capacity and no flickering lights.

    Accessibility: The Grand Stair has 30 steps. We’re sorry, but there is no elevator. There will be a digital picture display of second floor museum rooms for guests unable to climb the stairs.

    Refund and exchange requests must be made at least 7 days in advance of the event date. Register HERE

  • Friday, October 23, 5:00 pm – Saturday, October 24, 9:00 am – Camping on the Grand Allee

    Camp on the Grand Allee, the central landscape feature at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, a National Historic Landmark, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Enjoy s’mores-making around a campfire at base camp (a/k/a the Casino Complex), a night sleeping under the stars, and waking to magnificent estate and ocean views.

    Bathroom facilities at the Casino Complex will be available. Space is limited to 8 families. Participants must provide their own tent, bedrolls, and cold supper. Cooking on-site is not permitted. An overnight manager will greet guests, prepare a self-contained campfire and s’mores kits for each group, serve morning coffee, and sanitize restrooms between scheduled family visits.

    Pre-registration is required. Trustees members $88 per family, nonmembers $118. Register at https://thetrustees.org/event/57353/

  • Saturday, September 19, 10:30 am – 11:30 am – Gardens and Grounds Seasonal Stroll at Castle Hill

    Tiptoe through the asters, shuffle through the autumn leaves…or whatever plants are in bloom at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich on September 19 from 10:30 – 11:30. Crane horticulturalist Beth Walsh leads visitors on a walking tour of the grounds, including the woodland path, Italian Garden, and Rose Garden. Learn about what’s in bloom and what it takes to keep these restored gardens historically appropriate to the original landscape design and adaptable to modern usage.

    Advanced reservations are required for event tickets and for Castle Hill parking . $12 for Trustees members, $20 for nonmembers. Masks required. Register at https://thetrustees.org/event/gardens-and-grounds-seasonal-stroll-2/

  • Friday, November 14, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm – Castle Hill Casino Restoration Seminar

    Friday, November 14, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm – Castle Hill Casino Restoration Seminar

    New England Landscape Design and History Association (NELDHA) and The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) are pleased to collaborate on a Preservation Seminar that focuses on the Casino restoration at the Country Place Era Estate at Castle Hill in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The seminar is on November 14, 2014, at the Great House at Castle Hill from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

    Join them for an in depth program in the Great House with TTOR staff and other professionals who will explain the issues, process and decision making involved. TTOR Northeast Region’s Operations Manager Robert Murray will lead a tour of the restored Casino. After lunch, a distinguished panel will answer questions and discuss issues with a particular emphasis on hardscape, ornamentation and adaptive reuse of this incredible space. The panelists include Robert Murray; Lucinda Brockway, TTOR Program Director for Cultural Resources; James Younger, AIA, LEED AP, TTOR Director of Structural Resources and Technology; Susan Hill Dolan, TTOR Curator and Cultural Resources Specialist for the Northeast Region; Robert Levitre of Consigli Construction, and distinguished landscape architect and preservationist, Marion Pressley, FASLA, and past speaker for the Garden Club of the Back Bay.

    In 2014, TTOR continued the restoration of the grounds at Castle Hill, a National Historic Landmark. This year, 99 years after its creation, the crumbling Casino—the epitome of a Country Place Era estate feature for entertainment and leisure—was restored. The casino was designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style by landscape architect Arthur Shurcliff, in collaboration with the Boston architectural firm Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge, 1914 – 1915. Although sited on the fabulous grand allee, it is elegantly hidden within the iconic view from the Great House. The Casino predates the existing Great House designed by David Adler, 1924 – 1928. For this project, TTOR used original documentation and materials wherever possible.

    The seminar is $70 for NELDHA members, TTOR members and current students and $85 for non-members. We are offering an early registration discount of $10 for registrations received before October 14, 2014. The Registration & Refund Deadline is November 8, 2014. Space is limited. Visit www.ttor.org to register.

    casino ballroom 1915

  • Thursday, October 27, 6:00 pm – 4th Annual Sustainable “Farm to Fork” Chef Dinner

    The Trustees of Reservations invite all who are interested to attend The Inn at Castle Hill’s 4th Annual sustainable “Farm to Fork” Chef Dinners, the first of which is being held on October 27th on The Crane Estate in Ipswich, located at 280 Argilla Road. Connection with local foods is a simple but important theme for this year’s series, in which top area Chefs will create a unique blending of the freshest local produce and meats from Appleton Farms.The Pre-fixe Four-Course dinners will be prepared by some of the top chefs in the region who have generously donated their time for this sustainable event series.

    The Thursday dinners will begin with an open bar and the first course of hors d’oeuvre served fireside in the Tavern located next to The Inn at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate at 6 PM, followed by a three-course meal with paired wines served at The Inn at Castle Hill. The event, including tips and taxes, is $125 per person, and features Marco Suarez (below), Executive Chef at Jamaica Plain’s newest neighborhood spot, Canary Square. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Proceeds will go to the ongoing preservation of The Crane Estate.

    Suarez is a member of Mayor Menino’s Urban Agriculture Working Group, which serves as an advisory board to the city on green and sustainable practices. Suarez’ background in urban agriculture plays a significant role in the sourcing and purveying of ingredients and greatly influences his culinary creations. His expertise on sustainability ties in with eco-conscious practices of Canary Square.Suarez began his culinary career washing dishes at a local restaurant in his hometown, Greenwich, Connecticut. After high school, he went on to train at the Culinary Institute of America. At the young age of 25, Suarez earned the top spot at Eastern Standard Kitchen in Kenmore Square. Most recently, Suarez was the Executive Chef at Bon Savor in Jamaica Plain. For reservations and questions, please call The Inn at 978-412-2555. Trustees of Reservations members are being offered a special $99 stay at the Inn on the night of the dinner, subject to availability. Visit www.theinnatcastlehill.com for room details, or to become a TTOR member.

  • Sunday, April 10, 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm – Second Annual Sustainable Seaside Wedding Show

    The Trustees of Reservations invites couples to be wed, event planners, and the surrounding community members to attend their second annual Seaside Wedding Show at The Great House on Castle Hill located on The Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA. A National Historic Landmark, Castle Hill on The Crane Estate is one of the most sought after wedding venues in the Northeast. The elegant architecture, panoramic ocean views, newly restored Grand Allee, manicured landscapes, and award winning Inn at Castle Hill on The Crane Estate, offer a complete wedding package for couples who are looking for a special place to create their wedding memories.

    Attended by over 300 last year, this year’s Seaside Wedding Show will again feature over sixty hand selected vendors who will share their professional expertise, and offer options for choosing an eco-conscious wedding. Attendees will be able to sample food from caterers using local farm produce, learn about ways to conserve resources from florists who use biodegradable materials and locally grown flowers, select design companies offering invitations printed on recycled paper, and view couture gowns made of natural, eco-fabrics or locally manufactured. Guests will learn how to create their ideal wedding day from food to spa luxuries, and choose sustainable options at the same time. Better choices for the planet, better choices for current and future generations. Join TTOR in their mission to conserve land for everyone, forever.

    WHERE: Castle Hill on The Crane Estate is located at 290 Argilla Road in Ipswich, MA. For directions and or more information, please visit www.craneestate.org or call 978-356-4351 ext. 4025.  Purchase tickets at www.craneestate.org to be eligible for the GRAND PRIZE drawing: two glorious nights at The Inn at Castle Hill on The Crane Estate (an over $900 value).Visit www.theinnatcastlehill.com for more information. Tickets: $5 for Trustees members; $10 for non-members; and $15 for all at the door.

  • Thursday, April 7 – Friday, April 8 – ABC’s of Farm Based Education

    If you have ever considered owning or operating a farm for education, or if you are looking for new ideas, this is the workshop for you.  On Thursday and Friday, April 7 and 8, the FBEA, Shelburne Farms, and the Trustees of Reservations Center for Agriculture and the Environment at Appleton Farms will present the ABC’s of Farm Based Education, at Appleton Farms in Ipswich, Massachusetts.  Appleton Farms’ dairy, CSA fields, pastures, forests and newly renovated LEED certified Old House Visitor Center will be your campus for exploring topics including marketing your farm program to schools and the community, creating a safe farm environment for the public, and meeting teachers’ needs.  You’ll also discover exciting, hands-on ways to develop agricultural education programs for groups with easy-to-use activities from Shelburne Farms’ PROJECT SEASONS, a collection of teaching ideas developed by teachers and agriculture educators.  Tuition is $200, including all materials and meals.  Scholarships are available.  For more information contact Holly Hannaway at hhannaway@ttor.org, or call her at 978-356-5728, ext. 15.  You may also read more about this two day workshop at www.farmbasededucation.org/events/abcs-of-farmbased-education-1. Photo of Appleton Farms below by David Stone entitled “Red Barn” was the First Prize Winner of the 2010 Essex Heritage Photo Contest.

  • Castle Hill Grand Allée Landscape Restoration Project

    The Trustees of Reservations announce the beginning of Phase One of the important Castle Hill Grand Allée Landscape Restoration Project. This iconic landscape of a National Historic Landmark will be restored to its original design and splendor, with a sustainable approach.

    The Crane Estate’s “Grand Allée” on Castle Hill in Ipswich combines a grand scale with beautiful decorative arts, making it unique in American landscape design. It is the only known landscape masterpiece of its kind still in existence in North America, and one of only a few remaining worldwide. The Allée is one of the largest landscape features created by renowned Boston landscape architect Arthur Shurcliff – best known for his design of Colonial Williamsburg and the Charles River Esplanade – who modeled the dramatic design after the beautiful Italian and French gardens of Renaissance Europe. Since 1949, when the Crane family gave Castle Hill to the Trustees, the Allée has become a beloved and impressive backdrop for open-air concerts, weddings, tours and events, a childrens summer camp, and other recreational activities held year-round on the Crane Estate.

    Nearly 100 years after its original installation, the plantings and architectural elements have begun to decline rapidly. The aging trees are prone to damage from harsh weather and storms. In addition, at their mature height, the trees have outgrown Shurcliff’s design and become overcrowded, obscuring his carefully planned views of natural features and the original sculptures bordering the hedgerows. To restore this rare and iconic landscape to its original splendor, The Trustees are embarking on a dynamic, three year, environmentally sustainable renovation project. The restoration will constitute a living laboratory – modeling cutting edge environmental stewardship with the diligent care of a National Historic Landmark.

    The Allée restoration project has been created in memory of David Crockett, former member of the Board of Governors, known as the “Impresario of Argilla Road,” on which the Estate is located. For more information, or to volunteer in this endeavor, log on to www.ttor.org, or email rmurray@ttor.org. You may also call Bob Murray at 978-356-4351, x. 4035.

  • Three Corn Maze Opportunities

    Have you ever walked through a corn maze?  This autumn, three fantastic opportunities await, one in Sterling, one in Sunderland, and one in Ipswich. The picture below, by the way, is not one of these featured mazes, but gives you an idea of what’s in store.  Pick a sunny day and commune with your inner child:

    Mega Maze Corn Maze — Sterling
    Now through November 15, 2009
    Every year brings a whole new puzzle, theme, and challenge.  Davis’ Mega Maze features more bridges than any other field maze in the world and the only double-decker bridge. There is more than one solution to the Mega Maze and there are several different levels of intensity at which the maze can be completed. All offer varying degrees of difficulty and a new maze experience. Location: Davis’ Mega Maze, 145 Redstone Hill. Time: August 6-Labor Day, open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; September 8-10, closed; September 11-October 31, open weekends only, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; November 1-November 15. open weekends only, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Weather Decisions are made each day by 8 am. Cost: Adults, $16.95; seniors older than 60 and children age 5-12, $12.95. Information: 978-422-8888 or visit www.davisfarmland.com/megamaze.

    Mike’s Corn Maze at Warner Farm – Sunderland
    Now through October 31, 2009
    The 2009 Maze celebrates the 173rd anniversary of the conclusion of the voyage of The HMS Beagle. The maze features the famed British naturalist Charles Darwin with his penetrating gaze chiseled out of solid corn. Darwin is pictured with an assortment of the Galapagos finches whose habitats were isolated volcanic islands. Put on your farm appropriate footwear and come for a nature walk along miles of corn-lined trails. No pets. Location: Warner Farm, 25 South Main Street. Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: Adults over age 13, $9; students and seniors over age 60, $8; children age 4-12, $6. Information: 413-665-8331 or visit www.mikesmaze.com.

    Marini Farm Corn Maze – Ipswich
    Now through October 31, 2009
    Experience one of the largest and most challenging corn mazes in the New England region. Travel ear to ear in 8 acres of interactive learning and adventure. Maize Quest is great fun for families, scouts, youth groups, and birthday parties. Location: 259 Linebrook Road. Time: Thursday and Friday, 3-6 p.m.; weekends, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Cost: Adults, $9.50; children younger than 12, $7.50. Information: 978-356-0430 or visit www.marinifarm.com.