Boston Flora

Tag: Katy Moss Warner

  • Monday, May 14 – Friday, May 18 – American Horticultural Society President’s Council Trip to St. Petersburg, Florida

    Members who make leadership gifts of $1,000 or more are recognized through membership in the AHS President’s Council. Their charitable gifts provide funds that support everything from internships and the National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, to national awards and the stewardship of River Farm. Another great benefit is an invitation to participate in the Annual President’s Council trip, this year to St. Petersburg, Florida May 14 – 18. Join new AHS President, Beth Tuttle, for the 2018 President’s Council (PC) trip. This journey, an exclusive benefit  for AHS PC members, beckons us to central Florida and “Florida’s Cultural Coast”—a lively landscape filled with bold, colorful, tropical and subtropical plants that will delight us at every  turn. Our itinerary will include notable gardens in St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Tampa, Lake Wales, and Orlando. We will enjoy tours of historic private gardens, noteworthy public gardens, and the largest garden festival in the country. Our tour hosts are AHS President Emeritus Katy Moss Warner, former AHS Board and current PC member Sherran Blair, and AHS member and landscape architect Meg Whitmer. Our home base will be The Vinoy Renaissance Resort, a majestic historic hotel overlooking Tampa Bay in downtown St. Petersburg. If you are interested in joining the President’s Council and attending the PC tour, please contact the Development office at development@ahsgardening.org or call (703) 768-5700 ext. 127 or ext. 132 for pricing and registration. For complete itinerary visit http://www.ahsgardening.org/uploads/pdfs/2018_Florida_PC_Travel_Flyer_final.pdf

    Image result for St. Petersburg Florida gardens

  • Thursday, October 5 – Saturday, October 7 – America in Bloom National Symposium

    The 2017 America in Bloom National Symposium is coming to New England for the first time this October.  The Town of Holliston will host the event October 5 – 7, and attendees from out of state will lodge at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center.

    The conference kicks off with an East Coast Garden Tour on Thursday, October 5 from 10 – 4, advance registration required. If you want to experience horticultural heritage in the Boston area at its best, this tour is for you! We’ll start by visiting one of the oldest and finest garden centers in the Boston area, Weston Nurseries. Known for offering exceptional plants and garden ideas, this nursery in Hopkinton, MA also has an amazing railroad garden. After touring the garden center we’ll enjoy lunch hosted by Peter Mezitt, fourth generation nursery owner. Then we will head to The Gardens at Elm Bank in Wellesley, MA, headquarters of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Here we will enjoy special tours of 12 display gardens, including an historic Olmsted Italianate Garden as well as the Bressingham Garden designed by English nurseryman Adrian Bloom. The last stop on the tour is to Wellesley College, rated one of the most beautiful small college campuses in the country. We will have a special tour of their botanic garden which now focuses on the fundamental role of plants in nature and culture. The cost is $50 and includes lunch. Tour is limited to 50 people so register early.

    If you prefer, take a tour of the Urban Farming Institute from 1 – 4. If you believe in sourcing local, fresh food, don’t miss this tour! The Urban Farming Institute is a brand-new concept in the historically-diverse Roxbury/Dorchester/Mattapan neighborhoods of Boston. The Institute’s mission is to develop and promote urban farming as a commercial sector within the city and to create green collar jobs for residents. It is also committed to engaging its urban community in building a healthier and more locally-based food system. The Fowler-Clark-Epstein Farm, currently under reconstruction, is becoming the center for celebrating the agricultural heritage of the Boston area as well as the cultural and historic heritage of this unique community. On this tour, you will see first-hand the work the Institute is doing to enable urban farming through farm creation, farmer training, public education, and policy change, and how the Institute brings people in urban neighborhoods closer to food production. Your tour leader is Barbara Knecht, partner in “Strategies for Cities.” Barbara has brought 30 years of developing urban land for public good and a love of all things edible to her work developing urban farm sites. The cost is $35. Tour is limited to 11 people so register early.

    Prior to that evening’s silent auction and cocktail reception there will be a Mayor and Elected Leaders Reception, and later, a Celebration Dinner.

    The Symposium begins in earnest on Friday, with a Keynote Presentation by Ken Kruckemeyer, board member of LivableStreets Alliance and partner in “Strategies for Cities.” Ken specializes in the design of civil infrastructure focusing in pedestrian and bicycle corridors as well as roadway and bridge design. Historic preservation has become a fundamental tool for strengthening communities. When understood as a combination of physical and human attributes, it can provide a framework for communities to build on their assets and improve health, affordability, prosperity, and well-being. Historic preservation can make it possible to achieve a wide range of public goals, including small business incubation, affordable housing, sustainable development, neighborhood renewal, heritage tourism, and economic development. By examples primarily drawn from his Boston experience, Ken will address the importance of historic preservation and the role that walkable corridors play in an effective immersion in the historic character of a community.

    Friday brings a host of panel presentations such as Creating a Sense of Place Downtown, and a How-To Guide to Improving Your Town Through Horticulture. Afternoon and evening tours of the Freedom Trail and the Rose Kennedy Greenway, plus Mount Auburn Cemetery, are on offer.

    On Saturday the Showcase of Innovation continues, and America in Bloom President Katy Moss Warner will take a brief look at collective successes in her morning Keynote Speech. A lunch and Holliston Walking Tour round out the afternoon, and that evening, the America in Bloom Awards Banquet will take place.

    Full registration is $345, and by registering online at http://www.americainbloom.org/Symposium/Registration.aspx before September 8 you will receive a discount. You may also call 614-453-0744, or email aib@AmericainBloom.org.

  • Tuesday, September 5 – Thursday, September 14 – Gardens of Genoa, The Italian Riviera, & Florence

    Join the American Horticultural Society September 5 – 14 on this adventure in exquisite Italian gardens, palaces, and art museums.

    Our itinerary begins in Italy’s northwestern port city of Genoa. We’ll experience the many delights of the Liguria region, enjoy the stylish resort areas of the Italian Riviera, and venture into Tuscany. In Florence we’ll see the Boboli Gardens, created by Cosimo I de Medici; the Uffizi Gallery, home to an astounding collection of Renaissance art; and villas and palaces with extraordinary gardens including the well-known Villa Gemberaia and Palazzo del Principe.

    Your AHS Host is Katy Moss Warner, President Emeritus of the AHS, and world traveller. Katy has hosted many garden tours for the AHS and is known for her enthusiasm for travel, gardening, music, and art.

    Our tour organizer is Susie Orso, who has arranged and led dozens of AHS Travel Study programs. She and Katy have worked closely together to craft this special program that is being offered exclusively to our AHS travellers. Susie is British by birth and lives in Florence with her Italian husband, and it is through her contacts that many of our visits will be possible.  Image below from www.planetware.com.

    Top-rated Hotels:

    In Genoa we will be guests at The Hotel Melia, a contemporary designer property that is both peaceful and centrally located.
    Our next stop will be the Grand Hotel Miramare in Santa Margherita Ligure, on the water in the heart of the Italian Riviera.
    Our final nights will be spent at the elegant Hotel Villa Cora in Florence, set in a park overlooking the Boboli Gardens.
    For complete information visit http://www.ahs.org/gardening-programs/travel-study/italy2017

  • Through Monday, October 26 – American Horticultural Society 2015 Online Auction

    The not for profit American Horticultural Society offers one of a kind garden experiences all over the United States on its online auction site, and proceeds support AHS educational programs. This week we are highlighting one auction item a day selected from hundreds of options. For the full list visit http://www.ahs.org/online-auction.

    Today we present The Other Side of Orlando, for all the snowbirds out there. Your visit for one or two people includes a private tour of Orlando’s beautiful Harry P. Leu Gardens with Executive Director Robert Bowden and AHS President Emeritus Katy Moss Warner, a visit to Orlando’s innovative East End Market, and lunch at the highly acclaimed Txokos Basque Restaurant with Katy and Robert.

    Everyone has heard of Central Florida’s world-class theme parks, but what about the other side of Orlando? Hosted by two of the region’s most highly regarded horticulturists, this experience will introduce you to the rich history, deep horticultural roots, and sense of community that makes people want to call Central Florida home.

    Harry P. Leu Gardens is a 50-acre botanical treasure, just minutes from downtown Orlando, that features an extensive collection of temperate and tropical plants. Visitors enjoy strolling on the meandering walks under the shade of 200-year-old oaks and through forests of camellias. The lakeside gardens and Leu House museum provide a glimpse of what turn-of-the-century life in Orlando was like. Nearby, the East End Market is a neighborhood market and cultural hub that features local farmers and artisans – including the Txokos Basque Restaurant, which offers an authentic taste of a region in Spain with fresh and local produce featured in its cuisine.

    Katy Moss Warner and Robert Bowden are both longtime residents of Central Florida. Katy is President Emeritus of the American Horticultural Society. She is an accomplished horticulturist and public garden professional, having spent over 20 years with the Disney organization as Walt Disney World’s Director of Horticulture and Environmental Initiatives prior to joining the AHS. Robert is Executive Director of Harry P. Leu Gardens. An avid plantsman and hands-on gardener, Robert readily shares his enthusiasm for plants through his writing, photography, and teaching.

    Best times to visit: Orlando is a year-round destination. At Leu Gardens, visitors will find camellias at their peak during the winter months, azaleas and roses in spring, and tropical plants in summer Tour to be arranged at a mutually agreeable time subject to host’s availability by October 31, 2016.

  • Friday, April 10 – Tuesday, April 21 – Musical Journey of Historical Gardens from Lisbon to Rome

    The American Horticultural Society is planning a Mediterranean Cruise April 10 – 21, 2015. Enjoy a rare voyage that combines sublime chamber music with the pleasure of cruising to some of the finest gardens in the Mediterranean Sea. This glorious spring cruise features exclusive recitals in historic venues on several islands and in coastal towns of this fabled region. As we sail the coast of Iberia, to the islands of Mallorca, Sardinia, and Sicily, and on to Southern Italy, we encounter lush, beautifully landscaped gardens in spectacular Mediterranean settings. We will visit the Generalife Gardens near the Alhambra (below); the oasis of Palmeral of Elche, a UNESCO World Heritage site; Valencia’s Jardin Botanico; and the Orto Botanico Cagliari –which will open its doors on Saturday exclusively for the American Horticultural Society group.  Katy Moss Warner, President Emeritus of AHS, will be your host in this musical journey of historical gardens from Lisbon to Rome aboard the 100 guest, all suite Corinthian. Also accompanying the guests will be John Stewart, Senior Preceptor in Music at Harvard University, Emeritus, a composer and music theorist. Complete itinerary and costs may be viewed at http://www.ahs.org/uploads/pdfs/2015_Mediterranean_Brochure_Final.pdf.

  • Tuesday, June 11 – Friday, June 21 – Gardens of the Northern Italian Lakes

    Join the American Horticultural Society and host Katy Moss Warner, along with tour leader Susie Orso of Specialtours, June 11 – 21 for the Gardens of the Northern Italian Lakes. This region of Italy is well known for its great natural beauty, with lakes and mountains that are regarded as some of the most beautiful places in the world. Your travels among the Italian lakes — with excursions from Stresa (below), Verona, and Bellagio — will not only allow you to experience firsthand the works of many famous Italian architects and garden designers but will also include numerous sites of historic significance.  To see the complete tour details, visit www.ahs.org/events/travel_study.htm.

  • Wednesday, June 16 – Sunday, June 20 – Gardens and Innovation: Chicagoland and Rockford

    Sign up for the next American Horticultural Society Travel Study Program June 16 – 20, 2010, with AHS Host Katy Moss Warner.  Chicago was incorporated with the Latin words Urbs in Horto, meaning a “city in a garden,” a motto that has long inspired the people who live here.  This tour will highlight the innovative gardens that have contributed to the greening of chicago and influenced the horticultural heritage that distinguishes the surrounding communities.  Katy Moss Warner, president emeritus of the American Horticultural Society and a city judge for America in Bloom, invites you to join her on this excursion.

    To experience the breadth of what Chicago has to offer, you will be staying downtown at the Raffaello Hotel, a four-star boutique hotel just steps away from Michigan Avenue in the heart of the Gold Coast.  You will see gardens that are in the heart of Chicago as well as the gardens in the surrounding area.  These range from modern gardens such as the Lurie Gardens in Chicago’s Millennium Park (below), to the world renowned Chicago Botanic Garden and Garfield Park Conservatory, which stems from the city’s early horticultural initiatives.  The tour will also take you to Rockford, Illinois, an award winning city of flowers and gardens that the residents have taken great pride in creating.  You will see private gardens and gain insight into Ball Horticultural Company’s international influence on ornamental horticulture.  Along the way you will feast on local cuisine (lunch, for instance, at Rick Bayless’s Frontera Grill, with a tour of Bayless’ organic garden)  and learn about the history of a city that has been a fountain of innovation.  Complete details are available at www.ahs.org.

    http://attractions.uptake.com/blog/files/2009/06/millennium_park_lurie_gardens.jpg