Boston Flora

Tag: Lawns

  • Wednesday, February 12, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Eastern – So You Want Less Lawn …

    Many of us have heard that reducing or replacing a turf lawn can benefit us and wildlife. Join this online Native Plant Trust class with Marie Chieppo on February 12 at 5 pm Eastern to gain pragmatic perspectives about how to approach this process. We will discuss organic-based turf removal and the vital role of living soil. We will also consider how to work with alternative grasses, meadow-style plantings, or a mixed composition. Along the way, we will draw inspiration from case studies that showcase different plant palettes and planting styles. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/so-you-want-less-lawn/ $17 NPT members, $20 nonmembers.

  • Wednesday, April 19, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm Eastern – Kill Your Lawn, Online

    Every house in America should be fronted with a non-native monoculture with the maintenance requirements of a golf course and the ecological value of a strip mine; a place where all flowers are called weeds and signs to the extent of ‘keep off’ are the norm. Does the idea seem a bit odd to you? It’s time to take a second look at this idea we call lawn. Join ecologist, horticulturist, and author Dan Jaffe Wilder online on April 19 at 2 pm Eastern to explore alternatives; from whole lawn replacement options, to strategies for reducing lawn inputs while increasing their ecological value.The NDAL webinar is $42., and the session will be recorded and available to registrants for 3 months following the event. Register at https://learning.ndal.org/courses/kill-your-lawn-2023

    Vinyl Decal from Etsy

  • Saturday, January 15, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Diversify Your Lawn

    Who says lawns need to be monocultures or only made of grasses? Enrich the traditional lawn with other complementary plants that bloom at different times and add intrigue. Learn how to identify the plants that already grow in lawn as “weeds,” and to incorporate new plants that create a rich, wildlife-friendly tapestry. The Native Plant Trust webinar taught by Anna Fialkoff will take place January 15 from 1 – 2, and is $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/diversify-your-lawn/

  • Wednesday, March 17, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Online), and Saturday, March 20, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (In Person) – Turning Lawns Into Meadows

    Owen Wormser will discuss the effect that lawns and meadows have on the environment in this hybrid Berkshire Botanical Garden class on March 17 and 20. Collectively, mowed turf throughout the United States covers an area the size of Washington State. This makes lawns the largest irrigated ‘crop’ in the country, and the adverse impact of their ecological footprint is truly staggering. Meadows offer the opposite effect, providing myriad ecological benefits–including ongoing sequestering of carbon and significantly increased biological diversity. Meadows are more affordable than lawns, and with the right know-how, they’re long lasting, low-maintenance and very beautiful. Owen will discuss the benefits of native meadows while also explaining how to create thriving meadowscapes, sharing tips and strategies drawn from research and over 20 years of on-the-ground experience.  BBG members $55, nonmembers $65. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/turning-lawns-meadows

    Owen Wormser is a native of rural Maine. Since 1998, he has built hundreds of regenerative landscapes in Western Massachusetts, influenced by his study of horticulture, permaculture, organic agriculture and ecology. In 2010, he started Abound Design, which provides design and installation services with a focus on creating sustainability, regeneration and beauty. Six years later, he co-founded Local Harmony, a nonprofit that promotes local regenerative projects and has overseen the planting of many thousands of native perennials. His first book, Lawns Into Meadows: Growing a Regenerative Landscape, was released in July, 2020.

  • Tuesday, January 15, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Diversity Your Lawn

    Who says lawns need to be monocultures or only made of grasses? Enrich the traditional lawn with other complementary plants that bloom at different times and add intrigue. Learn how to identify the plants that already grow in lawn as “weeds,” and to incorporate new plants that create a rich, wildlife-friendly tapestry. This New England Wild Flower Society and Ecological Landscape Alliance class will take place at Garden in the Woods in Framingham on Tuesday, January 15 from 1 – 2:30, and will be taught by Anna Fialkoff. $20 if you are a member of one of the sponsoring organizations, $24 if not. Register online at http://www.newenglandwild.org/learn/our-programs/diversify-your-lawn

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  • Saturday, July 28, 10:30 am – 12:00 noon – Native Lawn Alternatives for Urban Spaces

    “Lawns are a soul-crushing time suck” cries the media. Lawn covers more surface area of the U.S. than any other single irrigated crop, according to NASA. Lawns are resource-heavy, requiring irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticides to thrive in our climate. Learn some of the best, environmentally friendly lawn alternatives for urban gardens. Mark Richardson will discuss Native Lawn Alternatives for Urban Spaces on Saturday, July 28 beginning at 10:30 am. The program is free. The Urban Gardening Series is a set of lectures designed to help city dwellers grow healthy, sustainable, and beautiful gardens. Led by New England Wild Flower Society in partnership with the Cambridge Conservation Commission, these free lectures take place at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA.

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  • Tuesday, September 12, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Kill Your Lawn – And Opt for More Biodiversity Webinar

    Lawns are a soul-crushing time suck. Just read the headline of a recent article on washingtonpost.com. According to NASA, in the United States more surface area is covered by lawn than by any other single irrigated crop. Lawns are resource-heavy, requiring irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticides to thrive in our climate and most of us would be better off reducing or eliminating them altogether. Learn how to replace your lawn with native plant alternatives that functional, beautiful, and environmentally friendly. This webinar is sponsored by the Ecological Landscape Alliance on Tuesday, September 12 at 12:30 pm, and is led by Mark Richardson of the New England Wild Flower Society. Mark Richardson oversees the New England Wildflower Society’s botanic garden, Garden in the Woods, and its native plant nursery operation, Nasami Farm in Whately, Massachusetts. He studied ornamental horticulture at University of Rhode Island and helped run a mid-sized ornamental plant nursery before finding his true passion in public horticulture. He led undergraduate programs at Longwood Gardens, overhauled the curriculum of the Professional Gardener Program, and oversaw adult education at Brookside Gardens. In 2013, Mr. Richardson assisted with the development of the first comprehensive master plan for Garden in the Woods. He holds a MS from the University of Delaware’s Longwood Graduate Program. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-kill-lawn-opt-biodiversity/

  • Tuesday, July 25, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Alternatives to Traditional Lawns

    According to NASA scientists, in the United States more surface area is covered by lawn than by any other single irrigated crop. Traditionally managed lawns are resource-heavy, requiring irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticides to thrive in our climate. Despite the “costs” lawns and turf are a predominant feature of the landscape and are valued for recreation as well aesthetics. With growing environmental awareness along with new regulations, it is imperative that responsible homeowners as well as lawn and turf professionals manage lawns and turf in the most ecological manner. Following emerging best practices, it’s possible to create healthy lawns and turf that are functional and aesthetic and are managed in a way that eliminates negative impact on health and the environment, meets regulatory guidelines, and is cost effective.

    When considering ecological lawns, one solution that is gaining momentum is to reduce or remove lawns in favor or more biodiverse alternatives. On Tuesday, July 25, at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, from 1 – 5, join New England Wild Flower Society for a full afternoon of lectures.

    Ecological Lawns – No Longer an Inferior Compromise by Joe Magazzi (Not Yet Confirmed)

    Joe Magazzi from Green Earth Ag & Turf will discuss best practices for ecological lawns including updates on organic fertility, with a focus on using soil biology to reduce fertilizer inputs. He will also briefly cover advances in biologicals for lawn disease and pest control. Organics and IPM are no longer a compromise, this is quickly becoming the best practice.

    How Do Plant Nutrient Regulations Affect Me? by Mary Owen

    Developing and implementing a soil and nutrient management program based on best management practices is critical to the proper management of turf with environmental protection, natural resource preservation, and economic viability as priorities. Regulations regarding the sale, use, and application of fertilizer and nutrients on non-agricultural turf and in the landscape have been enacted by many states and communities. Mary Owen will provide an overview of how the new legislation impacts homeowners and landscape practitioners and will discuss strategies for implementing best nutrient management practices for turf with protection of water resources as the priority.

    Protecting Pollinators – Proposed Legislation: Information and Impact by Dan Bensonoff (Not Yet Confirmed)

    What are neonicotinoids and how are they currently regulated? Neonicotinoids are a synthetic form of nicotine that attacks receptors in insects’ nervous systems. Unfortunately, this broad-spectrum (harmful to most insects), systemic (taken up by all plant parts, including roots and flowers), and persistent pesticide (sticks around in the environment for a long time) is also harming our pollinators. The European Union suspended most uses of these pesticides in 2013 but the US EPA opted to allow current uses of neonicotinoids to continue while it conducts reviews through 2019. Proposed Massachusetts legislation H.4187 would regulate Neonicotinoids including: mandatory applicator training/certification, application timing, establishment of a commission to investigate pollinator health, and notification of pollinator risk to property owners. Dan Bensonoff from NOFA will discuss the proposed legislation including the ways that this would protect pollinators.

    Kill Your Lawn by Mark Richardson

    Even if sustainable lawn management is being used, fuel for power mowers, toxic emissions, water consumption, and your weekend time are all part of the cost of lawn maintenance. Mark Richardson introduces us to an ecological approach that is gaining momentum, to reduce the size or eliminate lawns. Smaller lawns that are replaced with more biodiverse native plants can benefit the environment while saving time, energy, and expense. Aesthetically appealing and ecological alternatives include native groundcovers, meadows, and mixed gardens with perennial and shrubs.

    $30 for NEWFS members, $40 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/alternatives-to-traditional-lawns.

  • Tuesdays, February 9 & 23, 6:30 – 8:30 – Horticultural Math

    Here is a two session course you’re really going to love.  Kevin Bell, Director of Community and Cooperative Education at Norfolk County Agricultural High School, will speak on Tuesday, February 9 and Tuesday, February 23, from 6:30 – 8:30 at the Hunnewell Building at the Arnold Arboretum on a challenging topic for many of us.  You’ve probably heard the phrase “math makes cents,”and now you can put it to good use. This class will cover the basics of horticultural math with topics such as determining the amount of topsoil or mulch for an area, calculating fertilizer and lime applications, figuring how many plants to use in a garden bed or border, and using conversions in the industry. It makes no difference whether you are a hobby gardener or a landscape professional—this refresher math class will increase your productivity and accuracy in planning your gardens and lawns!
    Fee $45 Arnold Arboretum member, $55 nonmember. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

    http://www.angelsgardencenter.com/Web%20Pics/Mulch%20Pics/Mulch-Piles.jpg

  • Tuesday, September 29, 10 am – 12 noon – Evergreen and Perennial Groundcovers

    There are several ways to reduce our lawns and at the same time our reliance on fertilizers and pesticides. On September 29, using the grounds of Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Diane Pappas will show a variety of evergreen and perennial groundcovers that can be utilized in place of lawn and expensive bark mulch. The beds surrounding several gardens contain established colonies of groundcovers that demonstrate their many wonderful qualities. Enjoy year round beauty and significantly less maintenance when you decide to make the switch to living groundcovers.  Fee is $20 for Tower Hill members, $25 for non-members.  Register on line at www.towerhillbg.org.

    04/19/2008 Groundcover by erewhon.