You don’t need a greenhouse to grow orchids. Learn the essentials to achieve success on your windowsill, from selecting the right plants to proper lighting, watering, fertilizing, and re-potting. The Historic New England class will be held at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses, 185 Lyman Street in Waltham, on November 9 from 10 – noon, and costs $30. Advance tickets required. Please call 617-994-5913 for more information.
Often, gardeners think they must choose between archetypes of the wild, native plant garden and the formal, classic garden, but there are ecologically friendly ways to create an elegant effect. Explore the Lyman Estate Greenhouses and 37-acre property on this interdisciplinary walk and discussion on October 5 at 10:30 am. Delve into the history of greenhouses and current plant nursery practices, and examine their historical and contemporary influences on naturalistic landscapes. Learn various ways to apply the visual sophistication of grand estates to your own property, using native plants. This program will also reference Native Plant Trust’s native plant nursery, Nasami Farm. $30 for NPT members, $36 nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/new-takes-historic-landscapes-lyman-estate/
You don’t need a greenhouse to grow orchids. Learn the essentials to achieve success on your windowsill, from selecting the right plants to proper lighting, watering, fertilizing, and repotting. Taught by Greenhouse Manager Lynn Ackerman on Saturday, November 10 from 10 – noon at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses, 185 Lyman Street in Waltham.
$20 Historic New England members, $25 nonmembers. Register at www.historicnewengland.org
Celebrate all the best that fall has to offer at Historic New England’s Save The Roof fundraiser on Sunday, October 28 from 3 – 6 at The Lyman Estate, 185 Lyman Street in Waltham. It’s a twist on a county fair – there will be lots of food, drink, music, demonstrations, and more than a few surprises. It’s going to be blue jeans and bluegrass with a down-home vibe you won’t want to miss, all in the name of raising funds for roof projects on ten historic properties. For tickets and more information call 617-994-5965 or email events@historicnewengland.org.
Join foraging expert Russ Cohen on Wednesday, June 6, from 6 – 8, on a walk through the Lyman Estate landscape, including farmland leased by Waltham Fields Community Farm, to collect wild edibles.
Cosponsored by Historic New England and the Waltham Fields Community Farm. $12. Register at http://shop.historicnewengland.org/LYM-PROGRAM-MTX-1-10136/
Historic New England will hold its annual Hosta and Perennial Sale at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses, 185 Lyman Street in Waltham, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 1 – 3, from 9:30 am – 4 pm. Admission is free. For more information visit http://shop.historicnewengland.org/GRE-HOSTASALE-1-10167/
Historic New England and the Massachusetts Horticultural Society team up to present a spring landscape tour of historic estates and gardens on Wednesday, May 30 from 9 – 3. The schedule is as follows:
9:00 a.m: Explore the grounds of the 1793 Lyman Estate and the history of its greenhouses in a tour led by plant expert and Greenhouses Manager Lynn Ackerman. Dating to 1804, the Lyman Estate Greenhouses are among the oldest surviving in the United States. Explore them on your own after the tour.
11:30 a.m. Enjoy the landscape of the Eustis Estate, an 1878 Aesthetic Movement masterpiece next to the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Mass. Take a guided tour exploring the fields, woodland, and gardens as you learn about the landscape and history of the property. The tour also examines the exterior architecture of the house and other original buildings built between 1878 and 1902.
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Enjoy lunch on the porch or within the main hall of the Eustis Estate mansion. The first floor of the house will be open to explore.
End the day by joining Massachusetts Horticultural Society (Mass Hort) staff for a tour of their thirty-six-acre garden property, The Gardens at Elm Bank. See the historic and contemporary gardens, which display new plant varieties, diverse design concepts, and solutions to many home landscape challenges. The Elm Bank property is on the National Register of Historic Places and includes gardens designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm, and the Cheney-Baltzell Manor House designed by Carrère and Hastings of New York.
Lunch is included in the price. No transportation will be provided. $40 Historic New England and Mass Hort members; $55 Nonmembers
Please call 617-994-5959 or buy online at http://masshort.org. Mass Hort members must call to receive discount. (Rain date: Thursday, May 31)
The Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham, Massachusetts is among the oldest surviving greenhouses in the United States, with four attached structures built between 1804 and 1930. Historic New England announces that this summer and fall, a comprehensive preservation project will help ensure the sustainability of the greenhouses and make them more accessible. The buildings will be stabilized and their character-defining features will be preserved, along with providing increased ventilation and heat. The bald cypress sash windows will be conserved, rather than replaced, and mobility access will be improved by upgrading exterior pathways. The $335,000 project will be funded in part by two grants, one from the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund and another from the City of Waltham Community Preservation Fund, but a significant amount is still needed to cover the cost of this essential project. If you are interested in donating, you may do so online at www.historicnewengland.org/PMF or call 617-994-5951.
New Englanders have grown decorative plants for centuries. Many large estates in the Boston area featured large glass greenhouses and significant collections of camellia trees. Discover the rich history of camellia cultivation from the late 1700s through the 1900s at this illustrated lecture by Lyman Estate Greenhouses Manager Lynn Ackerman on Sunday, March 5 at 1 pm at the Lyman Estate, 185 Lyman Street in Waltham. Afterwards, visit the 1804 greenhouses and enjoy our large camellia collection in bloom. Shop with advice from staff experts and get a 10% discount on purchases (15% for Historic New England members).$5 Historic New England Members $10 nonmembers. Registration is required. Please call 617-994-5912 or register online at www.historicnewengland.org.
Visit Historic New England’s celebrated collection of camellias in the 1804 camellia house at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses, 185 Lyman Street in Waltham. Many of the trees are more than one hundred years old. At this time of year, they put forth a profusion of blossoms in all sizes and shapes. Other plants available during this season include orchids, citrus, and sweet olives. Garden and Landscape members receive a 15% discount on purchases and individual and household members receive a 10% discount. Please call 617-994-5913 for more information, or visit http://shop.historicnewengland.org/GRE-CAMELLIA-7551/.
Mansion Tours:
During your visit, tour the Lyman Estate mansion on the following dates:
Sunday, February 26
Wednesday, March 1
Saturday, March 11
Image from www.flowermeaning.com.
