Boston Flora

Tag: Martha’s Vineyard

  • Wednesday, July 18, 12:00 noon – Black Oaks in Peril

    Dr. Neil Hendrickson, PhD Forestry of the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories (Northeast) will visit Martha’s Vineyard to address the subject of infestation to our native black oaks, (Quercus velutina) by the cynipid, ‘crypt’ gall wasp, (Bassettia ceropteroides). Anyone who has an interest in the landscapes, trees and natural beauty of Cape Cod and The Islands is invited to attend this free lecture at The Polly Hill Arboretum. Dr. Hendrickson will be accompanied by Mark P. DiBiase, MCA & Arborist Representative for Bartlett Tree Experts on Martha’s Vineyard and Falmouth, MA. The information session is sponsored by the local offices of the F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Co. Inc.

    For more information, you may contact Mark at mdibiase@bartlett.com or by calling 508-693-4846 or 508-540-3903. Since Wednesday is the Gardens of Martha’s Vineyard tour day, this program may work well into your schedule.

  • Monday, July 23 through Sunday, July 29 – National Moth Week Programs

    Why moths? With more than 10,000 species in North America alone, moths offer endless options for study, education, photography, and fun. Moths can be found everywhere from inner cities and suburban backyards, to the most wild and remote places. The diversity of moths is simply astounding. Their colors and patterns range from bright and dazzling, to so cryptic that they define camouflage. Moth shapes and sizes span the gamut, with some as small as a pinhead and others as large as a hand. Most moths are nocturnal and need to be sought at night to be seen, but others fly like butterflies during the day. Finding moths can be as simple as leaving a porch light on and checking it after dark. Serious moth aficionados use special lights and baits to attract them. Popular interest in moths is rapidly growing, as noted by recent publications and web-based resources. The new Peterson Field Guide to the Moths by David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie, moth caterpillar guides by David Wagner, and a vast number of moth-oriented Internet resources such as the “Moth Photographers Group” and “BugGuide” are just some examples of moth’s growing popularity. Moths are also featured widely in literature and art providing a different angle for enjoyment and study. “Moth Nights” are often held by nature groups, and provide an opportunity for either an introduction to the creatures, or a venue for more serious pursuits.

    National Moth Week brings together everyone interested in moths to celebrate these amazing insects. This summer, groups and individuals from all the across the country will spend some time during National Moth Week looking for moths and sharing what they’ve found. Getting involved during National Moth Week is easy: attend a National Moth Night event, start an event, join friends and neighbors to check porch lights from time to time, set up a light and see what is in your own backyard, or read literature about moths, etc.  But no matter what, participate; the richness of moths is sure to fascinate. Check out www.nationalmothweek.org for more.

    Locally, four programs with the Athol Bird & Nature Club will be of interest to our readers.  The first, on Tuesday, July 24 from 8:00 pm – midnight, is The Moths of the Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary.  Join naturalists Dave Small and Lula Field as they travel to the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary in Worcester for an “Introduction to Moths” – a PowerPoint program at 8 introducing the families of moths likely to be encountered, followed by an evening of looking at moth-attracting lights and baited trees. Location: Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Rd., Worcester, MA. Bring your point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Free for ABNC and MAS members, a small fee for others. Questions: Dave@dhsmall.net.

    Next, on Wednesday, July 25, from 9:00 pm – midnight, join Sue and Ron Cloutier at their home on South Main Street, New Salem, for The Moths of New Salem, the ABNC local kickoff to National Moth Week. This will be a casual evening demonstrating the placement of various types of lights to attract moths Bring your point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Free and open to all. Questions & RSVP: cloutier@tiac.net.

    Then, on Thursday, July 26, from 8:00 pm – midnight, join biologist Jenn Forman Orth and Athol Bird & Nature Club naturalists Dave Small and Lula Field in an exploration of the nighttime world of moths at New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA.  They’ll start with a brief introduction on how to attract moths with lights and bait, and include a few tips for good nighttime photography. If conditions are good, you should see up to 100 different moth species, plus a plethora of beetles, caddisflies and maybe even a cicada or two! Bring your own camera, flashlight, water and insect repellent.

    Wrapping up the week, on Saturday, July 28 – Sunday, July 29, the finale of the National Moth Week celebration will be an overnight experience on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. ABNC naturalists will be joined by scientists from The Nature Conservancy, the University of Massachusetts and other organizations at the headquarters of the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest, a 5,100-acre property in the heart of Martha’s Vineyard. Bring your tent, sleeping bag, point and shoot digital (or other) camera and flashlight. Details are still being coordinated. RSVP Dave@dhsmall.net for updates.

  • Thursday, June 14, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Floral Photography

    The wonders and beauty of nature are often difficult to photograph. If you plan to be on Martha’s Vineyard on Thursday, June 14, from 4 – 6, join photographer Katherine Rose at the Polly Hill Arboretum to improve your photographic skills through a variety of techniques. Instruction will include understanding your camera’s controls and capabilities, the color of light, long shots versus close-ups, and developing a point-of-view for all your shots. Your own eye is the guide for this late afternoon photo foray at the Arboretum. Katherine was garden photographer for the Boston Globe for ten years and has taught photography at the university level and at Featherstone for the last thirteen years. Pre-register at www.pollyhillarboretum.org, since space is limited. $30/$20 for PHA members.

  • Monday, September 24 – Wednesday, September 26 – Landscapes of Nantucket

    Join the Polly Hill Arboretum for this visit to our island neighbor to explore the Nantucket landscape.  While Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket share similar ecosystems, we will also discover some diffferences in the landscapes.  With the help of colleagues at the Nantucket Land Council, we will visit a few conservation properties and learn about land preservation on Nantucket. Downtown Nantucket is also home to some majestic street trees, including several American elms.  The trip will include a walking tour with Nantucket’s tree warden, to learn about the legacy of these historic trees.  Two private garden visits, arranged by the Nantucket Garden Club, are also included in the tour.  The tour price includes round trip airfare from Martha’s Vineyard to Nantucket via Cape Air, two nights at the Jared Coffin House, all ground transportation on Nantucket, and a $100 tax deductible contribution to the Polly Hill Arboretum.  $694 per person for queen sized bed (based on double occupancy), $660 per person for full sized bed (based on double occupancy), and $510 per person for room with one twin bed.  Tour is limited to 18 people, so sign up early by calling 508-693-9426, visiting www.pollyhillarboretum.org, or emailing karin@pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Saturday, January 21, 3:30 pm – Mill Brook Restoration: Opportunities and Challenges

    There will be a discussion on the Mill Brook restoration with Michael Hopper, President of the Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition, on Saturday, January 21 at 3:30 pm at the West Tisbury Library on Martha’s Vineyard.  Mr. Hopper will share his experiences of restoration efforts for stream restoration in southeastern Massachusetts for sea-run brook trout habitat.  Free and open to the public.  For more information visit www.searunbrookie.org.

  • Friday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Aster Identification Workshop

    Join Polly Hill Arboretum research associate Melissa Dow Cullina for a workshop on the Identification and Ecology of Asters, September 30 – October 1, 9 – 3. In this intensive two-day workshop students will study the many asters of Martha’s Vineyard. On day one, Cullina will give a presentation on the species reported for the Island, discussing their various features, abundance, and habitat, and introduce students to terminology and morphology specific to asters using photographs and specimens. Day two the class will go afield to practice identification in the wild using field guides and manuals. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Bring a brown bag lunch. $120/$100 for PHA members. $80 for professionals associated with Island land management or conservation. Register by calling 508-693-9426.  Photo by Susan Safford, originally published in the Martha’s Vineyard Times.

  • Thursday, August 11, 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm – Susie Middleton

    Susie Middleton of Martha’s Vineyard is a food writer, magazine consultant, chef, and recipe developer with an expertise in vegetable cooking. She is the author of two cookbooks-Fast, Fresh & Green, a collection of delicious vegetable side dishes published by Chronicle Books in 2010, and Fresh & Green for Dinner, which will be published by Chronicle Books in Spring, 2012. Susie blogs regularly about vegetable cooking and growing on her website, www.sixburnersue.com, and she blogs about sustainable issues and home cooking on the Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com/susie-middleton. She will appear on Thursday, August 11, from 12 – 2 at the Dewey Square Farmers Market, South Station, Boston, so plan to stop by and chat.

  • Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 pm, and Thursday, July 14, 9:00 – 12:00 noon – Gardening with Native Plants

    Join author and native plant enthusiast Carolyn Summers for an evening lecture (Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 pm)  and morning workshop (Thursday, July 14, 9 – 12) on designing and gardening with native plants.  Based on her book Designing Gardens with the Flora of the American East, Ms. Summers will show how to increase biodiversity in our gardens, for beautiful, sustainable results which also benefit wildlife.  The events will be held in the Far Barn at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard, and the cost to attend the Wednesday evening talk is $5 for PHA members, $10 for nonmembers, and the Thursday seminar will be $30 for PHA members, $35 for nonmembers.  For more information, log on to www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Tuesday, June 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Joys of Butterfly Gardening

    Butterflies are welcome visitors to the gardens at Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard. Join Susie Bowman, teacher/naturalist at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and avid gardener, to learn how to attract more of these beautiful insects to your garden. She will introduce the basic needs of butterflies and how to plan or modify gardens to meet these needs. Susie will illustrate with images of island butterflies that frequent specific plants at the Felix Neck butterfly garden. The program will conclude with a walk to the Polly Hill homestead border. Butterfly-friendly plant list included!  $20/$10 for PHA members.  For more information, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Thursday, June 30, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Martha’s Vineyard Open Days Garden Tour

    On Thursday, June 30, explore three private gardens in Vineyard Haven and West Tisbury, open to the public through The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program. Hours vary at each garden. Admission to each private garden is $5, Open Days are rain or shine, and no reservations are required. Call 1-888-842-2442, or visit www.opendaysprogram.org for more information.

    At East Hill (133 Pasture Gate Road, Vineyard Haven; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Isabel Shattuck’s property on Lake Tashmoo features a welcoming moongate and split-rail fence draped with ‘New Dawn’ roses, hinting at the abundant blooms beyond. Lavenders, delphiniums, lilies, and additional roses are just some of the plants grown in the perennial garden, while stewartias, hollies, azaleas, and ferns highlight a woodland path. The Tashmoo Garden (253 West Spring Street, Vineyard Haven; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) was begun thirty-two years ago and has evolved to include specimen trees such as dawn redwoods, copper beech, and katsura, as well as a hillside of daylilies, a peony hedge, hydrangea and azalea collections, and a vegetable/cutting garden. At The Folly (57 Lamberts Cove Road, West Tisbury; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), ivy-covered balustrades and finials, planted urns, and winding hedges evoke an Italian villa, while a color theme of blue, white, and green foster a cool and relaxed atmosphere. Parterres, groundcovers, ferns, and flowers combine with stonework, varied grades, and views of the Vineyard Sound beyond.

    These Open Days gardens are featured in the 2011 Open Days Directory; a soft-cover book that includes detailed driving directions and vivid descriptions written by their owners. The directory includes garden listings in eighteen states and costs $21.95 including shipping. Visit www.opendaysprogram.org or call the Garden Conservancy toll-free at 1-888-842-2442 to order with a Visa, MasterCard or American Express, or send a check or money order to: the Garden Conservancy, P.O. Box 219, Cold Spring, NY 10516. Discount admission tickets are available as well through advanced mail order.

    The 2011 Open Days program is generously sponsored by Fine Gardening magazine as its National Media Sponsor. Fine Gardening magazine brings you breathtaking design ideas, helpful techniques, and the know-how to get great results in your own garden.  Painting by Thaw Malin III entitled “West Shore, Tashmoo” available at www.thawmalinart.com.