Boston Flora

Tag: Massachusetts Horticultural Society

  • Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, June 9, 11 & 12, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Building Color & Form: Spring Flowers in Colored Pencil

    In this three-day Massachusetts Horticultural Society workshop on June 9, 11, & 12 from 10 – 2 with award-winning botanical artist, Alice Rosa, students will learn how to approach botanical subjects using colored pencils. We will begin with observation and drawing, focusing on how to study a plant and translate its structure onto paper. From there, we will work through the process of adding color, studying color layering and building it gradually while paying attention to subtle shifts in tone and hue. The course is designed to be an accessible introduction, allowing students to experiment, slow down, and become familiar with the medium. Some experience with drawing and the basics of botanical art will be helpful, though no prior experience with colored pencil is required.

    Alice Rosa is a Fellow of the Society of Botanical Artists in London and a Professional Member of the Copley Society of Art in Boston, MA. She graduated with distinction from the Distance Learning Diploma Course of the Society of Botanical Artists. She is a studio artist at the Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, MA.

    Alice was born and raised in Italy. She has a degree in foreign languages and literature from the University of Verona. She also holds a degree in art conservation from IVBC in Venice, where she specialized in the restoration of polychrome wood sculptures and paintings on panel. She currently lives in Concord, Massachusetts.

    $250 for MHS members, $290 for nonmembers. For complete supply list, and to register, visit https://www.cognitoforms.com/MassachusettsHorticulturalSociety/_26060926BAC143BuildingColorAndFormSpringFlowersInColoredPencil

  • Friday, September 18 – Sunday, September 20 – New England Fall Flower Show : Growing Together

    The New England Fall Flower Show reflects on the rich history of MHS’s flower shows and embraces the future of how we continue to grow.

    In partnership with New England Home, the 3-day event will feature curated vendors, food trucks, workshops and programs, and floral installations on Friday, Sept. 18 – Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. Curated vendors will offer horticulture and gardening products, arts & crafts, home décor, and health & beauty.

    The event represents how MHS, and we as members of many communities throughout the region, can use the knowledge from the roots of our heritage and the aspirations of future growth to create, change, and inspire in the present. Exhibitions, displays, vendors, and demonstrations will draw inspiration from global plants, styles, themes, and designs. We celebrate the importance of plants around the world and the impact that cultivating and exhibiting plants can have on well being, health, and community.

    The 2026 New England Fall Flower Show will take place on Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 21, 2025 at the Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley, MA. For more information visit https://www.masshort.org/fall-flower-show

  • Monday, January 12, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Native Perennials from Seed, Online

    Learn when and how to collect seeds from native perennials, identify reputable seed sources, and understand the best methods for sowing seeds at the right time. This virtual Massachusetts Horticultural Society online class on January 12 from 6 – 8 will also cover nurturing seedlings to ensure healthy growth and techniques for properly storing seeds for future planting. Just in time to start your plans for the coming spring! Register with https://www.masshort.org/upcoming-classes

  • Monday, January 5, Wednesday, January 7, Friday, January 9, & Monday, January 12, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Eastern – A Graphite Adventure: How to Solve Botanical Drawing Problems, Online

    Drawing plants isn’t always easy, especially when you’re faced with foreshortened petals, tricky tonal values, or overlapping shapes. In this four-session Massachusetts Horticultural Society online class in January, 2026, Carol Ann Morley will explore numerous ways to approach these visual problems and how to solve them with confidence. Learn how to build spatial depth and show space using techniques like atmospheric perspective. With step-by-step guidance, you’ll gain skills to simplify what you see and conquer the curves of a curled leaf, the surface pattern of a gourd, or the layered shapes of a flower.. Register at https://www.masshort.org/upcoming-classes

  • Tuesday, October 7, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Native Groundcovers for Beauty, Function, and Ecology, Online

    Explore the many native groundcovers that bring beauty and ecological function to your landscape. Whether you have a shady, moist garden or a sunny, dry hillside, learn which native groundcovers are your best choices. This Massachusetts Horticultural Society webinar takes place October 7 from 6 – 8 Eastern. $45 for Mass Hort members, $55 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.masshort.org/upcoming-classes

  • Tuesday, September 30, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Native Landscaping Strategies for the Climate Crisis, Online

    By selecting climate-resilient plants and landscape management practices, you can mitigate the impact of prolonged droughts, intensified weather events, extended growing seasons, rising temperatures, and ecological mismatches. Join the Massachusetts Horticultural Society online on September 30 from 6 – 8. $45 for Mass Hort members, $55 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.masshort.org/upcoming-classes

  • Sunday, September 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – The Native Garden in Fall and Winter

    This Massachusetts Horticultural Society lecture on September 28 explores how native plants can provide color, texture, and structure throughout fall and winter. Learn how to incorporate striking foliage, architectural forms, and the vibrant hues of branches, berries, and seed pods to create visual interest while also supporting birds, pollinators, and other wildlife during the colder months. Weather permitting, the session will conclude with a walk in the garden. $48 for Mass Hort members, $56 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.masshort.org/upcoming-classes

  • Mondays, September 29 – November 3, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Foundations of Botanical Drawing and Painting, Online & In-Person

    Through demonstrations and tutorials, celebrate the colors of seasonal leaves while learning how to realistically depict your subject matter in pencil, and then in watercolor, with Sarah Roche, on six Mondays, September 29 – November 3, from 10 – 1, online except for two classes which will be held at the Putnam classroom at The Gardens at Elm Bank. All abilities are welcome! The winter topic: Fall topic: Orchids in Watercolor. In fall, we will be studying the Phalaenopsis orchid. With a limited palette and simple techniques, we will work together, step by step, to capture their exotic and vibrant beauty. Using live plant specimens, Sarah will lead you through the processes of accurate drawing and painting in watercolor. Members $385, nonmembers $460. Register at www.masshort.org


  • Sunday, September 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – The Native Garden in Fall & Winter

    This Massachusetts Horticultural Society lecture at The Garden at Elm Bank on September 28 at 10 am explores how native plants can provide color, texture, and structure throughout fall and winter. Learn how to incorporate striking foliage, architectural forms, and the vibrant hues of branches, berries, and seed pods to create visual interest while also supporting birds, pollinators, and other wildlife during the colder months. Weather permitting, the session will conclude with a walk in the garden. $48 for Mass Hort members, $56 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.masshort.org/upcoming-classes

  • Wednesday, September 24, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Nature Immersion in the Garden with Watercolors

    In this September 24 Massachusetts Horticultural Society immersive session, Nadine Mazzola will guide you through watercolor techniques like washes and expressive brushstrokes to help you capture the essence of the garden’s beauty. Choose your own subjects—from trees and flowers to sweeping landscape views or abstract compositions—allowing your creative vision to emerge.

    Nadine Mazzola (she/her) is an artist, educator, certified forest therapy guide, and author of the multi-award-winning book, Forest Bathing with Your Dog. She has shared her signature, holistic, heart-centered style of teaching with hundreds of students, from those with no art experience to professional artists. She is known for creating a supportive environment within each class for learning, exploring, creating and nurturing a sense of play and joy. Nadine’s favorite color is yellow because of the joy it brings her. A cancer survivor, Nadine often works with groups affected by cancer. She is a senior trainer for the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy since 2016, and an expressive arts teacher at the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden since 2017. Nadine brings a depth of life experience bridging Nature, expressive arts, and somatics.

    All materials are provided. No experience needed. $88 for Mass Hort members, $120 for nonmembers.