Boston Flora

Tag: Massachusetts Horticultural Society

  • Wednesday, March 5, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – Seed Starting & Growing From Seed, Online

    Growing plants from seed is a rewarding and cost-effective way to cultivate a diverse and healthy garden. Whether you’re starting vegetables, herbs, or ornamental flowers, understanding the basics and techniques will make all the difference in your success. 
    In this Massachusetts Horticultural Society virtual lecture on March 5, we will cover everything you need to know to get started, including choosing the right seeds, creating an ideal growing environment, and selecting the correct materials and supplies. We will discuss ways to develop a timeline for germination and transplanting, ensuring your seedlings are strong and ready for the season. Whether you’re brand new to seed starting or looking to refine your process, this lecture will provide practical tips, DIY solutions, and the knowledge to help you grow with confidence.

    This lecture will be recorded and sent to registrants following the class date. Instructor Gretel Anspach is a retired systems engineer for Raytheon. She is a trustee of Massachusetts Horticultural Society and a lifetime master gardener with MMGA. Gretel enjoys the elements of science & math involved in horticulture. For nine years she oversaw the Food Pantry Garden at Raytheon. In 2016 she won the MMGA Lifetime Achievement award. Gretel has gone on to establish and maintain a 20,000 square foot food production garden that has provided fresh produce to the Marlboro and Maynard Food Pantries for the last fourteen years. MHS members $26, nonmembers $32. Register HERE.

  • Tuesday, February 4, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm Eastern – Introduction to Composition, Online

    Betsy Rogers-Knox will lead you in exploring a range of basic principles and techniques through observation of Great Masters’ works of art and a variety of short exercises designed to open your eyes to the importance of composition. This Massachusetts Horticultural Society virtual class will take place Tuesday, February 4 from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm Eastern. $80 for Mass Hort members, $100 for nonmembers, Register at https://www.masshort.org/upcoming-classes/

  • Tuesday, December 10, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Holiday Boxwood Topiary Tree Workshop

    Bring a touch of nature into your home this holiday season by creating a stunning Boxwood Topiary Tree. In this Massachusetts Horticultural Society festive class at Elm Bank, you’ll learn how to craft and decorate a beautiful 14-inch tabletop tree that will remain vibrant for weeks with the right care.

    The art of topiary dates back centuries, allowing for endless creative possibilities in shaping and design. Whether you’re looking to enhance your holiday decor or searching for the perfect hostess gift for your next holiday visit, this adorable topiary tree is sure to impress. Throughout this workshop, we will guide you through each step of the process, from selecting the freshest boxwood branches to shaping and decorating your tree with charming holiday ornaments.

    By the end of the class, you’ll have a gorgeous centerpiece that adds a festive flair to any room. Plus, you’ll take home the skills to create more topiary trees in the future! $65 for Mass Hort members, $80 for nonmembers. The class takes place December 10 from 10 – 11:30. Register at www.masshort.org

  • Wednesdays, July 17, 24, & 31, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Designing with the Perennials You Love

    In this three-session Massachusetts Horticultural Society workshop, you’ll learn how to select a winning color palette, how to create planting combinations that will flower in season sequence, and how to use drifts, masses, and individual plants to create garden layouts. Lay out your plant pairings to create an abundant, dynamic, and colorful flower garden.

    Our focus will be the perennial flower garden sequenced to bloom from spring through fall. You’ll have class time to practice new skills with in-class worksheets to create a new garden or apply them to a section of your garden (Sun or Shade) (about 8 x 20’). The instructor takes time to individually review your worksheets and your design layout and plant pairing choices. You’ll prepare before class by photographing and measuring the garden you wish to transform. A “de-cluttering” worksheet helps you take an inventory, so you’ll be ready to start your garden design.


    Pre-class Homework will be sent a week prior. Tutorial walks in MHS’s Bressingham Garden will inspire our garden designs. (Dress for rain or sun!). Lectures include extensive handouts. Lecture images are from gardens in New England, MHS’s Bressingham Garden, and the author’s design work to inspire you and give you examples you can use right away. 

    This class is currently sold out but add yourself to the waitlist HERE

  • Thursday, August 22, 8:15 am – 4:00 pm – Perennial Plant Symposium

    Register today for this year’s Perennial Plant Symposium at The Hunnewell Carriage House, The Gardens at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street, Wellesley. The program is a joint presentation by The Massachusetts Horticultural Society and the Perennial Plant Association. Featured speakers this year are Trevor Smith of Weston Nurseries, Holly Greenleaf of Greenleaf Design, LLC, Toshi Yano of the Perfect Earth Project, and Evan Abramson of Landscape Interactions. Register at https://www.masshort.org/perennial-plant-symposium-2024 Breakfast and lunch are included.

  • Saturday, May 25, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Terrarium Workshop

    This Massachusetts Horticultural Society workshop at The Gardens at Elm Bank on May 25 led by Garden Educator, Melissa Pace, offers a hands-on opportunity for participants to create their own personalized terrarium. During the workshop, attendees will have the chance to select from a variety of plants and design elements to craft a unique miniature indoor garden.

    Melissa will provide guidance on plant selection, arrangement, and care techniques to ensure the long-term health and vitality of the terrariums. Participants will also learn about the importance of proper maintenance, including watering, light requirements, and common problems to look out for. Be sure to bring a box to transport your new creation home in! $40 for Mass Hort members, $53 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org 

  • Saturday, May 18, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Floral Design: Teacup Arrangements

    Back again at The Gardens at Elm Bank by popular demand, Lorraine Walsh and Mary Lou Ashur are offering their Teacup Arrangements workshop for May. For this May 18 workshop, we will be focusing on proportion, balance, and unity as we create stunning compositions in small spaces. Learn the art of selecting and pairing petite flowers that complement the size of the space.

    Join Lorraine and Mary Lou from Artistry Floral for a class that time allows students to practice and apply these principles in hands-on projects. It’s also a great opportunity to learn about various flower varieties, care techniques, and design styles. Practical experience and feedback from instructors and peers help to develop your skills and creativity in floral design.

    Please bring floral scissors and a bucket or box to carry home your arrangement. $66 for Mass Hort members, $86 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org

  • Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – Herb Liberation, Online

    Herbs are such beautiful plants, useful in the garden as well as the kitchen, so why sequester them in the herb garden? Use herbs throughout the landscape, in flower gardens, in vegetable gardens (to attract pollinators and other beneficial insects), as ground covers, specimens, and in containers. Liberate them from their traditional roles, use your imagination – and bring them into your daily life. Learn about plants we already grow that we don’t know are edible and easy ways to use herbs in food and drink. This online Massachusetts Horticultural Society class with Karen Bussolini will be held on May 14 at 6:30 Eastern, and is $23 for Mass Hort members, $32 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org

    Karen Bussolini is a nationally known garden photographer with 6 books to her credit, a writer and speaker, and an eco-friendly garden coach. Her art background and focus on environmental topics – ecological landscaping, native plants, biodiversity, xeriscaping, organic gardening, planting for wildlife, pollinators, and other beneficial insects – inform every aspect of her work. Her slide talks combine beautiful original images, recent scientific findings, personal observations, hands-on experience, and a touch of humor. She is a NOFA-Accredited Organic Land Care Professional and an active member of GardenComm (formerly GWA), The Association of Garden Communicators. Karen is currently the Senior Horticultural Advisor at White Flower Farm in Connecticut.

  • Through May 15 – Bulbs & Spring Ephemerals

    Don’t miss “Bulbs & Spring Ephemerals” — the MHS Botanical Art Program spring exhibit. Works by 14 artists detail the beauty of early spring blooms. A splendid variety of works will be on display in the Education Building from April 1 through May 15 at the Garden at Elm Bank. Included with Garden Admission. Below: Poet’s Narcissus (Narcissus poeticus) by Pam Harrington

  • Friday, April 19, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Opening Night Reception of Ikebana Exhibition

    Join the Massachusetts Horticultural Society on Friday, April 19 from 5-7:30 pm for the opening reception of the Sogetsu Massachusetts Branch’s Ikebana Exhibition in the Hunnewell Building.

    Wine & Cheese | Music | Ikebana Demonstration . $45. Register at https://www.masshort.org/plant-sale-and-showcase#reception