Join The Massachusetts Horticultural Society at Elm Bank on Thursday, May 30, from 6 – 8, with Chef John Lawrence from Peppers Fine Food Catering for a seasonal tasting dinner in our beautiful garden setting. The evening will include a spirited discussion on how to use both common and uncommon herbs from the garden such as lovage and basil.
Cost: $60.00 for Mass Hort members, $65.00 for non-members. Reserve your space at www.masshort.org.
The 2013 Dover Library Garden Tour on Sunday, June 2, from 11 – 4, features five lovely gardens, one of which was designed and planted in 1916, as well as one with a tranquil koi pond in a hilltop setting. The Powisset Garden Club of Dover and Chicatabot Garden Club are members of the Friends and are working on this garden tour. Each garden, four of which have never before been on the tour, is a unique destination. One of the gardens on tour, Strawberry Hill Farm, was begun in 1916 and has two freestanding rows of espaliered apple and pear trees. The candelabra apples, fan and horizontal arm pears, and Belgian Fence are still spectacular after ninety-six years. The frame for the espaliered gazebo was obtained from the 1939 World’s Fair. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society awarded their grand prize to the espalier orchard three years running; and it was featured in two magazines in the 1960’s, including House and Garden. The original plantings of salmon azalea, spring-flowering viburnum, French lilacs, rambler rose and a Stewartia specimen still thrive, some of which have achieved magnificent stature. All is set off by a sculpted pond full of painted turtles, pollywogs and dragonflies. Advance tickets are $30 each, and will also be available on the day of the tour at the Dover Library for $35. For more information, garden pictures and ticket orders, visit www.friendsofdoverlibrary.com.
Chickens are a wonderful addition to any garden; they provide eggs, wonderful fertilizer, and lots of company! Learn the ins and outs of housing, feeding and tending chickens, and meet a couple of the ladies (hens). The Massachusetts Horticultural Society continues its Thursdays at the Hort series at Elm Bank with Gretel Anspach, Lifetime Master Gardener and a Trustee of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, on Thursday, May 2, from 7 – 8:30.
Cost – $10.00 for MHS members, $15.00 for non-members. Register on line at www.masshort.org.
Come rain or shine! May 11, the Saturday before Mother’s Day, is the date The New England Unit of the Herb Society of America holds its famed Annual Great Herb & Heirloom Plant Sale. The Herb Sale is the Unit’s primary fundraiser, and monies raised support local educational outreach projects and the ‘Teaching Herb Garden’ at Elm Bank.
This year’s Plant Sale Buyer is Nasrin Morovaty, a woman with an international outlook and tons of enthusiasm. Yes, we’ll have parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Yet, imagine local heirloom tomatoes and an unparalleled selection of herbs (some are organic). Over 2000 herb plants will be available. Also, there will be unique Mother’s Day gifts for giving – custom-planted culinary and succulent containers, and free chives and ‘Johnny Jump Ups’ for the kids.
Also, our locally grown, ‘Members’ Plants’ offer the buyer lovingly cultivated choices that are sure to thrive in our unpredictable New England climate. The International Herb Association has chosen Elder (Sambucus spp.) as Herb of the Year for 2013. Elderberries have been a folk remedy for centuries in North America, Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa for antioxidant activity, for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections.
Knowledgeable and helpful Herb Society Members will assist you in finding what will be just right for your garden, as well as information on how and where to plant. We offer ‘Personal Shoppers’ to help you with choices for kids patches and a plan for your herb garden. The Sale is located in the big field just over the bridge, after entering the road to Elm Bank. Tents will be set up for shopping in all-weather conditions. Truly, come early for best selections.
Elm Bank Horticulture Center
900 Washington Street (RT 16), Wellesley, MA 02482
Free admission & free accessible parking
Cash, Check or Credit Card accepted
Venture beyond the expected and learn the secrets to creating lush container gardens that will be the envy of the neighborhood during this Massachusetts Horticultural Society workshop with Deborah Trickett on Saturday, April 27 from 10 – noon, at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley. Bring in your own pot (no larger than 12″ wide) filled with soil. Deborah will begin by explaining some important design principals and elaborate on common container garden mistakes. Then it’s your turn. Pull on your gardening gloves, grab some cool and unusual plant material and let the fun begin. When you’re done your neighbors will be so jealous! Cost – $65.00 for Mass Hort members, $75.00 for non-members. Register on line at www.masshort.org.
Do you want to host an event for Mother’s Day or a loved one’s graduation, but are short on ideas and time? Join The Massachusetts Horticultural Society with Sue Schocket at her Healthy Habits Kitchen, 36 Washington Street, Wellesley on Thursday, April 25 from 7 – 8:30 to learn creative and delicious ways to make an impact on any crowd. Sample a selection of garden-inspired appetizers and cocktails, such as tomatoes filled with goat cheese, zucchini spread, raspberry-herb cocktail, white sangria, and more.
Cost – $30.00 for Mass Hort members, $35.00 for non-members. Sign up on line at www.masshort.org. Picture from www.margaritamakerextreme.com.
This Massachusetts Horticultural Society workshop on Saturday, March 9 from 10 – noon will give you hands-on experience in starting your own seedlings. Each participant will take home a flat of planted seeds—flowers, vegetables, herbs, or a combination. Instructors David Fiske and Gretel Anspach will also cover the next step in the process, which is “potting seedlings on”, so some seedlings will be available to take home too. All materials will be provided. $25 for Mass Hort members, $30 for non members. Register on line at www.masshort.org.
Gretel Anspach, Lifetime Master Gardener, will lead a session of Thursdays at the Hort on Thursday, March 7, from 7 – 8:30 at Elm Bank in Wellesley. Get a jump on the season by starting your plants from seeds—it’s cheaper than buying transplants, offers a much broader variety of plants, and can be quite addictive. Whether you are interested in annuals, perennials, edibles, or even shrubs and trees, this lecture will give you the information you need to go from starting a seed to planting in the ground. $10 for Mass Hort members, $15 for non-members. Reserve your space at www.masshort.org. Image from www.motherearthnews.com.
Cold frames and hoop houses are great season extenders, allowing vegetables to be planted 2-4 weeks earlier than unprotected plants. They also play a key role in the transition of seedlings of all kinds from the sheltered windowsill / greenhouse environment to the outdoors. Learn how, where and when to use these interesting tools in your own garden, at this Massachusetts Horticultural Society lecture on Thursday, February 28 beginning at 7 pm at Elm Bank in Wellesley, led by David Fiske, Curator of Gardens. $10 for Mass Hort members, $15 for non members. For more information visit www.masshort.org. Image from www.hubcityfm.org.
Change happens. Many still dream of ‘Better Homes and Gardens’ landscapes but reality has muddied the picture. Job demands, kids, money, hectic schedules, aging bodies,and changing interests have led to nightmare gardens. Time for some ‘editing’. This inspiring lecture provides easy-to-follow downsizing strategies, recommended no-fuss plant material, and design tips for stunning year-round gardens that will be as close to ‘autopilot’ as you can get. Kerry Mendez, owner of Perennially Yours in Ballston Spa, New York will lead the discussion on Thursday, February 21, from 7 – 8:30 at Elm Bank in Wellesley. Book sales and signing follow the program. $20 for Mass Hort members, $25 for non members.
