Boston Flora

Tag: Meg Muckenhoupt

  • Wednesday, March 8, 10:00 am – How the Glaciers Affected New England’s Plants

    Wednesday, March 8, 10:00 am – How the Glaciers Affected New England’s Plants

    Today, Massachusetts is a network of houses, businesses, farms, forests, and wetlands—but how did it get to be that way? What did it look like when the Laurentide Glaciers melted 12,000 years ago? How did a state that was only 25 percent forest by 1850 come to be 64 percent forested today? As part of our ongoing series The Prehistoric Garden, The Garden Club of the Back Bay welcomes Meg Muckenhoupt to our March meeting on Wednesday, March 8 at 10 am at The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue. This broad overview traces how and why the land has changed and what people thought about it—from Wampanoag King Philip to Frederick Law Olmsted to Governor Charlie Baker.

    Our speaker Meg Muckenhoupt is an environmental and travel writer. She has appeared on NPR’s Radio Boston and WCVB’s Chronicle, as well as WGBH’s Forum site. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, the Boston Phoenix, Boston Magazine, and the Time Out Boston guide; her book Boston Gardens and Green Spaces (Union Park Press, 2010) is a Boston Globe Local Bestseller. She currently serves as Executive Director of Community Outreach Group for Landscape Design (COGdesign).

    Meg was awarded a certificate in Field Botany by the New England Wild Flower Society and earned degrees from Harvard and Brown University. She lives in Lexington, Massachusetts. Garden Club members will receive notice of the meeting. If you are not a member but are interested in attending, please email info@bostonflora.com. Image from bostongeology.com.

  • Meg Muckenhoupt Named Executive Director of COGdesign

    Meg Muckenhoupt Named Executive Director of COGdesign

    Our friend Meg Muckenhoupt has assumed the role of Executive Director of COGdesign. Meg brings more than a decade of experience in writing, web publishing, and nonprofit management to her role. Meg is an environmental and travel writer and co-creator of the GREEN SPACES: Boston smartphone app. She has appeared on NPR’s Radio Boston and WCVB’s Chronicle, as well as WGBH’s Forum site. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, the Boston Phoenix, Boston Magazine, and the Time Out Boston guide; her book Boston Gardens and Green Spaces (Union Park Press, 2010) is a Boston Globe Local Bestseller. A talented public speaker, she gives frequent talks about Massachusetts landscape history and Boston’s greatest unknown parks to audiences around New England.
    Meg was awarded a certificate in Field Botany by the New England Wild Flower Society and earned degrees from Harvard and Brown University.

    The Community Outreach Group for Landscape Design (COGdesign) connects underserved communities with the technical design assistance they need to bring healthy, attractive open space to their neighborhoods.  COGdesign clients include affordable housing sites, public and private schools, neighborhood parks, Friends groups, churches, municipal agencies, historic sites, arts centers, and community gardens.  COGdesign’s volunteer designers are trained landscape design professionals and students. We recruit seasoned, licensed professionals, recent graduates with innovative ideas, and landscape designers at every level in-between.  Image from boston.com.

    Meg

  • Wednesday, April 9, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Massachusetts Agricultural History

    Meg Muckenhoupt is such an extraordinarily good speaker we just had to have her again. Meg is an environmental and travel writer. Her book Boston Gardens and Green Spaces (Union Park Press, 2010) is a Boston Globe Local Bestseller, and she is co-creator of the Green Spaces: Boston app. She has appeared on NPR’s Radio Boston and WCVB’s Chronicle, and WGBH’s Forum site. She blogs at GreenSpaceBoston.com, and now is a reviewer on www.thesweethome.com. She is working on a new book on the history of Boston food, which may not be published by the date of the meeting, but which we eagerly anticipate. An optional lunch will follow the meeting, which takes place Wednesday, April 9, beginning at 10 am at The College Club of Boston, 44 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.  Garden Club of the Back Bay members will receive written notice of the meeting. Image below from www.ag.umass.edu. If you are interested in attending, please email info@bostonflora.com.

    http://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/agricultural-data/cranberry_industry_1.jpg

  • Wednesday, June 5, 6:00 pm – Boston’s Gardens and Greenspaces

    On Wednesday, June 5, The College Club of Boston is pleased to welcome Meg Muckenhoupt, author of Boston’s Gardens and Greenspaces, as a featured speaker. Meg will bring us back through history to understand why we have parks in the first place, how they have changed over time, and how new parks are created today. From the suburban wilderness and urban wilds to the Emerald Necklace and newly created Big Dig parks, Meg will change the way you look at the green world around you. Rediscover the city through its most revered historic parks and explore its ever-expanding network of public spaces as the author takes us on a fascinating journey through green Boston, past to present.

    Meg spoke to The Garden Club of the Back Bay two years ago, following the publication of her book. We expected a lovely talk with pretty pictures about public gardens in Boston. Instead, we were treated to a fantastically interesting lecture on the archaeology of the Massachusetts colony, the building of Boston, the politics of public spaces, and the ecological influences leading to the creation of Boston’s park lands and open spaces. History buffs, archaeologists, scientists, environmentalists, political junkies, and anyone living in or around Boston should not miss this program. We walked away with new appreciation of how things happen, finally grasping the importance of fish weirs and cow commons, marshland and land fill. This is a five star event!  Dinner is included.

    Wednesday, June 5 @ 6pm.  $35 plus tax, public invited.  For more information and reservations please call 617-536-9510 or email info@thecollegeclubofboston.com

  • Thursday, June 16, 11:00 am – Boston’s Gardens and Green Spaces

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay and The Friends of the Public Garden join local author Meg Muckenhoupt as she travels through the verdant world of her book, Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces. This exciting lecture examines the role of public spaces throughout Boston’s historic and contemporary landscape. Rediscover Boston’s most revered historic parks and explore the city’s ever-expanding network of public spaces. How has the philosophy behind public spaces shifted over the years? How significant is the native flora and green space to the city’s overall health? This is a fascinating journey through green Boston, past to present—and all nature lovers, gardening enthusiasts, and history buffs should be sure to come along for the ride. Meg Muckenhoupt is a freelance environmental and travel writer. Her articles have appeared in The Boston Globe, the Boston Phoenix, Boston Magazine, the Time Out Boston guide, and many other publications. She holds a certificate in Field Botany from the New England Wild Flower Society. This special June meeting will take place Thursday, June 16 beginning at 11 am at Trident Booksellers, 338 Newbury Street (between Hereford Street and Massachusetts Avenue.)  Garden Club of the Back Bay members will receive written notice of this meeting – rsvp’s required due to limited space.

  • Thursday, July 29, 7:00 pm – Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces

    Join local author Meg Muckenhoupt as she travels through the verdant world of her new book, Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces. This exciting lecture at the Westborough Public Library, 55 West Main Street in Westborough on Thursday, July 29, beginning at 7 pm,  examines the role of public spaces throughout Greater Boston’s historic and contemporary landscape.  Rediscover Greater Boston’s most revered historic parks and explore the city’s ever-expanding  network of public spaces. How has the philosophy behind public spaces shifted over the years? How significant is the native flora and green space to the city’s overall health?  This is a fascinating journey through green Boston, past to present—and all nature lovers, gardening enthusiasts, and history buffs should be sure to come along for the ride.  For more information, log on to www.westboroughlib.org.

    http://www.unionparkpress.com//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Bostons-Public-Garden.jpg

  • Sundays, June 13, 20, and 27, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Bostons’s Gardens & Green Spaces Tours

    Join Meg Muckenhoupt, author of Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces, and Maryglenn Vincens, founder of Boston Your Way Premium Private Tours, for three exclusive walking tours through Green Boston, past and present.  Inspired by Muckenhoupt’s beautiful new book, Muckenhoupt and Vincens will examine how Boston’s shifting landscape and coastline have shaped the city’s ever-expanding network of public spaces.

    Tours are $50 per person and are open to the public. Each tour is limited to 25 people. Reservations must be made by Friday June 4, 2010. Each ticket includes a signed copy of Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces and complimentary tea at some of Boston’s finest cafés and restaurants.

    Week 1: The Big Dig: Boston Blasts, Builds, and Reconnects: Sunday, June 13, 1pm-3pm
    Week 2: Evolution of Boston Proper: From Puritan Functionality to Modern Day Leisure: Sunday, June 20, 1pm-3pm
    Week 3: The Fenway: Land Conflicts, Commitments, and Community Gardens: Sunday, June 27, 1pm-3pm

    To register, email: events@unionparkpress.com and send us the Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces Tour Form.  You may also log on to www.unionparkpress.com/news-events/bostons-gardens-green-spaces-june-tour-series/ for more information.

    Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces