Boston Flora

Tag: Native Plant Trust

  • Thursday, February 25, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Bedstraws

    The 22 native New England species of Galium can be challenging to distinguish—many of these species look alike, and identification requires careful observation of leaf, stem, flower, and fruit characteristics. In this Native Plant Trust class, to be held at Garden in the Woods on February 25 at 1 pm with instructor Ted Elliman, you will learn bedstraw morphological features, habitats, distributions, and conservation status through images and herbarium specimens. COVID protocols will be in place, and registration is limited. $30 for NPT members, $36 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/bedstraws/. The class is cosponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions.

  • Tuesday, February 23, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Plant Evolution, Part 2, Online

    Join evolutionary biologist Lori Benoit and the Native Plant Trust on February 23 at 1 pm, online, to learn how land plants evolved into the major plant groups we know today. We will focus on the evolution of gymnosperms and angiosperms (conifers and flowering plants). $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/plant-evolution-part-2/

  • Thursday, February 18, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Reading Landscapes: Place as Creation and Reflection

    Join Courtney Allen, landscape historian and Director of Public Programs at Native Plant Trust, for a journey to discover the layers of our relationships to our surroundings. Together, we delve into why and how we define and understand place through the lenses of history, design, experience, and memory. This online February 18 live talk beginning at 1 pm is a primer on how to “read” landscapes in our daily lives, and what those landscapes can reveal about us. $15 for Native Plant Trust members, $18 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/reading-landscapes-place-creation-and-reflection/

    The exquisite Palladian bridge at Stowe in Buckinghamshire, with the gothic Temple visible in the background. Stowe is one of the best examples of an English Landscape garden of the 18th century. Credit: Jason Ingram.

  • Wednesday, February 10, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Botany for Gardeners: Flowering Plant Life Cycle, Online

    In this February 10 Tower Hill Botanic Garden webinar beginning at 6:30 pm with Daphne Minner, we will explore the flowering plant life cycle, from seed germination to fruit. The focus will be on sexual reproduction and the intricate interplay between native plants and pollinators. You will learn about common pollinators to native New England and learn how various gardening practices can impact pollinators and climate change.

    A lifelong gardener, Daphne has merged her love of plants and science education into botanical education curricula for both children and adults seeking enrichment from nonformal organizations like Native Plant Trust, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, and Penn State’s Shaver’s Creek. For more than 25 years, Daphne has worked to improve science and ecology education in both formal K-12 and informal settings. She has developed a certified wildlife habitat in her small urban yard that supports a wide diversity of plant and animal species. Through her careful observation and research, the fascinating relationship between plants and animals are illuminated in her own yard. She holds a certificate in field botany from the Native Plant Trust and a doctorate in Human Development.

    $10 for Tower Hill members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at www.towerhillbg.org

  • Thursday, January 14, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Color and Texture in the Garden, Online

    The excitement and wonder of a colorful garden grabs our attention and imprints its beauty on our memory. While color attracts us and stimulates our imagination, it also confounds most of us. Cheryl Salatino will conduct a webinar on January 14 from 1 – 4 with Native Plant Trust on Color and Texture in the Garden. We will explore the vocabulary of color, the garden dynamics that affect it, and the importance of observation—as well as color theory—as a tool for creating successful color combinations. $45 for NPT members, $54 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/color-and-texture-garden/

  • Thursday, January 21, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Native Plant Trust Virtual Book Club: Around the World in 80 Trees

    Join Courtney Allen, Native Plant Trust’s Director of Public Programs, on January 21 from 1 – 3 for an engaging live group video discussion about the power and impact of trees on human history and culture. In Around the World in 80 Trees, author and former Kew Gardens trustee Jonathan Drori leads us on a wild plant journey across continents with tales of self-mummifying monks, tree-climbing goats, and radioactive nuts. This program is sure to keep up the fun and momentum started by Native Plant Trust’s 2019 Arbor Day featured speaker—Jonathan Drori!. $15 for NPT members, $18 for nonmembers.

  • Wreath of the Day, From the Archives – Invasives

    In November, the Garden Club of the Back Bay enjoyed a very informative online lecture by Bud Sechler of Native Plant Trust on the topic of invasives. Member Kaye Vosburgh noted that the use of invasive plants in flower arrangements is now expressly forbidden by the Garden Club Federation and the Garden Club of America, and while still allowable in ikebana, seed disposal protocols are strictly followed. This brought to mind our own Wreath Week foraging and how often we may have been guilty of using inappropriate plants, berries, or grasses over the years. A case in point, from ten years ago, is the wreath below with Japanese wisteria pods attached as part of the decoration. Be assured that in the future we will be very careful in our choices of materials. We have, by the way, always been careful not to use anything that is on any endangered list.

    We thank Lois Kunian and Gibson/Sotheby’s for their generosity in sponsoring today’s Wreath of the Day post.

  • Thursday, December 3, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Ecological Gardening Webinar

    Wondering when to cut back perennials, and how long into autumn perennials, trees, and shrubs can be planted or pruned? Want to know about the most wildlife-friendly approach? Anna Fialkoff of the Native Plant Trust explains how to transition a garden into winter dormancy while balancing winter and spring preparation, beauty, and wildlife value. Take three live webinars to earn one elective certificate class. This session takes place Thursday, December 3 from 6:30 – 7:30 Eastern time and is $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org. Image from gardengatemagazine.com.

  • Wednesday, November 18, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Brown University Herbarium, Online

    Native Plant Trust has partnered with staff at university herbaria throughout New England to offer a special inside look at the region’s most impressive plant specimen collections. All programs will be conducted virtually. On Wednesday, November 18, tour the Brown University Herbarium with Rebecca Y. Kartzinel. $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers.

    Photo: Frank Mullin

  • Saturday, November 14, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Slow Gardening, Online

    Why wait until the last minute this fall to plan and prepare your gardens?

    Save your back and knees from all that weed and turf removal! Learn some passive, elegant, and simple techniques to let nature do the work for you. A little prep now will give you a fresh start come next spring. This November 14 class will be sponsored by the Native Plant Trust. Alexis Doshas will lead the session (1 – 3 pm), and the cost is $30 for NPT members, $36 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/slow-gardening/