Boston Flora

Tag: natives

  • Saturday, June 5, 11:00 am – 25th Annual Tower Hill Plant Sale

    It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed since the first Plant Sale was held on the rough field and lawn in front of the Farmhouse.  That sale attracted nearly 400 visitors – pretty astonishing for the first sale at the brand new headquarters of the Worcester County Horticultural Society. At its peak, the sale has attracted as many as 3,100 visitors, expanding to become one of Tower Hill’s largest fundraisers.

    Because of the construction  at the core of the property, this year’s sale will be held in the grassy overflow parking field adjacent to the paved lots.  Some details remain the same: one of the many benefits of Tower Hill’s Plant Sale is the ability to select from the specialty offerings of more than a dozen participating Plant Societies, including Bamboo, Cactus & Succulent, Conifer, Daylily, Epimedium, Fern, Heather, Hosta, Indoor Gardeners, Lilac, Magnolia, Miniature Plants, Orchid, Rhododendron, and Rose.  These ardent devotees are wild about their specific plant interests and can offer great tips on care and growing.  Please note that a Tower Hill member discount card does not apply to sales in the plant society area, and most of the societies are able to accept only cash or checks.

    More than 12,000 plants will be available for sale:  unusual perennials, herbs and everlastings, shrubs and trees, including Cary Award Winners, natives, annuals, incredible edibles, and Tower Hill “Best Buy” plants – donated divisions from beautiful plants grown by members. Special Plant Sale T-shirts to commemorate the 25th anniversary will be sold, and there will be Plant Giveaways to our early arriving members.  Two silent auctions on the day of the Plant Sale feature a variety of choice, hard to find, specimen plants and garden ornaments.  Register first and enjoy the challenge of competing with other plant enthusiasts for the plants that spark your interest.  Tower Hill members enjoy the benefit of early admission at 9 a.m.  For more information, call 508-869-6111, or log on to www.towerhillbg.org.

    http://www.soonerplantfarm.com/_ccLib/image/plants/DETA-835.jpg

  • Garden Design 2010 Green Awards – Call For Entries

    The second annual awards program sponsored by Garden Design magazine reveals the exciting moment when great design meets ecological responsibility.  Smart water and energy use, repurposing, recyclables, natives and organics, and other earth friendly innovations will be recognized.  Designers and companies owning designs are eligible to enter.  Entries must highlight key “green” components and should not have previously appeared in national publication.  Your entry should include a completed entry form (print at www.gdgreenawards.com), ten uploaded images with captions showing all parts of the completed project, and a single paragraph summary of the project.  There is a $50 fee per entry.  Winners will be published in the January/February 2011 issue of Garden Design.  Deadline for entry is May 1, 2010.

    http://img1.immage.de/0407c78b77gd20090708julyaugustp11jpgw300.jpg

  • Mondays, February 8, 22, and March 1, 6:30 – 8:30 pm – Landscaping with Native Plants

    Join Michael Lance, owner and designer with Wild Regeneration, at the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum on three Mondays, February 8, February 22, and March 1, from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, for this native plant design class.  Gardeners, smitten by a display of natives at a garden center, erroneously infer all sorts of attributes from the word “native,”such as “hardy,”“resilient,”“tough,”or even “better.”All of these traits may indeed apply to any native plant; however, this is dependent on the conditions in which the plant is grown. For example, a tough native wetland plant won’t be resilient when planted along the hot, dry edge of a driveway. In this class with designer Michael Lance you will learn about native plants that would be most suitable to your garden site. Michael will present some of the plants that he incorporates when designing gardens for clients, with class sessions about native trees, shrubs, and perennials. He’ll emphasize edible and medicinal plants, trees and shrubs that exhibit ornamental characteristics, and perennials that can withstand and thrive in urban and suburban New England conditions. Throughout the class Michael will incorporate organic techniques and his philosophy for developing healthy and beneficial garden habitats.
    Fee $70 Arnold Arboretum member, $85 nonmember. To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

    http://www.newfs.org/images/visit/visit%20crop%20GITW%20spring.jpg/image_preview

  • Saturday, October 3, 9 am – 11 am – Save Those Seeds for Next Year’s Garden

    Horticulturist Jeremy Dick will present a program at City Natives, 30 Edgewater Drive in Mattapan, on Saturday, October 3, from 9 – 11 am.  Learn how to collect, process, and store seeds from your garden and from the wild.  This program will cover the proper handling and preservation of seed to greatly increase your success with germination.  Become a seed saver, grow your favorite plants year to year, and share seeds with friends.  Registration is required, although program is free of charge.  To register, call 617-542-7696, or email info@bostonnatural.org.

    Poem on Patience to Plant Seeds by pictoscribe.

  • Sunday, October 4, 1:30 – 3:30 pm – Growing Green: Producing Natives with the Environment in Mind

    Join the New England Wild Flower Society on Sunday, October 4 from 1:30 – 3:30 at the Garden in the Woods in Framingham for a behind-the-scenes look at Nasami Farm, the New England Wild Flower Society’s native plant nursery in Whately, MA. How are they producing beautiful native plants for homeowners, land managers, garden designers and municipalities throughout New England while using sustainable propagation and production practices? Nursery Business Director Ron Wik shares the latest from Nasami, including everything from bio-degradable plant labels to a bicycle-powered plant cart for transporting trays of plants around the Farm. Find out how they share the land with a varietyof animal species including bluebirds, bobolinks, turtles, insects and more, all happy to enjoy the Nasami habitat. Ron is currently focused on increasing production efficiencies, expanding the selection of species of known provenance, improving the sustainability of production practices, and seeking out new and exciting plants to grow for the Society.  This program enhances The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s year long exploration of The Ethical Gardner, and you are encouraged to attend.  The program is free. For directions, log on to www.newfs.org, or call 508-877-7630.

    http://www.commonweeder.com//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/nasami-4-25.jpg

  • Saturday, May 30, 11-4 – 24th Annual Tower Hill Plant Sale

    One of the many benefits of Tower Hill’s Plant Sale is the ability to select from the specialty offerings of more than a dozen participating Plant Societies, including Bamboo, Cactus & Succulent, Conifer, Daylily, Epimedium, Fern, Heather, Hosta, Indoor Gardeners, Lilac, Magnolia, Miniature Plants, Orchid, Rhododendron, and Rose.  These ardent devotees are wild about their specific plant interests and can offer great tips on care and growing.  Please note that a Tower Hill member discount card does not apply to sales in the plant society area, and most of the societies are able to accept only cash or checks.  More than 12,000 plants will be available for sale:  unusual perennials, herbs and everlastings, shrubs and trees, including Cary Award Winners, natives, annuals, incredible edibles, and Tower Hill “Best Buy” plants – donated divisions from beautiful plants grown by members.  Two silent auctions on the day of the Plant Sale feature a variety of choice, hard to find, specimen plants and garden ornaments.  Register first and enjoy the challenge of competing with other plant enthusiasts for the plants that spark your interest.  Tower Hill members enjoy the benefit of early admission at 9 a.m.  Free Admission all day, and $1 parking fee.  For more information, call 508-869-6111, or log on to www.towerhillbg.org.