Boston Flora

Tag: Neighbors

  • Sundays, October 2 – October 30, 2:00 pm – Visionaries, Innovators and Provocateurs: The Eclectic Men and Women of Forest Hills

    Explore one of Boston’s hidden treasures: a 250 acre Victorian cemetery and arboretum listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and dedicated to nature, art and remembrance.  Every Sunday in October, tour Forest Hills (95 Forest Hills Avenue in Boston) with an expert guide.  On October 2, historian Elise Ciregna will present A Library of Life Stories.  There are more than 100,000 people buried at Forest Hills.  Hear some of their stories and view their monuments – some lavish and dramatic, and others modest or mysterious.  On October 9, social historian Dee Morris explores some fascinating families and their Neighbors.  Forest Hills is made up of many family lots, with entire families laid to rest next to one another.  These lots are next to other ones, creating a neighborhood of Victorian families.  October 16 brings A Visit With E.E. Cummings.  Tour guide Jonathan Clark explores the work and themes of innovative poet E.E. Cummings, whose playful style and daring typography (ee cummings, anyone?) made him one of the most influential poets of the 20th century.  The Women of Forest Hills will be the topic on October 23.  Dee Morris leads visitors through the stories of some of the most celebrated and fascinating women of 19th and 290th century Boston.  A hotbed of feminism and firsts in the Victorian era, Boston gave rise to such pioneers as suffragette and abolitionist Lucy Stone, historian-author Annie Haven Thwing, and others both notable and notorious.  Visit the graves of artists, politicians, School Board activists, even spirit mediums.  Finally, on October 30, there will be the Victorian Spiritualism Tour, just in time for All Hallows’ Eve.  Spiritualists believed that death was a transition to a new form of existence.  People who had “crossed over” could be contacted through seances and spirit guides.  Visit some of the religious leaders and practitioners, as well as skeptics, of this controversial 19th century movement.  Each program is $9, and Forest Hills has free parking and is accessible by T.  For directions and more information, visit www.foresthillstrust.org.

  • Thursday, June 24, 6 – 9 pm – NABB’s Second-Ever Barbecue (NABB-Q)

    Join the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay on Thursday, June 24, for the NABB-Q at the Clarendon Street Playground beginning at 6 pm.  It’s a rare opportunity to enjoy a summer picnic in the Back Bay, including hamburgers and hot dogs fresh off the grill, picnic salads, snacks and soft drinks.  Tickets can be purchased at $15 for adults, $5 for children.  Kids 3 and under are free.  Many thanks to the primary sponsor and new neighbor on Newbury Street KitchenWares by Blackstone’s, for its generous support to make the event possible.  For more information, log on to www.nabbonline.com.

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  • Garden Club of the Back Bay Holiday Wreaths – More Reasons to Buy

    We are often asked “What does the Garden Club do?”  Throughout this web site, you will find much information about our mission and our projects, but essentially we are all about the trees.  Previously we explored our pruning project, and today we’d like to introduce you to the magic of mulch, and why we do it.

    When we plant a new street tree on the sidewalks of the Back Bay (and we plant, on average, ten new trees a year in empty tree pits), we install a PVC pipe perforated with holes and topped with a removable cap to facilitate deep watering.  We contact abutting neighbors and find a good citizen willing to provide auxiliary water to the newly planted tree for a period of two years, and then we mulch.  The mulch moderates the temperature of the soil surrounding the tree and lessens evaporation, very important on hot summer days.  A young tree undergoes the same transplant shock that flats of flowers do, but while a small pansy plant can recover rapidly with a quart of water, the tree needs far more moisture to thrive.

    Needless to say, mulch isn’t free.  We purchase bales and bales of mulch and volunteer members clean out the tree pits (cigarette butts are but one of many unmentionable bits of garbage we find discarded next to our beloved trees) and add a few inches of mulch, carefully keeping the mulch away from the bark so we don’t promote rot.  That mulch money comes, in part, from your support of our Holiday Wreath sale, and we hope that, when you decide to purchase one of our gorgeous wreaths, you’ll think of how grateful the young trees will be when they are tucked in to bed with their blankets of mulch.  Click here to order.

  • Commonwealth Avenue Mall Lights

    Join your neighbors and friends in lighting the Mall again this year.  Funded entirely by donations, it is the neighborhood’s gift to the City.  Donations are currently being solicited, large or small.  Make checks payable to Committee to Light Commonwealth Avenue Mall, and mail them to the Back Bay Association, 234 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116.  Donations may also be made online at www.BackBayLights.com.  The Committee to Light Commonwealth Avenue Mall works with the Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee of The Friends of the Public Garden and with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department.

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  • Saturday, October 24, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Greater Boston Food Bank Open House Celebration

    Do you know the  Food Bank feeds 83,000 people each week? Come to the open house on Saturday, October 24, from 10 – 2, and learn, get involved, and get inspired.  The event will take place at the Yawkey Distribution Center of the Greater Boston Food Bank, 70 South Bay Avenue in Boston.

    To achieve its mission, The Food Bank feeds more than 320,000 people annually in nine counties in eastern Massachusetts. They’re poor to middle-class people who can’t make ends meet. They’re our friends, neighbors, and colleagues. The Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and one of the largest food banks in the country. It distributes more than 30 million pounds of food and grocery products annually to a network of nearly 600 member hunger-relief agencies. It is a trusted and efficient resource for these local food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless and residential shelters, youth programs, senior centers, and day-care centers, providing the food they need to feed the hungry.

    Bring a non-perishable item to participate in their food drive.  There will be limited complimentary parking on site.  For directions, and to let the good folks who work there know you’re coming, log on to www.gbfb.org/openhouse/.

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  • Wednesday, October 28, 6:00 pm – Neighbors & Networks: The Olmsted Firm and the Development of Brookline, 1880 – 1936

    Professor Keith Morgan of Boston University will present an illustrated lecture on The Olmsted Firm and the Development of Brookline, 1880 – 1936, at the Wheelock College Auditorium, 43 Hawes Street in Brookline, on Wednesday, October 28.  A reception at 6:00 pm will be followed by the lecture at 7:00 pm.  Seating is limited.  Please rsvp to friendsoffairsted@gmail.com, or telephone 617-566-1689 x 235.  Cohosted by the Friends of Fairsted; Brookline Greenspace Alliance; Brookline Historical Society; Emerald Necklace Conservancy; Fenway Alliance; High Street Hill Association; Historic New England; Mount Auburn Cemetery; Muddy River Restoration Project Maintenance and Management Oversight Committee; NPS, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site; Society of Architectural Historians, New England Chapter; and the Friends of Stonehurst.

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  • Thursday, September 24, 6 – 9 pm – NABB’s First-Ever Barbecue (NABB-Q)

    Join your neighbors for an All-American Summer Barbecue
    Thursday, September 24th
    Clarendon Street Playground
    6:00 to 9:00pm

    There will be hot dogs and hamburgers, chips, picnic salads,
    cookies, soda and juice for everyone!

    Bring the whole family!

    For reservations, call NABB:  617.247.3961 or
    online www.nabbonline.com

    Adults $15 ($17 nonmembers)      Children $5 ($7 nonmembers)

    $2 pp surcharge for tickets purchased at the event (cash only).

  • Wednesday, August 12, 5 – 7 pm – Family Games on the Rose Kennedy Greenway

    Residents and neighbors of the North End and Chinatown are invited to bring their families and friends every Wednesday night for “Family Games”, a night of free games in the North End Parks and Chinatown Park on the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway. Together with athletic programming provider, Knuckle Bones, the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway Conservancy will host favorite traditional and non-traditional games like bocce, Chinese yoyo, lawn tennis, jump rope, koob and more.
    No reservations are required. Families are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner. This event is rain or shine; event will be canceled in case of heavy rain.  For more information, log on to www.hellogreenway.org.

  • Boylston Street Sidewalk Repair Notification

    Sidewalk repairs on Boylston Street (Arlington St. to Mass Ave., both sides) will take place this week as follows:

    Starting Monday, August 3 and projected to end Friday, August 7 (weather permitting) work will start on the odd side of the street from Hereford St. heading towards Arlington St. Once the work is complete on the odd side, we will start on the even side starting at Arlington St. and heading back toward Hereford St.  Work will only be performed on one side of the street at a time, and will be done in the quickest manner possible so as not to inconvenience businesses and neighbors.

    The PWD will for the most part be able to allow a minimum of 3 feet pedestrian access during the work. There may be locations that the sidewalk access will be closed, in which case “Sidewalk Closed” signage will be placed at the nearest crosswalks on either side of the construction.

    The engineer representing the City is Brian Van Bus Kirk (1-781-589-1925). The contractor performing the work is Cicconi and Sons.

    The PWD anticipates that the work will run smoothly and after the construction takes place you will be happy with the results.

    Any questions or concerns?  Please do not hesitate to contact me.

    Sincerely,

    Mark Cardarelli

    Chief Highway Construction Inspector

    Boston Public Works

    Tel 617.635.4950

    Fax 617.635.7498

  • Thursdays through August 27 – Dancing Under the Stars

    Join The Esplanade Association and World Rhythms Dance and Fitness this Thursday on the Esplanade in front of the Hatch Shell for FREE dance instruction and open dance. This week’s featured dance style is SWING!

    Weekly Dance Program Features:

    • Professional dance instructors
    • Different dance style each week
    • Free dance instruction followed by open dance
    • Great for children and adults of all ages

    Join neighbors on Thursdays, 6-8 p.m., to learn new dances, meet new people, and have a fun evening on the Esplanade  FREE!  July 23: Swing; July 30: Ballroom; August 6: Bollywood; August 13: Brazilian Samba; August 20: TBD; August 27: Salsa.  Log on to www.esplanadeassociation.org on Thursday afternoons for notice of cancellation due to stormy weather.