Boston Flora

Tag: New England Botanical Garden

  • Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21 – Buxton Branch of the American Begonia Society Sale & Demonstration

    Begonias are known primarily for their colorful foliage, while gesneriads are known for their brightly colored flowers. At this exciting event, enjoy a fantastic display of begonias and gesneriads presented by the Buxton Branch of the American Begonia Society and the New England Chapter of the Gesneriad Society. Discover the amazing variety and beauty of begonias and gesneriads in this diverse show and learn tips from expert growers for caring for these well-loved houseplants. “Pop-up” demonstrations on begonia propagation methods, as well as a hands-on workshop where children can create their own magical garden to bring home (ages 5+, children must be accompanied by an adult), make this event perfect for plant lovers of all ages. Many unusual and rare begonias and gesneriads will also be available for sale.

    Have a begonia or gesneriad you’re proud of? Members of the public are encouraged to enter their own plants into the exhibition. Plant society members will be available to help with plant entry and identification. If interested in participating, please contact the Begonia Society. Free with admission to the Gardens. For complete information visit www.nebg.org

  • Sunday, August 17, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm – Explore Local Flavor & Wine: A Wine Lover’s Day Tour

    Join New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill on August 17 for a delightful day of wine tasting and scenic charm as we visit two beloved local vineyards nestled in the heart of Central Massachusetts. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur or just looking to sip and relax, this tour offers the perfect blend of flavor, hospitality, and countryside beauty.

    Agronomy Farm Vineyard – Start your day at this small-batch vineyard where innovation meets tradition. Relax with a glass in hand and take in the serene farm views while enjoying locally made snacks.

    Broken Creek Vineyard and Winery – Next we’ll tour this picturesque vineyard known for its elegant varietals and cozy, welcoming atmosphere. Enjoy a guided tasting and learn about their sustainable winemaking practices.

    Whether you’re planning a fun day out with friends, a unique date idea, or a relaxing solo adventure, our Local Winery Tour is a toast-worthy experience you won’t want to miss! Travel is included in the ticket price. Please arrive at NEBG by 10:45AM for a 11:00AM departure. For pricing and registration visit www.nebg.org

  • Tuesday, August 12, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Seasonal Pruning: Late Summer

    Learn late-summer pruning techniques for spring-flowering shrubs and trees that bloom on last season’s growth. Learn the the best pruning methods to encourage healthy growth and a vibrant floral display. This New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill class will take place August 12 at 6 pm. The instructors will be Hunter Blanchard and Alyson Prokop. $40 for NEBG members, $48 for nonmembers. Register at www.nebg.org

  • Wednesday, May 14, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern – The Wondrous World of Fireflies, In Person and Online

    Fireflies are among our greatest ambassadors for Earth’s natural magic. Yet they hold so many mysteries! Sara Lewis will explore the science behind their bright lights and illuminate their remarkable lifestyles. Human activities have put fireflies at risk, but we’ll learn how we can all help protect these dazzling creatures. This Evening with Experts program on May 14 will be held in person at New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill and online on Zoom. It is a Grow Native Massachusetts event. Register https://grownativemass.org/Our-Programs/calendar. Sarah is the author of Silent Sparks.

  • Sunday, January 19, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Plants for the Winter Garden with Warren Leach

    If you missed Warren Leach at the Arnold Arboretum, you have a second chance at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill on January 19 at 2 pm. The winter garden is truly a low maintenance affair and a time to enjoy – no weeding, no watering and no dead-heading! The winter landscape may be quiescent, but the garden need not be bleak. Plants with brightly colored berries, twigs, stems, foliage and even winter-blooming flowers shrug off the snow and cold. They bring cheer, even as the sun enters Capricorn. Landscape horticulturist Warren Leach, and author of the new book from Timber Press Plants for the Winter Garden, will showcase gardens he has designed that celebrate the winter season as well as planting design ideas for your own garden.

    Warren will be available for book signings after the lecture. Free for NEBG members, $10 for nonmembers. If you wish to purchase a book, $38.25 for members and $52.50 for nonmembers. Register HERE.

  • Wednesday, January 15, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Watercolors in the Conservatory with Linda

    Painting outdoors can be lovely and wonderful but that’s not always possible when the weather gets cooler. Fortunately for us, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill has beautiful indoor conservatories with an array of plants to enjoy year-round! Walk together through the Orangery and sit with a watercolor journal, water brushes, and watercolor paints to create your own depiction of the amazing flora NEBG has to share. 

    Learn the basics of watercolor painting by experimenting with different brushes and water amounts. Discover how watercolors mix with materials like salt and ink, and see how these techniques affect your artwork. Create your own piece in the subtropical conservatory while exploring how watercolors behave and how to control their flow.

    All materials are included in this January 15 class.  No experience needed.

    Meet Your Instructor: Linda Snay

    Linda Snay was born in Connecticut and has always been drawn to the world of art.  She discovered watercolors at a young age and was encouraged by art teachers.  She studied art in college and went on to graduate from Eastern Connecticut State University with a BA, double major in Studio Art and Art History.  After moving to Massachusetts, her career led to positions in education in museums and art centers, and she is currently a teaching artist leading engaging art classes for both children and adults.  She works in various media, including watercolor, acrylic, oil, and pastel.  She is a member of Arts Worcester and participates regularly in exhibitions in Central Massachusetts.

    $55 Member Adult | $66 Adult (includes admission to the Garden on the same day of the event) Register HERE.

  • Fridays and Saturdays, January 10 – 25, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Killer in the Conservatory

    Join the New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill for an immersive and interactive murder mystery experience in collaboration with Escapism Productions. Each ticket includes one free beverage, an open popcorn bar, and a killer evening of murder mystery fun. Guests are welcome to come dressed for the occasion. Must be 21+ to attend. The event takes place Fridays and Saturdays, January 10 – 25, from 7 – 10 at NEBG in Boylston, Massachusetts. NEBG adult members $60, nonmember adults $75. Visit www.nebg.org to purchase tickets – link will take you to January 10 performance but navigate through the calendar for the date of your choice.

    Back by popular demand, our Killer in the Conservatory series continues with an all-new murder mystery. We invite you to enter into the realm of mystery and intrigue in a second chronicle featuring the tireless Inspector Leopold Lapis. Get transported to the Victorian era as you find yourself invited to the somber yet peculiar will reading of Dr. Vivian Verdant, a renowned herbologist with a passion for the alchemical arts. But as the evening unfolds, it becomes clear that this gathering is no ordinary affair. Lapis soon discovers that Dr. Verdant’s death may not be as straightforward as it seems, and the real mystery lies in uncovering the secrets she left behind. Who among the gathered suspects holds the key to the truth?

    Use your detective skills to assist Lapis with unraveling the tangled web of motives and deception. Solve puzzles, interrogate suspects, and gather clues to crack the case and bring the elusive culprit to justice–if you can.

    Ticket Refund and Exchange Policy: Tickets are non-refundable and are only valid for the date selected. Tickets can be rescheduled to a different evening of Killer in the Conservatory for a $10 fee but may only be rescheduled if tickets are still available for a different evening. Ticketholders must call 508-869-6111 x174 to reschedule by 5pm the day before the date on their original ticket.

    Please note: Tickets will not be available to purchase onsite during the event. Pre-registration is required. General Admission discounts and passes do not apply to this special event. Pets should remain at home. Service animals are welcome throughout the property at all times.

  • Friday & Saturday, November 1 & 2, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, & Sunday, November 3, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts Show

    The Central North and Central South Districts of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts will be hosting a National Garden Club Standard Flower Show at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill this fall. The show offers members of Garden Clubs in the New England Region and beyond an opportunity to exhibit floral designs, horticultural specimens, and educational exhibits with the intent to educate club members and the viewing public and stimulate interest in horticulture and floral design. The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts offers many opportunities for education in the gardening world, and the show provides insight into just some of the interests and talents nurtured by the state and individual clubs. Friday & Saturday, November 1 & 2, 10 – 5, and Sunday, November 3, 10 – 4, free with admission to the Garden. For more information visit https://nebg.org/shows/

  • Sunday, June 9, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Medicinal (and Edible) Plant Walk

    Join local herbalist and arborist Alex Klein on June 9 for a walk around New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill to discover the bounty of medicinal plants, both those grown in the garden and those sprouting up of their own accord as weeds or forest understory. You may be surprised to find just how many useful medicinal herbs are common to our local landscape. While on the walk we will discuss basic identification techniques so you can become familiar with some common and useful medicinal plants. We’ll also cover historic and modern uses of these herbs, the spectrum between poison, medicine, and food, how to harvest ethically and safely, and how to process and use some of these plants for home healing.

    Come prepared to walk around the gardens including on stone and dirt paths. Instructor Alex Klein describes himself as an intermediary between people and plants. After beginning his work as a landscaper in Boston and New York, his desire to connect to nature more meaningfully changed his perspective on plants from something mostly aesthetic to something directly useful to him and the people around him. Alex has since botanized and wildcrafted up and down the East Coast, getting to know well the flora of the region, as well as the historical and modern uses of hundreds of food and medicine plants. Along the way, he trained as a clinical herbalist at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine and the Ithaca Free Clinic. His passion for herbal medicine led him to do herbal First Aid, volunteering his time at Asheville Street Feet, a free Foot Clinic for those in need, and at various wilderness gatherings. Alex currently practices as an herbalist in Boston, striving to use only plants he has gathered himself or grown in his garden. For his day job, Alex is an Arborist at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Watertown.

    $40 for NEBG members, $55 for nonmembers. Register at www.nebg.org

  • Saturday, June 8, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Bodacious Peony Centerpiece

    Make a bodacious, fragrant peony centerpiece at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill on June 8 from 1 – 3 with instructor Mary Beth Hayes. We’ll use locally-grown peonies and unique foliage and textural elements. Prepare to be wowed with peony beauty! Please bring your own clippers, and all other supplies provided.

    Mary Beth is an avid gardener and floral designer who began studying floral design so she could bring the beauty of the garden into her home. She’s taken classes with the Mass Horticultural Society and Cass School of Floral Design in Watertown. She has studied with noted floral designers Francoise Weeks, Holly Chapple, and Hitomi Gilliam. Mary Beth loves to share the techniques she has learned with others so we can all “play with flowers” and create beautiful, natural flower arrangements and more.

    $150 Member; $165 Non-Member; $180 Pair (Admission to the Garden is included). To register, visit www.nebg.org