Boston Flora

Tag: orchids

  • Saturday, February 7 – Sunday, March 22 – Elevated: An Orchid Exhibition

    Elevated celebrates the beauty and wonder of orchids in combination with captivating aerial sculptures by artist Cicely Carew (@cicelycarew). Featuring a stunning display of more than 2,500 orchids, this year’s orchid exhibition transforms the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill’s subtropical conservatories into an immersive world of color, movement, and botanical brilliance. Inspired by the forms and rhythms of nature, Carew’s “flying paintings” soar overhead—a joyful expression of the connection between art and nature.

    Cicely Carew (b. 1982, Los Angeles, CA) is a Boston-based artist, educator, and wellness facilitator whose work brings together color, movement, and emotion in joyful and unexpected ways. Her multimedia practice blurs the boundaries between artistic disciplines—mixing painting, collage, sculpture, printmaking, sound, and video—to create vibrant, immersive experiences that invite viewers to pause, breathe, and reconnect.

    Carew works from a place of improvisation and intuition, using layers of color and texture to explore ideas of freedom, transformation, and play. Her art celebrates the unknown and reminds us that healing and discovery often come through curiosity and openness. Each piece feels alive, full of energy and possibility, offering space for viewers to find their own meaning and sense of balance.

    Carew earned her MFA from Lesley University’s College of Art and Design in Cambridge, MA, and her BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston, MA. Carew’s work has been featured at institutions across Massachusetts, including the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Fuller Craft Museum, the Fitchburg Art Museum, The Commons in Provincetown, and Simmons and Northeastern Universities. Her work is also part of several permanent collections, such as the Harvard Art Museums, the Boston Public Library, the Fitchburg Art Museum, the U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies program, Google, and Fidelity Investments.

    For complete details visit www.nebg.org

  • Friday, October 3 – Sunday, October 5, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm – Fall Orchid Sale

    Celebrate orchid-blooming season at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses, 85 Lyman Street in Waltham, October 3 – 5 from 9:30 – 4. Hundreds of orchid plants are for sale, including many hard-to-find varieties. Visit the greenhouse and enjoy gorgeous floral colors, shapes, and scents. Varieties on display and for sale include Cattleyas, Laelias, Oncidiums, Paphiopedilums, Phalaenopsis, and many more. Their long-lasting blooms are a dramatic addition to any indoor environment. This adaptable species can grow in a variety of home conditions. Staff are available to offer expert advice.

    Historic New England members receive a 10% discount.

    Please call 617-994-5913 for more information.

  • Tuesday, September 30, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Famous Orchids in History, Online

    Humans and orchids have a long and storied history. Confucius first wrote about them in 500 B.C.E. Over the millennia, orchids have found their beautiful place in society. Learn about highlights, including the Vanilla orchid, Darwin’s orchid, ghost orchid (below), and the first ladies Cattleya orchids. This relaxing, interesting Smithsonian online talk on September 30 focuses on the sometimes unexpected presence of orchids throughout history. The instructor is Barbara Schmidt. $25 for Smithsonian Associates members, $30 general admission. Register at https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/famous-orchids-in-history

  • Friday, February 7, 7:00 pm Eastern – Two Tales of Floristic Change in Southern New England: Orchids and Northern Species, Live and Online

    Floras change over time in response to numerous variables, including land use changes, species introductions, climate change, and other factors. This New England Botanical Society talk at 7 pm on February 7 will examine and attempt to explain changes in frequencies of two groups of plants in southern New England: orchids and northern species (i.e., those near the southern end of their range). It will include a discussion of different data sources and their limitations and the challenges of dealing with potentially confounding factors. Speaker Dr. Robert Bertin is Professor Emeritus of Biology at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. The talk will be live and on Zoom.

    Non-members may register for the meeting access link here.

  • Saturday, February 8 – Sunday, March 16 – Pixels and Petals

    Get ready for a blast from the past with New England Botanic Garden’s annual orchid exhibition on February 8 – March 16. Pixels + Petals combines the vibrant world of retro video games with the delicate beauty of orchids in a one-of-a-kind experience. Thousands of living orchids in bloom will be artfully showcased throughout the Garden’s two subtropical conservatories. Rewind, flash back, and immerse yourself in pixelated charm as nostalgia and nature unite. Join us during daytime hours or experience the exhibition in a different light during our special Orchids After Dark events.

    On opening weekend, February 8 -9, Be among the first to experience the stunning orchid displays and nostalgic works of art of Pixels + Petals, An Orchid Exhibition. Enjoy live music in our subtropical conservatories and a curated artisan vendor market. Included with general admission.

    On Fridays and Saturdays, February 14 – March 15 from 6 – 8, enjoy Orchids After Dark (21+). Experience the retro charm of Pixels + Petals, An Orchid Exhibition after-hours. Enjoy live music, drinks, and light bites while exploring our stunning orchid displays and curated ambience. Ticket price includes one free beverage and a unique night out. Members: $20, Non-Members: $30

    For complete information visit https://nebg.org/pixels-and-petals/

  • Sunday, January 5, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Orchid Care at Mahoney’s Garden Center

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay will sponsor a Members Only pop up event on January 5 at Mahoney’s Garden Center, 449 Western Avenue in Brighton. Want to beat the post-holiday blues? Join for an hour of learning with Mahoney’s Sara Barrios as we delve into the world of orchid care in the fabulous new greenhouse at Mahoney’s. Afterward, feel free to purchase an orchid or other houseplant of choice to take home with you.

    The cost of the class is free, but space is limited to 20 people. Please RSVP to Stephanie Fletcher. Not yet a member? Visit https://bostonflora.com/join. You’ll want to be on the list for the upcoming Winter Tea as well, so act now.

  • Through April 28 – The Future of Orchids: Conservation and Collaboration

    Organized by Smithsonian Gardens and the United States Botanic Garden, “The Future of Orchids: Conservation and Collaboration” fills the entire Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery with nearly 350 live orchids through April 28. The exhibition explores the numerous challenges facing wild orchids today, including climate change, habitat destruction, and over-collecting, and offers a glimpse into the work being performed by a diverse group of scientists to and conservationists to protect the future of orchids. 

    If orchids are part of your own future (or present), Barb Schmidt, a noted orchid care expert, leads three Smithsonian Associates studio arts programs you won’t want to miss. On Tuesday March 5, she offers a virtual tour and history of the native orchid collection at Longwood Gardens. If you’re a from-the-ground-up novice, Schmidt’s Tuesday, March 12 class is ideal for beginners who want to keep their orchids blooming at home. And on Saturday, March 16, learn to free your orchid from the confines of its pot and mount it on a piece of wood.

    Learn more HERE.

    Photo by Hannele Lehti

  • Tuesday, March 5, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern- Native Orchids of Longwood Gardens, Online

    Pierre du Pont started Longwood Gardens’ native orchid collection in 1923 when he brought in Galearis spectabilis, an orchid that’s native to Pennsylvania. It’s one of several orchids that still grow on the Longwood property. This class not only takes you on a tour of Longwood’s native orchids but also shows you how this simple orchid purchase blossomed into a world-renowned conservation, plant breeding, and collections project.

    Special Program Information

    • The instructor is Barbara Schmidt.
    • This program includes one 2-hour session.

    General Information

    • This studio arts program is a Zoom Meeting to allow for patron and instructor interaction online.
    • All Studio Arts programs require an online ticket for each participant so that the instructor can provide individual attention to every student registered for the online program.
    • This program will be recorded. Please see our FAQ for recording terms and conditions.
    • Please refer to the “Materials for this program” section for any applicable supply list information and/or special documents for this program.

    $35 for Smithsonian Associates members, $45 for nonmembers. Register at https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/native-orchids-longwood-gardens

  • February and March – Orchid Courtyard Display at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

    While the temperatures drop outside, the Courtyard remains temperate with the green of ferns, and the sounds of water in the fountains. Tall, majestic calla lilies surround the Courtyard’s mosaic set off by unusual orchids, including exotic Paphiopedilum or slipper orchids with maroon and green flowers; Ansellia or leopard orchids sporting many clusters of yellow flowers with brown spots; and large, showy Phaius tankervilleae or nun’s cap orchids that have been grown in the Museum’s greenhouses since Isabella’s time. The orchids on display are native to Southeast Asia and Africa. Throughout the year, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s always-blooming Courtyard is transformed through a series of nine dramatic seasonal displays that reflect Isabella’s passion for gardens as well as the skill and dedication of the Museum’s horticulture staff. From bellflowers to nasturtiums to Japanese-style chrysanthemums, there’s always something new to discover thanks to the changing seasons and the rotation of plants. Most of the plants for the Courtyard are grown in the Museum’s temperature-controlled Hingham greenhouses and trucked to the Palace location, where they are rotated in to keep the displays in peak condition. For hours and complete information visit http://gardnermuseum.org

    ©Siena Scarff

  • Saturday, July 15, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm – Orchids of New England

    Curious about Lady’s-slipper orchids or the rose pogonia, made famous by Robert Frost’s poem? Orchidaceae is one of the largest plant families in the world, and there are 50 orchid species native to New England, from showy lady’s slipper (Cypripedium reginae) to rose pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides). While some species are common, many are of conservation concern. This session provides context for understanding native orchid habitats, diversity, and conservation issues. You will learn identification techniques, pollination strategies, and life-cycle stages for native orchids. Learn about the members of this highly evolved plant family and their specialized pollination strategies and interesting life cycles. Botanist Neela de Zoysa will conduct a class on Orchids of New England on Saturday, July 23 at 12:30 pm at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. $60 for Native Plant Trust members, $72 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/orchids-new-england-2/

    Image result for rose pogonia orchid