Aspiring writers and naturalists will enjoy this Polly Hill Arboretum interactive workshop on August 19 hosted by author Maria Pinto. Participants will learn how their interactions with the ‘more than human’ world around them equip them to be effective science communicators and nature writers. Attendees will analyze the work of seasoned writers and do a series of exercises to draw out their own lyrical and scientific encounters with our planet.
Maria Pinto is an author and educator living in the Boston area. Maria has led workshops and lectures for mycological societies around the country, and leads regular forays at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.
Pre-registration required. PHA Members: $20; Non-Members: $30. Click here to register.
On Wednesday, July 8 at 5:30 pm, discover how to prevent tick exposure and learn effective strategies to stay safe outdoors. In this talk, Polly Hill Arboeretum Horticulturalist Jack Morgan will guide you through essential tick prevention techniques, including the best clothing and repellents to use, safe tick removal methods, and ways to protect yourself from tick-borne illnesses. He will be joined by Patrick Roden-Reynolds, a public health biologist for the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative and Director of the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program.
Pre-registration required. PHA Members: $10; Non-Members: $20. Click here to register.
In this free talk on Wednesday, April 15 at 5:30 pm, Polly Hill Arboretum Curator/Assistant Director Emily Ellingson will give an overview of how climate change is expected to impact Martha’s Vineyard and its flora, as well as provide a guide for tree selection in an uncertain future. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it is unequivocal that widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, and biosphere have occurred since 1750. This has already affected weather and climate extremes. To move forward, systems and people need to adapt to this changing climate. Free and open to all. Pre-registration required due to limited capacity. Click here to register. Meet at the Polly Hill Arboretum Visitor Center: 795 State Road, West Tisbury, MA 02575
Please note: there will be a short walk to the EBL building where the program will take place. If you need accessible parking, please contact info@pollyhillarboretum.org.
Break up the winter doldrums by getting outside and learning winter tree identification from Polly Hill Arboretum Director of Grounds & Facilities, Ian Jochems. Participants will learn how to use the characteristics of bark, twigs, buds, and more to identify common deciduous and evergreen trees.
For the first seasonal tour of the Polly Hill Arboretum in Martha’s Vineyard of 2026, take a walk through the Arboretum Woods with PHA Director of Grounds & Facilities, Ian Jochems. Ian will discuss basic tree identification; a primer for his in-depth Winter Tree ID workshop on February 21! The walk is included with the $5 admission fee (free for PHA members). Meet at the Arboretum Visitors Center.
Marcus Bridgewater is an author, speaker, and creator. He is widely known as Garden Marcus for connecting his observations in his garden to personal growth & well-being, and he is the author of several books including How to Grow: Nurture Your Garden, Nurture Yourself (HarperOne, 2022). Marcus has been featured in a variety of press & media including the New York Times, Vogue, and The Drew Barrymore Show. He lives in Texas with his wife, son, and ever-growing garden. Drawing from his own experiences cultivating both plants and mindfulness, Marcus will share how the natural world offers timeless wisdom for resilience, patience, and well-being in this engaging presentation. Whether you are an avid gardener or simply seeking inspiration for personal growth, this talk will provide valuable lessons on how to cultivate a thriving life—both in the garden and beyond.
Hear Marcus at the Polly Hill Arboretum, 795 State Road, West Tisbury, on August 16 at 10:30 am. $10 for PHA members, $15 for nonmembers. Registration required as space is limited. Please pre-register, Sign Up Here
Join the Polly Hill Arboretum and Ethan Kauffman on August 6 at 5:30 pm for the Annual David H. Smith Memorial Lecture, Lessons from Stoneleigh: Reimaging Traditional Landscapes with Native Plants. The program will be held at the Arboretum, 795 State Road in West Tisbury, and is $10 for PHA members, $15 for nonmembers. Please Pre-Register
With a 150-year history as a private estate, Stoneleigh: a natural garden became one of the newest public gardens in the Philadelphia region in 2018. Informed by the growing understanding of the connectedness of all living things, a vision arose during the transition: to reimagine a historical landscape as an ecologically vibrant wonderland of native plants. Relying on both tried-and-true gardening techniques and intrepid experimentation, the emerging garden is an exuberant exploration of cultivating native plants in the modern landscape.
Join Stoneleigh Director Ethan Kauffman as he reveals the unexpected plants, expressive design philosophy, and unconventional practices that are driving Stoneleigh’s exciting transformation.
The Polly Hill Arboretum, 795 State Road in West Tisbury, presents Matthew Ross on July 16, speaking on Asylum to Asylum: The Story of The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, as part of the Annual Lisina and Frank W. Hoch Memorial Lecture. Matthew Ross, Executive Director of The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park will share insight into the role of horticulture in our well being through the story of the Northern Michigan Asylum. Over the past ten years, the historic farm has transformed from abandoned buildings and fields of invasive plants into an emerging botanical garden with over 12 feature gardens. The garden is reviving the philosophy that “Beauty is therapy” first practiced at the Asylum in the 1880s and has developed therapeutic programs for cancer patients, installed an Anishinabek Medicine Wheel and Foraging Meadow, and a 10,000 brick Labyrinth. He will also discuss how the garden has evolved from a design perspective and highlight particular plants of interest within its living collection.
Matthew Ross oversees the 26-acre Botanical Garden which was founded by visionaries Kurt and Karen Schmidt and a team of volunteers on the site of the Northern Michigan Asylum Farm which was operational 1885 – 1957. Prior to coming home to Michigan, Matthew was the Director of Continuing Education at Longwood Gardens, a college instructor at Owens Community College, and chief Horticulturist at Toledo Botanic Garden. He is a proud graduate of Michigan State University where he received a B.S and M.S. in Horticultural Science with an emphasis on Landscape Design Construction Management and Urban Forestry respectively. He is a well-respected public garden professional that spends his spare time kayaking, hiking, and exploring botanical gardens around the world.
Please pre-register, Sign Up Here. $10 for PHA members, $15 for nonmembers.
Join The Polly Hill Arboretum on July 2 at 5:30 pm for a journey into the biology and ecology of the southern pine beetle. Although this tiny beetle is a newcomer on Martha’s Vineyard, where it is causing extensive pitch pine mortality in parts of the island, it is well known in the southeastern United States. Caroline will share what scientists know about the southern pine beetle from research throughout its range, including how to manage for this native (yet sometimes destructive) insect. Dr. Caroline Kanaskie is a forest entomologist and community ecologist. She recently earned her Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Science at the University of New Hampshire, where she studied the southern pine beetle at its northern range limits. This special lecture is co-sponsored by BiodiversityWorks MV.
Do you want to do something truly beneficial—for your family, your community, and the environment? It all starts with how you relate to your land. Join Perfect Earth Project’s Edwina von Gal in the Far Barn at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury on June 18 for an inspiring and practical talk on ecological land care. She’ll explore what it means to work with your landscape rather than against it—eliminating toxic chemicals, reducing maintenance stress, and fostering resilience, biodiversity, and beauty. Learn how simple changes can create a healthier, more sustainable outdoor space that supports pollinators, wildlife, your pets, and you. After the talk, Edwina will be joined by local experts for an interactive Q&A and discussion. Bring your questions on topics like toxic-free lawn care, habitat creation, tick and pest management, and cost-saving alternatives to conventional landscaping.
Free. Space is limited, those who are pre-registered will be admitted first. Pre-register here.
