Boston Flora

Tag: Polly Hill Arboretum

  • One Seed at a Time

    This is story of the Polly Hill Arboretum internship program. In 1958 at age 50, Polly Hill began her arboretum by sowing a seed on her family’s summer property, then known as Barnard’s Inn Farm. She was always looking for plants that would grow out of latitude and thrive on Martha’s Vineyard and traveled extensively collected seeds from all over the world. In the 1990’s her beautiful private gardens became a public arboretum and shortly afterwards with her help and the efforts of David Smith and Sam Feldman the Internship Program was formed. Many young people have gone through either the summer or 9 month program and continued on with great success in the horticulture world. This is their story and the story of their remarkable mentor.  Watch a short, ten minute video by Marnie Stanton on the internship program, entitled One Seed at a Time, by clicking this link: http://vimeo.com/39297752.  Video funded by the Edey Foundation.

  • Thursday, May 10 – Monday, May 14 – Belgium Garden Tour

    Don’t miss this unique opportunity to travel as guests of the Polly Hill Arboretum to the exquisite gardens of Belgium. PHA Board member Philippe deSpoelberch will welcome guests on the first and second day to his private garden and Arboretum, newly opened to the public in 2011! Prices begin at $3000.00 per person (land only). This includes a $1000 tax deductible donation to the PHA to cover staff costs. Note – All prices subject to change based on the currency exchange.

    Included in the price

    • 5 nights bed and breakfast at the 5-star Le Méridien, Brussels

    • Comfortable coaching in Belgium

    • Entrance to the National Botanic Garden of Belgium; the arboreta of Kalmthout, Bokrijk, Het Leen (pictured below) and Wespelaar; the private gardens of Herkenrode; and Hemelrijk Garden

    • Services of a Brightwater Holidays representative

    • Polly Hill Collections Manager Thomas Clark and his wife horticulturist Sandy Clark will be traveling with the group to answer horticultural questions.

    Not included (per person)

    • Single room supplement $670.00

    • Insurance

    • Flights

    Additional Notes – The schedule is subject to change, a more formal timeline will be presented as details are finalized. Participants will be required to make a $1000.00 deposit (per person) to reserve a spot, by January 30, with final payment due March 15.

    Tom Clark is a nationally known plantsman and has been our Collections Manager since 2007 and is always ready to share his knowledge and passion for plants. Tom is thrilled to be traveling with fellow garden enthusiasts to share in these wonderful landscapes.

    Questions? Contact karin@pollyhillarboretum.org or call 508-693-9426

    If you are interested please let us know as soon as possible since we need to know the level of interest to proceed with travel plans.

  • Saturday, November 12, 10:00 am – Polly Hill Arboretum Guided Walk

    This Saturday, November 12, join Polly Hill Arboretum Executive Director Tim Boland for a guided walk through the grounds.  Right now there is much to see, including witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), pictured below, which has begun to bloom.  This Martha’s Vineyard native plant has spidery flowers and a soft fragrance.  The walk begins at 10 am.  This is the first of a winter walk series, which will be held the second Saturday of the month, through March.  Tours run about an hour and begin at the Visitor Center.  Tours are free, although a donation is always appreciated.  For more information, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Friday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Aster Identification Workshop

    Join Polly Hill Arboretum research associate Melissa Dow Cullina for a workshop on the Identification and Ecology of Asters, September 30 – October 1, 9 – 3. In this intensive two-day workshop students will study the many asters of Martha’s Vineyard. On day one, Cullina will give a presentation on the species reported for the Island, discussing their various features, abundance, and habitat, and introduce students to terminology and morphology specific to asters using photographs and specimens. Day two the class will go afield to practice identification in the wild using field guides and manuals. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Bring a brown bag lunch. $120/$100 for PHA members. $80 for professionals associated with Island land management or conservation. Register by calling 508-693-9426.  Photo by Susan Safford, originally published in the Martha’s Vineyard Times.

  • Tuesday, August 23, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Herbal Tea Workshop

    Ever wonder which herbs work well in blends together–for both taste and function? How do you combine cultivated and wild herbs to make a healing tea for colds & flu? For mineral content? For soothing the stomach? Which herbs taste best, and how do you make them the most effective? Learn the art of tea blending from Holly Bellebuono of Vineyard Herbs, sample some of her delicious signature teas, and enjoy an afternoon tea-time of healing camaraderie, on Tuesday, August 23 from 1 – 3 at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury.   $45/$40 for PHA members, please pre-register. 508-693-9426.  Photo from www.makemychai.com, which provides daily tea news.

  • Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 pm, and Thursday, July 14, 9:00 – 12:00 noon – Gardening with Native Plants

    Join author and native plant enthusiast Carolyn Summers for an evening lecture (Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 pm)  and morning workshop (Thursday, July 14, 9 – 12) on designing and gardening with native plants.  Based on her book Designing Gardens with the Flora of the American East, Ms. Summers will show how to increase biodiversity in our gardens, for beautiful, sustainable results which also benefit wildlife.  The events will be held in the Far Barn at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard, and the cost to attend the Wednesday evening talk is $5 for PHA members, $10 for nonmembers, and the Thursday seminar will be $30 for PHA members, $35 for nonmembers.  For more information, log on to www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Thursday, July 7, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – The Art of Bonsai

    What makes bonsai, those little trees in pots, so appealing? Perhaps it is how bonsai design mimics our big world on a miniature scale. Don Sibley, co-founder of the Martha’s Vineyard Bonsai Club, will disclose many secrets in this revealing workshop, to be held at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury on Thursday, July 7 from 10 – 11:30 am. Discover what makes big, old trees look the way they do and how these characteristics inform successful bonsai design. Students will observe trees both large and small. Sibley has taught painting at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts for 35 years and has recently retired from his position as gardener at Chappaquiddick’s Mytoi Garden. He has had a lifelong interest in Japanese gardening practices and bonsai. $20/$10 for PHA members.  For more information visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, July 6, 4:00 pm – Healing Ourselves Across Six Continents

    Join Holly Bellebuono of Vineyard Herbs at 4 pm on Wednesday, July 6 at the Polly Hill Arboretum in Martha’s Vineyard for an intriguing account of the most influential women healers of the 21st century. After two years of traveling and conducting interviews, Holly shares the extraordinary stories of traditional healing practices and the women from around the world who are keeping them alive. Come for a colorful slide show presentation followed by light refreshments and a tasting of Vineyard Herbs’ signature herbal teas. $25/$15 for PHA members.  Please register in advance by calling 508-693-9426.

  • Tuesday, June 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Joys of Butterfly Gardening

    Butterflies are welcome visitors to the gardens at Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard. Join Susie Bowman, teacher/naturalist at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and avid gardener, to learn how to attract more of these beautiful insects to your garden. She will introduce the basic needs of butterflies and how to plan or modify gardens to meet these needs. Susie will illustrate with images of island butterflies that frequent specific plants at the Felix Neck butterfly garden. The program will conclude with a walk to the Polly Hill homestead border. Butterfly-friendly plant list included!  $20/$10 for PHA members.  For more information, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Tuesdays, June 21, June 28, July 12 & July 19, and Thursdays, August 4 & 11, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Observing and Drawing the Landscape

    Learn art techniques to record observations of the natural landscape with Diane Nicholls, painter, illustrator, and landscape historian. Lessons, which take place at the Polly Hill Arboretum in Martha’s Vineyard, will include perspective, sketching, and developing personal “shorthand.” Methods for keeping a daily sketch book will also be covered. Each class can stand on its own or taken as a series, the sessions augment each other. $35/$30 for PHA members per class, $30/$25 per class for 2 or more sessions.  The sessions will take place Tuesdays, June 21, June 28, July 12 and July 19, and Thursdays, August 4 and 11, from 1 – 4 pm.  Please register in advance and call for supply list: 508-693-9426.  Picture below courtesy of the Martha’s Vineyard Times.