Boston Flora

Tag: Polly Hill Arboretum

  • Saturday, October 13, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – The Science, Art, and Lore of Pickling

    Who doesn’t love the zesty crunch of a pickle? Before refrigeration pickling (acidic preservation) was more than just a delicious addition to a meal, it was an essential strategy for safe food storage.

    Judith Sumner, author of American Household Botany: A History of Useful Plants, 1620-1900, will uncover the history of pickling with “receipts” gathered from early New England cookbooks. She will explain the antimicrobial properties of herbs and spices as well as present the wide range of foods that can be pickled. Ready to pickle at home? Modern pickling recipes and methods will also be presented.  The program will take place Saturday, October 13 beginning at 1 pm at The Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury. $25/$15 for PHA members. For directions and information visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Saturday, October 13, 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Inspirational Women of Botany

    Herbalists, midwives, gardeners, cooks: Women have been expert practical botanists since pre-history. Many also became recognized professional botanists who contributed widely to plant science. From authoring the first botany textbooks to establishing the science of ecology, women botanists did it all! Join author Dr. Judith Sumner to explore the continuing role of women in botanical studies, conservation, landscape design, and horticulture including the significant work of the Polly Hill Arboretum’s own Polly Hill. Come celebrate the many important roles of women in practical and scientific botany on Saturday, October 13, beginning at 10 am, at the Arboretum in West Tisbury. $20/$10 for PHA members. For more information visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Tuesday, August 14, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Antique Rugs: A Walk Through the Garden

    Join Peter Pap, of Peter Pap Oriental Rugs, on Tuesday, August 14 at the Polly Hill Arboretum, to explore the drawing of flowers and trees in the design of antique rugs. He will discuss the use of plant materials in the natural dye process; the brilliant colors that we see in antique rugs today were achieved using these organic dyes.

    Following his talk (4 – 5), Peter will preview the rugs from his collection for the benefit trunk show and sale to be held at the Far Barn on August 15 & 16.  Peter has been dealing in antique oriental rugs for over 37 years and is a foremost expert. He has two galleries and appears regularly as a guest appraiser on Antiques Roadshow.  A portion of all rug sales during and related to the trunk show will benefit the Arboretum. No fee, refreshments included.  For more information visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, August 8, 7:30 pm – Open Space Conservation on Nantucket

    Sometimes it seems the only thing Nantucket and the Vineyard share is a high school football rivalry! However, joking aside, they share many things in common, especially when it comes to issues of land conservation and habitat preservation.

    On Wednesday, August 8, beginning at 7:30 pm, join Cormac Collier, director of the Nantucket Land Council, at the Polly Hill Arboretum in Martha’s Vineyard to learn about the protection of Nantucket’s distinctive plant and animal communities and the organizations and initiatives that are involved. Discover Nantucket’s sandplain grasslands, coastal heathlands, shrublands, and tupelo (beetlebung to us!) forests. Collier will also discuss the role the Land Council plays in conservation restrictions and environmental advocacy. $10/$5 for PHA members. Sponsored by SBS. Register at www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, August 8, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, and Thursday, August 9, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – An Introduction to Bogs

    Cranberries and sphagnum moss are plants we recognize, but do you know about the unique habitat they call home? Join Sherrif’s Meadow Director of Stewardship, Kristen Fauteux, and MVLBC Land Bank ecologist, Julie Russell, on an exploration of our island’s local bog communities, in a two day class sponsored by the Polly Hill Arboretum in Martha’s Vineyard, Wednesday, August 8 – Thursday, August 9. Learn about the physical and chemical characteristics that comprise bogs and the unique plant communities that inhabit them.

    Begin Wednesday with a half day class at PHA then put on your boots for a journey into the world of water, peat, plants and more. Thursday we will continue our outdoor bog exploration. $90/$70 for PHA members, $50 for professionals associated with Island land management or conservation organizations. To register, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.  Image from gtapestry.blogspot.com.

  • Thursday, August 2, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Wine, Cheese … and Trees

    The beautiful light of a Martha’s Vineyard summer evening— experience the magic of the Arboretum on this stroll through the Polly Hill Arboretum garden with horticultural consultant, designer, and photographer Patrick Cullina and PHA’s Tim Boland and Tom Clark. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the grounds and “talk trees” with this fun and incredibly knowledgeable group.

    Wine and cheese served from 5-7pm.  Tour beginning at 5:45pm .  Event fee $75/$65 for PHA members, refreshments are included in the price.

    Tickets must be purchased in advance, call 508-693-9426 or email Karin@pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, August 1, 7:30 pm – Shopping for Paradise: Gathering Perspective in the Pursuit of Plants

    Shopping for plants has gotten confusing. With the unending new plant varieties available, how do you distinguish real value from novelty? How do you discern great plants from the not-so-good, and does buying the best plants lead to the best gardens?

    Join Patrick Cullina at the Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury, Martha’s Vineyard, on Wednesday, August 1 beginning at 7:30 pm as he explores methods for navigating the nursery, shopping for the garden, and strategies for selecting beautiful plants one might otherwise miss. Cullina is a consultant, horticultural designer, and photographer who previously served as vice president of horticulture and park operations for Friends of the High Line in New York City as well as vice president at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. $10/$5 for PHA members. Sponsored by Middletown Nursery. To register, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Friday, July 20, 10:00 am – Nature’s Partners: Pollinators, Plants, and You

    One of the oldest, most interesting, and important phenomena in the natural world is pollination by insects: the transfer of genetic material among plants by bees, flies, butterflies, and beetles. Insect pollinators are critical to both natural plant communities and human food production – yet for many, knowledge of pollinators stops with the honey bee.

    Entomologist Paul Goldstein and Nature Conservancy ecologist Matt Pelikan team up to introduce the science of pollination, discuss how people interact with the Island’s insect pollinators, and present ways to enhance native pollinator diversity in order to better harmonize landscape management and agriculture, at the Polly Hill Arboretum on Friday, July 20 at 10 am. No Fee.  For more information visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.

  • Wednesday, July 18, 12:00 noon – Black Oaks in Peril

    Dr. Neil Hendrickson, PhD Forestry of the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories (Northeast) will visit Martha’s Vineyard to address the subject of infestation to our native black oaks, (Quercus velutina) by the cynipid, ‘crypt’ gall wasp, (Bassettia ceropteroides). Anyone who has an interest in the landscapes, trees and natural beauty of Cape Cod and The Islands is invited to attend this free lecture at The Polly Hill Arboretum. Dr. Hendrickson will be accompanied by Mark P. DiBiase, MCA & Arborist Representative for Bartlett Tree Experts on Martha’s Vineyard and Falmouth, MA. The information session is sponsored by the local offices of the F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Co. Inc.

    For more information, you may contact Mark at mdibiase@bartlett.com or by calling 508-693-4846 or 508-540-3903. Since Wednesday is the Gardens of Martha’s Vineyard tour day, this program may work well into your schedule.

  • Thursday, July 19, 10:00 am – Behind the Plastic Curtain

    Want to know what goes on in the Polly Hill Arboretum greenhouse and nursery? Here’s your chance to get more than just the tantalizing glimpse most visitors experience. Led by collections and grounds manager Tom Clark, we’ll stroll right past the “Employees Only” sign and explore the inner workings of the Arboretum’s plant production facilities. We’ll look at the nuts and bolts, hear about the impact these new facilities have had on the development of the Arboretum’s living collection, and see some of the results of PHA’s plant exploration trips to Japan and the Southeast, and local collecting here on the Vineyard. The excursion takes place Thursday, July 19, beginning at 10 in the morning in West Tisbury. $5/free for PHA members. For more information, visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org.