Boston Flora

Tag: public garden

  • Thursday, November 9, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Eastern – Horticultural Approaches in the Southwest US, Online

    The American Horticultural Society will present an online event on November 9 at 2 Eastern. Native plants offer beauty and critical habitat for wildlife while solving landscape problems and promoting regional charm. We’ll explore their benefits and how to use them effectively by understanding garden ecology. Considerations for plant selection, as well as design and stewardship tips using examples from Texas, will fortify you with knowledge to successfully cultivate these plants in traditional or unexpected ways. $30 AHS members, $36 nonmembers. Register at www.ahsgardening.org

    Andrea DeLong-Amaya is the Director of Horticulture for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s gardens and nursery programs. With nearly 30 years of experience with native plants in horticulture, ecology, and garden design, she also teaches classes and writes for numerous gardening publications including Taunton’s Fine Gardening, American Public Gardens Association’s Public Garden, and Texas Gardener and Wildflower (the Center’s member magazine). DeLong-Amaya was featured in Jennifer Jewell’s podcast, Cultivating Place, and in her book, The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants.

  • Wednesday, June 28, 7:00 pm Eastern – Tool House Public Meeting, Online

    The Friends of the Public Garden and the City of Boston encourage members of the public to join them for the next Tool House Public Meeting on June 28 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. The City will present the final design plans for the Tool House in the Public Garden with a Q&A session to follow. Learn more about the project here and find more details about the public meeting here.

    This project is a partnership between Public Facilities and Parks and Recreation Department and is looking to improve the Tool House which is home to the maintenance for the Public Garden and storage for the Swan Boat operations.

    For more on the history of the public garden please visit the public gardens page.

  • Thursday, April 21, 9:30 am – 11:30 am – The Border Brigade Season Four Kick-Off

    Under the guidance of Eric DiTommaso, Parks Care Specialist on the staff of the Public Garden, we tend the borders of the Garden, mainly weeding and light pruning. Often Eric surprises us with a special project such as planting a mass of Hostas or heavily pruning some rose bushes.

    We meet the third Thursday of each month from 9:30 -11:30, usually at the Boylston Street entrance to the Garden.

    Small gardening tools are helpful and gloves highly recommended. Our first meeting this year will be on Thursday, April 21. If you are interested in joining us, or want more information, please send an email to Sherley Smith by clicking HERE.

  • Tuesday, November 29, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Museums Without Walls: The Sculpture Collection of the Boston Common, The Public Garden, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall

    Greater Boston boasts a number of art museums, each of which, naturally, has galleries for the display of art. These galleries are constructed of walls and floors and ceilings. Even more naturally, however, the city has another art museum, whose floor is the earth, whose ceiling is the sky, and whose walls are the trees. This special museum has three major galleries: the Boston Common, the Boston Public Garden, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. These galleries display an impressive collection of public sculpture that is free and accessible 24/7, 365 days a year. In this free public illustrated lecture, David Dearinger, PhD will give a brief overview of Boston’s “museum without walls” and the role that sculpture plays in its history and aesthetics. The talk will take place at the Boston Athenaeum, 10 1/2 Beacon Street,  on Tuesday, November 29, and registration is not required. For complete details visit http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/events/4142/museums-without-walls-sculpture-collection-boston-common-public-garden-and-commonwealth

    David B. Dearinger is Director of Exhibitions and Susan Morse Hilles Senior Curator of Paintings & Sculpture at the Boston Athenæum. He holds a PhD in art history from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York with a specialization in nineteenth century American art. He became a member of the curatorial staff at the National Academy of Design in New York in 1985, where he served as Chief Curator from 1995 until 2004, when he joined the Boston Athenæum. He has taught art history at a number of institutions, including the State University of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, where he taught for over twenty years. He has lectured and published widely in the field of American art and has curated and organized a number of exhibitions in New York and Boston.

  • Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 10 am and 4 pm – Guided Walking Tours of the Boston Public Garden

    This summer, the Friends of the Public Garden invite you to learn about the Untold Stories of the Public Garden focusing on the history, sculpture and horticulture of America’s first public botanical garden.

    Tours will be offered:

    Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
    10:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m.
    Meet at the Duckling statues to join the tour.

    Private tours can be arranged at any time. Please email info@friendsofthepublicgarden.org.

  • Wednesday, February 11, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Skating Night on Frog Pond

    The Friends of the Public Garden Young Friends group is hosting a private skating night on Frog Pond for all ages. Enjoy outdoor skating and mingling with Friends while supporting three historic greenspaces cared for by the Friends – the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The benefit will take place Wednesday, February 11 at the Frog Pond on Boston Common from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
    $35.00 per person (Skate rental and hot cocoa are included in ticket price.)
    Reserve your ticket today at https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=ftpg&id=19. Photo from www.meetup.com.

  • Tuesday, August 12, 5:30 pm – Public Garden Tour

    Join the Friends of the Public Garden for a walking tour of Boston’s iconic Public Garden. Learn about the history of America’s first botanical garden, and celebrate the plantings, sculpture, and memorials that make this a favorite destination for local residents and visitors from near and far. The garden has won numerous awards through the years. Most recently, it ranked 5th on TripAdvisors list of top parks across the nation and was awarded an “Editors’ Choice 2014 Home & Garden Award” by Yankee Magazine.
    Friends of the Public Garden Members: Free. Non-members: $15.00 Call 617-723-8144 for more information and to make reservations.

    The Friends of the Public Garden has been caring for the Garden along with the Boston Common and Commonwealth Avenue Mall for 44 years, in partnership with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

  • Monday, March 3, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – The Swan Boats

    The Swan Boats are some of the most historic figures in the Boston Public Garden, but do you ever wonder where they came from? Lyn Paget is the fourth generation of Swan Boat operators, dating back to 1877. Originally started by Lyn’s great grandfather, Robert Paget, and preserved by her great grandmother, Julia Paget, the Public Garden’s Swan Boats are enduring and iconic symbols of Boston.

    Initially starting out with one row boat, the Paget family adopted a number of paddle boats and christened them with the now iconic Swan imagery. Inspired by “Lohengrin”, an opera based on the medieval German story in which the protagonist traverses on a boat that is pulled by a swan, the Swan Boats are an important part of the Public Garden’s history.

    While the Swan Boats may not be in operation until April, the opportunity to learn more about them is coming up. On March 3rd, the Connolly branch of the Boston Public Library will be hosting a talk given by Lyn Paget on the Swan Boats. This will be a great chance to learn about the Swan Boat’s history, the Paget family’s traditions, and practices behind a quintessential Boston activity that has been enjoyed by Bostonians and visitors alike for over 136 years.

    This lecture is free of charge on March 3rd at 6:30 to 7:30 at the Connolly Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 422 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain. This event is recommended for young adults, college students, adults and seniors and is sponsored by the Jamaica Plain Historical Society.

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  • Monday, April 22 – 5% for Earth Day

    Boston has long been known for its commitment to preserving green space. The Boston Common, The Public Garden, the Emerald Necklace, the creation of the Charles River Basin, the clean-up of Boston Harbor, the revitalization of the Waterfront, the completion of Big Dig and the opening of the Rose Kennedy Greenway are but a few examples of the Commonwealth and the City’s dedication to public, open space throughout the years. All of these improvements were made possible through the commitment of a number of non-profit organizations that work hand in hand with our local, state and national government to keep our parks and open spaces in shape.

    For Earth Day 2013, five of these non-profits (the Charles River Conservancy, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the Esplanade Association, the Friends of Public Garden, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy) are joining forces to bring 5% for Earth Day to Boston. The campaign, which has seen three years of success in Austin, TX and expanded to the Houston, TX area in 2012, will ask Boston-area retailers to donate 5% of their gross proceeds on Monday April 22, 2013 to a coalition of non-profits that support projects in Boston’s parks and open spaces.

    Kickass Cupcakes, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Momogoose, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Henrietta’s Table, SkinHealth Centers, Shuckin Truck, and The Chubby Chickpea are among the participating businesses. Go to www.give5Boston.org for a complete list.

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  • Thursday, May 16, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm – Hidden Gardens of Beacon Hill

    The Beacon Hill Garden Club has donated more than $1 million in its eighty-five history. The Beacon Hill Garden Club’s contributions to over 200 local, state and national horticultural and conservation organizations have improved the urban landscape of Boston and beyond. This non-profit organization comprised of fewer than 100 members has raised money through its Annual Tour of the Hidden Gardens and through the publication of four Hidden Gardens of Beacon Hill books. On Thursday May 16th, the Beacon Hill Garden Club will host its 84th annual tour of the Hidden Gardens with a first ever President’s Luncheon at the Hampshire House and release its new book, The Hidden Gardens of Beacon Hill: Creating Green Spaces in Urban Places. This year’s tour combined with the President’s Luncheon and the sale of the new book are expected to reinvigorate the tour and raise significant money for charitable grants.

    This year’s tour on Thursday, May 16th will open the gates to twelve hidden gardens and four “ribbon” gardens that are viewed from the street. It is a self-guided tour and takes place rain or shine from 9:00am-5:00pm. Tour tickets ($35) and VIP Tickets ($75 includes tour ticket, President’s Luncheon and gift) are available for purchase online at www.beaconhillgardenclub.org. Tour tickets can also be purchased at select Charles Street stores and on the day of the tour for $40 at the Hostess Booths on Charles Street. Advance reservations are required for the President’s luncheon where tour guests will enjoy a sumptuous spring buffet while overlooking Boston’s beautiful Public Garden. All tour guests are invited to enjoy complimentary tea and refreshments at the Church of the Advent and shop the Tour Boutique. The Beacon Hill Garden Club will be using Square technology so that customers can conveniently pay for tickets, gifts and books with their credit card on Tour Day.

    Since the Beacon Hill Garden Club released its last book eleven years ago, urban gardening has taken root in today’s urban culture playing a much larger role as city dwellers look to bring “green” into their daily lives and beautify their outdoor spaces, however small and limiting. It is with this sensibility that the Beacon Hill Garden Club Book Committee created its fifth edition, The Hidden Gardens of Beacon Hill: Creating Green Spaces in Urban Places (88-page, full-color, hard bound book, 111 color photographs, $35). This edition unlocks the secrets and shared wisdom of club members through the photography of Peter Vanderwarker and Thomas Lingner/The Able Lens. It is a primer for all urban gardeners who want to learn more about how character, walls, paving, levels, gates and doors, ornaments, furniture, light, color and plants can elevate any outdoor space into an urban oasis. The book will be released in May and available for purchase on Tour Day and through the organization’s website.

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