Boston Flora

Tag: Seaport District

  • Saturday, November 30, 4:00 pm – 2024 Lighting of the Ship at Martin’s Park

    A special children’s celebration will be held on Saturday, November 30, at 4 p.m. at the Smith Family Waterfront in the Seaport District and Fort Point neighborhood when the Friends of Martin’s Park and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department host the fourth annual holiday lighting of the ship in Martin’s Park. The presenting sponsor is Nan Fung Life Sciences Real Estate. Additional support provided by MacKay Construction and WS Development. 

    Martin’s Park will be transformed into a beautiful holiday display when the ship, surrounding beach fencing, and pedestrian bridge are illuminated with over 1,500 feet of blue and white tube lights. 

    Other festive attractions include: 

    With donations, attendees will have the opportunity to take home a customized special souvenir of the fourth annual event while supplies last. Santa will arrive by boat with the Boston Police Harbor Unit at the Harborwalk. Entertainment will be provided by a cappella group Ball In The House performing a selection of holiday classics. Seaport’s own Betty the Yeti will make an appearance.  Hot cocoa will be provided by Tuscan Kitchen. For more information, visit the lighting Martin’s Park page or call (617) 635-4505. 

  • Tuesday, July 11, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Eco-Tour: Irrigation Tools and Techniques at The Greenway and Seaport Parks

    Landscapes and recreational facilities are the green space that provide ecosystem services and aesthetics that enhance our quality of life in urban settings. With the growing variability of weather, maintaining these landscapes relies on well-designed irrigation systems to conserve water and the energy to deliver it.

    Join The Ecological Landscape Alliance on Tuesday, July 11 at 10 am for a tour to two urban sites in downtown Boston that demonstrate a variety of irrigation types and practices to help save water.

    First stop on the tour is the Rose Kennedy Greenway, to learn about the Conservancy’s approach to sustainable and frugal water management practices. The Conservancy takes advantage of Boston’s natural rainfall and supplements it with automated irrigation as needed. Appropriate irrigation system elements in conjunction with weather and plant monitoring inform the Conservancy adjustments to irrigation run times and frequency. The irrigation controllers have rain sensors which stop scheduled irrigation after a preset amount of rainfall has occurred. The Conservancy also employs hand watering for containers and newly planted materials. To further reduce the Greenway’s water consumption, the Conservancy regularly conducts audits of the irrigation system functionality and water usage to allow for quick detection and repair of leaks and malfunctions.

    The second stop on the tour is the Seaport District parks, to explore ways to irrigate urban street scapes and small pocket parks. Brian Vinchesi will be discussing the sustainability features of drip irrigation and tree irrigation for a diverse group of landscapes. He will also explain irrigation infrastructure, the smart controllers necessary to manage the system.

    The tour will review the irrigation technologies, design, and operational strategies being used to help save water while managing healthy landscapes. Brian will also explain how older systems might be improved to be more sustainable.

    Brian Vinchesi, who holds a degree in agricultural (irrigation) engineering, is President of Irrigation Consulting, a national irrigation design and consulting firm. Irrigation Consulting performs irrigation consulting services throughout the United States and overseas. Vinchesi has 34 years of irrigation design experience in the turf, landscape and golf sectors. He is responsible for field evaluation, construction administration and project management. He is a past president of the Irrigation Association and the American Society of Irrigation Consultants. He serves on many Irrigation Association committees including being chair or the Smart Water Applications Technology initiative as well as the IA Standards and Codes Committee. He is a LEED-AP, the 2015 Irrigation Association Industry Achievement Award Winner and the 2009 EPA WaterSense Irrigation Partner of the Year.

    $23 for ELA members, $33 for nonmembers. Register and see more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-irrigation-tools-techniques-greenway-seaport-parks/#sthash.Z1AWE4QF.dpuf

  • Friday, August 1, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Federal Reserve Bank Green Roof Tour

    The 18,000 sq ft. roof garden at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston was installed in 1976 and is considered one of the oldest, still original roof gardens in the country.

    The roof garden was designed by Robert Fager, ASLA who worked for the building architects, Hugh Stubbins & Associates. Frank W. Sellner was the landscape architect consultant for the project. He often told stories of interning for Beatrix Farrand and his work experience with Fletcher Steele!

    The garden is on the fourth floor, 90′ above the ground floor with sweeping views towards Boston Harbor and the Seaport District. The roof garden has many specimen trees. Organically grown edibles are incorporated into the seasonal plantings.

    The FRB property has over 200 trees and a 60′ roof top greenhouse all maintained by the Bank’s horticulture staff.  The street address is 600 Atlantic Avenue, and the cost of the tour is $15. Sponsored by The Landscape Institute at the Boston Architectural College, you may reserve a spot for the Friday, August 1 tour by emailing pce@the-bac.edu.