Boston Flora

Tag: shrublands

  • Thursday, May 14, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – Shrublands of the American West, Online

    Shrublands exist all around us, thriving in almost any environmental condition, from the desiccating sunshine of the endless sagebrush steppe to the deep, private shade of moist forests. These diverse and inspiring ecosystems serve as perfect models for our gardens. Beyond their inherent beauty, they provide nurturing habitats, demonstrate resilience in the face of a changing climate, and offer a challenge to conventional garden-making through their intense aesthetics and obscured intentions. Join the American Horticultural Society and coauthor Michael Guidi of Shrouded in Light: Naturalistic Planting Inspired by Wild Shrublands to explore a glorious spectrum of wild shrublands and discover the philosophies and design strategies for bringing these magnificent plant communities into your home garden.

    Michael Guidi is the Manager of Horticulture Research Programs at Denver Botanic Gardens, where he integrates scientific research, ecological theory, and practical horticulture to promote resilient plant choices and landscape strategies. His work spans a wide range of topics, including plant breeding, plant tissue culture, direct-seeded vegetation, and green infrastructure. An advocate for dynamic, self-sustaining gardens, he demonstrates how thoughtful planting design can enhance biodiversity, bolster ecological resilience, and improve human well-being. In 2024, he coauthored Shrouded in Light: Naturalistic Plantings Inspired by Wild Shrublands, a book that explores the biology, philosophical foundations, and landscape potential of shrubland habitats worldwide. Michael holds a master’s degree in Ecology from Colorado State University.

    $15 for AHS members, $20 for nonmembers. Register at www.ahsgardening.org

  • Saturday, June 7, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Eco-tour – Native Shrubs and Shrublands: Lessons from Nature

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance will sponsor a tour on June 7 at 10:30 am in Brimfield. Join Dan Wilder for a tour of one of his favorite (and unknown) sites with fantastic shrub diversity in Brimfield, Massachusetts. We will explore a shrub-dominated community to discuss the role of shrubs in natural landscapes and see what lessons we can employ in residential landscapes. Location will be confirmed after reservation. Dan Jaffe Wilder is an ecologist, horticulturist, and botanist with over fifteen years’ experience working with native plants and their associated ecology. His work has ranged from classrooms to nurseries to botanical gardens to wildlife refuges specializing in native plant ecology, propagation, wildlife habitat construction, and native edible landscapes. Dan is currently the Director of Applied Ecology for the Norcross Wildlife Foundation whose mission is to protect, enhance, and expand wildlife through conservation, education, and support. A prolific photographer and author Dan’s book Native Plants for New England Gardens was released in 2018.

    FREE for ELA members $10 for non-members. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tournative-shrubs-and-shrublandslessons-from-nature/

  • 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.