Boston Flora

Tag: Speakers

  • From the Archives: Buying Speakers

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay has welcomed an impressive roster of guest speakers to our meetings since we began. The usual process is to identify a topic of interest to our members, and then search for an appropriate person to deliver the information. In 1983, however, late members Stella Trafford and Susan Davis attended an auction held for the benefit of the Arnold Arboretum, which was held at the Case Estates in Weston. They made successful bids on two distinguished speakers – Corliss Engle, who promised to talk on the topic of Begonias, and Lily Rice, whose subject was Daffodils. Each high bid was $25. Additionally, Stella and Susan purchased two spring garden tours: the Haffenreffer garden in Chestnut Hill ($40), and Uplands in Manchester ($70).  Corliss Engle, whose contributions to the Begonia Society led to the naming of Begonia ‘Corliss Engle’ in her honor. gave her presentation on November 10, 1983, and Ms. Rice spoke on March 15, 1984.  We have not yet found mention in our records of taking the two tours purchased.  To see the array of programs presented over the years, we encourage you to visit https://bostonflora.com/history/, and if any recent speaker is of interest, email info@bostonflora.com and we can try to put you in touch.  Photo of a begonia cross of ‘Corliss Engle’ below is by Guy Savard.

  • Saturday, September 10, 8:45 am – 2:00 pm – Autumn in Ashland

    The Ashland Garden Club will present Autumn in Ashland, a garden tour with demonstrations and speakers, on Saturday, September 10, from 8:45 – 2, at a cost of $20 per person, which includes lunch.  The event will be located in one of Ashland’s most spectacular private gardens.  Activities will include guided garden tours and a raffle.  Tickets will go on sale in late summer. Contact Diane at 508-881-8165, email info@ashlandgardenclub.org, or visit www.ashlandgardenclub.org for more information.

  • Saturday, April 17, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm – Cape Cod Horticultural Conference

    Come to the Barnstable High School Performing Arts Center, 744 West Main Street in Hyannis on Saturday, April 17, for a full day conference beginning at 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, sponsored by the Master Gardener Association of Cape Cod.  The program will feature:

    Rick Darke, The Wild Garden: A fresh look at the wild garden concept and will illustrate why it is the most enjoyable, sensible approach for livable, ecologically sustainable modern landscapes;

    Vincent Simeone, Wonders of the Winter Landscape: How to enhance the aesthetic value and interest of the garden by using horticultural treasures such as winter fruiting plants, broadleaved evergreens, conifers and trees with interesting bark;

    C.L. Fornari, The Top 25: 25 plants that she thinks you should know about, along with the 25 most interesting/amusing/useful bits of gardening information she has learned in over 25 years of gardening.

    Book signings with speakers, lunch, marketplace, and a raffle will be part of the day. MCLP and MCH professional credits are available.  The cost of $60 includes lunch.  For more information, call 508-375-6690, or email tramos@barnstablecounty.org.  You may also find information at www.capecodextension.org.

    http://diggingdog.com/bookcovers/pockgdgrasses.jpg

  • Garden Club of the Back Bay Holiday Wreaths – Supporting Environmental Awareness

    Part of the mission statement of The Garden Club of the Back Bay is to educate the public on horticultural and environmental issues.  In furtherance of that mission, we organize an annual series of lectures and meetings with prominent speakers.  Guests are welcome and encouraged to attend almost all meetings, which are listed on the Calendar page of this website (scroll down past the calendar grid for complete descriptions).   We love a theme, and this year we are exploring the topic of “The Ethical Gardener.”  Should we garden organically?  Should we design our gardens with native plantings?  Should be buy food locally from the farmers markets or CSA’s?  Do our floral centerpieces need to be made with imported tropical blooms with a high carbon footprint?  What about saving the birds by drinking shade grown bird friendly coffee?  So many issues, and not all of them are clear cut.  Proceeds from our wreath sales help subsidize the contributions we make to the organizations (mostly not for profit) who provide the speakers for our programs.  Please do plan a trip into the Back Bay on one of our meeting days, and know that all are welcome to join our Club.  We have no geographic restrictions on membership!  To order a wreath or poinsettia, click here.

  • Monday, November 16, 6:30 pm – Historic Barns in Southeastern Massachusetts

    Barns are a treasured part of the rural Massachusetts landscape but are too quickly becoming an endangered species. On Monday, November 16, beginning at 6:30 pm at the Bristol County Agricultural High School library, 135 Center Street in Dighton, hear about the styles of barns in Southeastern Massachusetts, tips on stabilizing barns until full preservation can begin, and how the Community Preservation Act supports historic preservation in other Massachusetts towns. Speakers include master timberframer Ian Ellison and other Massachusetts historic preservation specialists.

    Submit pictures of local barns with specific questions to Kelley Whitmore, kwhitmore@ttor.org. Please know we may not be able to cover all submissions. Pre-registration via email to Kelley is requested by not required.

    Sponsored by The Trustees of Reservations and Preservation Massachusetts.  Free admission.  For directions, you may also call 508-636-7043.

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FCRFPn2IKPU/SkvP1fCbRTI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/4ZcQnepFNuY/s320/Hunt+Barn.jpg

  • Wednesday, June 24, 6-8 pm – Build a Backyard Butterfly Haven

    By adding a progression and variety of easy-to-grow, nectar-rich flowers to your home garden, you can ensure a season-long treat in the form of visiting butterflies. Suzanne Mahler, one of the Garden Club of the Back Bay’s former speakers, is an expert in the subject and she’ll show you how mass plantings of colorful flowers, particularly those tinted pink and lavender, are irresistible to butterflies passing overhead. Butterflies are fragile creatures, and Suzanne will talk about how to ensure your garden is a haven for them. $5 for members of Massachusetts Horticultural Society, $10 general admission.  To register, and for directions, log on to www.masshort.org.