Boston Flora

Tag: Stevens-Coolidge House

  • Thursday, August 5, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Invasive Plant Species Management & Native Plant Restoration, Online

    Join The Trustees, wetland scientist Michael DeRosa and master gardener Catherine Carney-Felman, for a virtual lecture on August 5 between 6 – 7 all about invasive plant species management and native plant restoration.

    Using the foundation of works by Dr. Douglas Tallamy (Bringing Nature Home, Nature’s Best Hope, The Nature of Oaks) we will discuss the importance of identifying and managing invasive plant species in our own yards and re-establishment of native species in a collective effort to restore the caterpillar and insect populations that form the basis of our interconnected food webs. We will also discuss some invasive plant removal and management techniques and consider native plants that we can all use to form the important plant communities that can be easily incorporated in our home and neighborhood landscapes.

    Virtual lecture attendees are welcome to a complimentary tour of our wetlands gardens at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens, date to be announced.

    Michael DeRosa is a Professional Wetland Scientist and population ecologist specializing in ecological restoration. He is a Licensed Site Professional and manages hazardous waste site evaluations, assessments, and remedial actions within the Commonwealth and a LEED Accredited Professional under the US Green Building Council. Mike incorporated DeRosa Environmental Consulting, Inc. in 1994 and has cultivated the company into a diversified group of scientists that develop ecologically based solutions to the environmental problems of the day.

    Catherine Carney-Felman, M. Ed., Master Gardener, NOFA Certification, Member of the Ipswich Conservation Commission, Board Member of the Ipswich Humane Group, Principal of Shamrock Acres Environmental Landscape Company, volunteer in charge of the nature gardens at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary and Ipswich River Watershed Association, writer, lecturer, and speaker on many environmental, gardening and animal subjects, unabashed tree hugger and animal rescuer.

    This lecture will be held on Zoom. Space is limited; pre-registration is required by clicking HERE.

    For more information please contact tickets@thetrustees.org

  • Saturday, July 31, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Monet’s Garden Floral Centerpiece

    Just like Helen and John were inspired by French gardens for their beloved Ashdale Farm, Claude Monet also used his gardens for inspiration for his famous garden paintings. Inspired by French Impressionist Claude Monet, this floral workshop on July 31 at the Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens in North Andover will take a closer look at his celebrated paintings as the inspiration for your floral centerpiece.

    Whether you are inspired by the robust reds, pastel pinks, or cobalt blues of his brushstrokes; participants will explore Monet’s paintings and the gardens that inspired them. Participants will learn about the types of flowers grown in his gardens in Giverny, France in comparison to the flowers grown in our garden at Stevens-Coolidge. Participants will then explore the gardens with a guided tour finishing with a stop in our Cutting Garden to cut the flowers for your centerpiece inspired by the color palette of Monet’s impressionist paintings.

    In this workshop, participants will learn:

    • Step-by-step centerpiece construction techniques
    • Choosing the correct floral supplies and vessels
    • Understanding colors and fundamental ingredients
    • Understanding basic floral design fundamentals

    Space is Limited. Pre-Registration is required. Trustees members $65, nonmembers $75. Register HERE.

  • Rejuvenation of The Stevens-Coolidge House and Gardens

    The Trustees of Reservations (Trustees) is pleased to announce a multi-year rejuvenation at The Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens (formerly Stevens-Coolidge Place) in North Andover. The gardens and house are currently undergoing work to create new garden rooms which complement the core historic gardens and house while also providing new experiences for visitors. The project also reorients the site with a new entrance on Chickering Road removing the need for pedestrians to cross Andover Street in order to enter the site. The Trustees created a master plan with Mikyoung Kim Design landscape architects and Maryann Thompson Architects for the historic garden site. The major features of the new plan includes a Gateway to the Garden from Chickering Road, landscaping which makes the historic house more accessible, and garden designs.  

    The plan builds upon the work done on this 91-acre property in recent years first by volunteers and more recently by a dedicated staff.  The previously restored gardens—including the rose garden, greenhouse, potager, perennial garden, and cutting garden—provide the estate’s primary link to the past. The plan preserves the overall architectural structure and American Country Place style, while adding new and expanded display garden spaces—featuring plantings of the latest ornamental species, varieties, and cultivars in contemporary designs—as well as creating native shrub and wildflower displays, and nature trails through the woodlands, fields, and meadows of the historic Ashdale Farm property. 

    As visitors approach the property twenty-two American lindens (Tilia americana ‘Redmond’) will flank the new entry lane, eventually lending shade to this now open expanse. In keeping with the flavor and feel of the historic gardens The Trustees is incorporating hedges as a space defining feature in new garden spaces. Between the wetland garden and the Cutting Garden a hedge of Winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Sparkleberry’). This small, but prolific, fruited cultivar will be maintained as a hedge of 4-5’ tall providing a backdrop for the wetland garden and a sense of enclosure for the Cutting Garden. Additionally, this hedge will provide both winter interest and repast for overwintering birds. 

    The new entrance and visitor orientation and the expanded garden displays will improve the Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens as a gathering garden space for North Andover and surrounding communities. For history lovers, the spaces will also reveal more of the importance of the Stevens and Coolidge families in local and regional history.  

    A Spring Spectacular, running April 21 – May 16, 2021, launches the rejuvenation celebration. More than 165,000 bulbs will light nine display gardens with the exuberant colors of spring. In addition to the display gardens, visitors will enjoy a series of programs and events staged amidst the garden’s beauty.

  • Saturday, March 20, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Spring Bulb Floral Arrangement Workshop, Online

    Don’t wait for April showers. Join the Trustees and Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens in a virtual spring bulb arrangement class on March 20 from 10 – noon.

    Each participant will be introduced to different spring flower varieties, learn how to create a thoughtful garden-inspired floral arrangement in a light and vibrant color palette using basic floral design fundamentals and unique ingredients. Perfect for gift-giving or bring spring into your home after the long winter!

    Call to arrange floral pick-up for the Friday before the workshop.

    Space is limited. Pre-registration required via https://thetrustees.org/event/59398/ and will close 5 days before workshop date.

    Workshop will be on Zoom. Participants will receive Zoom link and login info the morning of the program.

    Trustees Member $60 / Non-Member $75

  • Thursday, February 6, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Sage & Oak Chalk Lettering Workshop

    Join Sydney from Sage & Oak Creative for a night of chalkboard art and seasonal apple cider. The workshop will be held February 6 at 7 pm at The Trustees’ Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover.

    Gardening and creativity go hand in hand: a form of therapy and creative release – allowing us to disconnect from work and responsibilities and get our hands a little dirty.

    Come learn about the best tools and how you can turn anything in your home (mirrors, mugs, chalkboards, glass) into a way to express your creative side. No need to buy those pieces from a home goods store – make them yourself.

    Materials, seasonal apple cider, and chalked outline will be provided. Have a favorite flower or gardening element? Let’s draw it! Have an idea for your home you’d like to make? Bring your example and let’s make it happen.

    This lecture is part of a new Wednesday evening winter workshop series offered at The Stevens-Coolidge Place.

    Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. Trustees members $32, nonmembers $40. Register at http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/northeast/event-50622.html

  • Friday, June 10, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Rose Garden Soiree

    June is the prime time for The Trustees of Reservations Rose Garden at The Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover, and they want to celebrate the beginning of garden season with you! Join them on Friday, June 10 from 6 – 8 for a relaxing social evening of cocktails and live music among the roses. Trustees members $24, nonmembers $30. Register by calling 978-356-4351, x 4020, or email cshortliffe@thetrustees.org.