Boston Flora

Tag: Teaching Herb Garden

  • Tuesday, July 21, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm – Explore the Teaching Herb Garden Guided Tour

    The Teaching Herb Garden at the Gardens at Elm Bank is divided into theme beds, which radiate from the center and include: fragrance, dye, culinary, native American, medicinal, edible plants and flowers, and a Colonial theme garden. A collection of Salvia plants was added in 2006. Along one side, a rectangular bed is planted with sweet violets and groundcover plants. On the opposite side of the garden, we feature the “Herb of the Year.” Another bed features an Ecumenical Garden. The plants in this garden have religious or symbolic importance in the five major religions, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. On either side of the teaching arbor, the beds are overflowing with roses and lavender and the perennial border is a visual delight. Planter/benches hold fragrant herbs that welcome visitors to touch and feel and to also smell the herbs. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society is offering this July 21 tour, from 10 – 12:30. Limited Space, Pre-registration required at www.masshort.org $15/member $25/general admission

  • Tuesday, June 23, 10:30 am – 12:00 noon – Explore the Teaching Herb Garden

    Susan Leigh Anthony and Lucy Dean, members of The New England Unit of the Herb Society of America, will lead a program in The Teaching Herb Garden at The G3 from 10:30 – noon. They will point out several of their favorite plants, and share stories and methods of harvesting, history, lore and plant uses.

    The Teaching Herb Garden is divided into theme beds, which radiate from the center and include: fragrance, dye, culinary, native American, medicinal, edible plants and flowers, and a Colonial theme garden. A collection of Salvia plants was added in 2006. Along one side, a rectangular bed is planted with sweet violets and groundcover plants. On the opposite side of the garden, we feature the “Herb of the Year.” Another bed features an Ecumenical Garden. The plants in this garden have religious or symbolic importance in the five major religions, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. On either side of the teaching arbor, the beds are overflowing with roses and lavender and the perennial border is a visual delight. Planter/benches hold fragrant herbs that welcome visitors to touch and feel and to also smell the herbs.

    The Massachusetts Horticultural Society hopes you can join us for this program highlighting one of our most interesting gardens led by the people who maintain and care for it. At the end of the talk there will be a brief Herb Search for attendees. $15 for Mass Hort members, $25 for nonmembers. Register at http://masshort.org, or call 617-933-4973.

    Image result for Teaching Herb Garden Mass Hort

  • Saturday, May 11, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm – Become a Locavore: Grow Herbs

    Come rain or shine! May 11, the Saturday before Mother’s Day, is the date The New England Unit of the Herb Society of America holds its famed Annual Great Herb & Heirloom Plant Sale. The Herb Sale is the Unit’s primary fundraiser, and monies raised support local educational outreach projects and the ‘Teaching Herb Garden’ at Elm Bank.

    This year’s Plant Sale Buyer is Nasrin Morovaty, a woman with an international outlook and tons of enthusiasm. Yes, we’ll have parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Yet, imagine local heirloom tomatoes and an unparalleled selection of herbs (some are organic). Over 2000 herb plants will be available. Also, there will be unique Mother’s Day gifts for giving – custom-planted culinary and succulent containers, and free chives and ‘Johnny Jump Ups’ for the kids.

    Also, our locally grown, ‘Members’ Plants’ offer the buyer lovingly cultivated choices that are sure to thrive in our unpredictable New England climate. The International Herb Association has chosen Elder (Sambucus spp.) as Herb of the Year for 2013. Elderberries have been a folk remedy for centuries in North America, Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa for antioxidant activity, for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections.

    Knowledgeable and helpful Herb Society Members will assist you in finding what will be just right for your garden, as well as information on how and where to plant. We offer ‘Personal Shoppers’ to help you with choices for kids patches and a plan for your herb garden.  The Sale is located in the big field just over the bridge, after entering the road to Elm Bank. Tents will be set up for shopping in all-weather conditions. Truly, come early for best selections.

    Elm Bank Horticulture Center
    900 Washington Street (RT 16), Wellesley, MA 02482
    Free admission & free accessible parking
    Cash, Check or Credit Card accepted

    http://www.english-country-garden.com/a/i/trees/elder-berries-1.jpg

  • Monday, March 22, 11:00 am – Going Green: Constructing an Environmentally Engineered Home and Landscape

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s March meeting will take place Monday, March 22, at 11:00 am in the 4th floor Seminar Room in Michael VanVolkenberg’s LuLu Wang Campus Center, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts.  Marie Stella will present an illustrated lecture entitled “Going Green: Constructing an Environmentally Engineered Home and Landscape”, co-sponsored with The Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture, the Arnold Arboretum and the New England Wild Flower Society.

    The Renaissance ideal of the harmony of art and technology drives the design of systems for Marie’s new teaching site and landscape laboratory “Beaver Lodge.”  The objectives address environmental awareness, low energy consumption, the promotion of sustainability and innovative uses of plant material.  An ecological approach is outlined in the use of rain gardens, buffer zones, vegetated roof, and green architecture.  She will highlight the integrated process of building an energy efficient, sustainable house and seamlessly blending it into a responsibly managed landscape.  She questions how we can reduce energy consumption, conserve resources and intelligently choose healthy green materials.  Is the art and technology of our own Shangri-La within reach?

    Marie Stella, MA, MS, is a landscape historian and designer with Graduate Certificates in Landscape Design and Landscape Design History from Radcliffe College, Harvard University. Her firm, Kirin Farm Design specializes in environmental landscapes and in initiatives to foster the preservation of open space. She lectures frequently and leads local and foreign Garden History Tours. Marie teaches in the graduate program at The Landscape Institute, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and currently is an adjunct faculty instructor in landscape design at The New York Botanical Garden, and Tower Hill Botanical Garden. Her ongoing design projects include a 3/4 acre environmental New York City Park, “El Jardin del Paraiso,” a Teaching Herb Garden at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Wellesley, MA (see below), and a master plan study for the new regional headquarters of the American Red Cross, Worcester, MA. She is a Gold Medal winner at the New England Flower Show, and has exhibited at The Urban Center, New York City, and the National Conference of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers.

    This lecture is free to Garden Club of the Back Bay members, $15 for members of the New England Wild Flower Society, the Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture, and the Arnold Arboretum.  $18 general public admission.  For more information, log on to www.newfs.org.

    http://www.neuhsa.org/HerbGardenBench1_op_480x600.jpg

  • Saturday, May 9, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. – 29th Annual Herb Plant Sale

    The New England Unit of the Herb Society of America is sponsoring the 29th Annual Herb Plant Sale at Elm Bank, home of the Masachusetts Horticultural Society, 900 Washington Street (Route 16), Wellesley, MA on Saturday, May 9 beginning at 9 a.m.  Free Admission and Parking.  Over 200 varieties of perennial and annual herbs will be available for sale, including culinary, fragrant and medicinal herbs. Proceeds help support educational projects, including the Teaching Herb Garden at Elm Bank.  Visit www.neuhsa.org for directions and more information.