Boston Flora

Tag: Ted Elliman

  • Saturday, March 14, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Introduction to Buckthorns

    Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), and common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) are the best-known buckthorns in New England, renowned for their invasiveness. Both shrub species are native to Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia.When did they arrive in North America? What is their status and ecology in their home ranges? How did they become so rampant in many habitats in New England, and what can be done to manage them? Join longtime instructor Ted Elliman at Garden in the Woods in Framingham on March 14 to discuss these two species and the region’s third, less well known member of the group, alder-leaf buckthorn (Rhamnus alnifolia), an uncommon native shrub species that inhabits rich fen communities. Explore the morphological distinctions between Frangula and Rhamnus, and take a quick look at other buckthorns—native and non-native—in the United States. $50. Register with Native Plant Trust at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/bot5153-introduction-to-buckthorns/

  • Sunday, August 10, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm – Mount Greylock Summit Tour

    Park at the summit and join Ted Elliman for a walk along the high-elevation trails of Mount Greylock on Sunday, Aug. 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., where we’ll explore the red spruce–balsam fir zone — an ecosystem rarely found in Massachusetts and most prominently represented here at the mountain’s peak. Along the way, we’ll examine a range of montane flora uniquely adapted to this environment, including mountain ash, Bartram’s shadbush, hobblebush, heart-leaf birch, large-leaf goldenrod, twisted-stalk, Labrador tea, mountain wood-fern, and many other species that thrive in the cool, spruce-fir forests of Greylock’s upper slopes. We will arrive at 10:30 a.m. and have an approximately two-hour field study, and then you are on your own for lunch (picnic or lunch at Bascom Lodge). We will depart at 1:30 p.m.

    Ted Elliman spent many years with the Native Plant Trust as a staff botanist, invasive species program manager and instructor in botany, ecology and conservation. Ted is also the author of “The Wildflowers of New England,” a widely used field guide to the region’s native plants, published by Timber Press in 2016. In addition to his work in New England, Ted founded and directed an environmental education and wilderness adventure center in the Berkshires and continues to lead natural history tours in southwest China, where he previously lived and worked as a teacher and forest ecologist.

    Register HERE for the trip without transportation. Register HERE for the trip with transportation

  • Thursday, April 4, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Vernal Mustards

    Members of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), both native and introduced, are among the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring. Using images and herbarium specimens, this Native Plant Trust presentation by Ted Elliman at Garden in the Woods on April 4 from 1 – 4 will discuss the identification features and habitats of a number of the species in this confusing and often overlooked group of wildflowers, including species of Arabidopsis, Boechera, Brassica, Cardamine, Draba, Lepidium, and several other mustard genera. $45 for NPT members, $54 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/vernal-mustards/

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  • Friday, April 5, 7:00 pm Eastern – Unlocking the Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes: Fresh Approaches to Identifying These Challenging Plants, Live and Online

    Join the New England Botanical Society on Friday, April 5 for its monthly meeting. Ted Elliman, MA botany/ecology instructor, retired, Native Plant Trust, and Lauren Brown, Connecticut author, VP Connecticut Botanical Society, will speak on Unlocking the Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes: Fresh Approaches to Identifying These Challenging Plants. Non-members may register for the meeting access link here.

  • Saturday, March 25, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Rich Mesic Forests

    This March 25 Native Plants Trust program at Garden in the Woods in Framingham from 10:30 – 12:30 will discuss the sugar maple white ash forest communities that have such a remarkable diversity of native plants. The talk will cover the location of these communities in New England, their physical features, and, in detail, their flora. Threats to this community, such as invasive plans and the emerald ash borer will also be discussed. Ted Elliman leads the discussion. $30 for NPT members, $36 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/rich-mesic-forests/

  • Saturday, September 10, and Sunday, September 11, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm – Asters and Goldenrods

    Asters (Asteraceae) and goldenrods (Solidago) are autumn showstoppers, but they can be a large and complex group to identify. Through a visual presentation, herbarium specimens, and field application, you will learn several species of asters and goldenrods, their habitats, and how to use identification keys to distinguish between visually similar species by subtle characteristics. The two day Native Plant Trust class on September 10 and September 11 (10:30 – 2:30 ) will take place at Garden in the Woods and at a field site. Taught by Ted Elliman, the fee is $120 for NPT members, $144 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/asters-and-goldenrods/

  • Sunday, July 17, 10:30 am – 2:00 pm – Knotty Smartweeds

    Smartweeds (Persicaria spp.) are ubiquitous in our summer landscapes, but individually they can be challenging to identify. Through this July 17 Native Plants Trust classroom presentation from 10:30 – 2 with Ted Elliman, a close look at herbarium specimens, and field observation at Garden in the Woods, you will learn the identification features that distinguish each of the 22 smartweed species in New England. $53 NPT members, $63 non-members. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/knotty-smartweeds/

  • Sunday, May 15, 9:30 am – 11:30 am – Wildflower Field Study

    May is the perfect time to explore our local habitats for wildflowers. This field study throughout the gardens of Tower Hill will explore the great variety of spring blooming wildflowers in the property’s woods, wetlands, and meadows. The class will focus on each plant’s key identification features of flower, leaf, and stem, and note the particular habitats in which they grow.

    Ted Elliman has been engaged in plant conservation in the northeast for over forty years. As a plant ecologist at the Native Plant Trust in Framingham, Massachusetts, he conducted botanical inventories, natural community surveys, and invasive species control programs. Ted also worked as a contract ecologist for the National Park Service. He is the author of Wildflowers of New England and co-author of Grasses, Sedges, Rushes: An Identification Guide.

    $35 Member Adult; $50 Adult (Registration includes admission to the Garden) Register HERE.

  • Wednesdays, February 2 – February 23, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – Ecology Lecture Series: Invasive and Non-Invasive Plants, Online

    Join the Berkshire Botanical Garden for all four lectures in our ecology lecture series presented in partnership with Tower Hill Botanic Garden. Please note, all lectures are offered online and it is possible to register for individual lectures. The talks will take place Wednesdays, February 2 – 23 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm.

    On February 2, the topic is Iconic Birds of Massachusetts and their Habitat. With a wide range of available habitats, Massachusetts is home to a fascinating array of birds. Join an experienced naturalist from Mass Audubon for an engaging talk about the noteworthy birds of Massachusetts and their incredible life histories. From migration to surviving the cold winters, we will explore the brilliance and challenges of our northeastern birds. This talk will include a captivating slideshow and discussion from a life-long naturalist with a passion for birds. Learn more about these avian friends and where to find them.

    February 9 brings Building Healthy Soil in Harmony with Nature. Soil in many ways is the bedrock of successful environmental systems. Without good, healthy soil, these systems can collapse. Despite the importance of soil, we often don’t take the time to understand how it works, how we can cause it harm, and ways we can improve it. In this webinar we will explore the science of soil, learn what healthy soil is composed of and how it is created, and discover ways to prevent damaging soil. By the end you will begin to see how gardening in harmony with nature can build healthy soil, healthy plants, and rich ecosystems. Lecturer Duncan Himmelman, PhD, is the former Education Manager at Mt. Cuba Center, a consultant on garden design and plant selection, and a frequent lecturer on many horticultural topics. After earning his doctorate in Ornamental Horticulture from Cornell University and serving on the faculty of Olds College for 24 years, Duncan remains committed to nurturing the talents of people who share his love of plants, nature, and gardening.

    February 16 is the date of Invasive and Non-Native Plants with Mark Richardson. A common topic when discussing habitat health is invasive and non-native species. Many of us know some species that we would refer to as invasive or non-native. Many of us have also been told how to think about or manage those species. However, rarely do we discuss what makes a plant invasive or non-native, if that criteria changed, what the data is currently showing about their presence if management practices adjusted with more data, and how climate change is impacting our view of invasive and non-native plants. These are just a few of the questions we should be asking. This lecture will discuss what classifies a plant as invasive or non-native and introduce some of those questions about a subject that touches all of our lives. 

    Mark Richardson has been the Director of Horticulture for Tower Hill Botanic Garden since 2018. He previously served as Botanic Garden Director for New England Wild Flower Society, where he oversaw Garden in the Woods and Nasami Farm native plant nursery. He has a passion for ecological horticulture and native plants and is co-author of Native Plants for New England Gardens (Globe Pequot, 2018).

    The final talk on February 23 is Wildflowers of Massachusetts. This program will feature the native wildflowers of a variety of natural habitats in Massachusetts, including forests, meadows, and wetlands. The emphasis will be on the early-blooming ephemeral wildflowers that will be in bloom in late April and May …something to anticipate in the depths of winter! 

    Ted Elliman worked for many years for Native Plant Trust as a staff botanist, invasive species program manager, and instructor of botany, ecology, and conservation classes. His book, The Wildflowers of New England, an identification guide to the region’s native flora, was published in 2016 by Timber Press. In the 1980’s, Ted started and directed an environmental education and wilderness adventure center in the Berkshires. Since the mid-1990’s, he has periodically led natural history tours to southwest China, where he worked for two years as a teacher and forest ecologist.

    $40 for BBG and THBG members, $60 for nonmembers. Register on either sponsor’s website. The link to the BBG registration is HERE.

  • Wednesday, December 1 – Deadline for Submission for Annual Botany Story Slam

    Native Plant Trust, the nation’s first plant conservation organization and the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants, announces an open call for storytellers for its annual signature event, The Botany Story Slam, which will take place on Saturday, February 26, 2022, from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is currently planned as an in-person event at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA; however, storytellers from around the world are welcome to submit their tales for the chance to share their stories using video technology.

    A story slam is a competition in which each storyteller has minutes to share an experience on a chosen theme, with the audience interacting and voting on their favorite tale. Winning stories may be aired on the radio. We are seeking exciting, well-presented stories 5-10 minutes in length about plant adventures. Storytellers may include botanists, horticulturists, farmers, land managers, plant researchers, environmental educators, rangers, or similar plant-related professionals. For submission instructions, please email education@NativePlantTrust.org by December 1, 2021, with the subject line “Story Slam Submission.” Storytellers will be selected and notified on a rolling basis and must be available to present at the event on February 26, 2022, either in person or virtually. In past years, storytellers have included:

    Wambui Ippolito, horticulturist, landscape designer, international speaker, and founder of the BIPOC Hort Group, a multicultural professional horticulture community.

    Ted Elliman, botanist and author of Wildflowers of New England and co-author of Grasses, Sedges, Rushes: An Identification Guide.

    Kelly D. Norris, award-winning plantsman, author of New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden, and former Director of Horticulture and Education at Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.

    C.L. Fornari, host of GardenLine on WXTK FM radio, co-host of the award-winning podcast Plantrama and author of eight books, including Sand & Soil: Creating Beautiful Gardens on Cape Cod and the Islands.

    Dwayne Estes, Executive Director of Southern Grasslands Initiative, Professor of Biology and Director of the Herbarium at Austin Peay State University, Principal Investigator for the Center of Excellence for Field Biology, and author of Guide to the Vascular Plants of Tennessee.