Boston Flora

Tag: The Wildflowers of New England

  • Wednesdays, June 15 & 22, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Online) and Saturday, June 25, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Off Site Field Study) – New England Plant Communities

    Join Lori Benoit for an exploration of native New England plant communities. Two Native Plant Trust Wednesday online lectures will cover many of the forest, meadow and wetland habitats found in New England, discussing their physical and ecological features— topography, geology, soils and moisture— as well as their characteristic plant associations, including both common and rare plants. The Saturday field trip will take us to a variety of forested, open and wetland habitats, and we will take a close look at the flora and features of each of them. This class is an expanded version of a course given last year with Ted Elliman and Berkshire Botanical Garden. You will also see the impacts of invasive species and possible changes to natural communities in response to climate change. For the Saturday field study, please dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes (we will be walking nearly the entire day) and bring a bag lunch. Masks are recommended. BBG members $216, nonmembers $264. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/new-england-plant-communities-2/

  • Sunday, September 13, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Goldenrod and Asters Field Study

    In late summer and early fall, asters and goldenrods come into their own. In this September 13 Berkshire Botanical Garden class taught by Ted Elliman, a morning discussion at the garden will include a presentation of many of Berkshire County’s asters and goldenrods, focusing on their identification features and discussing their characteristic habitats. In the afternoon, we’ll explore nearby natural areas to observe and identify the asters and goldenrods growing in meadows, woodlands and wetlands, examining the differences that characterize these species. A hand lens is recommended. We will travel by BBG’s passenger van. Please dress for the weather, wear a mask, and bring a bagged lunch. BBG members $85, nonmembers $95. Numbers are limited to comply with social distancing requirements, and advanced registration is required at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/goldenrod-and-asters-field-study

    Ted Elliman has worked for the Native Plant Trust as a staff botanist, invasive species program manager and as an instructor of botany, ecology, and conservation classes. His book, The Wildflowers of New England, an identification guide to much of the region’s native flora, was published in 2016 by Timber Press.

  • Saturday, May 6, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers of the Northeast

    On Saturday, May 6 at 10 am, the Berkshire Botanical Garden will sponsor a program on Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers of the Northeast.
    Starting with a lecture highlighting the wildflowers of New England’s natural habitats, including alpine summits, forests, meadows, wetlands, and coastal environments, Garden in the Wood’s staff botanist Ted Elliman will also take the class on an optional walking tour of Stockbridge’s Ice Glen, just minutes down the road. Based on Elliman’s research for his book, The Wildflowers of New England, the talk will focus on spring-flowering plants that will be in (or almost in) bloom in the forests and meadows of the Berkshires. After the lecture, attendees can have their books signed by the author, before heading off to hike the trails of the Ice Glen, where he will identify the plants along the path of the mossy ravine and answer any questions about the local flora.

    Ted Elliman has worked for the New England Wild Flower Society as a staff botanist, invasive species program manager, and as an instructor of botany, ecology, and conservation classes. His book, The Wildflowers of New England, an identification guide to much of 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.

    Advance registration is highly recommended, but walk-ins are always welcome, space permitting. BBG members $15, nonmembers $20. Register online at www.berkshirebotanical.org.  Photo from www.yourgardensanctuary.com.