Camellias are truly the queens of the winter flowers. Come see them at this year’s Camellia Show, presented by the New England (Massachusetts) Camellia Society, at Tower Hill Botanic Garden on February 16 & 17. Free with admission to the Garden. Saturday hours are 10 – 5, Sunday 10 – 4. For more information visit http://towerhillbg.org.
Potpourri, French for rotten pot, is a fragrant, often beautiful, mix of scented plant material with a long and fascinating history. The Tower Hill Botanic Garden class begins at 10:30 am on February 16 in Tower Hill’s library with a display of books, old and new, on potpourri and stillroom techniques plus a short history of fragrance and the art of using it in the home. Then we will move to the classroom to learn the basics of potpourri making. Each attendee will create a quart of potpourri based on the Language of Flowers to take home and enjoy. It’s Valentine season, what better time to create a beautiful, fragrant blend of rose petals and other sweet smelling herbs that breaths a message of Love? Recipe sheets included. This class is suitable for adults and for families with children 10 years and older. All fragrances used are natural, essential oils. All materials included. $40 for THBG members, $54 for nonmembers. Register at www.towerhillbg.org.
Betsy Williams teaches, lectures and writes about living with herbs and flowers. A gardener and herb grower since 1972, Betsy trained as a florist in Boston and England. She combines her floral and gardening skills with an extensive knowledge of history, plant lore and seasonal celebrations. Betsy is the author of several books on the uses and stories of herbs and flowers. She has appeared on the Discovery Channel and greater Boston cable sites about living with herbs and flowers. A gardener and herb grower since 1972, Betsy trained as a florist in Boston and England. She combines her floral and gardening skills with an extensive knowledge of history, plant lore and seasonal celebrations. Betsy is the author of several books on the uses and stories of herbs and flowers. She has appeared on the Discovery Channel and greater Boston cable stations as well as local and national radio talk shows. Betsy lectures and teaches locally and nationally.
As part of Tower Hill Botanic Garden’s month-long exploration of the Apothecary Garden, learn how to blend essential oils to create therapeutic bath bombs. Go home with a set of six and the mold to make more. The class takes place Sunday, February 3 from 1 – 2:30, and is $50 for THBG members, $64 for nonmembers, materials included in the cost. To register visit www.towerhillbg.org.
Escape to Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive in Boylston, where sub-tropical conservatories adorned with thousands of blooming bulbs and fantastic medicinal plant displays await you during the month of February. The month’s theme is Healers and Killers: Plants from the Apothecary Garden. For centuries, people from all over the world have used plants to heal the mind, body, and spirit––but what heals can also be hazardous. Come and discover the mystical and practical powers of plants. From medieval remedies to accidental poisonings, stunning floral and apothecary displays will delve into current uses and the history and mythology of medicinal plants. The first weekend event on February 2 & 3 is the Apothecary Marketplace. Find herbal remedies and botanical beauty products crafted by local makers. Offering everything from salves and tinctures to teas and tonics, this is a one-stop shop for plant-based formulations. Free with admission to the garden.
Gorgeous floral displays filled with healing plants adorn Tower Hill during Apothecary in Bloom, a special-event weekend February 9 and 10. Join in the fun and contribute an arrangement inspired by the apothecaries of yesterday and today. All levels are welcome! For information about the flower show, contact thbg@towerhillbg.org
So many propagation classes focus on the details of seed sowing, cuttings, divisions, and while this is indeed essential information the missing element is what you should be propagating. Sow hobblebush into a seed flat and you’d be lucky to see any seedlings come spring, sow bluets into that same seed flat and you will have bluets within the month. Join Dan Jaffe at Tower Hill Botanic Garden on February 2 from 9:30 – 11:30 to learn not only how to propagate, but what to propagate to maximize plantings.Go home with seed flats that you’ve sown in class for planting in your garden this spring. All materials included.
Dan Jaffe is the Propagator and Stock Bed Grower as well as the staff photographer at New England Wild Flower Society’s Garden in the Woods. He received a degree in botany from the University of Maine, an advanced certificate in Native Plant Horticulture and Design from New England Wild Flower Society, and has nursery management experience. Dan Jaffe’s photography has been used in numerous publications and his book Native Plants for New England Gardens was released last spring. $50 for THBG members, $64 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.towerhillbg.org.
The Massachusetts Master Gardener Association (MMGA) is comprised of amateur and professional horticulturists with a mission to promote horticultural knowledge to the public through volunteering. Master Gardeners become certified based on successfully completing the Master Gardener Training course (MGT). Training consists of fourteen classroom and lab modules, including soil science, botany, entomology, plant pathology, pruning and propagation. Classes are taught by academic and industry professionals.
The MGT course is offered at Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s The Gardens at Elm Bank in Wellesley, MA and at the Worcester County Horticultural Society’s Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA. Students can choose their preferred location when they register.
The 2019 MGT course begins in April 2019 and runs through October 2019. Classroom training is held in the spring and fall. Hands-on training and working alongside certified Master Gardeners is required throughout the growing season.
• In Wellesley, the spring session is 9am – 3pm Thursday, April 11, through May 23. The fall session is 9am – 3pm, Thursday, September 12 through October 24.
• In Boylston, the spring session is 9am – 3pm, Tuesday, April 9 through May 21; and in the fall, 9am – 3pm, Tuesday, September 10 through October 22.
All students are required to complete both spring and fall sessions.
Students are required to attend classes, complete reading and homework assignments, and successfully complete take-home exams. Homework and handouts are distributed electronically. Students are expected to have access to and be familiar with email, Internet, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf files), and to be able to receive and send pictures in jpeg format.
Students are also required to perform 60 hours of approved volunteering. Volunteering begins at the start of the course and must be completed by one week prior to graduation.
Currently only students who reside in Massachusetts are eligible to attend. All students are required to have gmail accounts to facilitate access to the MMGA portal.
As a volunteer organization providing activities and programs that may include children, the MMGA is required to conduct a CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) check of all applicants prior to their acceptance.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit an online application and a $25 non-refundable registration fee (payable by credit/debit card or Pay Pal). Starting February 1, 2019, applications MUST be accompanied by a non-refundable payment of $50 (application fee + late fee).
We will review your application and contact you with any questions.
Full tuition and materials fees of $700 total ($550 + $150) are due with two weeks of acceptance.
For questions or further information, please email Cheryl Monroe at Trainingwest@MassMasterGardeners.org.
Emails should include your name and your desired program location (Wellesley/Elm Bank or Boylston/Tower Hill). For more information visit http://massmastergardeners.org/become-a-master-gardener/
Design a Williamsburg-inspired centerpiece for your holiday table. This Tower Hill Botanic Garden class on December 15 from 11:30 – 2 with Betsy Williams will sell out fast. Choose from a selection of fragrant fresh greens, fruits, seasonal berries and pinecones to create a beautiful holiday centerpiece in an attractive container. With proper care, your table arrangement will stay fresh and lovely for the entire holiday season. Please bring floral scissors and an apron to class.
Betsy Williams teaches, lectures and writes about living with herbs and flowers. A gardener and herb grower since 1972, Betsy trained as a florist in Boston and England. She combines her floral and gardening skills with an extensive knowledge of history, plant lore and seasonal celebrations. Betsy is the author of several books on the uses and stories of herbs and flowers. She has appeared on the Discovery Channel and greater Boston cable stations as well as local and national radio talk shows. Betsy lectures and teaches locally and nationally. $80 for THBG members, $90 for nonmembers. Register at www.towerhillbg.org.
Do you have a prized rhododendron? Perhaps a prominent spruce? We love those plants that bring some green life into the interminable gray of winter. But did you know they grow differently, have different needs, and therefore need to be cared for differently from plants that lose their leaves? Explore all these topics and more at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive in Boylston on Thursday, December 6 from 11 – 1 with Worcester Tree Initiative’s Community Forester, Derek Lirange.
Derek Lirange began working at Worcester Tree Initiative (WTI) days after completing his Bachelor’s Degree, from UMASS Amherst, in Urban and Community Forestry in 2013. As WTI’s Community Forester, Derek’s primary role is to work with WTI’s partners coordinating tree plantings, education programs, and workdays. $10 for THBG members, $20 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.towerhillbg.org
Celebrate the season at Tower Hill Botanic Garden with thousands of lights, new experiences, and enchanting landscapes. This year, we are exploring patterns in nature with mesmerizing displays. Enjoy s’mores, seasonal drinks, and fun photo opportunities while creating memories for the whole family. Please note: dogs are not permitted November 24 – December 30, 2018.
Night Lights is an annual celebration of the season held at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, MA just outside of Worcester. Night Lights is an inclusive, secular event where visitors of all backgrounds can celebrate winter, light, and nature together. It includes two unique experiences: Day Lights (the day time experience) and Night Lights (the evening experience).
DAY LIGHTS (the daytime experience)
Tower Hill will be open for Day Lights Wednesdays to Sundays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Included with general admission, purchase admission when you arrive on property. Free admission for members. Visitors can enjoy decorated indoor rooms, conservatories, and access to the Café, and the Garden Shop.
The outdoor gardens and grounds provide opportunities for walks and hikes. Families with children will enjoy the scavenger hunts, the model train, discovery backpacks, hands-on Library activities, and more.
Adult Educational trips, programs, and workshops available for an additional fee.
NIGHT LIGHTS (the evening experience)
Tower Hill will be open for Night Lights Tuesdays to Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Fridays to Sundays, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Requires non-refundable, pre-purchased tickets for members and non-members. Prices listed at https://www.towerhillbg.org/night-lights-2018/ Price includes walking through roughly 15 acres of dramatically lit formal gardens and surrounding woodlands, including the Fairy Light Walk through the forest that ends at the Wild Rumpus. Inside, visitors can step out of the elements to see more decorations, investigate our model train village, explore our indoor conservatories, access our Café to enjoy local fresh food, and peruse our specialty-curated Garden Shop.
Members, whose generosity helps sustain our public garden year-round, can enter during the day for no additional fee and receive 50% off evening ticket prices. Members also receive double their discount in the Garden Shop, during their Member Appreciation Weekend, November 24-25.
