Emerald Necklace Conservancy President Karen Mauney-Brodek will lead participants through Charlesgate Park to the Riverway. The June walking tour was cut short due to rain, so Karen is back to finish the walk. Meet at The Grove at Charlesgate Park on Saturday, September 13 at 9 am. Register at https://www.emeraldnecklace.org/
Explore the exterior architecture and gardens of Historic New England’s eighteenth-century Lyman Estate and Greenhouses to discover why this property has been, and continues to be, a historic and horticultural gem.
All visitors are required to wear a mask and maintain six feet of social distance
Adults $15 – Free for members. Advance tickets required. Reserve on website, https://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/events/?event_location=lyman-estate.
Every Friday at 3:00 p.m., from July 3 to October 9, 2020.
What can the presence (or absence) of greenery teach about the layered history of a place? This New England Wild Flower Society walking tour of Cambridge leads participants in an analysis of the changing landscape, guided by evidence from significant trees in the neighborhood. The discussion addresses local inhabitants’ relationship to native plants over generations. Wear walking shoes and dress for the weather. The tour is led by Courtney Allen, garden historian and Director of Public Programs at NEWFS. Place to meet will be sent to registrants. $24 for NEWFS members, $28 nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newenglandwild.org.
Walk in the footsteps of the Worcester County Horticultural Society founders – see where they lived, what they grew, and learn about the early days of the Society. Meet at the Worcester Common for the approximately ¾-mile walk. Co-sponsored our with Preservation Worcester. The walk will be held at two different times and dates – Thursday, June 1 from 6 – 7, and Saturday, June 24 from 2 – 3. Free for members of sponsoring organizations, $10 for nonmembers.
Pre-registration required at https://towerhillbg.thankyou4caring.org/pages/event-registration-form—wchs-founders-walking-tour – please note this tour is not at Tower Hill Botanic Garden. Directions will be sent upon registration.
The Back Bay is a miracle of preservation, one of the largest examples of Victorian and Edwardian residential architecture in the United States. But many people think that the neighborhood’s lovely exteriors are largely unchanged — “frozen in time” from when they were built. In fact, they began changing soon after they were built – sometimes the changes were subtle and sometimes they were made with sweeping gestures.
Changes occurred for many reasons. A few were reformed – partially rebuilt very soon after they were built because they didn’t conform with the building restrictions in the original deeds. Others were remodeled — expanded or modified later because the owners want to have more space or a different “look.” Still others were replaced entirely to be larger or more stylish. And a fortunate few of these remodeled houses were redeemed, brought back, if not to their original glory at least to a design more consistent with the Back Bay streetscape.
This walking tour of the eastern blocks of the Back Bay on Wednesday, May 24 begins at 5 pm, and will be led Tom High, creator of award winning www.backbayhouses.com, and by Susie Shafer, Co-Chair of the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay’s Architecture Committee, and Garden Club of the Back Bay member. They will take a look at some examples of these subtle and not-so-subtle changes.
Please contact architecture@nabbonline.com to register for this tour. While the tour is free and open to the public, it is limited to 30 participants. Let us know your name and contact information and the number of people that will be attending. The meeting place will be confirmed at time of reservation.
This summer, the Friends of the Public Garden invite you to learn about the Untold Stories of the Public Garden focusing on the history, sculpture and horticulture of America’s first public botanical garden.
Tours will be offered:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
10:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m.
Meet at the Duckling statues to join the tour.
Private tours can be arranged at any time. Please email info@friendsofthepublicgarden.org.
The Gibson House Museum will sponsor a walking tour entitled The Grandest of the Grand: The Mansions of Commonwealth Avenue from Arlington Street to Massachusetts Avenue, on Monday, September 23, at 6 pm, led by architectural historian Edward Gordon. The tour will commence at the Gibson House Museum at 137 Beacon Street. For more information, and to rsvp, call 617-267-6338, or email info@thegibsonhouse.org.
Maples are a great group of plants when it comes to brilliant fall color in shades from gold to orange to fiery red. The Arnold Arboretum is a treasure trove of maples, from common North American species to rare and endangered Asian types. On this walking tour with Nancy Rose, editor of Arnoldia, on Thursday, October 20 from 1 – 2:30, we’ll look at a number of the Arboretum’s special maple accessions in all of their autumn glory.In case of inclement weather, contact 617.384.5209. Meet at the Hunnewell Building. This activity is free, but please sign up at www.arboretum.harvard.edu.
It’s been one hundred years since Wilson returned from his last major Chinese collecting expedition. Wilson is credited with introducing over one thousand Asian plants into Western horticulture, including the paperbark maple, regal lily, Chinese tulip tree, and beautybush. Learn more about this fascinating explorer and view a selection of Wilson’s introductions growing at the Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway in Boston, including some grown from seeds he collected, on Saturday, June 4, from 1 – 2:30, on a walking tour led by Jim Gorman. The walk is free, and for more information call 617-384-5209.
The Friends of Mount Auburn would like to welcome you to visit Mount Auburn Cemetery on Sunday, April 17, beginning at 1 pm, for a walking tour entitled Plants from the Bible. Jim Gorman will identify plants known with either certainty or probability to be growing in Biblical times. Additionally, he may visit closely allied species – relatives of plants mentioned in the Scriptures. Consider this tour a walking recollection of the Holy Land. The fee is $5 for Friends of Mount Auburn, $10 for non-members. For more information, call 617-607-1952. Below is spikenard, from Song of Songs.
