Boston Flora

Tag: wellesley college

  • May 14 – May 29, 2011 – Secrets of Sichuan: A Journey to Jiuzhaigou

    The New England Wild Flower Society, with the Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture, announce the upcoming tour The Secrets of Sichuan, to take place May 14 – 29, 2011.  This unique expedition to explore the flora, fauna, and culture of Sichuan will be led by Ted Elliman, leader of NEWFS botanical forays to China for many years.

    The rhododendron will be in flower during this visit.  This is good news because China, a global center of diversity for many plant groups, supports more than 400 endemic species of rhododendron. Most of these grow in the Hengduan Mountain region, where the tour will be based.  You may not see them all, but if this is your first trip to southwest China, you will probably see more than you ever have before.  Wild mountain nature reserves are the focus of the journey.  Natural areas on the itinerary include Emei Shan, a revered and sacred 10,000 foot mountain with spectacular flora, Tanghiahe Nature Reserve, with dense broadleaved forests and a rich bird fauna, and Wanglang Nature Reserve, where subalpine conifer forests of spruce, larch and juniper grow up through understories of tall rhododendron and a sparkling array of forest wildflowers.  In Wanglang, at 11,000 feet elevation, the high elevation wildflowers will be blooming at and above timberline.  Tangjiahe and Wanglang are also home to wild populations of giant panda.

    A major highlight will be a two day visit to Jiuzhaigou National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of incomparable beauty, that is another great place to view and photograph spring wildflowers.  Jiuzhaigou is a valley complex of crystalline lakes and streams, connected by a superbly designed network of boardwalk trails.  Accessible parts range in elevation from 7,000 to 11,000 feet, and it is an ideal place to explore on foot.  Frequent shuttle buses provide ready access to the boardwalk trails.  Other stops will be Leshan, where a seated Buddha image 200 feet tall, carved from red sandstone, overlooks an auspicious river confluence, Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, and Sanxingdui Museum.  For a complete itinerary, log on to  http://www.wellesley.edu/WCFH/Courses/Sichuan%20Brochure.pdf.  Trip fee is $3,945 per person, double occupancy, plus air fair of $1,195 from New York, round trip, through Betchart Expeditions, Inc.  Call Renee Apostolou at 800-252-4910 for additional information.

  • Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm – Elements of Drawing: Larger Than Life

    The Arnold Arboretum, in collaboration with the Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture, offers a two day workshop on Saturday, August 21 and Sunday, August 22, from 9:30 to 3:30 each day at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Focus in on a flower blossom and record your observations as an attention grabbing enlargement. Under the guidance of Jeanne Kunze, draw the blossom magnified to show shape and form. See flowers in a new way and record detail not possible not possible at a smaller scale. Increase your ability to infuse subtle nuances and detail into your drawing. For beginners as well as more advanced artists. Develop confidence in your observation and illustration skills through Jeanne’s class demonstrations, individual teaching moments and directed practice. For beginners as well as more advanced artists. Bring your own lunch or walk to local shops.

    Fee $150 member, $190 nonmember of either the Arboretum or WCBG.  To register online, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

  • Friday, May 7, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Wellesley College Botanic Gardens Tour

    The Ecological Landscaping Association is sponsoring a tour of the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens, 106 Central Street in Wellesley, on Friday, May 7, from 10 – noon.  The charge will be $10 for ELA Members and $15 for non-members.

    Set in the picturesque campus of Wellesley College, the Botanic Gardens are an unforgettrable place of beauty.  Naturalized plantings as well as specimen trees and shrubs from around the world await discovery just a short distance from Boston.  A tiny brook winds through the gardens from a waterfall to Paramecium Pond (below).  Several different habitats comprise the arboretum, including a maple swamp, meadow, and fragments of different forest types, with many native species.  Other specialized gardens include a green roof planted with native species, a dwarf conifer garden, a butterfly garden, and an edible forest garden designed by David Jacke.  Tricia Diggins, Senior Gardens Horticulturalist at Wellesley College, will guide you through the various gardens and explain the ecological methods that are being used to care for the plant communities.  Registrations are limited.  Call 617-436-5838, or email ela.info@comcast.net.

    http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/39376237_d115f60c16.jpg?v=0

  • Saturday, April 3, 9 am – noon – Pruning Basics

    Learn the why’s and how’s of pruning – why to prune, if you even need to prune, when to prune, and what cuts to make.  Wellesley College Botanic Gardens Senior Horticulturist Tricia Diggins teaches you to make cutting edge decisions about nearly every pruning job from house plants to large tres.  She explores with you how these general principles relate to specific plants like flowering shrubs, evergreens, older trees, young plants and fruit trees.  Approximately half the class time will be indoors and the remaiinder will be outside in the Hunnewell Arboretum and Alexandra Botanic Gardens, looking at the pruning needs of a variety of trees and shrubs.  The Wellesley College Hunnewell Arboretum can be damp under foot in early spring.  Please dress appropriately for the weather.  Class number HOR 10 080, WCFH members $20, non members $25.  To register, or for directions, log on to www.wellesley.edu/WCFH, or email horticulture@wellesley.edu.

    Pruning Tools

  • Saturday, April 10, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm – Wow! Botany is Exciting

    Carol Govan is back at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden on Saturday, April 10, with a class beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Do you love plants and want to understand them better? Enjoy early arrival of spring in the WCBG Greenhouses as Carol Govan introduces botany using basic terminology, direct observations and journaling to explore basic plant morphology (seeds, roots, shoots, flowers and fruit). No previous experience is necessary. Class meets at the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens Visitor Center.  Fee $50 Arnold Arboretum or WCBG member, $65 nonmember.  To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

    http://www.botany.com/img/plants/dictionary-plants-flowers.jpg

  • Friday, March 12, 10 am – 4 pm – It’s a Small World: Macro-Digital Photography

    Take photos within inches of your subject.  Discover how to create stunning close-ups of flowers and other plant features in this one-day workshop with photographer David Kahn.  Begin the day with a discussion of equipment, preparation, composition, lighting, tips and tricks, as well as see examples of what can be achieved.  Then practice macro techniques using a variety of settings in the Ferguson Greenhouses and Visitor Center of the Wellesley College Botanic Garden.  This hands-on workshop is ideal for photographers who want to explore their own creative vision as well as artists who want to record small details as a reference for future artwork.

    Requirements: a digital camera and a good working knowledge of how to use it.  A more complete list of requirements and options will be available online, at www.wellesley.edu/SCFH.  You may email horticulture@wellesley.edu if your are unsure if your equipment or experience are sufficient.  Course Number DIG 10 101.  Cost: WCFH members $75, non-members $95.  Snow date Friday, March 19.

  • Saturday, February 6, 10 am – 2:30 pm – Winter Tree Observations: Deciduous Trees

    You may already have taken Carol Govan’s evergreen tree identification class – now move on to deciduous trees.  On Saturday, February 6, from 10 – 2:30, Carol will present a workshop at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden in this program co-sponsored by the Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture and the Arnold Arboretum.  Winter is a great time to identify trees based on their overall structure and twig and bud characteristics. Close observation can also reveal clues to the adaptive strategies of various tree species. You will begin indoors at the Wellesley College Greenhouse Visitor Center, carefully looking at twigs and other tree parts, discovering family and genus similarities, and examining indicators of the growth cycles of deciduous trees. After lunch Carol will lead you through the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens to identify trees, observing both large- and small-scale details. Bring a lunch and hand lens and dress for cold weather. (Snow date: February 13)
    Fee $50 WCFH or Arnold Arboretum member, $65 nonmember.  To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

    http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/5500733/2/istockphoto_5500733-oak-tree-winter-silhouette.jpg

  • Saturday, January 30, 10 am – 2:30 pm – Winter Tree Observations: Evergreens

    Carol Govan has been a popular speaker with The Garden Club of the Back Bay.  Join her on Saturday, January 30 at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden for this one session class beginning at 10 am.  Winter is a great time to identify trees based on their overall structure and twig and bud characteristics. Close observation can also reveal clues to the adaptive strategies of various tree species. You will begin indoors at the Wellesley College Greenhouse Visitor Center, carefully looking at twigs and other tree parts, discovering family and genus similarities, and examining indicators of the growth cycles of evergreens. After lunch Carol will lead you through the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens to identify trees, observing both large- and small-scale details. Bring a lunch and hand lens and dress for cold weather. (Snow date: February 13) Fee $50 Arnold Arboretum or Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture member, $65 nonmember.  To register, or for more information, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

    Evergreen Needles and Snow by ...Rachel J....

  • Monday, January 25, 10:00 am – Eat Your View: Native Edible Plants for Your Gardens

    Expand your palate as well as your concept of food’s place in the garden with native edibles planted in blended garden displays.  In this illustrated lecture New England Wild Flower Society’s Botanic Garden Director Scott LaFleur takes us behind the design and installation of the Garden in the Wood’s new edible plant garden – designed to help change the way we look at the food production system here in the U.S., where most of our daily foods are non-native and produced in mass quantity using fertilizers and pesticides.  Using all native plants, Scott weaves together design approaches, horticultural techniques, and culinary uses that you can translate to your own home.  Scott discusses the concept of a blended landscape, using ornamental plants and edible plants in a design that blurs the lines between a beautiful and a functional garden.  Blended landscapes truly allow you to Eat Your View.  The program will take place at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden on Monday, January 25, beginning at 10:00 a.m., and is co-sponsored with the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and the Junior League of Boston Garden Club.  WCFH, Arnold Arboretum, and NEWFS  members $15, non-members $18.  The course number is HOR 10 060, and you may register at www.wellesley.edu/WCFH, or by emailing horticulture@wellesley.edu.

    Persimmons by Henna Lion.

  • Tuesdays & Thursdays, January 5,7,12 & 14, 9:30 – 2:30 – Where in the World?

    Where in the world are all those exotic fruits, vegetables and spices grown?  In this four-day seminar at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden, learn about exotic produce in their native lands and see up close those growing in the Ferguson greenhouses.  Observe, research and record them in drybrush watercolor.  Sarah Roche’s expert instruction will give you the skills to capture textures and tones and the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables – your paintings will look good enough to eat.  Snow date Tuesday, January 19, should a session be canceled.  Course number BAC 10 148.  WCFH members $200, non-members $250.  To register, or for more information, log on to www.wellesley.edu/WCFH, or email horticulture@wellesley.edu.

    Tropical fruits in the Philippines by Roberto Verzo.