Boston Flora

Tag: Zoom

  • Wednesdays, January 28 – March 4, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Eastern – The Art of Floral Design, Online

    Learn the fundamentals of floral arranging as this online Smithsonian Associates class covers essential base mechanics, sourcing flowers, working with seasonal blooms, and photographing your work. Study design principles and techniques to build successful, balanced arrangements that reflect your personal style. These core skills are designed to help grow your confidence and give you a strong foundation to approach arranging.
    Special Program Information

    The instructor is Arrin Sutliff.
This program includes 6 sessions, 1.5 hours each.
This program will not be recorded.

    General Information

    This studio arts program is a Zoom Meeting to allow for patron and instructor interaction online.
All Studio Arts programs require an online registration for each participant so that the instructor can provide individual attention to every student registered for the online program.
Please refer to the "Materials for this program" section on the registgration page for any applicable supply list information and/or special documents for this program.

    $160 for Smithsonian members, $195 for nonmembers. Register at https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/art-of-floral-design

  • Wednesday, January 7, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Eastern – Introduction to Stormwater Management, Online

    Discover what you can do to capture and reuse the water in your own space. Hear an overview of multiple water capture mechanisms, including rain gardens and permeable pavements. Get inspired to think about stormwater in new ways, and to take practical steps towards working with it in this class, led by long-time Native Plant Trust instructor and stormwater superhero Trevor Smith. This Native Plant Trust webinar will take place January 7 at 5 pm Eastern, and the fee is $10. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/introduction-to-stormwater-management/

  • Thursday, October 30 – Wednesday, December 31 – Gardens in Jane Austen’s Works, Online

    With the rise of the English landscape movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, gardens became a reflection of taste, fashion, and social ambition. The sweeping designs of Capability Brown and the picturesque visions of Humphry Repton reshaped the countryside, while at the same time, an expanding global plant trade introduced new flowers and shrubs into Regency gardens. These developments were more than aesthetic—they carried cultural, economic, and even political significance, shaping the very spaces Jane Austen and her contemporaries inhabited. Molly Williams, author of Jane Austen’s Garden: A Botanical Tour of the Classic Novels will trace the history of these gardens and the plants that filled them, revealing how horticulture and literature together illuminate Austen’s Regency world.

    The Royal Oak Society presents Molly Williams in a live presentation on October 29 but more importantly, in a Zoom recording of her presentation available to registrants from October 30 through December 31. For complete information visit https://www.royal-oak.org/event/zoom-rental-gardens-in-jane-austens-works/

    Molly Williams is the author of Jane Austen’s Garden: A Botanical Tour of the Classic Novels; The Junior Plant Lover’s Handbook: A Green-Thumb Guide for Kids; How to Speak Flower; Taming the Potted Beast: The Strange and Sensational History of the Not-So-Humble Houseplant; and Killer Plants: Growing and Caring for Flytraps, Pitcher Plants and Other Deadly Flora. Molly is a Gates Cambridge scholar and PhD student at the University of Cambridge, where she studies nineteenth century literature and horticulture. She is an avid houseplant collector, gardener, florist, and teacher of many things, including creative writing. If you would like to reach her, she’s probably in a greenhouse somewhere, or you can visit her Instagram — @theplantladi.

    The Zoom rental is $15 for Royal Oak members, $25 for nonmembers.

  • Wednesday, September 24, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Gardening for Climate Change, Online

    Should gardeners be changing how we garden due to the climate crisis? The answer is yes. Knowing your ecoregion and the plants native to your area can help your garden be a part of a climate solution. Planting a garden that is water-wise, provides for local pollinators, aids in biodiversity efforts, and feeds songbirds is a simple way to support your environment as warmer weather shifts northward. Permanent climate changes mean the ways we work with the land must change as well. Learn about this and other important steps for having a climate-forward garden during this Grow Native Massachusetts online talk on September 24 at 7 pm Eastern.

    Cheryl Rafuse owns and operates Plant Magic Gardens in Danvers, MA. They are an ecologically conscious gardening company that focuses on planting native plants. She and her team of top-notch gardeners design and install gardens, perform garden maintenance and teach DIY clients to care for their gardens as land stewards. Cheryl is also co-host of Gardening for Hot People, an unserious podcast that provides serious educational content on how we can all support local pollinators and wildlife with our gardens.

    $28 for Grow Native members, $38 for nonmembers. You may also sponsor the workshop for $100. Register at https://grownativemass.org/Our-Programs/Calendar-of-Events/Gardening-for-Climate-Change

  • Wednesdays, September 17 – October 29, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Eastern – The Art of Floral Design, Online

    Learn the fundamentals of floral arranging as this class covers essential base mechanics, sourcing flowers, working with seasonal blooms, and photographing your work. Study design principles and techniques to build successful, balanced arrangements that reflect your personal style. These core skills are designed to help grow your confidence and give you a strong foundation to approach arranging. $160 for Smithsonian Associates members, $195 for nonmembers. Register at https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/art-of-floral-design

    The instructor is Arrin Sutliff.
This program includes 6 sessions, 1.5 hours each.
Class will not be held on October 1.
This program will not be recorded.

  • Thursday, July 31, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – The Art of Fine Gardening, Online

    The Garden Conservancy is sponsoring a Zoom on July 31 – register HERE. On the occasion of his long-awaited debut book about his pre-eminent landscape design firm in the North Shore of Chicago, Open Days Garden Host Craig Bergmann and his Head Gardener Russell Buvala will discuss their company’s process of design, installation, and maintenance. Additionally, they will highlight a few of their favorite garden profiles and personal garden experiences. For more than four decades, Bergmann has been recognized for establishing a true dialogue between the garden and the architectural site. Revered as a plantsman, Bergmann layers his designs with vibrant blooms and textured foliage. The Art of Fine Gardening features twenty gardens that span his career and are located in the North Shore. A special chapter is dedicated to the Gardens at 900, the historic estate designed by architect David Adler, which he developed and reimagined as a series of lush private garden rooms with hedges, towering topiary, and perennial borders, interspersed with classical figures and ornament.

    With a passion deeply rooted in the harmony of design and nature, Craig Bergmann’s award-winning work is a testament to his skill, innovation, and commitment to sustainability. At the heart of his practice is a profound respect for the natural world, seamlessly integrated with the architectural heritage of each space. Russell Buvala has been Head Gardener for Craig Bergmann Landscape Design Inc. for the last 37 years. As Head Gardener, he oversees the company’s garden care division, leading a team of gardeners and florists in the stewardship of over 150 gardens throughout the Midwest.

    Participants in this webinar have the option to purchase a copy of the book, The Art of Fine Gardening: Craig Bergmann Landscape Design, and receive complimentary admission to the webinar. Price ($60 public, $50 Garden Conservancy Members) includes book, free shipping, and webinar admission. A recording of this webinar will be sent to all registrants a few days after the event. The recording link will expire after 30 days. We encourage you to register, even if you cannot attend the live webinar. 

    If you’d like to purchase webinar admission only, please click here.

  • Thursday, July 17, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – The African Ancestors Garden, Online

    Designed to honor the lives and legacies of the African diaspora, the African Ancestors Garden at the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC, integrates cultural symbolism, native plants, and evocative spatial forms. This Garden Conservancy talk on July 17 by Walter Hood examines the creative process behind this living memorial, highlighting how history and memory are embedded within the design to foster reflection, healing, and connection. Through its layered narratives and immersive experience, the garden creates a contemplative space that bridges past and present while inspiring dialogue about identity, heritage, and community.

    WALTER J. HOOD, a multidisciplinary designer from Charlotte, NC, is globally recognized for his contributions in art, landscape architecture, urbanism, and research. Founding Hood Design Studio in Oakland, CA, in 1992, he now leads as its creative director. His passion for landscape and urbanism emerges from its broad, democratic scope, allowing experiences beyond architectural constraints. Infusing African American cultural arts into his philosophy, he has established a unique voice, reshaping spaces to reflect contemporary needs without erasing their history. A professor at UC Berkeley and former Harvard educator, Walter penned Black Landscapes Matter and has received accolades such as the 2019 MacArthur Fellowship, the 2021 Architectural League’s President’s Medal award, and the 2024 Vincent Scully Prize.

    Note: You will receive the webinar link directly from Zoom. Participants in this webinar have the option to purchase a copy of the book, The African Ancestors Garden: History and Memory at the International African American Museum, receive complimentary admission to the webinar. Price ($50 Conservancy members, $60 nonmembers) includes book, free shipping, and webinar admission. Register at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/events/the-african-ancestors-garden-with-walter-hood-book-webinar Or you may choose to register for the webinar alone. If you’d like to purchase webinar admission only, please click here.

  • Tuesday, May 20, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Eastern – Introduction to Matrix Planting, Online

    The Native Plant Trust will present a Zoom lecture with Meg Herndon on May 20 at 6 pm Eastern. Matrix planting originated in Germany after World War II, developed by urban planners seeking a simple, affordable, and low-maintenance way to restore nature and bring hope to war-torn cities. This technique uses small, densely planted species that grow together to form naturalistic “communities.” Researchers and city officials worked together to create this approach. Since then, garden designers and landscape architects in Europe and the US have embraced matrix planting for both its aesthetic appeal and its role in promoting biodiversity. Insights from German plant scientists and nursery owners, who have refined plant selection for sustainable, nature-inspired communities, are now sought after worldwide. Join us to explore the history of matrix planting and discover practical ways that developers, designers, and homeowners can apply these techniques to their own projects locally.

    A recording of this class will be available to all registrants for two weeks after the class. $25. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org. Image courtesy of Fine Gardening Magazine.

  • Tuesday, April 29, 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm Eastern – Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard, Online

    A recent report commissioned by Friends of the Earth found that the U.S. food retail sector’s use of pesticides on just four crops could result in $219 billion in financial, climate, and biodiversity risks between now and 2050. The report identified $34 billion in biodiversity risks associated with pollinator-harming pesticides. Friends of the Earth’s Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard shows that major U.S. food retailers are increasingly acknowledging the role pesticides play in biodiversity loss. Since 2018, thirteen of the retailers ranked on the scorecard have established policies aimed at reducing toxic pesticides in their supply chains, signaling a significant shift taking place across the food retail sector. These efforts follow a multi-year campaign led by Friends of the Earth and supported by over 100 environmental, public health, farmer, and farmworker organizations across the country. Yet, despite this promising trend, efforts fall far short of what is needed to address this massive liability. Join Dr. Kendra Klein online on April 29 at 7 pm Eastern to learn more about the findings of the report and what companies are doing. This free Zoom is presented by Grow Native Massachusetts and you may register at www.grownativemass.org

    Kendra Klein, PhD is Deputy Director of Science at Friends of the Earth. She leads research on pesticides, environmental health, and sustainable agriculture. Prior to joining FOE, she held positions at Physicians for Social Responsibility, Health Care Without Harm, and Breast Cancer Action. Klein is a Switzer Environmental Fellow and her work has appeared in publications including The Guardian, The Nation, and Gastronomica. She holds a BA from Miami University of Ohio and a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy & Management from UC Berkeley.

  • Wednesday, March 12, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Eastern – Greening Public Spaces: The Green Roof Bus Shelter Project, Online

    Join The Native Plant Trust and Trevor Smith, Design and Education Manager at Weston Nurseries, and past president of the Ecological Landscape Alliance, to learn more about his efforts to build thirty green roofs for bus shelters throughout the city of Boston, in conjunction with Mayor Michelle Wu’s commitment to green infrastructure. In addition to describing the history of this project and the process of building a green roof, Trevor will share the insights he has gained while pursuing this work. The talk will take place on Zoom on March 12 at 6 pm Eastern, and is $17 for NPT members, $20 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/greening-public-spaces-the-green-roof-bus-shelter-project/

    A recording of this class will be available to all registrants for two weeks after the class.