Calendar of Events
Workshop Digging into Soil Ecology Rachel Thiet, Professor of Environmental Studies, Antioch University New England When:
Where: Jennison Hall at Bentley University, Waltham CEUs Available: APLD (1.75 credits); NOFA-AOLCP (pending) Member $46/ Non-member $56/ Workshop Sponsor $120 Healthy soils are teeming with life, and biodiverse soil communities are integral to plant diversity and productivity, as well as to vital ecosystem functions like carbon sequestration. Join ecologist Rachel Thiet to dig deep into soils, with an emphasis on carbon storage potential and how ecosystems aboveground and belowground interact with one another. We'll also discuss the effects of gardening and land management practices on the health of soil ecosystems. |
Special Event Our 2020 Native Plant Sale A Pre-order only sale with at least 70 species available! When:
Where: Waltham Field Station, 240 Beaver Street, Waltham Available to members at the advocate/family level and above. Our annual native plant sale this year will be pre-order only in response to the current coronavirus pandemic and the need to operate the sale safely. Orders must be picked up between June 18-20 at scheduled pick-up times. |
Workshop The Diversity and Ecological Value of Native Shrubs Meredith Gallogly, Manager of Programs, Grow Native Massachusetts, When:
Where: Online (By Zoom Meeting) CEUs Available: APLD (1 credit); NOFA-AOLCP (pending) Member $28/ Non-member $38/ Workshop Sponsor $100 June is the peak blooming time for some of our loveliest flowering shrubs, many of which also have tremendous value as host plants for the larvae of moths and butterflies. Join Meredith to learn about the diverse mix of native shrubs found in our region, with a special emphasis on underutilized species that have tremendous potential for use in landscape settings. |
Evenings with Experts Native Bees: Our Pollination PowerhousesHeather Holm, Author, Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide When:
Where: Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway CEUs Available: APLD (1.5 credits); LA CES (1.5 credits); NOFA-AOLCP (1.5 credits) Free and open to all. Native bees are the most important pollinators for our flowering plants, but are under threat from human activity. Heather Holm will teach us about the lives of common bee genera, and the vital relationships that they have with native plants— a powerful reminder that the salvation of one is inextricably linked to the proper stewardship of the other. |
Traveling Talk Native Trees: The Heart of Your Landscape Claudia Thompson, Founder, Grow Native Massachusetts When:
Where: 1714 Meeting House, 617 Main Street, Lynnfield Free and open to all. Native trees are essential first ingredients in creating healthy landscapes. This program will focus on why they deserve to be widely planted and explore more than a dozen native tree species in detail — all of which are excellent choices for a variety of conditions. Come learn about their unique ecological contributions and adaptations, as well as their varying soil, moisture and horticultural requirements. Leave equipped and excited to add more of these essential plants to your gardens and streetscapes! |
Workshop Grow a Meadow, Large or Small Kathy Connolly , Speaking of Landscapes When:
Where: Jennison Hall at Bentley University, Waltham CEUs Available: APLD (2.75 credits); NOFA-AOLCP (pending) Member $78/ Non-member $88/ Workshop Sponsor $150 Native meadows are ecologically vibrant—providing food and habitat to pollinators and other wildlife, stabilizing soil, and sequestering carbon in deep, complex root systems. Creating a meadow is very different from caring for a traditional perennial bed, and understanding how to steward a meadow is critical to success. Join Kathy Connolly for a deep dive into meadow-making, including site preparation techniques, plant selection, and long-term maintenance. |
Evenings with Experts Designing with Plant CommunitiesDan Jaffe, Horticulturist, Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary When:
Where: Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway CEUs Available: APLD (1.5 credits); LA CES (1.5 credits); NOFA-AOLCP (1.5 credits) Free and open to all. All too often, during the design process, we think of plants on an individual or species basis, not considering the intricate ways that plants in the landscape interact with one another. Learn how to create planting plans based on systems more than individuals, with a focus on resilient plant communities appropriate to site conditions, and resulting in landscapes that are ecologically vibrant. |
Traveling Talk Why Native Plant Landscapes Matter to You Claudia Thompson, Founder, Grow Native Massachusetts When:
Where: Trinitarian Congregational Church, 53 Cochituate Road, Wayland, MA Free and open to all. Native plants are increasingly recognized as important to gardens and landscapes, but why? Claudia will give us an overview of their essential role in ecosystem health. Then she takes us on a tour of her garden as a case study, showing how it supports life for more than 80 species of birds and promotes biodiversity overall. |