Framingham, MA – New England Wild Flower Society’s Education Department has released its Spring/Summer 2010 Course Catalog and it is searchable/available online, downloadable online, and available by calling 508-877-7630, ext. 3303. For more information, visit www.newenglandwild.org/learn.

June, 2010 Listings – Adult Classes, Gardening, Horticulture, Field Trips in Eastern MA

Wednesdays, June 2, 9, 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m., and Saturdays, June 12, 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
New England Plant Communities, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. Understanding dominant canopy species, indicator species, and range helps us to interpret our own landscape’s ecological identity. Instructor Ted Elliman covers the effects of soils, topography, moisture, geological conditions, and glaciation. Field trips to study the composition and structure of some distinctive plant communities will complement the lecture sessions. Fee: $208 (Member) / $240 (Nonmember). Cosponsored by New England Wild Flower Society and Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. ). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Wednesday, Jun 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Native Shrub Heroes, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. Learn about plants that offer color and form to our landscapes, but also provide nourishment and habitat for birds, mammals, and insects. Find out which shrubs can replace any non-native invasive shrubs lingering in a back corner of your garden-burning bush anyone? Discover the reasons for going native in your plant selection, as Robin Wilkerson introduces you to a choice collection of beautiful and “well behaved” indigenous plants. Following a lecture and slide program, walk the Garden to see these shrubs in their early summer glory. Fee: $33 (Member) / $39 (Nonmember). Cosponsored by New England Wild Flower Society and Cambridge Center for Adult Education. ). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Thursdays, June 3, 10, 17, 6:30-8:45 p.m,. and Sundays, June 6, 13, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Native New England Shrubs, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA, and field sites. The many species of native New England shrubs display a wide variation in size, shape, color, and characteristics of their bark, flowers, and fruits. This course introduces students to about 50 species growing in this region. Instructor Roland “Boot” Boutwell emphasizes identification and how to become familiar with family characteristics and historic uses. Bring a hand lens to each session. Weekend sessions held in locations off-site with directions provided during the first class. Fee: $195 (Member) / $225 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Tuesday, June 8, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Lessons from the Gardens, Lexington, MA. Explore two very different private gardens in the Lexington area, and learn tips for connecting a designed landscape to the surrounding woodlands. One garden displays a natural, free flowing design while the other is more formal, but with a naturalistic approach. Come with a critical eye to evaluate what has been successful and what areas could be changed to bring out the best of the landscape. June is a time of transition from spring blooming bulbs and shrubs to summery herbs and the bounty of perennials such as geraniums, daisies, and iris. Instructor Seija Halva discusses the challenges faced by home gardeners in woodland sites, such as invasive species and other garden intruders. Fee: $30 (Member) / $36 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Thursday, June 10, 7-9 p.m. and Friday, June 11, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Botanical Inventory Methods, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. Instructor Frances Clark focuses on how to conduct basic inventories of plants as descriptions of vegetation communities on public and private land for the purpose of conservation planning and management. The evening session covers elements of field preparation and the fundamentals of community classification systems. Field investigations include sampling a variety of forest and meadow communities, applying data on geology, soils, and hydrology as well as information on species associations. includes the application of rapid and comprehensive sampling techniques. Sturdy footgear, compass, and hand lens recommended. Bring a bag lunch for the field session. Fee: $98 (Member) / $115 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Saturday, June 12, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Container Gardening with Native Plants at Garden in the Woods, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. Forget the petunias and potato vines; create container plantings using native perennials adapted to our New England winters. Container plantings add accents to your outdoor spaces whether large or small. Learn which natives are ideal for containers and how to combine them effectively. First, explore design elements, container and plant selection, lighting requirements, temperature, growing media, irrigation, fertilization, over-wintering, and long-term maintenance. Then assemble and plant your own container under the instructor’s guidance. BYOC–bring your own container. (Containers available at a discount for the class at the Garden Shop at Garden in the Woods.) The class fee includes potting mix, fertilizer and mulch for your container. Plants will be available for sale at a discount to class participants that day.Fee: $25 (Member) / $30 (Nonmember). Cosponsored by New England Wild Flower Society and Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Sunday, June 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Ferns of Estabrook Woods, Concord, MA. This large woods on the north side of Concord, Massachusetts has more fern diversity than one might expect. The normal array of common ferns is augmented by rich swamp edges and as well as old limestone quarry pits. Instructors Don Lubin Raymond Abair expect to see Massachusetts fern, Christmas fern, ebony spleenwort, fragile fern, and perhaps a couple of other calciphiles. Fee: $32 (Member) / $36 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Thursday, June 17, 6-8 p.m., Woody Vines for the Garden, Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, MA Effective landscape design includes creative use of vertical space, and vines should be considered from the outset. While touring the Leventritt Garden of Shrubs and Vines, horticulturist Jen Kettell introduces an array of woody vines. She explains their various growth habits and attachment mechanisms which determine how they are best used in the garden. Focusing on floral, foliar, and fruiting characteristics, she recommends vines for a variety of garden settings. Fee: $20 (Member) / $24 (Nonmember). Cosponsored by New England Wild Flower Society and Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m.-12 noon. Field and Floodplain Forest Foray, Sudbury River, Sudbury, MA. The Sudbury River curves around this upland area, farmed for centuries in Wayland, MA. Vast hayfields support bobolinks, grassland birds that require large open spaces. The Sudbury floods regularly, providing a band of floodplain forest and marshland along the slow, broad river. Instructor: Frances Clark botanizes the fields, learning common grasses and wildflowers of cultural landscapes. Explore the shrubby edges with both native wetland vegetation and exotic invasives and talk about appropriate management. Walk out to a point of mature trees overlooking the marshes of the National Wildlife Refuge and discuss the ecology of floodplains and the plants that can grow there. Location: Heard Farm, Wayland, MA. Fee: $16 (Member) / $18 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Horn Pond Mountain in Flower, Horn Pond Conservation Area, Woburn, MA. Native Americans called Horn Pond “Lake Innitou,” which means “Looking Place of the Great Spirit.” The pond is over 100 acres in size and is nestled beneath Horn Pond Mountain, which “towers” 287 feet above sea level. Pond and mountain are set amidst 550 acres of open space filled with a rich diversity of plant life. According to Tom Sileo in his book, The Great Spirit of Horn Pond, “members of New England Wild Flower Society Å  have located over 600 species of plants on the mountain alone.” Many of these plants flower in late spring, making the Horn Pond area a delightful spot for field identification. Instructor: Roland “Boot” Boutwell focuses the walk on wildflower identification as well as interesting natural history and lore. Fee: $32 (Member) / $36 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Wednesday, June 23, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Wildflower Propagation I: Transplanting Seedlings and Rooting Cuttings, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. This lecture/workshop covers propagation from cuttings, container growing, and transplantation. Instructor Leslie Duthie begins with a discussion of basic plant physiology and anatomy, cutting techniques, container design, soil mixes and fertilization. Participants then have an opportunity for guided practice taking cuttings and transplanting seedlings of various wildflowers to take home. Fee: $62 (Member) / $72 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Thursday, June 24, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Survey of Grasses of the Northeast, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. Learn how to identify the common grasses in this workshop designed for both amateurs and professionals. Instructor Dennis Magee starts with a review of the morphology of reproductive parts, then focuses on characteristics necessary to learn the differences among the numerous grass tribes as well as genera within each tribe. In an afternoon field session, learn some shortcuts for recognizing groups. Fee: $66 (Member) / $78 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Saturday, June 26, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Air Spading Workshop, Perkins School, Watertown, MA.
Airspading is a new method of excavating the roots of a tree using a “gun” called an airspade, or airknife and a compressor. The dirt is blown off the roots of the tree, making it lighter and easier to move. Unlike traditional methods, airspading captures 80-90% of the roots without a heavy root-ball. More roots for the tree mean a healthier transplant. With new construction projects at the Perkins School, many large trees are being transplanted with this technique. Instructor: Sonia Baerhuk explains the various parts of the transplanting process, discusses the rationale for and the operation of the airspade, and then visits trees that have been transplanted with this technique to observe their overall health. Fee: $32 (Member) / $36 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Saturday, June 26, 1-4 p.m., Photographing for the Online Flora, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. The New England Wild Flower Society is seeking volunteers to contribute photographs of New England plant species for our forthcoming NSF-funded “Online Flora of New England”. For each of several thousand plant species of our region, we need photos of habit, leaf, flower and fruit, as well as images of bark and buds for woody species. Instructor Arieh Tal will prepare you to take aesthetically-appealing “diagnostic photographs,” that you may wish to contribute to the forthcoming Online Flora. You will learn some of the tips and tricks of successful plant photography from an accomplished botanical photographer. Bring your digital or film camera and a tripod for the outdoors practicum, which will follow the indoor slide presentation. Fee: $22 (Member) / $26 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Sunday, June 27, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., A Tale of Two Cape Cod Tree Swamps, Wellfleet and Eastham, MA. Instructor Marsha C. Salett explores and compares the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp at the Marconi Site in Wellfleet, and the Red Maple Swamp at Fort Hill in Eastham, both Cape Cod National Seashore properties. Rare and globally-threatened, Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) swamps are cool, dark, acidic, saturated wetlands, their hummocks and hollows dominated by sphagnum mosses and other bog species. At Fort Hill, we should find a wider variety of trees and shrubs including tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) and sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) as well as several species of ferns. Fee: $40 (Member) / $45 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

June, 2010 Listings – Children’s Programming in Eastern MA

Monday, June 21, 10-11 a.m., JUNGLE ENCOUNTERS, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. Meet a variety of exotic animals up close and personal. Learn how each animal fits its environment, whether it is an American alligator or an African hedgehog. Do you know what the second largest rodent in the world is called? Learn the difference between a Savannah cat and a Bengal cat and find out how cuddly a skunk can be. You may pay at the door. Event will be held Rain or Shine. In case of rain, event will be held indoors and seating is limited. Fee: $4 (fee charged to ages 3+) (Member) / $5 (fee charged to ages 3+) (Nonmember). Pre-registration is encouraged, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.

Wednesday, June 23, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Predators and Prey, Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. For Children in grades 2-5. Plants make their own food, but animals must eat! In nature, the “eaters” and the “eaten” keep a kind of balance so that both may survive. Instructor Bonnie Drexler helps us discover what animals eat what animals here at the Garden, in our ponds, streams, and woodlands. How do predators catch their prey? How can animals without sharp teeth and claws escape hungry hunters? Are there any “good guys” and “bad guys” in nature? Through careful observation and role playing, we will learn some surprises about our animal neighbors. Fee: $12 (Member) / $14 (Nonmember). Pre-registration is necessary, contact the registrar at 508-877-7630, ext. 3303.