The Garden Club of the Back Bay

The customer asked for white and silver, and this wreath shows what a bit of silver paint can do for the most mundane materials.  Sweet gum balls, milkweed pods, pine cones and teasel were sprayed, the underlying balsam was enhanced with some blue spruce, and sprays of artificial pearls were strategically added to a pretty silver and white ribbon, for a very frosty look.

The City of Boston Department of Public Works will collect and recycle Christmas trees during the first two weeks of January.  You should put your tree out on your regular trash and recycling collection day (in most of Back Bay, that’s Monday and Thursday).  If your building puts trash in a dumpster, trees should be placed next to the dumpster for collection.  If you miss these recycling times, call 617-635-4959 for possible additional date or dates in January.

Remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights, and other non-organic decorative materials.  Flocked trees will often need to be chopped and disposed with regular solid waste.  For more information on tree recycling for other areas of Massachusetts, and indeed nationwide, log on to www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/disposing.php.

Sometimes a ribbon is so entrancing that the decorator just wants to showcase it.  Here, a beautiful gauzy gold stripe is surrounded by a plethora of gilded and natural magnolia leaves and milkweed pods, making the bow look twice the size of the original, and a simple trailing of eucalyptus pods swings around the opposite side for rhythm.

On Tuesday, January 25, from 6 – 9, The Greater Boston Food Bank will be the beneficiary of a heated showdown between the City of Boston’s firehouses when the Boston Firehouse Chili Cook-Off pits firefighter chefs against one another for the title of “Boston Firehouse Chili Champion 2011.”  Join the  host, Four Seasons Executive Chef Brooke Vosika, and two celebrity guest judges to cast your vote for the best firehouse chili in the city, all for a great cause.  The event will take place at The Four Seasons Hotel on Boylston Street. Tickets are $95 per person, and tickets may be purchased on line at www.gbfb.org.  Call Gail Favreau at 617-427-5200 for more information.  Image from www.freerepublic.com, but we can’t guarantee that these particular firefighters will be the cooks. A girl can dream.

One of our most loyal volunteers, a very accomplished floral designer, has for years declined to decorate, preferring instead to organize materials, sweep the floor, and generally make herself useful in any number of other ways.  We always knew we were losing a valuable asset, but no amount of cajoling was effective, until this year, when the combination of being oversold and pressed for time, along with the appearance of this fabulous acid green ribbon and peacock feather accessories, convinced her to try her hand.  The result (one of a matched pair, shown below) was so spectacular that one of the project co-chairs switched the tags so these could go home with her.  The original client was sent an equally beautiful, but perhaps not so inventive, pair of wreaths.

Learn to recognize the characteristics of native wildflowers in winter in their dormant, leafless state.  Specimens will be examined in class, supplemented by slides.  This Connecticut Botanical Society workshop will be held at Lockwood Farm Cottage in Hamden, Connecticut, on Wednesday, January 19, beginning at 10 a.m., and is limited to 15 participants.  Please register with the workshop leader, Carol Levine,  at www.ct-botanical-society.org.  If you are not a CBS member, there will be a $15 fee, which includes a one year membership in the Connecticut Botanical Society.  Snow date: January 26.  For more information, email lemmon@snet.net.

This wreath was designed for a single guy who didn’t want anything too “weird” – no feathers, no flowers, strong design, for a condominium done primarily in earth tones.  The decorator rose to the task with this beautiful bronze design, with only the barest touch of a deep coppery red, in the rose hips and glass balls.

No leaves? No problem! Use a combination of branching patterns, bud and bark characteristics, habitat, persistent fruits, galls and marcescent leaves to identify shrubs in winter. The New England Wild Flower Society program on January 29 will begin at 10 am with a short session indoors. Then head out into MA Audubon Habitat’s 86 acres in Belmont for a close look at 15-20 native shrubs plus a couple of non-native invasives. You will end up back indoors for a twig or slide quiz and a cup of something hot. Review for those who have taken “Native New England Shrubs” and a good introduction to shrub ID in winter. Bring lunch and a hand lens if you have one. Roland “Boot” Boutwell leads, and the fee is $32 for NEWFS and Massachusetts Audubon Society members, $36 for non-members. Click on www.newfs.org to register.  Image of willow below from the Royal Horticultural Society.

One of our most elegant ribbons this year was a deep, deep burgundy – almost black – with gold beaded edging.  The designer here used dyed purple eucalyptus, baby’s breath, acorns, pine cones, and little red berries – she admitted that wiring those acorn tops was somewhat labor intensive, but the beautiful results show the time spent was worth it.

The core mission of conservation organizations is to preserve plants, animals, and their habitats. How do we best go about this essential work at the level of your interest: state, local, or your own backyard? Over two class sessions at Garden in the Woods in Framingham, The New England Wild Flower Society will discuss the definition of biodiversity, why we care about it as a society, the pervasive threats, and on-the-ground solutions. Using power-point presentations to illustrate concepts and case studies to apply our ideas, we cover protection strategies and stewardship tools. We talk about how climate change alters our thinking about traditional conservation approaches. The intention is to provide a background in the principles of conservation biology for you to become a more effective conservation advocate and/or steward of your own land. A series of articles and web links are provided to aide in the discussion. First session will take place Saturday, January 29.  Second session will be held February 12 from 10 – 3. $120 NEWFS members, $140 non-members. To register, log on to www.newfs.org.

It’s sometimes difficult to mix two metallic tones, but we always want to give the customer what he or she wants.  Here, the request was for a gold bow with copper accents.  Last year the decorator had the identical order, and gave the wreaths a very different look, using gold tapestry ribbon and soft sheen gold and orange glass balls.  This year, she decided to use yellow and orange roses, along with soft gold cones and balls, and a twinkling of glittery copper accents.

Learn the art, science, and craft of beekeeping from Beekeepers’ Warehouse owner Nancy Bentley Mangion, in this one session class, The Buzz on Beekeeping,  to be held at The Arnold Arboretum on Wednesday, January 19, from 6:30 – 9 pm. She will discuss equipment, site requirements, environmental benefits, and a bit of the history of beekeeping. She will also touch upon beeswax crafts, the medicinal uses of honey and beeswax, and have honey for tasting and purchase. There’s much to learn and gain through a closer connection to these vital pollinators. (Note: for an in-depth series in your area, consult the Massachusetts Beekeepers Association for a list of Bee School programs.)  Fee $45, and you may register online at www.arboretum.harvard.edu, or by phone at 617-384-5277.

Educators and Librarians, come see what Tower Hill Botanic Garden has to offer! Visit our newly opened Winter Garden on Thursday, January 20, between 3:30 – 5:30 and delight to the sights and scents inside our Orangerie and Limonaia (below.)  Learn about resources in the library and about workshops and programs through the Education Department. Warm and delicious refreshments will be provided. No reservations are required.
For more information, please contact Kathy Bell, Librarian, kbell@towerhillbg.org or 508-869-6111 ext. 116 or Ann Marie Pilch, Education Coordinator, apilch@towerhillbg.org 508-869-6111 ext. 120.

Today’s wreath is a classic, and a symbol of our wishes to you for a wonderful Christmas Day.

Winter in New England need not be a long dreary affair for gardeners. With some thoughtful planning and good plant choices your garden can take on a whole new life during the off season. Many hardy plants provide form, structure and even glorious color during the long dormant season. Join Executive Director John Trexler on Sunday, January 2, from 11 – 1, for a tour of Tower Hill’s new Winter Garden for some first-hand examples of planting for year-round interest.
For more information, e-mail registrar@towerhillbg.org or call 508-869-6111×124. Mahonia image below from www.seasonalwisdom.com.

The customer called and asked for an Advent purple bow with silver accents.  We knew we had some purple ribbon, but with gold edges, so our intrepid leader Margaret Pokorny went to Jacobson’s on Albany Street to find Advent purple ribbon.  Many store employees were polled to see which of the many purples qualified as Advent purple, and I believe Google Search was consulted.  We wish the photograph had captured the actual color of the bow – it looks blue here, but it really is a rich, true purple.  The designer was inventive, and we hope to hear some feedback from the man who ordered it!

Come with Pacific Horticulture and Katherine Greenberg, past president of the Pacific Horticulture Society, April 7 – 17, 2011 to experience the history, landscapes, artistic and culinary traditions of Sicily. The island is rich in classical Greek ruins and remarkable Roman mosaics set in romantic Mediterranean scenery. Begin in Palermo, with its fascinating collection of medieval monuments. You will see a wide range of plants on leisurely nature walks, discover ancient hilltop cities with panoramic views over the valleys, and explore quaint fishing villages. The journey ends in lovely, seaside Taormina, where an optional extension is available. This unique tour is planned for a small group, and complete information with detailed itinerary may be found at www.pacifichorticulture.org/tours/sicily/, and by calling Sterling Tours at 619-299-3010, or logging on to http://sterlingtoursltd.com/Sicily.html.

We love this wreath, which is just over the top with materials.  Designed by one of our members for her own home, she played off the silver scroll in the green ribbon with touches of silver in the branches, silver glitter spray on the lotus pods, and pieces of white birch branches (not just the bark, but whole pieces of branches – look in the middle at the bottom, just above a bouquet of roses, protea and green and melon colored glass balls.)

The inspirational and exhilarating Eighth Annual Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium (that has sold out for several years) will energize your approach to gardening.  The symposium will be held Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2 at The Equinox Resort, a world class, four diamond resort in Manchester, Vermont.  The symposium features six info-packed lectures led by nationally and regionally renowned professionals in their fields, as well as a vendors area.  Exchange ideas and swap “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” gardening stories with other passionate gardeners at workshops, meals and free time.  Drawings for great gardening gifts throughout the Symposium will sweeten the deal.  One and two night packages are available, as well as day-only rates.  Speakers include Ellen Ecker Ogden on The Complete Kitchen Garden: The Art of Designing a Classic Potager, Bill Cullina on The Botany of Design, as well as Beyond Black-eyed Susans and Border Phlox: Exceptional Native Perennials for Creative Gardening, Charlotte Albers on Mad About Blue, Heather Poire speaking on Proven Winners Annual: The Perfect Accessory for Perennial Gardens, and Kerry Ann Mendez presenting Exciting New or Underused Perennials for 2011. Symposium sponsors include The American Horticultural Society, Equinox Valley Nursery (see their lilac image below,)  The Espoma Company, Fine Gardening Magazine, Gardener’s Supply Company, Liquid Fence, Luster Leaf Products, Neptune’s Harvest, Proven Winners, SmileMonster.com, and White Flower Farm.  You may register on line at www.pyours.com/Symposium2011.html.  Registration deadline is March 28.

The client asked for red – bright, bright red.  We must admit, this wreath is the epitome of Christmas cheer, and can be hung indoors or outdoors.  A bright bow such as this one also is appropriate for recessed doorways which are not top lit, since the wreath will really pop from the street.