The Garden Club of the Back Bay

To guarantee the best treatment for their sick children, patient families will travel from across the globe to Children’s Hospital Boston. Many of these families arrive in Boston with just the clothes on their backs and no temporary living arrangements. Newly renovated, named and opened, the Yawkey Family Inn (YFI) is just blocks from the hospital and doubles the amount of affordable housing available to Children’s families. With 22 bedrooms, shared bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and common areas, the YFI offers all of the comforts of home to families during their greatest time of need.

This house was made possible, in large part, by the Yawkey Foundations, which awarded a $3 million gift to support the new home. Additionally, the Family Inn Foundation, a long-term partner of the Yawkey Foundations, generously donated its independently operated Family Inn on Sewall Avenue to the hospital. Created 25 years ago with the support of Jean Yawkey, the Family Inn has provided much needed accommodation for out-of-town patient families.

Last year, the New England Revolution and Major League Soccer donated a greenhouse to Children’s Yawkey Family Inn, bringing sunshine to families who’ve traveled far from home for their child’s care. The staff is looking for volunteers with green thumbs to help keep this space bright. An experienced gardener or gardeners must assess the required needs of the greenhouse, including maintenance, then schedule seasonal plantings, while giving tips to the program staff regarding continued maintenance of the greenhouse, which is located at 241 Kent Street in Brookline. If you are interested, please contact Sharon Healey at 617-919-3455.

Have you won a blue ribbon for your floral designs? Have you ever wanted to step onto the ‘big stage’ and show your talent?

Division II – the ‘open’ division of Blooms! at the Boston Flower & Garden Show – still has some openings for floral designers. You need not be a member of a garden club, but you should have both experience in designing and have won in competitions.  The payoff for competing is the recognition of your skills and imagination, and the admiration of the 65,000+ attendees at the show.  If you are interested, please contact Julie Pipe at juliepipe@comcast.net.

American history is replete with visionary, inspired and willful patrons who supported and shaped beloved and nationally significant estates, parks, plazas and other civic amenities across the country.

The Cultural Landscape Foundation announces the 2012 Landslide®: Landscape and Patronage call for nominations. Landslide, the annual thematic compendium of threatened and at-risk landscapes, in 2012 will focus on those people and/or organizations and the sites they helped create. The goal is to celebrate their accomplishments and inspire new generations of patrons and philanthropists. The landscapes that surround us everyday shape our communities and the people living in them — help bring attention to these sites and the individuals who shaped their creation by nominating an at-risk cultural landscape.  Deadline is May 31! Submit a nomination on line at www.tclf.org.  Below is a photo of A.D. Taylor and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. at Forest Hills Park, Ohio.

Established in 1989, The Boston Committee of the Garden Club of America is a consortium of 14 garden clubs in the greater Boston area, from Buzzards Bay to the South, and coastal Maine to the north, with a total membership of 1,100 individuals. The Garden Club of the Back Bay is an affiliate member of The Boston Committee.

Over the past years, the Boston Committee has awarded $110,000, through its Blossom Fund, to various not for profit groups in the City of Boston, for the purpose of beautifying our urban spaces. The Fund has been most effective when used to leverage larger grants. It has been at the forefront of projects such as the construction of the Blackwell Path at the Arnold Arboretum, which allows access to the Arboretum from public transportation. The Blossom Fund has helped with the construction and planting of a butterfly garden and maple tree allee at Massachusetts Audubon Society’s George Robert White Nature Center, in Mattapan. It has provided money for the restoration of the Kelleher Rose Garden on the Emerald Necklace. The Esplanade Association purchased irrigation equipment, the Charles River Conservancy restored the landscape surrounding the Eliot Bridge, and a garden was established at the Neighborhood Charter School, all with the help of the Blossom Fund.

Now, the Boston Committee is soliciting proposals for a project in the vicinity of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. We expect to award a single grant for $50,000, with the potential to collaboratively raise additional funds in the future.

The Committee members agree that innovation, positive community impact, and horticultural achievement must be the hallmarks of a successful Greenway proposal. Sustainability and future maintenance are important considerations. The grant will not be awarded for general fund drives, endowments, or for operating or staffing costs. The successful applicant must work with us to raise additional monies in the final year of the fund drive. Importantly, applicants must be an exempt organization under the IRS code.

Complete details may be obtained by email. Contact Michele Hanss, current Chairman of The Boston Committee, at m.hanss@comcast.net. Applications are due February 10. We have received notice that applications may be forthcoming from the Friends of Christopher Columbus Park, The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, the Boston Aquarium, and the Boston Harbor Walk. After a full review and interviews, member Clubs will vote for the winning application, to be announced at our Annual Meeting in the fall of 2012, after which we will embark on the final year of fund raising. We encourage all groups in or around the Greenway to submit applications.

Believe it or not, there’s important woodlands restoration work to be done during the coldest months! An invasive vine that wraps itself around trees and kills them is easiest to cut in the winter (see bittersweet, below.)  The Franklin Park Coalition sponsors its annual Winter Volunteer Day Saturday, January 21, from 10 – 12. Wear old clothes and layers, heavy cotton or wool is best, nylon will snag on branches. If you have cold hands bring liners for under leather gloves. Meet at Valley Gates Parking Lot midway along the main park road. RSVP and Questions? www.franklinparkcoalition.org  or 617-442-4141.

For all those interested in improving and expanding Boston’s Urban Forest. Become a part of a resident based stewardship and advocacy group whose goals are to plant trees and educate the public about the benefits of trees. The meeting will take place Tuesday, January 24, from 6:30 – 7:30 at the BNAN offices, 62 Summer Street in downtown Boston. Please RSVP to reserve your spot at 617-542-7696 ext 20 or email mathew@bostonnatural.org.

Garden Club of the Back Bay member Susan Ashbrook brought this Copley Square competition to our attention. SHIFTBoston is asking artists, architects, urban planners, sculptors, lighting designers, and landscape architects around the world to envision a new approach to activating Copley Square in Boston with a lighting installation. In their GLOW Competition, SHIFT is looking for proposals which will make the space one of the greatest squares in the world to visit at night. Teams are invited to enter, and winners will be given two months to work with a professional from Boston Light Source to develop lighting specifications for their proposal. In April, a jury will review the three final proposals and select the one that is most technically feasible and suitable to the overall program goal. The winning proposal will be featured as part of the upcoming Fairmont Copley Plaza Anniversary celebration and planned for installation in 2013. Entries are due by February 3, 2012. All eligible entries will be promoted on the SHIFTboston blog and website and will become part of the SHIFTboston GLOW book in 2012. The international jury includes the following:

- Ana Bassat: Architect, Principal of b720; Barcelona, Spain
- Helmut Bien: Director of Luminale and Luminapolis.com; Germany
- Bill Kenney: General Manager of Copley Place Simon Property Group; Boston, MA
- Mark Loeffler: Lighting Designer, Director of Atelier Ten; New Haven CT
- Otto Piene: Painter, Artist, Lighting sculptor; Groton MA
- Nader Tehrani: Principal of NADAAA, Boston MA
- Paul Zaferiou: Lighting Designer, Principal of Lam Partners; Boston MA

The Garden Club of the Back Bay has taken no official position on the appropriateness of additional lighting in Copley Square, but is in conversation with The Friends of Copley Square, The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay, and local government officials reviewing the proposed competition.

Garden Club of the Back Bay representative to The Friends of Copley Square, Bev Christians, has reminded us to remind all our readers of the tree situation at Copley Square.  She and fellow Club member and representative Rita Christensen have been working hard with the Friends group to find a solution to the dead and dying trees.  Bev writes:

A number of Garden Club members who are concerned about the diseased trees in Copley Square have asked about joining the Friends of Copley Square at this time of year when charitable contributions are made.  Please note that the Friends have set up a designated account to receive monies for tree care and replacement.  When you join, mark the check memo “Tree Fund.” Thus far, Garden Club memberships in FOCS have paid for fertilizer and biotic stress treatment to fortify blighted trees.Your memberships truly count, especially right now.  Mail your check for $50 for individual membership or $500 Singleton Society (special events) to Friends of Copley Square,  P.O Box 170124, Boston, MA 02117-0084.  

Visit www.friendsofcopleysquare.org to join or donate on line with PayPal, if you prefer.  Copley Square has, in the past, been a site for First Night ice sculptures, and in the dead of winter, the tree damage goes unnoticed.  When spring arrives, however, the extent of the problem will be readily apparent.  Please give generously.

The Master Urban Gardener (MUG) program covers all you need to know to grow food in one of Boston’s community gardens- from composting and seed starting to community organizing. The 2012 MUG classroom sessions will be offered on 6 consecutive Saturdays from January 14 – February 18.

The MUG program consists of 30 hours of classroom instruction, followed by 30 hours of volunteer service. The 2012 MUG classroom sessions will be offered on 6 consecutive Saturdays from January 14 – February 18. The classes will be hosted at the Boston Natural Areas Network office, at 62 Summer Street in Downtown Boston.

Each Saturday will feature topical lectures as well as participatory activities. Topics include:

• Vegetable garden planning for bigger harvests
• Botany and soil science for gardeners
• Managing weeds, pests & diseases without chemicals
• Composting in community gardens
• How to facilitate garden meetings and workshops

Rather than paying a fee, Master Urban Gardeners give 30 hours of volunteer service to Boston’s gardening community. The program is open to Boston resident who are community gardeners. Applications for the MUG course are available at www.bostonnatural.org/MUG.htm and are due December 1. Questions? Contact Erika Rumbley, Garden Educator at 617-542-7696 x15 or erika@bostonnatural.org.

For all those interested in improving and expanding Boston’s Urban Forest, you are invited to the Boston Urban Forest Council Meeting on Monday, November 21, from 6 – 7 at the Boston Natural Areas Network offices, 62 Summer Street in downtown Boston. Become a part of a citizen based stewardship group whose goals are to plan trees and educate the public about the benefits of trees. Please RSVP to reserve your spot at 617-542-7696 ext 20 or email: mathew@bostonnatural.org.

Join gardeners from around the city for the Boston Gardeners Council’s first annual seed swap, to be held Saturday, November 19, from 2 – 4 at the Boston Natural Areas Network office at 62 Summer Street in Boston. Bring your favorite or extra seeds and discover what other gardeners love to grow. Come share your wisdom, tips and tales of beloved crops. Contact: karen@bostonnatural.org or call 617-542-7696 for more information.

Join Franklin Park neighbors and volunteers on a crisp fall day as they rake leaves and spruce the park up. Feel free to bring your favorite gloves or an extra rake, although we’ll have plenty on hand for those without.  Perhaps you should also bring your favorite spouse or partner, since the more the merrier. Meet at Valley Gates parking lot (midway down the main park road across from the golf course and near Pierpont Rd.) Call to RSVP at 617-442-4141 or email: RSVP@franklinparkcoalition.org.

Our good friend Tom McNichol of the Charles River Clean Up Boat sent us a “year in review” letter which we’d like to share with you.  Tom may be reached at cleanupboat@yahoo.com, if you’d like to put your name on the volunteer list for next season:

Once again, all the news from the river is good. 2011 was a safe and productive season. We had no accidents or injuries. This is most important, as safety is our number one concern.

As to productivity, we kept the Charles looking very good nearly every day this spring, summer and fall. We had great weather. Lots of sunny, comfortable, and dry days. Sure, rain cost us a few days, but the days were spread out and we were able to operate between them. The Charles River Yacht Club and the Boston Gondola folks helped on the first day and gave us a jump start on getting rid of the winter’s accumulation of trash and debris.

The 4th of July celebration was wonderful. The fireworks were world class. The crowd were large and had a great time. Cleaning up after the party was routine. We scheduled extra days and even with the barge fire we had the river back to “mid season form” in about 5 days.

The other great yearly event, the Head of the Charles Regatta, was spectacular, and they had some fair weather.

The new engine ran perfectly all season. Mitch and I pulled the Lisa S on the Friday before the Head of the Charles Regatta . We replaced the rear guard, refastened the rubber rub rail and took care of other minor repairs. Then we took her over to Russo’s for winterizing, a complete servicing, shrink wrap, and storage.

The Lisa S just finished her 6th season (we used a smaller boat the first 2 years). We are on our 3rd set of control cables, second motor and will have to replace the worn out helm (steering) this winter. She gets a great deal of use and has served us well. We will also install a gas filter/water separator to insure the Ethanol laced gasoline we now have to use does not give us problems. Everything to make sure she performs reliably in 2012.

Even the news on funding is good. Somebody is looking over us. Actually somebody is always doing a little extra to help. Here is this year’s story. All year we were behind. I did get on the phone and ask for help, but we were still not whole as of the end of August. In mid September I get a phone call from Torri Zissman. Torri is a second grade teacher at the Rashi School in Dedham. She uses the Charles River as a theme all year long for her students. They learn of the Indians who lived there, take field trips to net some of the small marine life in the river, and lean about the birds and other wildlife.  She also covers the issue of taking care of the river, and each May invites Mitch and me to visit her class and talk about the Clean Up Boat. This year, after the presentation, she asked how we were doing for funding. I said we needed some publicity. It had been a number of years since we were on TV or in the newspapers. Torri and her class nominated us for an award from the Bank of America. The Bank decided to give us an award, and with it comes a grant of $5,000. With a few late donations, and one yet to be received promised donation, we will once again be able to pay all our bills for 2011.

By the way, it was Emma, a student in Torri’s class, who, about 5 years ago, told her family and friends not to give her toys for her birthday, but rather make a donation the the Clean Up Boat, as she thought that was more important. I don’t remember the exact amount, but I believe the donations came close to $500. Emma has also come on the boat as a volunteer.

Speaking of volunteers, as always they were great. We did not miss any days for lack of crew. I did crew one day with Bob, due to a mix up in dates, but we didn’t miss any days. I met a number of new friends and some I expect will become long term volunteers.

I was along the river during the Head of the Charles Regatta. Most of the people were looking at the hundreds of shells on the river, while I am looking in the corners by each bridge abutment. I was limited in where I could go, but I did not see one coffee cup, water bottle or other item of floating trash. It’s a great sight to see all the visitors and rowers. I confess to a warm feeling of pride knowing all these people had a beautiful river to enjoy. Each of you should share in that feeling of pride as no one person can clean 7 1/2 miles of river, four days a week, spring, summer and fall by themselves.

There are now hundreds of us doing many different things to help keep the Charles beautiful. By spreading the work, and funding, over many people and organizations, no one person, or organization, has to bear an uncomfortable load. That may be the reason we continue to be viable and effective. It is obvious that most people take pride in their surroundings and know an effort has to be made to keep them attractive and enjoyable. The Charles River is a jewel for all of us to enjoy. Take a walk along her shores and savor the results of your efforts. With her coat of colored leaves, she will give you one more enjoyable afternoon before winter sets in.

See you in the spring.

The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy is seeking volunteers to help create a color stick garden installation on the Greenway.  The red stick/blue stick garden is intended to bring color and interest to the garden beds during the winter months.  Volunteers are needed for painting sticks on Wednesday and Friday, November 9 and 11, from 9 – 11 at 185 Kneeland Street.  To sign up, or for more information, contact Jenny at jwhelen@rosekennedygreenway.org.

Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters, nationally sponsored by the ConAgra Foods® Foundation and WalMart Foundation, is a groundbreaking nutrition education program that connects families with food by teaching them how to prepare healthy, tasty low-cost meals. Chefs and nutritionists volunteer their time and expertise to lead hands-on courses that instruct adults, teens and kids in getting the most nutrition on of a limited budget. Cooking Matters has reached more than 45,000 families across the country since 1993. For more information, visit www.cookingmatters.org/mass. We are always looking for cooking and nutrition instructors to teach our multi-session class series. Volunteer chefs work in partnership with nutritionists, using the lesson plans and recipes for each class provided in an established curriculum. Classes meet for two hours once a week for six weeks. Cooking Matters provides all materials needed for class, including curricula, cooking and teaching supplies, kitchen, and support staff. To learn more, call 617-774-1324 or email mdelgizzi@strength.org.  They host  New Volunteer Trainings at least once a month, with  two conveniently-located training sessions coming up, and are a three-minute walk from the No. Quincy T on the Red Line.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino has announced that 40,000 daffodil bulbs will be planted in late October (October 22 or 29) along Boston’s public ways, including sidewalks, medians and paths.  The Boston Parks and Recreation Department is seeking volunteers to assist with the plantings and suggestions for locations to be beautified.  Sign up today by filling out a form to support the daffodil planting program at www.cityofboston.gov/parks/daffodil_signup.aspx.  Take photos of your group planting.  Photos may be viewed on Facebook and will be submitted to local newspapers.  Email parks@cityofboston.gov if you need more information or have any questions.

The Friends of the Public Garden is working to put together a snap shot of how people utilize the Public Garden, Boston Common and Commonwealth Avenue Mall for their pets. The Friends is asking dog owners to participate in the discussion by taking a brief survey regarding their use of the parks. Questions are designed to gauge how often dogs use each space and which spaces are used most often. Friends is also interested in hearing what dog owners have to say about an off-leash pilot program. The survey is available online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/KKSQFJ9.  For a printed copy, call the Friends at 617-723-8144.  Provide your email address at the end of the survey to be entered into a drawing to win a $20 gift certificate for Fish & Bone- Urban Pet Essentials.

Beginning August 17th, Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Grant Program will be accepting online applications for school garden grants! In partnership with FoodCorps, Whole Kids Foundation will grant 1000 schools $2000 each to build or expand their school garden.

To kids (and many adults!), gardens are magical places where they can see things come to life. Experiencing that process for themselves helps kids understand that food comes from plants, and not out of a box or off a truck. With that in mind, the goal of the garden grant program is to support schools wanting to establish or grow their gardening programs so they can offer their students the great experience of gardening.

Learning about the process of growing food helps children develop a deep understanding of the connection between healthy eating and a healthy body. Like anyone who gardens, kids are proud of the fruits of their labor and are more apt to eat the fresh veggies they’ve grown. School gardens also offer an opportunity to integrate math, science and health curriculum into a dynamic, interactive setting. Plus, teaching kids to garden helps them learn about complex topics like sustainability and conservation, food systems and community awareness.

If you’re interested in getting a garden in your local school and want to find out more about the online application process, visit the Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Grant Program page for a downloadable PDF with complete grant information.

Then, when you’re ready to apply online, you’ll follow three steps:

Step 1: On your first visit, you’ll be asked to provide your email address and create a password. If you want to complete your application in two sessions, when you return simply click the Login button on the right side of the page.

Step 2: The second section of the application requires information about the applying entity: the school, district, or nonprofit organization to whom the grant will be paid.

Step 3: The final section of the application is to learn more about the garden project for which you are applying, what groups are involved, how students will be engaged and the details of your garden plan including timeline and budget.

Grant applications will be accepted through December 31, 2011. Applications will be reviewed and recipients will be notified in February 2012. There is a limit of one garden grant per school.

What do you think? Would a school garden grant help bring momentum and passion for healthy food, agriculture and nutrition into your local school?

Thanks in no small part to the continued success of our recent Twilight Garden Party, The Garden Club of the Back Bay announces that the following organizations will receive a total of $20,000 in financial grants for 2011:

The Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee – $5,000 to be credited to the Hereford Street to Massachusetts Avenue  air spading project fund.

The Friends of the Public Garden – $4,000 to continue the inoculation of elms at risk for contracting Dutch elm disease.

The Esplanade Association – $2,500 for the Elliot Oval Landscape Restoration, planting new trees and treating trees already on site, near the newly restored Community Boating docks.

Emerald Necklace Conservancy – $2,500 for a planned meadow to be developed with native species and wildflowers.

Boston Nature Center/Massachusetts Audubon Society - $2,500 to support six full scholarships for its summer camp.  The children attending the camp range in age from 5 to 14 and are from the local neighborhoods of Mattapan, Roslindale, and Jamaica Plain.

Charles River Clean Up Boat – $2,000, to help continue the project of keeping the Charles River trash-free.

Urban Ecology Institute - $1,000 to help with its Grow Boston Greener tree planting initiative.

The Boston Committee of the Garden Club of America – $500 to the Blossom Fund, which is accumulating funds over a five year period to be awarded to a deserving project on or about the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

For more information on all these important organizations and to learn more about the work they do, visit their website links above.  In addition to the above grants, The Garden Club of the Back Bay will spend an additional $20,000 on planting, pruning, and treating the street trees in our neighborhood over the coming year.  Thank you to all our volunteers and contributors for making our horticultural endeavors happen!

Expand your knowledge of the Arnold Arboretum and share your passion for plants with others.  Arboretum Interpreters will be trained to talk knowledgeably about the Arboretum and plants.  In addition to training on Arboretum history, plant terminology, and the landscape, volunteers will learn interpretive techniques to effectively engage with visitors of all ages.  As an Arboretum Interpreter, you will have casual interactions and conversations with visitors, one-on-one or in small groups.  You’ll help people find their way through the landscape, explore the fascinating world of plants, communicate how the Arboretum is a living museum, and make Arboretum history come alive.  Fall 2011 training will be held at the Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway in Boston,  and there is no no fee.  Punctuality and attendance at every session, as well as commitment to the program, are very important.  The training will be held on three Tuesdays and two Saturdays in September:

Saturdays, September 10 and 17, 10 am – 3 pm

Tuesdays, September 13, 20 and 27,  6 pm – 8:30 pm

The Arboretum Interpreter program is a partnership: you provide your time, commitment and enthusiasm, and the Arnold Arboretum provides rich resources, experienced staff, and special benefits for volunteers.  It is also a wonderful opportunity for self-growth and for reaching out to Arboretum visitors to communicate the importance of plants in our lives.  An application form may be found at www.arboretum.harvard.edu (click on Get Involved, then click on Volunteer.)  After receipt of your application, a staff member will contact you.  An interview will then be scheduled.