The Garden Club of the Back Bay

More than thirty of the country’s leading dealers offer their finest pieces at America’s most celebrated venue for authentic garden antiques, the New York Botanical Garden’s 19th Annual Garden Furniture Show and Sale, on Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 1.  Blithewold Home will be making its debut at the show. During the three-day event, fountains, statues, benches, urns, sundials, birdbaths, and botanical prints beckon novice collectors and garden designers alike. Throughout the weekend, antiques experts offer informative tours and talks.  For complete show details, log on to www.nybg.org.

The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay has informed us of a Petition to Support H. 1169, An Act Protecting Sunlight in Certain Public Parks, sponsored by Representatives Martha Walz and Byron Rushing. To read the bill, go to www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H01169.  This bill seeks to expand and clarify the current laws that protect the sunlight on the beloved Boston Public Garden and the Boston Common by limiting new shadows.  Specifically, the bill would prohibit any new construction or building remodeling from blocking sunlight and casting new shadows on six additional public parks.  The goal of the bill is to allow reasonably-scaled development near the parks while protecting sufficient sunlight for the health of the park environment and the enjoyment of its users.

The five Boston parks and one Cambridge park will be protected by the bill are:

* The Back Bay Fens
* Christopher Columbus Park
* The Commonwealth Avenue Mall
* Copley Square Park
* The Esplanade
* Magazine Beach Park

You can sign the petition immediately (through May 22) by logging in to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sunlight2.  However, if you have already signed the petition, please do not do so again.  If you have any questions concerning this legislation, you may email Sue Prindle at sprindl@verizon.net.  Photo from www.gardenvoice.com.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay web site has a new link on the right hand side of our home page – the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers.  The Boston Mounted Horse Project: Preserving Boston’s Park Ranger Mounted Unit, can be found at www.SaveBostonsHorses.org.  The friends group, led by Julie Donahue and Cokie Perry, has applied for independent non-profit status, but on a temporary basis, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy is serving as the fiduciary agent for the friends and welcomes donations payable to the Justine Mee Liff Fund, designated for the Boston Park Ranger Program.  Checks may be sent to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy at 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115.

The Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit was created in 1982 through an initial effort by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. It has since grown into a program that once boasted more than twelve patrol horses and twenty-four year-round park rangers plus the addition of seasonal rangers. However, due to budget constraints, the program has been halved and is under consideration of total disbandment.

When the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit faced disbandment last year, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy raised $140,000 in donations to maintain the unit through the fiscal year 2010 and the early part of 2011. The efforts of the Conservancy saved jobs and protected the safety of the park system by providing funding to local enforcement to continue providing mounted security to the Emerald Necklace.

Now, facing a renewed effort to cease the mounted program, the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers have taken up the cause. Through fund-raising and donations, they hope to reach their goal of providing the city of Boston with $155,000 to maintain the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit through the fiscal year, and further prove the mounted program’s importance and necessity in maintaining the safety of Boston’s park system.  Some very nifty aprons are available for purchase, too.

Jessica Harper will speak at the Boston Public Library on Thursday, March 10, at 6:00 pm, as part of her nationwide book tour promoting The Crabby Cook.  Jessica is an hilarious and talented singer/actress/writer/blogger/ and mom whose website, www.thecrabbycook.com, is a treat to read.  (Full disclosure – we were in college together, and she was always totally pulled together, so reading that she has off days has restored my self-esteem.)  In her own words:

The Boston Tree Party is a collaborative campaign to plant 100 pairs of heirloom apple trees in civic spaces across Greater Boston. They’re planting with schools, hospitals, faith communities, businesses, neighborhood groups, nonprofits, restaurants, social clubs, assisted living centers, and more. They want to plant with you! For more information please go to: http://www.bostontreeparty.org/

On Sunday, February 27th, farm workers from Florida – the men and women who pick the tomatoes Bostonians eat from October to May every year — will be joined by consumers from across the Northeast in a march beginning at Copley Square, through downtown Boston, to the Brigham Circle Stop & Shop store, where they will hold a rally to demand that the supermarket chain join a growing partnership among farm workers, Florida tomato growers, and retail food giants aimed at ending decades of farm labor abuse in Florida.  Farm workers from the Coalition of Immokalee (FL) Workers, Slow Food president Josh Viertel, religious leaders, students, community activists from across the Northeast sponsor the march. “We pick Boston’s tomatoes, and for years those tomatoes have been harvested in Florida’s fields under unimaginably harsh conditions,” said Leonel Perez of the CIW. “Today, however, we are finally beginning to see the first glimmers of more humane treatment at work, thanks to the Campaign for Fair Food.”  Florida farm workers have long faced brutal conditions in the fields, including sub-poverty wages, widespread labor rights violations, and even modern-day slavery. Today, however, there is hope on the horizon, thanks to the efforts of farm workers, Fair Food activists, Florida tomato growers, and nine food industry leaders (including Whole Foods) who have joined in support of the CIW’s Fair Food principles, including a penny-per-pound piece rate wage increase, a strict code of conduct, a cooperative complaint resolution system, a participatory health and safety program, and a worker-to-worker education process. Last November, the CIW and the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange (FTGE) signed an agreement to extend these principles to over 90% of Florida’s tomato fields. And though the implementation of that agreement is being phased in gradually over the course of this season and the next, many real, concrete changes have already taken root on some of the state’s largest farms. The solution to farm labor exploitation and abuse contained in the Fair Food principles depends on the participation of all the major purchasers of Florida tomatoes. Each buyer must contribute its fair share – its penny-per-pound – for the pay raise to reach its full potential. Each buyer must commit to direct its purchases to those growers complying with the code of conduct – and away from those who don’t – for working conditions to get better and stay better. In the words of the FTGE’s Reggie Brown, “Everybody in the system has to be invested for it to work.” About the Coalition of Immokalee Workers: The CIW (www.ciw-online.org) is a community-based farm worker organization headquartered in Immokalee, Florida, with over 4,000 members. The CIW seeks modern working conditions for farm workers and promotes their fair treatment in accordance with national and international human rights standards. The CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food has won unprecedented support for fundamental farm labor reforms from retail food industry leaders. The Campaign for Fair Food taps the unique powers of all the elements of our country’s food industry: of consumers, to demand the highest ethical standards for food production; of food retailers, to use their tremendous buying power both to demand higher labor standards of their suppliers and help raise farm workers out of poverty through a price that supports sustainable production; of growers, to continuously improve their operations and meet consumer demand, keeping pace with an evolving marketplace, and, of farm workers, to help expose and fix the worst abuses and apply their unique knowledge toward modernizing, and humanizing, our farm labor system.

The United Nations, through Resolution Number 61/193, named 2011 the International Year of Forests, launched February 2, 2011 at the General Assembly Hall in New York City.  Preparations for the observance of Forests 2011 are taking place at the national, regional and international levels.  Copies of the resolution, and a calendar of events, can be found on the UN website http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/index.shtml.  Forests are home to more than 300 million people throughout the world.  Primary forests account for more than 35% of forest area.  30% of forests are used for the production of wood and non-wood products.  The livelihoods of 1.6 billion people rely on forests.  Forests cover 31% of land area.  Take part in this celebration of the importance of forests throughout the world. Though the website, you may submit photos, poems, essays, films, and thoughts about the importance of our forest cover.  Winners of the Forest Film Festival Competition (screened at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival) may be found at www.jhfestival.org/forestfestival/index.htm.

Nancy Peck, over at Garden Club Salon, alerted us to a new website created by the National Garden Clubs.  The Garden Club of the Back Bay, Inc. is a National Garden Clubs member.  On the Welcome Page, the NGS explains: ” With nearly 200,000 members across the U.S. and internationally (6300 local clubs, 50 state clubs, a National Capital Area Club plus international affiliates), National Garden Clubs and its membership have a lot of expertise, anecdotes, tips and ideas to share. The largest nonprofit volunteer organization of its type in the world, NGC works to promote civic and environmental responsibility as well as a love of gardening and floral design.  The idea behind this blog is to share the latest NGC news and press releases, trends and tips as well as relevant news items from online news media and gardening blogs. Your comments, photos and ideas are invited!”  Log on at http://nationalgardenclubnews.blogspot.com.  You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well, which says a lot about the changing demographics of Garden Club members, we believe.

It’s time for that taste of Spring once again! Friday, March 4 is the kickoff for The Flower & Patio Show Outdoor Living Expo at Worcester’s DCU Center, which will run through Sunday, March 6. Come stroll through wonderful garden displays, relax by a tranquil water garden in the Café, and purchase all of the products you need to make your “outdoor living room” your own creation that you can enjoy for years to come. The Garden Shop is filled with everything from patios to fresh-cut flowers! Hear from the experts, comparison shop with no pressure, and walk away with everything you’ll need for those new inspired projects you will obtain at the show. Meet the landscapers who will create this year’s Gardens and discover how your own backyard can be transformed.  For a complete listing of events, exhibits and sponsors, log on to www.centralmaflowershow.com, or call toll free (800) 533-0229.  Thank you to www.nipthebud.com for the beautiful photo.

The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Club of America (TGOA/MGCA) sponsors an annual photography contest, with categories such as wildflowers, roses, landscapes, and more. This competition is meant to encourage good photography and continual education in conjunction with home gardening and other interests of the TGOA/MGCA membership.  American Horticultural Society members are encouraged to enter, as well as members of the sponsoring organizations, and complete rules may be found on their website, www.tgoa-mgca.org, or you may request a copy of the contest manual from Sherra Schuck at sschuck4@kc.rr.com.  There is a February 16 deadline, so get on this right away if you are interested.  You may also call 515-278-0295. Best of Show 2009 winner, Echinacea purpurea with two-tailed Swallowtail butterfly by Karyn Chaffin of the Denver Gardeners of America is shown below.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s Margaret Pokorny is featured in this Boston Globe story and video on our joint effort with The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay, and our Marlborough Street neighbors, to save an historic elm.  Although the article and video don’t mention the individual contributions of the organizations, we are not shy about saying we’re proud of this solution. Log on to  www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/01/09/beloved_elm_tree_imperiled_solution_is_found_to_save_it/

Admit it. You have shelves and shelves oozing with cookbooks and cooking magazines… some of which have rarely (if ever!) been cracked open. We know, because gardeners are often somewhat obsessive about collecting. Just how many perennial geranium cultivars are planted in your garden?

So what to do about it? How about joining Slow Food Boston on Sunday, January 30th from 1:00 to 4:00PM for a good old book swap? Load up your old cookbooks you never use anymore, or maybe those esoteric ones you’ve received as gifts & never used… Don’t forget any food & dining magazines, too! And why not go one step further and bring on down any food-related novels or written collections you’ve read and want to pass on?

The organizers ask for a $5 donation to SFB (payable in cash at the door) in order to participate; in exchange you get a way to give your books to others who will find joy in them, and you get to peruse the piles and take a few items that will bring yourself a little joy! Share the love, people, share the love….

And speaking of sharing the love, all leftover items with will be donated to More Than Words Cafe. The cafe is an organization in Waltham that empowers youth who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.

The event takes place at Green City Grocers, 600 Windsor Place in Somerville, between Union and Inman Squares.  Directions are on the Slow Food website.  There is even parking! Cookbook image from The Perfect Pantry.

Spotting fireflies is a special part of any warm summer night, because we so rarely see them. Are fireflies disappearing from our landscape? If so, why? What can we do about it?

The Museum of Science has linked with the Citizen Science website, co-sponsored by the Museum of Science, Tufts University, and Fitchburg State College, helping researchers determine why fireflies seem to be declining, and offering the general public an opportunity to learn how to collect scientific data in a manner that is both useful to firefly researchers and fun for the whole family.

Using your own backyard as a data collection site, chart the occurrence of fireflies from May to August. Each week, you can upload your observations to the website, joining the data from hundreds of other citizen scientists to track the status of fireflies in your area.

Becoming a citizen scientist is easy and fun, and your collective data is essential to helping scientists learn why firefly numbers are declining, as well as what can be done to reverse the trend. Whether you participate as an individual or family, it is a great way to foster a lifelong interest in science and a greater understanding of natural history. To learn more about the project, and to register, log on to www.mos.org/fireflywatch.

If you haven’t yet subscribed to Nancy Peck’s superb Garden Club Salon blog, this is your opportunity. Nancy says: “Through my work I’ve discovered that garden clubs and organizations come in all shapes and sizes, all around the world. What they have in common is this—they are made up of individuals who’ve lots of enthusiasm, an innate curiosity, and indefatigable determination. Their appreciation for all things garden and nature is enormous and infinite.”   Today she features our annual wreath project, and we are very flattered.  To read the article, log on to   www.gardenclubsalon.wordpress.com.

The American Garden Museum is a working archive that celebrates American gardens and their gardeners.  View showcase gardens, explore gardens across America by state (very useful travel tool), see on line exhibits highlighting popular garden designs and trends from 1930 to 1940, focusing primarily on the New England States, such as The Garden Scrap Book of Lois Travis Thornton, and enjoy beautiful, inspirational photographs.  The Botanical Archive allows you to view almost 100 popular and historical garden species by common or Latin name.  Best of all, they want to hear your story, be it a cherished childhood memory, or something profound or amusing.  Visit the site, then send your story to YourStory@AmericanGardenMuseum.com. Image from emmabond.typepad.com.

Garden Club of the Back Bay member Harriet Lewis, with her husband Alan, published Driving With No Brakes in August, 2010, and we want our web site followers to know all about it.  The book is available through www.amazon.com, and at many local booksellers.

Driving With No Brakes is a fascinating, inspirational book about how two courageous leaders built a remarkable company that can thrive in change and succeed in an unpredictable world. The book offers important lessons for any business leader trying to create value in the 21st century.

Alan and Harriet Lewis, owners of Grand Circle Corporation, reflect on the company’s successes and failures and highlight important business strategies that have propelled it to be held by many as the world’s best travel company. Through the lens of Grand Circle, they demonstrate how they were able to achieve sustained business success amidst the tumultuous and highly competitive travel industry by fostering a values-based organization that embraces risk while maintaining focus on people and social mission.

In 1986, shortly after Alan and Harriet Lewis bought Grand Circle Travel, a competitor remarked that there was no way a bunch of hooligans from Boston could run a worldwide travel business. At the time, Grand Circle was a travel company with one office, $27M in sales, and was losing more than $2 million a year. Twenty-five years later, Grand Circle has grown nearly 20% per year into a highly profitable company with annual sales in excess of $600 million. The company owns or charters 60 ships, operates 80 trips in 100 countries, and employs 2,300 people in more than 30 offices worldwide. With social mission tightly woven into Grand Circle’s business strategy, the company has donated or pledged more than $50 million USD to educational, humanitarian, and cultural organizations worldwide since 1992.

Grand Circle is beloved by its customers (American travelers), more than 125,000 of whom travel with Grand Circle Travel and its affiliate, Overseas Adventure Travel, each year. The company has served more than 1.5 million travelers over the years and prospered through more than 300 crises, including the 9-11 attacks, the rise of online competitors, and ongoing global political, economic and environmental challenges. Despite it all, Grand Circle continues to increase its profitability and grow at a rate of nearly 20 percent per year.

It has been a wild ride, and there were times when Alan and Harriet were literally driving with no brakes. This book tells the story of Grand Circle and of a remarkable couple’s dream to build a company that would help change people’s lives and of the long, hard, and fun-filled journey they took to get there.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino will switch on the lights illuminating the first 9 blocks of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall from Arlington Street to Charlesgate East for the holiday season and winter months, with more than 100 trees exquisitely strung with white lights, at 8:15 pm on Thursday, December 2. Residents and donors will join the Mayor and refreshment host Taj Boston’s general manager Jeffrey Seward to help with the lighting countdown. Donations are still being sought, and may be made by check payable to the Commonwealth Avenue Mall Lighting c/o Back Bay Association, 229 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116, or online at www.backbaylights.com.  Image from 3rdhouseparty.typepad.com

Plan now for The North American Rock Garden Society’s Western Winter Study Weekend, Friday, February 25 – Sunday, February 27, at the Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Avenue, Sidney, British Columbia (approximately 20 minutes north of Victoria.)  This weekend seminar, hosted by the Vancouver Island Rock & Alpine Society, will include workshops, plant sales, seed sales, displays and open gardens. The focus will be on interesting plants and  other things occurring in  and around the ancient and modern silk routes.  This is a vast area of the northern hemisphere and so should make for some very interesting presentations and discussions.   Speakers will include Stephanie Ferguson, an expert rock and crevice gardener from Calgary, Vojtech Holubec from the Czech Republic and co-author of The Caucasus and Its Flowers, John Massey, owner of Ashwood Nurseries, UK, Bill Terry, meconopsis expert and author of Blue Heaven – Encounters with the Blue Poppy, and Dr. Bobby J. Ward, botanist and author of The Plant Hunter’s Garden. For more information, visit www.virags.ca/winterstudyweekend.htm, or contact Registrar Kathy Lalli at kathylalli@hotmail.com.  You may also telephone Yvonne Rorison at 250-519-0269.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, The Boston Parks & Recreation Department, and The Friends of Copley Square will host the annual Copley Square Holiday Tree Lighting on Tuesday, November 30, from 5 – 6 pm.  The festive event will feature live entertainment, including The United States Air Force Brass Band Quintet, Trinity Church Choristers and Schola, Brian Jones and the Copley Singers, and holiday caroling.  The Old South Church bells will toll when the lights are turned on.  Santa will pay a special visit, and immediately following the tree lighting, The Copley Plaza will host a family reception for all in attendance.  The Garden Club of the Back Bay is pleased to announce its contribution of handmade bows to decorate the ArtsBoston kiosk.  Our volunteers will be in the Square decking the halls  November 26, if you’d like to stop by and say hello.  Visit www.friendsofcopleysquare.org to learn more about Copley Square.

The Friends of the Public Garden are pleased to announce that The Commonwealth Avenue Mall is among 12 sites from around the world to be chosen for The Cultural Landscape Foundation’s 2010 Landside: Every Tree Tells a Story traveling photography exhibition.  The excerpt below is from the original press release.  More information can be found on The Friends of the Public Garden’s new blog, http://fopg.wordpress.com/.

Landslide, first issued in 2003, is TCLF’s annual compendium of significant at-risk parks, gardens, horticultural features, and working landscapes and each year is accompanied by a traveling exhibition of commissioned photography. The 2010 Landslide: Every Tree Tells a Story focuses on the irreplaceable trees and tree groupings, often associated with historically important people and events that have shaped the development of communities and cultures.

The exhibition features sentinel and specimen trees, allées and boulevards, urban forests, formal and vernacular— things that surround us and are living reminders of our heritage. These trees and tree groupings recall our nation’s past and have the potential to bear witness to coming generations. These natural and living features command the same awe and admiration that our culture bestows upon the arts, architecture and design.

The Commonwealth Avenue Mall was chosen for its grace, scale and definition of space that marks it as one of the world’s finest examples of the tree-lined avenue. Photograph below by James Sheldon.