Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Drop to Drink
We have struggled here in New England for the past two seasons with exceedingly wet weather, flooding, runoff issues, mildew and blight, but other years we have seen the effects of drought, and have dealt with water restrictions. Water may be the new “oil” in terms of worldwide value, and in 2010/2011 The Garden Club of the Back Bay will examine water in a number of ways, from a look at hurricanes which can dump an incredible amount of water on a region in a very short time, to bog gardens, rain gardens, and gardening in wet spaces with native plants. We’ll also look at global warming issues and even discover the aesthetic value of water, in connection with the restoration of the Brewer Fountain on the Boston Common.
Wednesday, September 15, 10:00 am – The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue - Michele Hanss and Beverly Van Orman – The Boston Committee: What We Do. Michele Hanss, Chairman of The Boston Committee of the Garden Club of America, and Past Chairman Beverly Van Orman, will present an illustrated program on the work of The Boston Committee at our opening fall meeting. The Boston Committee of The Garden Club of America, a not for profit organization, was formed to achieve the following purposes: To educate the general public regarding regional environmental concerns and horticultural practices; to assist individuals and organizations in the design and beautification of public parks and grounds and in the planting of green areas; to meet with representatives to exchange views on issues and concerns of the region; to encourage civic achievement in the environment and in horticulture by presenting awards for design, restoration of public areas, or for other related purposes as part of its public interaction. Through its Blossom Fund, The Boston Committee continues to provide seed money to Boston area not for profit organizations for their garden and/or preservation projects. The Garden Club of the Back Bay is an affiliate member of this worthy organization, and has for many years assisted in raising funds and directing contributions, but we feel many members are still a bit in the dark about the goals and projects. This meeting will fill in all the information gaps, and is a fitting beginning to our 2010/2011 program year.
Thursday, October 14, 10:00 am – The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue - Dr. Kerry Emanuel – Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes. The Club begins its year long examination of Water with a lecture on hurricanes, quite appropriate for the season, we believe. Dr. Kerry Emanuel is a Professor of Atmospheric Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has been on the faculty since 1981, after spending three years as a faculty member at UCLA. Professor Emanuel’s research interests focus on tropical meteorology and climate, with a specialty in hurricane physics. His interests also include cumulus convection, and advanced methods of sampling the atmosphere in aid of numerical weather prediction. He is the author or co-author of over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and two books, including Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes, released by Oxford University Press and aimed at a general audience, and What We Know about Climate Change, published by the MIT Press. “Imagine standing at the center of a Roman coliseum that is 20 miles across, with walls that soar 10 miles into the sky, towering walls with cascades of ice crystals falling along its brilliantly white surface. That’s what it’s like to stand in the eye of a hurricane.” Kerry Emanuel, one of the world’s leading authorities on hurricanes, gives us an engaging account of these awe-inspiring meteorological events, revealing how hurricanes and typhoons have literally altered human history, thwarting military incursions and changing the course of explorations. Offering an account of the physics of the tropical atmosphere, the author explains how such benign climates give rise to the most powerful storms in the world and tells what modern science has learned about them. Interwoven with this scientific account are descriptions of some of the most important hurricanes in history and relevant works of art and literature.
Wednesday, November 3, 10:00 am – The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue - Priscilla Purinton – Bog Gardens. Instructor Priscilla Purinton of the New England Carnivorous Plant Society will speak. Learn to create a bog habitat for your garden or patio with rare and interesting plants. Bogs are unique habitats saturated with acidic, low nutrient water that would spell death for most plants. However, they support a surprising diversity of unique flora that can grow nowhere else. You will learn how to create a good soil mix, what plants do well (and why) in bog situations, and will also learn how to keep your bog flourishing for years.
Monday, December 6 – Thursday, December 9, 8:30 am – 7:00 pm – The First Lutheran Church of Boston, 299 Berkeley Street - Wreath Making – Training, decorating and delivery of holiday wreaths throughout the neighborhood and beyond, with proceeds benefiting the many projects of The Garden Club of the Back Bay.
January – Date and Time to be Announced – Annual Member Tea, Upstairs on the Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
February – Date and Time to be Announced – Herb Nolan, The Brewer Fountain Restoration. The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.
Monday, March 21 –9:45 am – The Wellesley College Botanic Garden, Wellesley – Why Water is Important to the Ecosystem and You. Joint Meeting with the Friends of Horticulture, Wellesley Botanic Garden. Russ Cohen of the Massachusetts Riverways Program will speak. Locally we have between 44-46 inches a year of rain. This seems to be plenty. BUT our wildlife and plants have evolved in a water-filled ecosystem and we are stripping away that water — endangering the ecosystem and ourselves. This is an overview hydrology talk for eastern Massachusetts and it will touch on best management practices such as rain gardens and green roofs .
Tuesday, April 5, 10:00 am – The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue
Dori Smith – Water Gardens: Beautiful Water-Saving, Wildlife-Friendly Gardens. The April meeting of The Garden Club of the Back Bay will feature Dori Smith of Gardens for Life speaking on Water Gardens: Beautiful Water-Saving, Wildlife-Friendly Gardens. Would you like to help protect our precious water resources, while at the same time creating lush, beautiful gardens that attract birds and butterflies? Rain gardens take advantage of our natural abundance of rainfall rather than wasting it as runoff – using water flowing from your roof, driveway, or lawn. These gardens are easy care, and can often solve problems such as erosion, icy walkways, or wet basements. Using inspirational PowerPoint slides, we will review design options, construction details, and appropriate native plants. Attendees are welcome to bring photos or descriptions of their own landscapes to use as case studies. Trained in design and horticulture, with a certificate from Tower Hill Botanic Garden “New England School of Gardening” and an advanced certificate in native plants from New England Wildflower Society, Dori is a member of the NEWFS Educational Committee, and is accredited as an Organic Land Care Professional by Northeast Organic Farming Association. She has installed over 15 rain gardens in Boston’s western suburbs, and has published in the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Sanctuary Magazine.
Wednesday, May 18, 10:00 am – The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue
Kristin DeSouza – Gardening in Wet Spaces with Native Plants. The May meeting of The Garden Club of the Back Bay will feature Kristin DeSouza speaking on Gardening in Wet Spaces with Native Plants. Working with native plants that enjoy ‘wet feet’ adds great interest to a pond side or wet area in your garden. While providing wildlife habitat, pond-side and moisture-loving plants also act as a filter for runoff water. In this illustrated presentation, horticulturist Kristen DeSouza will introduce a gorgeous native plant pallet based on the beautiful Lily Pond at Garden in the Woods. She will present design ideas that you can use in your own wet environment using native perennials, shrubs and trees for seasonal interest.
Kristen DeSouza is a Horticulturist at Garden in the Woods, and a Landscape Architect. She has worked for New York’s Central Park and was awarded the Garden Club of America’s Martin McLaren Horticultural Scholarship, providing a ten month noncredit work/study opportunity in Great Britain.
June, 2011 – Date, time and venue to be announced – Twilight Garden Party
