Area Events

EVENTS—LISTED CHRONOLOGICALLY

Please check ahead for all events in case of cancellations.

• Monthly: UMass Landscape Message

• TickTalk is Back!
DATE: the 2nd Wed. of the month @ 12noon
WHERE: Lenox Memorial School, 197 East St, Lenox, MA 01240
COST: FREE
Starting in February, we will hear from Dr. Stephen Rich and the UMass Laboratory of Medical Zoology (LMZ) every month! This FREE series is brought to you by the UMass Laboratory of Medical Zoology and UMass Extension. TickTalk in 2020 will also feature exciting guest speakers on tick topics that you told us were important to YOU. The series will include seasonality and life stages of ticks (key to planning intervention and prevention), emerging or invasive tick species, how ticks use vegetation and leaf litter throughout their life cycle, increasing fears of Alpha-gal allergies (allergies to certain meat and animal-related products), dispelling myths of tick control, and many more. Mosquito concerns, including life cycle, behavior, and EEE infection, will also be addressed and Dr. Rich will discuss the tens of thousands of mosquitoes the LMZ tests each year for a range of viruses.

Pre-registration is required for joining this webinar. For more information visit TickReport.

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Upcoming Events

• May-August - UMass - Pollinator Steward Certification Program
Registration for the summer session will be open from May 1st - 31st.
Cost: $249.
This course is offered fully online and is asynchronous. You will have on-demand access to lectures and course content at any time, within a defined course period. Once registered, you will have through August 31st to complete course content. Upon successful completion, a Pollinator Steward certification through UMass Extension.
Link for info: www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/resources/pollinators/pollinator-steward-certification-program

 

• Sat, Aug 16 - BBG - Drawing on the Land: A Design Symposium
Rockland Farm in Canaan, NY
Spend the day at Rockland Farm in Canaan, NY, for an immersive symposium on ornamental garden design. Hosted in a beautifully restored barn surrounded by gardens, this event features presentations from Roy Diblick, Kathryn Herman, Frances Palmer, and Dean Riddle. Morning refreshments and lunch are included. The day will conclude with cocktails and a guided tour by our hosts, Madeline and Ian Hooper.
Link for info: https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/drawing-land-design-symposium

 

• Tues, Sept 2-23 - BBG - Herbaceous Plants
5:30 to 8:30 pm / $215-$240
This intensive four-session class led by Lee Buttala on Tuesdays, Sept. 2 through 23, explores the world of herbaceous plants, from their identification, selection and use in the garden through their basic botany, life cycle and propagation. Participants are asked to create a final project highlighting a genus or plant family related to the curriculum. A part of the Level 1 horticulture core curriculum, this class is essential for the committed gardener and includes lectures, hands-on activities, field study, and group discussion. The class aspires to give participants a deeper understanding of annuals, perennials and ornamental vegetables and their role in the garden. Students should dress for outdoor field study. All students participating in this class as part of the Horticulture Certificate Program are required to complete a final project.
Link for info: https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/herbaceous-plants-5

 

• Fri, Sept 5 - BBG - Grass Menagerie
2 to 5 pm / $50-$70
Grasses are an integral component of naturalistic plantings, the garden style popularized by New York City's High Line and the "Dutch Wave." But with names like Schizachyrium, Spodiopogon, and Hakonechloa, they can be bewildering to even experienced gardeners. Join plantsman Robert Clyde Anderson for an overview of the most useful and beautiful species and cultivars for our climate, with an emphasis on their ecological value, distinguishing characteristics, and design possibilities. This three-hour session will include an illustrated lecture, handouts, and an on-site walkabout on the BBG grounds, as well as time for questions and shared experiences.
Link for info: https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/grass-menagerie

 

• Sat, Sept 6-27 - BBG - Drafting for Garden Design
9:30 am to 12:30 pm / $215-$240
This four-week studio-intensive course on Saturdays, Sept. 6 through 27, introduces the fundamental drafting skills needed to accurately document and communicate scaled site plans. Students will become familiar with essential tools and materials, including reference books, drafting supplies, media types, line weights, lettering styles, and how to read and use scale. Through live demonstrations and hands-on exercises, students will practice professional drawing techniques and begin drafting basic site plans while also exploring the art of map-making. In the second half of the course, the focus will shift to developing a personalized landscape graphics palette — learning how to illustrate trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers, along with hardscape elements like stone terraces. Taught by Tom Smith of Springfield Technical Community College.
Link for info: https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/drafting-garden-design-3

 

• Sat, Sept 13 - BBG - Native Plants for Year Round Interest
1 to 2 pm / $25-$40
Transform your garden into a stunning, season-spanning landscape with the power of native plants. Instructor Duncan Himmelman will guide you through the beauty and benefits of incorporating native trees, shrubs and perennials into your outdoor spaces. Discover a wide range of plants perfectly suited to your local environment — bringing vibrant color, rich texture and ecological value from spring through winter. Whether you’re refreshing your garden or starting from scratch, this class will inspire and inform your next planting season.
Link for info: https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/native-plants-year-round-interest

 

• Thu, Sept 18 - CTHort - Deeply Disturbed: The Emergent Forest of the Future with Peter Del Tredici
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
The northeastern United States is a naturally forested landscape and has been so for thousands of years. In his talk, Peter Del Tredici will present an overview of the recent history of the forests of the northeast as impacted by natural disasters, shifting land-use patterns (urbanization and suburban sprawl), introduced pests and pathogens, invasive species, and climate change. He will speculate on how the “emergent” forests that develop in response to these factors differ from those that have existed in the past and what the implications are for our future landscape.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

• Sat, Sept 20 - GBC - Dazzling Dahlia Show
2 to 5 PM
Watch the website for information.
Link for info: https://greenwichbotanicalcenter.org/dahlia-society/

 

• Sun, Sept 20 - BBG - Plants for the Winter Garden
10 am to 12 noon / $25-$40
The winter garden is truly a low-maintenance affair — no weeding, no watering and no dead-heading! The winter landscape may be quiescent, but the garden need not be bleak. Plants with brightly colored berries, twigs, stems, foliage, and even winter-blooming flowers shrug off the snow and cold. They bring cheer, even as the sun enters Capricorn.
Landscape horticulturist Warren Leach, and author of the new book from Timber Press "Plants for the Winter Garden," will showcase gardens he has designed that celebrate the winter season as well as planting design ideas for your own garden. (Book signing to follow the talk).
Link for info: https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/plants-winter-garden-talk-and-book-signing

 

• Thu, Oct 16 - CTHort - Putting Your Garden to Bed – Re-thinking the Ritual with Sarah Bailey
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
Traditionally, the Fall garden to-do list included clearing your garden spaces to the soil line, ostensibly to prevent pests and diseases from overwintering. As we learn more about the complex web of the environment we live in, we are discovering that the traditional “putting the garden to bed” practices can leave our gardens less diverse and robust. There are better steps to take to prepare your garden spaces for the winter and the following growing season—both environmentally and aesthetically.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

• Sun, Nov 9 - BBG - Rooted In Place
Keynote Speaker: Abra Lee - Cultivating the Untold Stories of Black Gardeners and Growers
10 am to 3 pm / $85-$105.
Horticulturalist, author, and storyteller Abra Lee will headline the symposium with a keynote address that brings to life the often-overlooked history of Black Americans in horticulture. Drawing on her forthcoming book, "Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers" (Timber Press), Lee will share riveting narratives - from one of the first Black plant shop owners of the Roaring Twenties to a true tale of espionage with roots in the Harlem Renaissance. Lee, a Georgia native with a degree in ornamental horticulture from Auburn University, has made it her mission to unearth and amplify these hidden histories, connecting cultural heritage to ecological legacy.
Link for info: https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/rooted-place

 

• Thu, Nov 20 - CTHort - The Growth of Trees: A Journey Through Time with Michael Wojtech
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
No single view of a tree is a fixed snapshot in time that tells a complete story. Join Michael and discover how trees grow, reproduce, and interact with their environment across days, weeks, seasons, and years and over varying spatial scales—from the intricate details of buds, flowers, leaves, and bark that we use for species identification to the collaborative roles of trees in ecosystems. Experience the function and beauty of characteristics such as peeling bark, overwintering buds, lobed or toothed leaves, flowers by the thousands, and seeds that fly on the wind.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

• Thu, Jan 15 - CTHort - Personal Habitat: 30 Years of Wildlife Gardening with Julie Zickefoose
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
Join author/artist Julie Zickefoose in a retrospective of 30 years of habitat enhancement on her 80-acre parcel in the Appalachian foothills of southeast Ohio. This virtual garden tour showcases the stunning beauty of one place, deeply loved and closely observed, where thoughtful stewardship has made all the difference. You’ll come away full of ideas for your own space, no matter how small.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

• Thu, Feb 19 - CTHort - Tree Preservation Techniques with Heather Dionne
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
Heather Dionne, arborist and local Market Leader, will talk about keeping your trees resilient through challenging changes in weather, preventing insect and diseases and creating longevity for your most prized trees.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

• Thu, March 19 - CTHort - An Engineer’s Approach to Houseplant Care with Darryl Cheng
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
When you understand how plants work, you can gain a deeper appreciation for how they'll grow. Darryl Cheng, author and houseplant aficionado, will show us how to care for them.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

• Thu, April 16 - CTHort - The Past, Present, and Future of the Keney Park Sustainability Project with Herb Virgo
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
Join Herb Virgo, executive director of Keney Park Sustainability Project, for an inspiring exploration of the Keney Park Sustainability Project, an initiative dedicated to preserving and enhancing one of Hartford's most iconic green spaces.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

• Thu, May 28 - CTHort - Designing Meadows and Naturalized Plantings for a Human Landscape with Kathy Connolly
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
Form and setting mean everything to the success of a meadow and other naturalized settings. Join Kathy Connolly, landscape designer and author, for a discussion of how to create one for yourself.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

• Thu, June 18 - CTHort - Digging Deeper into Ecological Horticulture with Uli Lorimer
On Zoom and in person at Elmwood CC, West Hartford, CT
7 to 8:30 pm / $10 non-members
Ecological Horticulture takes a different approach from traditional gardening by focusing on nature-friendly principles. Learn about it from Uli Lorimer, author, and Director of Horticulture for the Native Plant Trust. (Sponsored by the Lois and Herb Isaacson Endowed Lecture fund.
Link for info: https://cthort.org/events-and-travel/category/speaker-meetings/

 

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Virtual Offerings

• InsectXaminer from UMass Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

Description: The InsectXaminer short video series hopes to increase the visibility of the beautiful world of insects, even those we consider to be pests in our managed landscapes. InsectXaminer will showcase the complexity of insect life cycles, cataloging as many life stages for each species as possible. The goal of this series is to provide professionals and land managers with footage that is helpful for learning the identification of insects throughout the season, rather than at any single point in their life cycle. Proper identification is key to successful management. If possible and caught on camera, important aspects of their biology and natural enemies will be revealed.

Follow this LINK

 

• BBG Virtual Learning

The Berkshire Botanical Garden offers several virtual learning opportunities for children, families, and beginning gardeners. See their offerings HERE

 

• NYBG At Home

New York Botanical Garden has a wide range of virtual events, plants guides, videos, and online courses. See the full list at NYBG-at-home.

 

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Alphabetical List of Organizations

Visit area organizations for more offerings.

•  ASLA- American Society of Landscape Gardeners - ctasla.org -

•  BBG - Berkshire Botanical Garden - berkshirebotanical.org

• Capital District Garden & Flower Show - https://flowerandgardenexpo.com

•  Cary Institute - Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies - www.caryinstitute.org

• CACIWC - Connecticut Association of Conservation & Inland Wetlands Commissions - www.caciwc.org

•  CIPWG - Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group: www.cipwg.uconn.edu

•  Cornell Cooperative Extension - for information contact 518-272-4210

•  CT NOFA - Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut - ctnofa.org - 203-308-2584

•  GBC - Greenwich Botanical Center - https://greenwichbotanicalcenter.org - 203-869-9242

• Hollister House Garden, 300 Nettleton Hollow Rd., Washington, Ct 06793 - 860-868-2200 - hollisterhousegarden.org

• Mad Gardeners - madgardeners.org

•  Nature’s Voice - White Memorial Conservation Center's outreach show about everything Nature. Every Sunday at 2pm on WAPJ 89.9 & 105.1 FM Torrington Community Radio

•  NCNC - New Canaan Nature Center, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840 - 203-966-9577 - www.NewCanaanNature.org

•  NPT - New England Wild Flower Society - now Native Plant Trust, 351 Longwood Rd, Kennett Square, PA 19348 - https://www.publicgardens.org

• NYBG - New York Botanical Garden - nybg.org
    - New Canaan Nature Center Classes
    - Classes at NYBG
    - Certificate Programs & Summer Intensives
    - Lectures & Symposia

• Trade Secrets Rare Plant & Garden Antiques annual event to benefit Women's Support Services - www.tradesecretsct.com

• UConn Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program: www.ipm.uconn.edu

•  UConn College of Agriculture, Health & Natural Resources - www.uconn.edu -

• UMass - University of Massachusetts Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program - French Hall, 230 Stockbridge Rd., Amherst, MA 01003 - 413 - 545-0895 - https://ag.umass.edu/
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