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It's been a tough summer season for us all and the proliferation of mosquitoes this year is a testament to how wet the past two months have been. The silver lining to all those rain clouds might be that the wetlands are recharged. Alos, many of the summer blooms on the perennials and some summer blooming trees are the most robust we've seen in years, as the abundance of cattails and joe-pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum) in our ponds reveal.
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June and July were very busy months at the Wakefield Estate!
We piloted two new programs, hosted a number of visits from schools, youth groups and garden clubs, and welcomed our 2009 crop of summer interns and fellows. The Landscape Seminar held in June and the Archaeological Institute over June and July were exceptional programs that demonstrated just two of the many ways we are putting the diverse resources of the Wakefield Estate to the service of learning.
The diversity of resources at the Wakefield Estate -- horticultural, archaeological, historic buildings and property, to just name a few -- make this site a unique place for study and learning, as well as a nice place for a mid-summer stroll! I hope you'll come for a visit soon!
-Mark Smith
Executive Director |
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Wakefield Mansion Gets a Facelift!
How do you paint a 200+ year old house that has a dozen or more layers of old, deteriorating paint? Carefully! After conducting a thorough paint study and analysis that used a microscope to document the structure's paint history since 1794, the old wooden clapboards were stripped of all the old paint, treated to restore some moisture, and then applied with a new coat of oil primer followed by two coats of finish paint.
The color scheme of the new paint -- light gray and ivory trim - was chosen because it closely matches the color scheme of the mansion during the Colonial Revival period at the beginning of the 20th century.
Mason Cook and Ethan Howard of Westmill Preservation, which specializes in painting historic homes and buildings, carried out the project. |
Wakefield Estate's Interns Make Their Mark
This summer's interns have made their mark at the Wakefield Estate. The interns are students from Milton, Hyde Park and Boston who will work a total of 7 weeks on a wide variety of projects including weeding invasives, rehabbing various "garden rooms," pruning, hauling, and creating trails within our successional woodland. The members of this year's crew are Will Corley, Bena Apreala, Myles Friedman, Katy Paez, Elica Teixeira, Sam Dorilas, Mairead Reilly, Max Rosenberg, Randy Omoregi and Matt Sweeney. Several of the interns are headed off to colleges in the fall, while others will be returning to their respective schools.
Open Hours Every Thursday 2-6 pm
Feel like a stroll through an apple orchard one of these lazy summer afternoons when it isn't raining? Visitors are welcome to walk through the gardens, orchards and woods of the Wakefield Estate each Thursday from 2-6pm. Come and take a break from the fast-paced world and enjoy the natural beauty of the estate's grounds. It's not too late to catch Polly's vast collection of dogwoods in the peak of their splendor.
WANT TO HELP?
If you are interested in participating in any of the wide variety of work projects we have planned for the months ahead, including spring bulb planting, fall-clean-up and school programs, please call 617-333-0924 or email Erica Max to discuss your interests and hear how you can get involved. All ages and all interests welcome! If you are interested in participating in any of the wide variety of work projects we have planned for the year ahead, please call 617-333-0924 or email Erica Max to discuss your interests and hear how you can get involved. All ages and all interests welcome! |
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Mary M. B. Wakefield Charitable Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Staff:
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