Mark Your Calendars for this Upcoming Mass Hort Event!
| Whole Foods Cooking Demo: Gifts from the Kitchen
Tuesday, December 11, 6-8 PM
Whole Foods Market in Wellesley has teamed up with our Garden to Table program to bring you cooking classes throughout the fall and winter. Healthy Eating Specialist Lisa Caldwell, director of the Our Health Starts Here Program at Whole Foods Market in Wellesley, will help you make healthy choices in cooking, eating, and menu planning.
Classes will be held at Whole Foods Market in Wellesley.
Gifts from the Kitchen: If you enjoy making gifts for friends and colleagues then this will be perfect for you! This is a simple, hands on class that will show you how easy it is to make a gift that will be welcomed in any kitchen. Cost - $10.00 for members, $12.00 for non-members.
Reservations may be made by calling 617-933-4943 or ordering online here. You may also pay at the class. More upcoming classes:
January 8th - Eating to Begin a Healthy Lifestyle
February 5th - For the Love of Chocolate |
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Book Review
Rosemary Verey: The Life and Lessons of a Legendary Gardener | |
Rosemary Verey: The Life and Lessons of a Legendary Gardener
By Barbara Paul Robinson (David R. Godine (2012))
Reviewed by Maureen Horn, Mass Hort Librarian
Note: Barbara Paul Robinson will speak here, as part of the Library's Author Series, on Thursday, January 31, 2013, from 3:30 to 5:00.
Many of the best English garden designers and writers are little more than names outside of the United Kingdom. Either their work is not associated with the 'great' gardens that have achieved legendary status on both sides of the Atlantic, or else their design esthetic is uniquely British and somehow doesn't 'translate' to America.
Rosemary Verey is the rare combination of designer whose legacy is well established on two continents. Moreover, until shortly before her death in 2001 at 82, she was still designing, still lecturing, and still inspiring. And, in Rosemary Verey: the Life and Lessons of a Legendary
Gardener, Barbara Paul Robinson has given us a wonderful and personal portrait of an artist.
Robinson is uniquely qualified to write about Verey. She took a sabbatical from her New York law firm to serve as a middle-aged intern at Verey's famous Barnsley estate. The story of Rosemary, as she is called throughout the book, is enlivened by personal recollections of many English gardening luminaries who knew and worked with her during the second half of her life. Robinson's own story of coming to a serious interest in gardening only in middle age creates a bond between subject and biographer.
The outlines of Verey's life are well known. An early marriage meant no university degree. An accident caused her a lifetime of physical discomfort. Verey foreswore financial comfort because she discovered she had a genius for gardening.
Her life is also the story of reaching out and pulling into her orbit most of the people whom she encountered. With moving admiration, Robinson gives us the picture of an idyllic marriage, in which Rosemary's husband, David, who called himself a "failed architect", contributed the
architectural features and historical understanding of the gardens which she filled with expert and memorable color combinations. The story of his death and the difficulties of changing home and career direction is movingly told.
Verey was a natural teacher, and the book is filled with remembrances of what her interns, collaborators and employers learned from her. But this is no hagiography: the stories are salted and peppered with memories of clashes and feuds. Some of the differences were professional, because of disagreements over garden design, but others came over pique at perceived slights in
showing enough appreciation for Verey.
Appreciation for her work was boosted by the output of seventeen major books on gardening. Robinson does a terrific job of summarizing them so a reader can use Rosemary Verey as a guide
to studying and following her theories. Two people who recognized the worth of her reputation were Prince Charles and Elton John, and an entertaining section of the book is dedicated to her
interaction with them. The book is also replete with accounts of the plants and designs she used in the gardens of other renowned clients.
A non-gardener can also relate, as an insight into how a person can accomplish goals through decisiveness and never wasting time. Verey wanted to be remembered as great English gardener, and for awhile she found it hard to break into an overcrowded field. Instead, after a few trips
to America, she discovered that she loved the people, the culture and the gardening challenges
imposed by a harsher climate. The awards from America came pouring in, including the 1998 honor of the George Robert White Gold Medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.
The list of acknowledgements is noteworthy and confirms the impression that the biographer took the time to interview people who really knew her subject. Because she did, Rosemary Verey
is a full unfolding of a real person, even more revealing than many memoirs.
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| Volunteers | |
Volunteer today! Mass Hort is looking for volunteers to help run programs, events, and join committees. Use your management, marketing, and people skills to help Mass Hort deliver its mission.
Learn more about volunteering at Mass Hort
Sign up today to volunteer! |
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Letter from the President
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Kathy Macdonald, President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society
Photo by Andy Caulfield
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Dear Friends,
The year has flown by again. It's December and the Festival of Trees has been a big hit. Many thanks to our visitors, members, volunteers, and staff who have worked very hard to make this annual event a success.
December is a time to be thankful for the support we have received to continue Mass Hort's mission. Our garden keepers, staff, and volunteers worked hard to make the gardens a joy for their beauty, bounty, and educational merit. Our supporters have helped Mass Hort:
* Provide the staff to maintain our beautiful gardens and care for this wonderful Elm Bank estate
* Improve the Italianate Garden to bring it closer to its historic beginnings
* Implement the use of technology in the gardens to help our visitors learn more about the gardens and the plants that are in them
* Expand the Garden to Table programming to cooking classes in partnership with Whole Foods and increase our vegetable garden's production to over 3,500 pounds of produce to donate to food pantries
* Deliver a gardening program for the Linx campers at Elm Bank, visit with children at Franklin Park with the Plantmobile, and design a fairy garden workshop for the youngest horticulture enthusiast
We hope you will join our list of supporters and help the Society grow and deliver the most relevant gardening programs at Elm Bank. Click here to donate today.
Happy holidays to you and your family and best wishes for the New Year.
Kathy
Mass Hort's Mission: to encourage the science and practice of horticulture and to develop the public's enjoyment, appreciation, and understanding of plants and the environment.
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Curator's Corner
By David Fiske, Mass Hort's Gardens Curator
 | | Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles' |
Walking though the Elm Bank gardens this past weekend, I thought back on the 2012 season and how vibrant our gardens looked for visitors. I was told time and again by guests that the gardens have never looked better, and I agree with them.
For those who may not know it, Mass Hort's "outdoors" staff is tiny; just four full-time employees augmented by a group of seasonal garden interns. The bulk of the labor comes from volunteers - who sowed seeds, transplanted seedlings, cared for the greenhouse crop and planted all the thousands of plants in the various gardens. Many of those volunteers are Master Gardeners, but others describe themselves as "just people who want to help out." Without all of our volunteers, we could not maintain our gardens to the standards we have set for ourselves.
You may think that there's nothing to see at Elm Bank this month. You would be wrong. It is still pleasant enough that Weezie's Garden attracts a throng of children every day. If they look carefully, they'll see some new flowers on the primroses. Also in Weezie's, you'll encounter some over-wintering guests: birds are using the houses. We've also left up a selection of perennials to encourage native bees and other pollinators to stay with us year-round (the hollow stems of the perennials are a great place to spend the winter).
The Bressingham Garden has changed character for the late autumn but is still a delight to visit. This year, we planted autumn crocus (courtesy of Brent and Becky's Bulbs) and there are several dozen specimens scattered
 | | Autumn crocus in the Bressingham Garden |
around the garden. Walking Bressingham, you'll also see winter heath flowering in yellow and white. Some of the best color, though, comes not from flowers but from leaves. Look for the bright yellow Goldthread cypress adjacent to the Black Currant heuchera (coral bells). There is also a river of heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles' that shows you just how versatile coral bells are as a garden staple.
Some of Bressingham's best sights are visible only now that the perennials have past. For
 | | Cornus 'Midwinter Fire' in the Bressingham Garden |
example, red twig dogwood 'Midwinter Fire' is planted in several spots in the garden. Seeing its red, orange and yellow bark is worth a visit to Elm Bank all by itself. Look also for the vividly bright green of the Japanese bamboo. We've also left up some of the more brilliant seed heads: sedum 'Autumn Brilliance' and rudbeckia 'Goldstrum'.
Finally, in the Trial Garden, which in previous years was barren after the first hard frost, you'll find evidence of 37 perennials that we have on an over-wintering trial. Mark where they are now and keep an eye on them for next spring.
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Give the Gift of a Mass Hort Membership this Holiday Season!
A gift of membership to Massachusetts Horticultural Society is a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year!
In addition to supporting one of the oldest horticultural societies in America, your gift has a value with many great benefits, including:
- $25 gift certificate from White Flower Farm
- $25 gift certificate from Weston Nurseries
- Boston Flower & Garden Show ticket(s)
- Organic Gardening Magazine
- Garden Design Magazine
- Leaflet Newsletter of horticultural events, news, and gardening tips
- Discounts on lectures, and much more...
It's a terrific gift for the gardener in your life! Click here to learn more about Gift Memberships! P.S. Did you know that when you order from White Flower Farm (after redeeming your gift certificate), and you mention Massachusetts Horticultural Society, a donation will be made by White Flower Farm to the Society? | Save $10 If you are a member of Mass Hort and you give a GIFT MEMBERSHIP to someone who has not been a member of Mass Hort previously, you will get $10 off that membership. |
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A Change in Leadership, A Continuation of the Mission
On September 30, Betsy Ridge Madsen ended her four-year-tenure as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Stepping into that post is Jeanne Leszczynski, who has served as a Trustee since 2005. We thought this would be a goodopportunity to look both back at where Mass Hort has been and what lies ahead.*****Leaflet: Betsy, how do you summarize the past few years? Betsy Madsen: "To paraphrase an old ad, 'We've come a long way, baby.' The past four years has been both long and quick. In 2008, Trustees gave up their summer vacations, rolled up their sleeves and wore as many hats as it took to keep everything going forward. For many of us, Mass Hort became our full-time job. Looking back on that time, we're grateful to all of the friends of Mass Hort - individuals and teams - who supported us with high energy, hope, work, and donations. Our long-time staff members also gave 'above and beyond' to keep the Society moving forward."Leaflet: What events stand out?Betsy: "I think of our first downtown flower show, built by tireless teams from the design and amateur horticulture divisions, raising an incredible show on a veritable shoestring. I think of the Garden to Table program and Chef's Garden, allowing us to become a leaderin the 'Local Food Movement' here in New England. I think of the Festival of Trees, which provides a winter source of activity and revenue. I think of our lecture series and seminars, re-emphasizing education at a critical time. All of these projects have been incredibly fruitful, bringing volunteers and participants together to share a love of horticulture and design."Leaflet: In your view, what has changed most in the past four years?Betsy: "We've become much more of a member-driven organization. Today, we have a small, dedicated staff that depends on volunteers to produce the best possible programming. I trust that all of the energy and resources that so many folks have brought to Mass Hort in the past four years will not be forgotten."Leaflet: Jeanne, you were a Trustee through that period. How do you summarize the past four years?Jeanne Leszczynski: "Betsy achieved a remarkable feat. The Board was reorganized with new members and a focus on good governance and stable finances. There is a dedicated Executive Director in place, the staff is small and exceptionally productive, and Elm Bank's gardens are nurtured by an army of volunteers. In short, she returned Mass Hort to its mission and made her successor's job infinitely easier. I'm also very glad she's staying on as a Trustee."Leaflet: What happens next?Jeanne: "Mass Hort has to continue to revitalize its educational and research mission to address the important function of horticulture in today's society. My goal is to create a center of horticultural excellence at Elm Bank for people from beginners to professionals across the spectrum of horticultural interests."Leaflet: Can you offer a couple of specifics?
 | | Jeanne Leszczynski |
Jeanne: "I believe Elm Bank is unique in that it can provide a hands-on 'demonstration center' for sustainable gardening, climate change, wetlands, woodlands, biofuels, and groundwater protection. We can broaden the Garden-to-Table Program to provide tools to manage childhood obesity and senior citizen health. And, I believe Elm Bank should be a 'destination' garden as well as a permanent open space that actively involves its neighboring communities in cultural as well as horticultural programs."
Leaflet: What it will take to get there?
Jeanne: "People, funding and time. We need a Director of Horticulture and Education to lead the expanded programming and to advance the development of Elm Bank as a center of horticultural excellence and hands-on learning. We have a backlog of critical capital improvements including a new roof, truck and repair of classrooms. We have in place a new Director of Development and a vehicle, the Catalyst Campaign. It will require the support of the Trustees, Overseers and some very generous and special Mass Hort members."
Leaflet: How long will that take?
Jeanne: "With well-directed funds, Mass Hort can jump-start the new initiatives and put in programs that can become self-sustaining in two to three years."
Leaflet: What takeaway should readers have from this recent history?
Jeanne: "That this is a pivotal moment for Mass Hort. Four years ago Mass Hort was written off as 'not worth rescuing'. Under Betsy's leadership, a group of dedicated volunteers challenged that wisdom and today the organizations has both been 're-founded' and is contributing and serving the community. With help from its friends, Mass Hort can do much, much more."
Leaflet: Betsy, what's your takeaway?
Betsy: "By keeping up the momentum, we've been able to revitalize Mass Hort and position it for another century and beyond. We've had a change of leadership, but a continuation of the mission." |
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Exhibiting at Mass Hort at the Flower Show
Photos by Arabella Dane
Interested in exhibiting at Mass Hort at the Flower Show?
Here are some important things to remember:
- Amateur Horticulture Competition and Structure Exhibits; all plants must have been owned and grown by the exhibitor since December 11, 2012
- Photography Competition; advance registration is required by January 1, 2013
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Photography Competition at Mass Hort at the Flower Show
Seeds of Change is a Juried Show
This year's juried show invites everyone who registers online to send in a digital image, thus we can accept all who wish to enter the show. Soon after the registration deadline in January, all the digital images are "juried" or judged and the best six for each class are chosen. So everyone who wants to enter can do so, but only the best will be exhibited at the show in March.
The judges for the jurying portion will be local professional photographers and the judges for the Flower Show portion are usually approved GCA judges, often supplemented with a local professional. We use GCA judges because we give GCA awards as well as Mass Hort awards.
Guidelines:
◦An exhibitor may submit only one image per class and have no more than two entries in the show.
◦The digital photographs will be juried in January by professional photographers and approved photography judges to determine the six (6) finalists in each class. Digital images will not be returned.
◦No additional entries will be accepted once the finalists have been selected.
◦The finalists will print and mount their photographs for final judging in the show.
Advanced Registration Required:
Advance registration is required by January 1, 2013.
◦Registration Online
◦Email your digital photo: (in jpeg format between 1-5 megabites) to: Beth Herod at eherod@mac.com
◦Please change the file name of your digital photograph to your first initial, last name and the class number you are entering; instead of the jpeg numbers/letters. (For example Gail Cyr Class 1; GCyr1)
◦Receipt of your emailed registration and digital photograph will be acknowledged by the committee. Entrants will be notified that their photographs have been accepted for final judging by January 15,
2013.
For more information, please visit http://www.masshort.org/Photography
Click here to see the Photography Schedule
2013 Amateur Competition Schedules
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December Horticultural Hints
by Betty Sanders
Lifetime Master Gardener
 Keep off the grass! Once lawns become frozen, you should stay off them. However, if they haven't yet frozen, you can continue with fall chores such as liming your yard, continuing to mow in leaves and add chipped leaves or compost to flower and shrub beds. Don't add any fertilizer at this time; it's too late to do any good this year.
But do rake your beds. I usually rail against raking, but you can hardly mow your flower or shrub beds. Rake leaves from the beds into a pile and fill a trash can. Then use a string trimmer to chop the leaves into fine pieces. Put the chopped leaves back around (but not up against!) perennials and shrubs. They will help prevent plants from being heaved out of the soil by freezing and thawing cycles and will add nutrients and organic matter to the soil as they break
down over the winter.
 | | Use a string trimmer to finely chop leaves for use in flower beds |
Living Christmas trees are a great way to add a new tree, complete with memories, to your yard. To give it the best chance to do well after Christmas, treat your tree carefully before the holiday. When you get the tree home, you should keep it in a sheltered location where it is not exposed to drying winds or direct sunshine. Water the root ball frequently because your living tree needs a continual supply of water. Move the tree into a garage or unheated room for a few days before setting it up in the house. Once in the house, keep your in a heated room, and leave it decorated for the briefest time your family will allow - three or four days if at all possible.
 | | Living Christmas tree |
As soon as you bring your tree home you should prepare its permanent home. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and three times as wide (measure these before you start) where you plan to plant your tree. Covering the hole and soil with a tarp should help to keep it from freezing until you are ready to plant. Once the tree is planted, water it every couple of days until the ground freezes. Three to four inches of mulch over the freshly dug area will help the tree by keeping the moisture in the soil and giving it a few extra days before the soil freezes and the water is no longer available to the branches.
This may read like a recipe for hard work, but all that is required is an understanding that you're taking an outdoor evergreen that has already gone through the shock of having much of its roots shorn off. Easing it into and out of the further shock of an artificial 'spring' (several days in your home plus the heat of lights on its branches) helps ensure that your evergreen will survive once planted. The payoff, though, can be worth the effort. Years from now, you and your family will be able to point to a tall, perfectly formed evergreen and say, "that was the Christmas of 2012."
Holiday plants. If you looked at the ads and in the stores, you might think that poinsettias were the only plant with which to decorate for the holidays.
 | | Christmas cyclamen |
But they can be temperamental plants that drop all their leaves after a single cold draft and sulk when they receive too much water. Traditionally, Christmas cactus has been a favorite of many families where cuttings from grandmother's plant may have graced many homes. My personal favorite is cyclamen which offer a broad range of colors and an ability to keep blooming for several months. They prefer bright light and cool rooms. A biweekly feeding will keep them blooming to March. As soon as the soil thaws, plant them outside in a shady space and watch for more blooms. By bringing them back indoors in early October, I have kept the same plants for nearly ten years.
How to care for your indoor gardens. Stop fertilizing and slow down watering for the next 40 days. House plants are getting much less light and they want to rest. Fertilizing tells the plant to grow when, unless you are growing under lights, it doesn't have the energy (from light) to do so. Cactus shouldn't see any water until March unless you see shrinking from dehydration.
Gardening gifts. Gardeners are easy to shop for - they always want a new tool, a new book or a new plant. If you are hesitant about what they'd like, give them a gift certificate from a favorite local nursery. Want something more personal? Give your favorite gardener a book of "coupons" good for an hour of weeding, of digging holes, or clean-up in the spring.
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You can read more of Betty Sanders' gardening advice at www.BettyOnGardening.com. |
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Fourth Annual Festival of Trees - A Great Success!
Thank you to our festival visitors, shoppers, sponsors, and volunteers for helping to make this year's Festival of Trees a success.
Thank you to Bartlett Tree Experts for being our leading sponsor once again.
Wishing you the best for a happy holiday!
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