Cover: Hyndrageas entered into the 138th New England Flower Show: Heritage & Hope. September 2024.
From the PRESIDENT'S DESK
Dear Friends and Gardeners,
Every day at Massachusetts Horticultural Society, I am reminded that plants bring people together. Eliza, our rare corpse flower, was tangible proof of this. For one thrilling day, 2,500 people gathered to experience a once-in-a-lifetime bloom. It was extraordinary to see strangers laughing together, friends comparing notes on the smell, and families marveling at how something so unusual could be so beautiful. Eliza gave us more than a spectacle — she gave us community.
That spirit of togetherness is what makes gardeners, and MHS, special. Volunteers welcomed crowds with patience and kindness. Supporters made it possible to open our doors without hesitation. Donors and members, through their ongoing commitment, provided the foundation for this experience to flourish. It was a living picture of what happens when generosity, service, and love of plants come together.
Volunteering and giving at Massachusetts Horticultural Society are not abstract acts. They are deeply personal, deeply meaningful, and they ripple outward in ways we sometimes can’t fully see. A volunteer gardener’s quiet work weeding a bed might spark delight in a visitor who pauses to rest in its beauty. A member’s annual support makes it pos-
Continued on page 4
sible for us to welcome schoolchildren who may be meeting their first carnivorous plant. A donor’s gift ensures that when rare opportunities like Eliza arise, we can share them widely with our communities.
Together, we are cultivating a place where discovery leads to care, where beauty awakens responsibility, and where people of every background feel welcome. That is the deeper aim of Massachusetts Horticultural Society — a community rooted in generosity and grown through shared wonder that helps people lead better, healthier and happier lives through horticulture.
As this season starts to turn to crisp autumnal hues, I want to thank you. Thank you for volunteering your time, thank you for giving of yourself, and thank you for belonging here. Whether through your presence, your service, or your support, you are part of the community that makes the Society thrive.
With gratitude,
James Hearsum President & Executive Director
Eliza the Corpse Flower
A Partnership of Wheaton College and Massachusetts Horticultural Society
See photos of the progression of Eliza's bloom from Tuesday, July 22 through Monday, July 29.
See Eliza's Bloom
UPCOMING CLASSES
Nature Immersion in the Garden with Watercolors
Wednesday, September 24 10am-2pm
Dormant Pruning Shrubs & Ornamental Trees
Satuday, November 22 10am-11:30am
Hands-On Workshop: Succulent Pumpkins
Saturday, October 18 10am-11:30am
GARDENING WITH NATIVE PLANTS
Dive into native gardening with Kim Eierman
Ecological Horticulture Certificate
Level I - Foundations
Deepen your understanding of native plants in the Northeast with this engaging and comprehensive course series.
6 Mondays from 6-8pm October 6, 13, 20, 27, November 3 & 10
REGISTER
MORE NATIVE PLANT CLASSES
The Native Garden in Fall & Winter
Sunday September 28, 2025
10am - 12pm
Propagating Native Perennials from Seed
January 12, 2026 6 pm - 8 pm
Style and Purpose in the Native Garden: Using Cues to Care
February 25, 2026 6 pm - 8 pm
Creating a Meadowscape at Home
April 13, 2026 6 pm - 8 pm
Weekly Drop-In Mah Jongg
Wednesdays at 12pm
Join fellow Mah Jongg enthusiasts for casual, drop-in play each Wednesday afternoon in the beautiful outdoor setting of the Crockett Garden.
Free with Garden Admission: Free for MHS Members
$14 General Admission
Yoga in the Garden
Sundays September 14 & 28
9:30-10:30am
Led by Laurel Kulow, each class offers a grounding hathastyle practice that focuses on mindful movement, breath, and alignment.
$15 MHS Members
$20 Nonmembers
Green Partner Spotlight
Shop at Green Partner businesses to receive 10% off with your MHS Membership card!
Fairfield, CT
Boxford, MA
Acushnet, MA
JOIN US FOR YOGA
BOTANICAL ART & ILLUSTRATION
Birds, Bugs & Botanicals: Ink & Wash
Tues. & Thur. Sept. 16 & 18 9:30am–1:30pm
Exploring the Diversity of Fruits, Seeds & Pods Saturday, November 1 10am-4pm
Drawing and Painting for the Petrified Sat. November 8 & 15 9:30am–1:30pm
Watercolor Workout with Susan Fisher Mon-Fri September 22 - 26 10am-1pm
Botanical Sketchbook: Tones of Fall in Ink & Wash Wed. November 5, 12 & 19 10am-2pm
Celebrating the Season: Holiday Card Workshop Saturday, November 22 10am-3pm
Who does not love flowers? For whom will not flowers make more sunshine? Flowers from the hands of a loved one,—what sweeter, sunnier gift can be thought of? Flowers speak to us of poetry, music, life and love.
Luther Burbank (1849-1926)
This quotation is from a 1901 lecture by Luther Burbank, “How to Produce New Flowers.” Burbank was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts and moved to Santa Rosa, California in 1875. Burbank was a selftaught horticulturist and plant breeder. His work in flower breeding focused on improving flower size, fragrance and overall appearance and included Leucanthemum × superbum (1890), the Shasta daisy, which is still a favored garden plant. While he was controversial within the professional community, he was popular with the public, inspiring many amateur breeders. You can read a brief biography of Burbank here.
Collections – Books on Flowers of the World
The theme for this year’s Fall Flower Show is “World in Bloom.” The variety of the world’s flowers is vast and a major economic driver in world trade. Many of the flowers we enjoy today originated in the Old World and arrived in the New World on ships, by mail and in luggage, as well as with discoveries of plant explorers. Some of those original plants have since have been hybridized into new “improved” varieties. Several escaped to the wild and became invasive.
While seeing beautiful flowers in person is a great pleasure, you can amplify that pleasure by perusing beautifully illustrated and informative books in the Library. As a member of MHS, you may borrow most books published within the last 50 years. Start planning your reading list by visiting the online catalog here.
Visiting the Gardens? Here are some beautiful books you can browse in the Library:
Stop by the Library at the Flower Show!
The Library will be sponsoring two special events this year:
AN EXHIBITION! Edwin Hale Lincoln’s Wild Flowers of New England books, discussed in the last edition of Leaflet, will be on display in the Dearborn Room, along with the glass plates he used to develop his images, and other memorabilia.
A BOOK SALE: The Library will be sponsoring a book sale of horticulture and related books that were generously donated as well as some ex-library books. In addition to horticulture books, there are art books, travel books and general interest books. Most of the books are in excellent condition and will be offered at bargain prices. Credit cards/cash/checks will be accepted for payment! BYOB! Please bring your own bag!
Here are just a few of the many books we will have for sale—many are like brand new!
MHS Book Club
Book Club meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month at 1:30 pm in the Crockett Garden. When the weather is inclement, the meetings are held in the Dearborn Room of the Education Building. All are welcome to attend.
Here are the books for the Club’s upcoming discussions:
September 16
Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark
October 21
The Forbidden Garden: The Botanists of Besieged Leningrad and Their Impossible Choice by Simon Parkin
November 18
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
COME VISIT!
The Library is open for drop in visits on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, and on most Tuesdays from 10 a.m to 5 p.m., Fridays and Sundays from Noon to 3 p.m., and at other times by appointment. Please email Library & Archives Manager Maureen O’Brien for an appointment if you want to schedule a visit or to verify that the Library will be open during your visit to the Gardens.
In First Person
Ricardo Austrich
Ricardo Austrich is currently the Director of Landscape Architecture for the BSC Group in Boston. From 2000 to 2019 he worked for Halvorson Design Partnership in Boston as an Associate, Senior Associate and then Associate Principal. As a teenager he volunteered and then worked as a summer intern at the Arnold Arboretum, and went on to earn a BS in Horticulture at Cornell University and an MLA at the University of Virginia. From 2018 to 2020 he served as President of the Boston Society of Landscape Architects, and is currently serving as the sole landscape architect on the City of Boston zoning commission. In addition to the awards many of his design projects have received, Ricardo was recently elected as a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Council of Fellows. Fellowship is among the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members and recognizes the contributions of these individuals to their profession and society at large based on their works, leadership and management, knowledge, and service. Here is Ricardo’s story in his own words:
Iwas born in Cuba and moved with my parents to the United States in 1966 at age 3. We lived in public housing in East Boston. When I was about 10 years old, my school held a fundraiser with students selling flower seeds. I grew zinnia seeds for myself and became intrigued with watching the seeds sprout and grow into plants that actually produced colorful flowers. I believe that experience of growing zinnias had a major influence on the life’s path I chose to follow. As I was entering 7th grade my family moved to Roslindale to a home with a garden full of rose bushes. I became very interested in roses and went to the library to learn everything I could about growing and caring for them. I remember being so angry about the Japanese beetles eating my roses.
My mother supported my fascination with plants, and in 1977 when I was 15 she encouraged me to call the Arnold Arboretum to ask about volunteer opportunities. In a stroke of luck, I was connected to Gary Koller who became (and is still) one of my most significant and cherished mentors. Gary suggested that I volunteer at the Arboretum’s Dana Greenhouse, where I enthusiastically worked eight hours a day all summer long – pulling weeds in the nursery, propagating and caring for new seedlings and cuttings in the
greenhouse, and all kinds of other fun stuff. Jack Alexander and Rob Nicholson took me under their wings and were tremendous mentors. At the end of that summer, they asked me if I would continue volunteering part-time in the greenhouse during the school year, which I was thrilled to do. The following year I was hired (and paid!) as one of the Arboretum’s summer interns. In addition to continued on-the-job practical training in horticulture, the interns were taken on field trips to other public gardens, and I have vivid memories of Gary Koller leading us around Mount Auburn Cemetery on what was my first visit to that spectacular landscape. Peter Del Tredici had also joined the Arboretum staff by then and became another one of my early mentors who have had such a positive influence on my life.
Years later, the Arboretum continues to be a favorite place for Ricardo to visit with his husband Doug Creed. Spring 2024.
During this time, I discovered the “magical” library of horticultural books at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s Horticultural Hall in Boston. I spent many hours there reading about all kinds of plant topics that fascinated and inspired me. I also attended the Society’s flower shows and eventually entered my own plant and won a ribbon – which was exciting.
When it came time to go to college, I was certain that I wanted to pursue a career in horticulture, so I applied to several of the leading horticultural programs. When I was accepted at Cornell, my parents sent me alone on a Greyhound bus to Ithaca to check it out. I stayed overnight with students on campus and had a great visit. I quickly decided this was the place for me and didn’t bother to visit any of the other schools that had accepted me. Over my four years at Cornell, this “city boy” fell in love with the rural landscape of upstate New York. While I earned a B.S. in Horticulture, I was also becoming more interested in landscape design and took a few design courses to “test the waters.” I also developed a keen interest in history, particularly in learning more about my Spanish heritage. I read the book Flowers for the King by Arther Steele, which told the story of the Spanish tradition of plant explorations in Central and
South America during the 18th and 19th centuries.
After graduating from Cornell in 1984, I applied for and received the Cornell Traveling Dreer Award, which enabled me to spend a year in Madrid, Spain researching the impacts of Spain’s 18th and 19th century botanical expeditions in the Americas. It was an amazing experience, but at the end of that year I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life.
I decided to return to graduate school and spent three and a half years earning a Master’s in Landscape Architecture at the University of Virginia, highly regarded as an MLA program with a strong focus on historic preservation. In Charlotteville, I was struck by the ordered beauty of ‘Mr. Jefferson’s Academical Village’ – aka, ‘The Lawn’ and by the horticultural marvels of Monticello.
After completing the MLA program in 1991, I was now convinced I wanted to pursue a career in landscape design, so without a job yet I moved back home to Boston to live with my parents while figuring out next steps. After a couple of short-term positions, I landed a great job as Landscape Designer at Carr, Lynch, and Sandell. Once again, I was fortunate to have some exceptional mentors, Steve
Carr, Gene Hermann, now running Kevin Lynch’s famous Cambridge urban design firm. This big career break helped move me forward in my career. My work now focused on larger-scale urban planning and design. I “cut my teeth” working on Paul Revere Park in Charlestown, as part of the urban reclamation planning related to the “Big Dig” at the time, projects that included a collaboration with Ohme & Van Sweden, which had a significant influence on my plant knowledge and design skills.
In 2000 I joined The Halvorson Company as an Associate, which was a life-changing move and the beginning of a wonderful 19 years with Craig Halvorson and his team.
◁ Plant tagging at Millican Nursery. 2018.
▽ Plant shopping at Cochato Nursery. 2019.
It’s hard to summarize succinctly the many highlights of my experience with Halvorson, but at the top of the list is getting to work on several projects at Mount Auburn Cemetery, the first garden cemetery in North America and a National Historic Landmark. Craig’s team had recently completed a Master Plan for Mount Auburn, which charted a future designed to balance historic preservation ideals and increased public education and visitor services while continuing to be an active cemetery. My first project was Birch Gardens: a series of contemplative garden spaces along the perimeter of the cemetery that provided both burial and cremation options while enhancing the landscape and preserving the historic character of this part of Mount Auburn. The success of this project led to my involvement with several other projects collaborating with the great staff at Mount Auburn. The largest and most exciting project was the renovation of Asa Gray Garden, named in honor of the prominent Harvard botanist Dr. Asa Gray - a contemporary and supporter of Charles Darwin. The plant list for the project was developed by the staffs of Mount Auburn and Arnold Arboretum to showcase similar but "disjunct" species from eastern North America and Asia that evolved
differently after the continents divided. It was challenging but fun to design this unusual and diverse collection of trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials into a beautiful garden with four seasons of interest.
I was very fortunate that during my tenure with The Halvorson Company (which became the Halvorson Design Partnership in 2010), I was supported on two occasions to satisfy my desire to do some teaching internationally. I received a Fulbright Visiting Scholar Fellowship in 2003 to teach landscape architecture and urban design in Chile for two semesters. I taught American landscape architectural history as well as studios focused on sustainable urban design in rural coastal communities, while also mentoring students on aspects of professional practice. This experience was very fulfilling, as it built upon my year studying in Spain and my long-standing desire to bring together my Cuban
Ricardo, Arnold Arboretum Director Ned Friedman, and Mount Auburn Cemetery CEO Dave Barnett presenting "The Renovation of Asa Gray Garden" at the American Public Gardens Association Conference. June 2019.
heritage and knowledge of the historical legacies of Spanish garden design with my passion for landscape architecture.
My Chilean experience led to another teaching opportunity in 2012 at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia in the Landscape Architecture Program at the School of Built Environment. I spent a semester as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer utilizing my combined experiences with scholarly research on Spanish botanical history and professional practice in both urban planning and historic landscape cemeteries. Over the years I have also taught classes in landscape design at Boston Architectural College. I have always been motivated by opportunities to share my knowledge of and passion for plants and the beauty and power of nature, so I truly enjoy teaching in addition to the myriad design projects I have had the privilege of working on.
In 2018, I was elected president of the Boston Society of Landscape Architects (BSLA). During my three-year tenure, I was committed to increasing the size and diversity of membership and the visibility of people of color in our profession, as I felt it was important to be more representative of and welcoming to the urban communities where many landscape architects practice. I am proud of what we accomplished toward those goals. We also held a number of conferences and special events designed to bring together landscape architects, nursery professionals, forest ecologists, urban foresters, landscape contractors, and experts from regional botanical gardens and arboreta to engage in topics ranging from municipal
design and green infrastructure to restorative urban landscapes. I believe these kinds of dialogues between practitioners of a wide range of areas of expertise bring so many benefits to our various professions as well as to those we serve. I’m pleased that the BSLA continues to play a key role in convening such events and I continue to be active on committees for BSLA.
In 2019, after 19 terrific years at Halvorson Design Partnership, I accepted the new position of Director of Landscape Architecture at the BSC Group, a 200-person Boston-based multidisciplinary design, ecological and engineering firm. With BSC I am fortunate to be able to continue utilizing my cemetery experience and expertise and am currently managing
Ricardo leading BSLA tour of Mount Auburn and Asa Gray Garden. October 2024.
design projects at three different historic landscape cemeteries. In addition, I am leading several environmental justice projects that will improve the lives of marginalized urban communities in the Greater Boston area. I am currently serving on the City of Boston zoning commission, where we have been tasked by Mayor Wu with approving broad-reaching zoning initiatives that will transform Boston into a greener and more equitable city. This is all incredibly gratifying work!
I was truly humbled to learn recently that I have been voted in as a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Council of Fellows. This is an amazing honor, and I only hope to prove myself worthy of this status. I know that the professional career of landscape architecture that I chose years ago has already
given me so much more than I can ever give back. It is spiritually rewarding and personally satisfying and enriching to play a role every day in helping to improve the human experience in the landscape and – put most simply – connecting people and plants. I have been fortunate to have had several fabulous mentors early in my career and so many wonderful colleagues to network with and learn from throughout my career. I look forward to many more years of working with plants and colleagues, being a mentor to young professionals trying to decide on a career, and hopefully “planting the seeds” and inspiring others to appreciate plants and nature, as climate change and the threats to our environment only keep growing stronger.
For “In First Person,” Leaflet Editor-in-Chief Dave Barnett interviews people who have made their mark in horticulture and adjacent fields by asking a standard set of questions about their work and career, and then works collaboratively with them to write this column to share their passions and tell their story.
△ Martin Park with BSLA kids. 2019. ◁ DCR Edgewater Greenway community meeting, Mattapan. October 2021.
As part of their 30th celebration, Ellie Fund has captured the beauty and strength of several Ellie Fund recipients through photoshoots in the Garden at Elm Bank.
Ellie Fund is a nonprofit based in Needham that assists breast cancer patients and their families throughout Massachusetts with nonmedical support to ease the strain and economic burden patients face during their treatment.
PHOTOS BY OLGA MATURANA AT OLGA PHOTO
Design WORKSHOPS
Each hands-on session includes guidance on floral arranging fundamentals from Lorrain and Mary Lou of Artistry Florals—from developing structure, to creating balance and playing with color and texture. Whether you're looking to expand your skills, create a handmade gift, or just want to try something new, these workshops promise an inspiring experience with a beautiful takeaway.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 FROM 10-11:30AM
Coffee Table Arrangements
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 FROM 10-11:30AM
Floral Pocketbook Design
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 FROM 10-11:30AM
Thanksgiving Arrangement
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 FROM 10-11:30AM
Holiday Twist
$70 Nonmembers | $55 MHS Members PER SESSION
Continuing Education Discount: Register for three or more sessions and receive a 15% discount.
Learn More & Register
The Brickbottom Test Kitchen
BY JOHN LEE
Maybe in part due to the lingering chill and 12 rainy weekends in a row, the new ‘community’ gardens got off to a slow start. Turns out, Bert had plenty of time to help the school get their gardens up and going with a good variety of vegetables and a few flowers to freshen up the green cornucopia while also doing other sorts of family things ‘round the homestead’. However, soon it was clear that these were going to be teacher’s gardens managed by the staff with little opportunity for other creative recreation by midsummer.
Earlier in the spring, Brickbottom Academy (as the local K-8 was called) had just hired Ashley as the new cook (or ‘nutritional specialist’). She was very excited about cutting her teeth on an all-local food service that would be linked (in her wildest imagination) to some portion of the K-8 curriculum. She was determined and during the early summer months she canvassed the local farms to see just what she might be able to count on come September and, oh by the way, would some/any of them like to come and talk about what they
did over lunch some days? She had first asked Bert if he might hold forth but he firmly turned her aside saying he’d no interest though she may twist his arm. He did, however, put a bug in her ear about the virtues of Brenda’s culinary expertise saying maybe there might be a relationship between so-called empty calories and the wholesome food she made for him at home. He proffered that he himself was sufficient proof that a good diet was good medicine. His aging mother had been fond of switchel. Dr D.C. Jarvis called it ‘honegar’ and she believed, as did the good doctor, that a glass a day of this raw apple cider vinegar and honey decoction helped keep the body in balance. Brenda’s long-deceased parents knew that switchel was a wonderful pickme-up for weary, over-heated farm-hands when hay was put up into the barn by the forkful (before the invention of the baler). Bert was no great fan of honegar but he did admit that something had kept him in good health for, lo, these
many decades. He considered it medicine and acceded to Brenda’s monstrations about its unproven benefits.
Albeit, Brickbottom was not a large school but it did have several hundred hungry mouths to satisfy five days a week. This was not a goal for the faint of heart: each lunch that had a carrot in it would require at least one standard-sized carrot per person (unless it was in slaw in which case, half a carrot would suffice). That was a lot of carrots. Maybe the best way to give a kid a carrot was in carrot cake as carrots have a high sugar content and kids love cake even if they know it is ‘good’ for them. But Brenda told her that every farm has a zucchini glut that could be timed for early fall and that zucchini bread was a crowd-pleaser. Forget the carrot sticks, she advised and make them go a lot farther in almost anything else. A couple of carrots in a carrot cake will serve 6-8 instead of 2, if you’re lucky and it’s a good cake. Everybody loves it with or without the calory-laden frosting. However, Brenda, frankly, preferred carrot bread if only because Bert liked it (even if it was better for him than the homemade white bread he preferred). She usually made two loaves at a time, but Ashley could test-drive the following recipe by dividing it by half.
Brenda's Carrot Bread
1 cup each light brown sugar and plain white sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ cups cooking oil (any kind you like)
3 cups bread flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
4 cups grated fresh (or from root cellar) carrots vs store-bought
In one bowl mix sugars, eggs and oil; separately mix dry ingredients and whatever spices suit your fancy (Brenda liked ¼ tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp allspice although nutmeg was preferred by some) and combine the two. Then carefully add the carrots until well, but not overly, blended. No kneading necessary; divide the batter into a pair of loaf pans of your choice for about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Brenda preferred tin although glass usually baked a little faster. Or so she thought.
Brenda also warned Ashley that there was always (yes, ALWAYS) a summer squash glut just as the children were coming back to their classrooms. Bulk rice was relatively inexpensive and it was likely that zucchini and summer squashes were give-aways in late August early September. Zucchinirice was an economical alternative to other starchy meal extenders and could be transmogrified in any number of ways if she wanted to change up (without changing) the menu. Try adding grated cheeses, shredded broccoli, tomatoes, almost any fresh herb and call it risotto. A hint of lemon zest or juice would always brighten
a seemingly unexciting recipe if need be. Ashley quickly caught on that keeping Brenda close at hand would likely assure her success as Brickbottom’s nutritionist and culinary explorer.
Bert was pretty happy that Ashley had tied herself to his wife’s apron strings. Brenda spent most of the early summer giving away her trade secrets and Bert got the benefit of familiar leftovers from the Brickbottom ‘test kitchen’. This summer they could concentrate on putting up the bounty from his gardens without having to prepare an evening meal au meme temps as his Quebecois
mother might have said. Canning and cooking on a hot summer evening, while often necessary and forward-thinking, was not always something to look forward to. When they’d had a ‘summer (outdoor) kitchen’ in what was now the wood-shed, the heat was not so stifling and what for them was and remains an obligation was more pleasant. But they had given it up. Their Kenmore stove was better insulated than the Royal Homestead wood-burning range that needed constant feeding and more attention than an infant. Bert rather missed the required attention needed to keep the firebox at just the
right temperature, often by adjusting the many dampers. Not so, Brenda. She was quite happy with the Kenmore’s modern conveniences (like a clock and simpler temperature control knobs instead of dampers). She made the switch to modernity very easily!
All in all, this was shaping up to be a hot summer. Cooking in the ‘commissary’ proved to be a blessing and they both wondered if maybe moving their domestic canning chores to Brickbottom’s better ventilated facilities might be a good trade-off for any future ‘services’ they might have to offer.
John Lee is the
publications.
retired manager of MHS Gold Medal winner Allandale Farm, Cognoscenti contributor and president of MA Society for Promoting Agriculture. He sits on the UMASS Board of Public Overseers and is a long-time op-ed contributor to Edible Boston and other
www.marianneorlando.com
BE PART OF THE
In just a few weeks, the Garden at Elm Bank will host New England's horticulture event of the season! Join us in celebrating the importance of plants around the world and the impact that cultivatnig and exhibiting plants can have on wellbeing, health, and community. Here's how to get involved in the 139th New England Flower Show: World in Bloom.
pg. 29
EXHIBIT
Get
Your Amateur Horticulture Entry Ready Now and Avoid Last-minute Drama
Tips from Melissa Pace
Are you interested in showing your plants in flower show but unsure how to start? Do not let the first-time jitters keep you from joining the fun! If you break down the tasks involved in entering your specimens into the show into smaller steps, you will find your plant sitting on the show bench, hopefully sporting a ribbon sooner and easier than you think!
1. Review the Exhibitor Schedule
The Flower Show Schedule details the rules, plant dropoff and pick-up times, and class descriptions based on plant type and size. Read all the rules that pertain to your potential entries and be sure to follow them precisely.
2. Select your plants
Review your indoor and outdoor plants, then choose which sections—cut specimens, container plants, or fruits and vegetables—to enter. You may participate in multiple sections.
Read more about how and when to cut, prepare, and clean your cut specimens, vegetables, and container-grown plants.
3. Enter your exhibits
Identification: You are responsible for accurately identifying all plants, fruits, and vegetables you enter in the show.
Entry Card: Save time by picking up entry cards at the Gatehouse (during Garden entry hours), or fill them out when you drop off your exhibit.
Drop Off: Bring our exhibits to the Garden at Elm Bank on Thursday, September 18 from 4-7pm or Friday, September 19 from 6-9am
4. See the show
Visit the Flower Show during the weekend, or at the Preview Party, to see all the exhibits and which awards were given by judges.
Exhibitors get a free ticket to see the show!
VOLUNTEER
It takes a lot of hands to make this show a success and our volunteers are a BIG part of that!
Volunteers must have competed their orientation on or before September 10, 2025 in order to volunteer at the Flower Show.
Click Here to Attend Volunteer Orientation on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 (The final orientation before the Flower Show!)
Outdoors. This is the shortest volunteer shift and one of our biggest needs!
Library Book Sales & Wayfinding
Saturday and Sunday Shifts 9 am –12 pm, 12 – 3 pm, 3 – 6 pm
Indoors. Welcome visitors to the MHS Library, answer questions, and assist with book sales.
Youth & Family Activity Assistant
Saturday and Sunday Shifts: 9 am – 12 pm, 12 – 3 pm, 3 – 6 pm
Outdoors. Help children with fun, hands-on activities.
Ready to Go?
Sign Up for Volunteer Sessions
ATTEND
Take advantage of your MHS Member Perks for this signature event: discounted tickets & exclusive event hours! Shop our vendors early, get in before crowds, and see exhibits before everyone else — all at your discounted member price.
Hours
Saturday, September 20:
9-10am MHS Member Hour
10am-6pm last entry at 5pm
Sunday, September 21:
9-10am MHS Member Hour
10am-5:30pm last entry at 4:30pm
Admission
Prices do not include fees
Adults (18+): $25
Children (3-17): $10
Kids 2 & under: Free
MHS Members: $12
Children of Members: FREE
Attend World in Bloom fallflowershow.org
Join us at the Preview Party
Friday, September 19 from 6-9pm
Join us for an immersive experience in the Garden to get a first-look at the fully judged exhibits, mingle with exhibitors and fellow plant lovers, and enjoy exceptional food and unique beverages by William Ference Catering.
As fall approaches the growing season is starting to wind down and many plants will soon be completing their growing cycles whether that is the one and done that annuals have or one of many for perennial plants that are preparing to rest through the inhospitable times of winter.
I’ve come to realize that where my ornamental garden is concerned it is sustained by a whole host of plants that I allow and even encourage to go to seed. Annuals that regularly pop up are gloriosa daisies (Rudbeckia hirta), which I originally sowed when the garden was new and bare of any plantings. Their bright yellow flowers with rings of orange and copper make a cheerful splash and in addition they are easy to grow. While they can come back another year if the winter is mild, for the most part they flower, set seed and then die. I also have a couple of wildflowers that invited themselves in: daisy fleabane (Erigeron annuus) and Venus’ looking glass (Triodanis perfoliata). However, it has
Top: Seed heads forming on blanket flowers (Gaillardia)
been interesting to note how my garden has evolved and neither the gloriosa daisies nor the fleabane are as prolific as before. This is due to the plantings of shrubs and perennials I have added over the years. As these plants have grown, they have basically displaced them to other parts of the yard.
And then there are the biennial plants such as common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis). Last year was a bumper crop, so to speak. I had towering branched stems with multiple yellow flowers that provided nectar to both insects and hummingbirds. As this plant flowers for a long period I got to witness hummingbirds sipping nectar from the top of the plant while lower down goldfinches devoured the seeds from the ripe pods. I would advise care as to where you allow such a plant to grow - it can germinate carpets of seedlings if conditions are right. However, this year conditions have not been so favorable and while plenty have germinated they have not grown as well. In addition they have been regularly pruned by deer, which have taken to eating them and some other plants that normally they would never touch. So while this year has seen a reduced number of evening primrose, I do
Venus’ looking glass (Triodanis perfoliata)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) intermingled with Rose campion (Lychnis coronaria)
not doubt they will be there again next year, as it is amazing how much plant seed lies in the ground just waiting for the perfect conditions for germination to arise. Note to those who do not care to garden in such a fashion - one year’s seed really can equal seven years’ weeds!
And then there are the perennial plants, mostly herbaceous, that I allow to go to seed. Echinacea, penstemon of several sorts, ornamental allium as well as chives and thyme for that matter along with gaillardia and milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) are all allowed to seed so as to ensure I always have plenty of these plants. There are some I do now deadhead as I don’t want a garden of just that plant. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) is a prime example. I have four native types that just showed up and I now go round and deadhead them to curb volunteers. As it is, some of them spread by rhizomes too and with Solidago altissima it can rapidly take over way too much space. Some perennials though are short-lived or not hardy in our area and thus get treated as annuals. Gaillardia x grandiflora falls into the short-lived category for me, probably because
I don’t deadhead it and blooming profusely while growing in poor, sunbaked soil does not ensure a long life. Verbena bonariensis is a tender perennial, or is at least for me, but seems to set enough seed that I will always have it somewhere in my flower beds.
This approach to gardening ultimately leads to a need to subtract over time: subtract the volunteers that really can’t stay where they germinate as they will push out less vigorous plants. Blue mist flower (Conoclinium coelestinum) is one of those. I never get to deadhead it as I always feel I would be removing half the still blooming flowers in order to put a stop to the early seeds, so that by the time I do cut them back I am scattering more seed that I am clearing. It is not all bad though, as similar to members of the Eupatorium family, they don’t like prolonged periods of drought and it will die off in certain areas which then gives other things a chance, albeit just drought lovers.
In contrast with the partial laissez-faire approach to the flower beds, the vegetable garden is treated quite differently. The plants there have been chosen for their various cropping qualities and not only these qualities but their quantity also plays a role. As it is, we still end up with more squash than two people can happily consume, although the internet has provided a number of imaginative recipes. These plants are not so much grown for their ornamental qualities but for their edible parts and as such care is taken to sustain these plants so in turn they can sustain us. Volunteer plants are rarely welcome in this garden unless they are the occasional sunflower
In contrast to perennial beds, the sqash and bush bean in the vegetable garden stay tidy.
or squash plant, offspring of previous sowings. The chosen plants are pampered and nourished, given as near ideal conditions as available time and growing conditions can afford all with the aim of reaping a bountiful harvest.
Thus my role now seems to be maintaining a balance between all the plants that compete for a finite amount of soil. I allow self-seeding as a means of sustaining and even increasing plants I wish to encourage and it has also brought some interesting plants into my yard, but at the same time it also brings unwanted plants and those that are invasive require vigilance so as to prevent their overwhelming those that I chose to plant or wish to encourage. Thus I periodically battle bittersweet, buckthorn and garlic mustard to name the more common villains. There are also other plants that are not welcome and keeping the balance between acceptable and unwelcome plants is a task that requires persistence. However, while gardening brings frustrations and disappointments at times, it also brings pleasure in the form of visual beauty, enjoyment of our creative efforts and a sense of peace and relaxation that comes with tending growing things. So it is a sort of symbiotic relationship with the garden in that my endeavors enable certain plants to thrive, while in turn a good harvest is sustenance for the table and a beautiful garden, however you define it, is sustenance for the soul.
Similarly, Swiss chard is pictured in its pampered growing conditions.
Born in England, Catherine learned to garden from her parents and from that developed a passion for plants. Catherine works assisting customers at the newest Weston Nurseries location in Lincoln. When not at Weston Nurseries, she can often be found in her flower beds or tending to an ever-increasing collection of houseplants.
Tuesday, July 22
3:00pm
Eliza arrives to the Garden at Elm Bank from Wehaton College Greenhouses
Sunday, July 27 5:30pm
After 5 days in the Hartley Greenhouse, Eliza begins to bloom
Sunday, July 27 8:00pm
Eliza's bloom emerges as hundreds line up to see and smell
Monday, July 28 12:00am
Eliza's smell fills the greenhouse and attracts curious bugs and pollinators
Eliza the Corpse Flower
A Partnership of Wheaton College and Massachusetts Horticultural Society
In just 24 hours, over 3,000 people joined us to marvel at the rare and unforgettable bloom of Eliza the Corpse Flower! Together we celebrated the wonders of horticulture and connected with plants in meaningful ways.
Monday, July 28
12:30am
MHS Staff pollinate Eliza with pollen from Chicago Botanic Garden's pollen bank
Monday, July 28 6:30am
Eliza's scent diminishes as the flower dies back
Tuesday, July 29 1:30pm
Eliza's spathe withers while the flowers begin berry production
Friday, August 8 10:00am
Berries continue to develop until seeds become fully formed and ready for harvesting
Little Sprouts
A monthly class designed to foster a love and sense of wonder for the outside world in your child, geared towards preschool age students. Each month, we will explore a seasonal theme through a 5-senses garden walk, story-time, a hands-on craft or activity, and a take home kit.
REGISTER HERE
$20 Nonmembers | $12 Members Registration covers one adult and one child.
September: Vegetables Tuesday, September 23 | Thursday, September 25
September is harvest season here in New England! Come celebrate the bounty of farm-fresh veggies in our own Seed to Table Vegetable Garden with Educator Kristen - smelling, tasting, seeing, touching, and even listening our way through the produce. We will unwind in the shade with snacks from the garden and create our own vegetable themed art. Kids will take home a fine motor skill activity, as well as the Taste the Rainbow challenge!
October: Leaves Tuesday, October 14 Thursday, October 16 10:30-11:30am
November: My First Winter Hike! Tuesday, November 11 Thursday, November 13 10:30-11:30am
