Upcoming Events
2026 - 2027
September 15, 2026 10:00 AM
Arnold Arboretum Walking Tour “The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is a living museum.” This guided walking tour will explore four groups of trees that each played a significant role in shaping very different civilizations: Eastern White Pine, Cedar of Lebanon, Western Red Cedar, and the five sacred trees of the Kiso Forest in Japan.
Arnold Arboretum, Flora Way Gate
October 13, 2026 10:00 AM
Cranberries and Climate Change
Cranberries feel so essential to fall in New England. This is a great opportunity to learn about cross-disciplinary research at Boston College that explores how social and ecological networks are supporting Massachusetts cranberry growers as they experience climate increased extreme weather and the need to adapt to climate change. Presented by Brian Gareau, Senior Associate Dean at Boston College
November 10, 2026 10:00 AM
Preparing Your Garden for Winter
It’s that time of year again! Gretel Anspach, Lifetime Master Gardener, will lead us in a discussion of best practices in protecting plants and wildlife for overwintering, and how gardening advice has evolved in recent years, including advice about fall clean-up to manage leaves and soil.
Joint meeting with Chestnut Hill Garden Club
Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill
December 8, 2026 11:00 AM
Social and Lecture
Brookline Tree Warden, Jack Schleifer, will join us.
Putterham Library, Chestnut Hill
January 12, 2027 10:00 AM ZOOM
If It Grows Here, It Will Grow Anywhere!
Laura Parker, founder of High Desert Seeds and Gardens in Paonia, Colorado, will talk about the growing of seed regionally adapted to the extreme conditions of the high altitude desert regions. In seasons that experience erratic temperature swings, high winds, and dry conditions, the hardiest plants are selected to go to seed. Laura will give us tips on seed propagation and share which plants will survive our own growing conditions.
February 22, 2027 12:00 PM ZOOM
Glen Villa Garden Virtual Tour
Patterson Webster is a writer, artist, photographer, and passionate gardener. Join Patterson to learn of the creation and development of her historic property, Glen Villa, located in North Hadley, Quebec, into a world class garden. The talk will contain information and ideas that will inspire us to make our gardens the best they can be!
Note: This meeting takes place on a Monday.
March 9, 2027 10:00 AM
Magical Mystical Moss
Barb Young, owner of the Big Little Garden in Nashua, NH, will share her fascination with moss as well as her knowledge and growing tips gathered over 15 years of moss gardening. She will explain how to identify, gather, and plant moss in the perfect spot.
Latvian Lutheran Church, Brookline
April 13, 2027 10:00 AM
Victory Gardens: Then and Now
Perhaps some of us remember The Victory Garden, the long-running public television gardening show, produced by WGBH and premiering in 1975 and running for over 30 years. In this program, we’ll take a closer look at how victory gardens shaped communities during World Wars I and II, and how their influence is felt today. Lifelong gardener and healthcare provider, Debra Dellanina-Alvarez, is our speaker.
Latvian Lutheran Church, Brookline
May 11, 2027 11:00 AM
Annual Meeting
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Past Events
2025-2026
Mount Auburn Cemetery, founded in 1831, is a place of inspiration, beauty, and comfort. Guided by a volunteer, we explored the landscape, visited the graves of notable people, and communed with nature.
Mycologist expert Jana Harris of Essex Forays presented a program exploring fungi and their vital roles in the garden ecosystem.
Dr. Robert Gegear, Director of the New England Bee-colony project and Associate Professor, Department of Biology at UMASS Dartmouth, talked about his research, a practical guide to restoring native plant and pollinator diversity.
In this program, Joan Butler, from Enchanted Garden Designs, guided us in how to create welcoming habitats for birds through thoughtful landscape choices.
Focusing on species we might like to plant in our own yards, Russ Cohen shared his experience as the area’s leading wild edibles expert.
Bonnie Power, who is a Massachusetts Master Gardener, shared the stories of 15 common vegetables and two fruits, where they grew first, and what they probably looked like originally.
2024-2025
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society Garden at Elm Bank features both traditional and modern gardening styles. Lead by an expert guide, we toured its many gardens.
Franklin Park Zoo, an accredited arboretum, is a cherished institution to learn about new horticultural and sustainable environmental practices at the zoo. Joshua Meyer, the head of Horticulture at Zoo New England, spoke to us as we toured.
Muddy River Executive Director Matt Eddy provided a history of the work and the vision for what might come next.
The Garden Club of Brookline hosted the Plant Mobile at each of the public library branches.
A Zoom lecture by Ila Cox, in collaboration with the Junior League of Boston Garden Club.
A Zoom lecture by a science historian on 18th and 19th century naturalists.
Jana Milbocker took us on a virtual tour of 15 quite different gardens in Scotland - castles and historic estate properties to botanic gardens and intimate private Edens.
A speaker from the Charles River Conservancy took us through the history, biodiversity and stewardship of the Charles River and its parks.
2023-2024
Morning Stroll through the Boston Public Garden
Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary Tour
Lecture on PFAS from a Gardener’s Perspective presented by Heidi Pickard
Community event with donations to the Brookline Public Library for the purchase of garden-related books and a talk by Amanda Hirst, Director of Libraries for the Town of Brookline
Lecture on Lawns and Lawn Alternatives by Gretel Anspach, a Trustee of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Lifetime Master Gardener, and a recently-retired systems engineer for Raytheon
Virtual tour of Gorgeous Gardens of New England presented by Joanne Pearson, a former landscape architect turned professional photographer
Author Marta MacDowell on her recent book Gardening Can Be Murder
A lecture on Gardening with Dahlias presented by Betsy Szymczak
2022-2023
Walk through of the Fenway including the Kelliher Rose Garden and the Community gardens
Allandale Farm Tour and talk
“Gardening in a Changing Climate” with Michele Schukel (Natural Selections)
Community Event with donations to the Brookline Food Bank and a talk by Arielle Chernin (Operations Manager of the Food Bank)
Virtual Tour of Florida Gardens with Jana Milbocker (garden designer and owner of Enchanted Garden)
Virtual Tour of the Floral World of Japan with Lisa Oberholzer-Gee
Lecture on the history and operations of Little Leaf Farms in Devens MA with Chris Sellew (Sales Manager)
Lecture on the urban canopy of Boston with David Meschoulan (Co-founder and Director of Speak for the Trees)Past Events 2022
2021-2022
Alexandra Vecchio, Brookline’s Director of Parks & Open Space
“The Birth of the American Home Gardening Movement” with Jane Roy Brown
Program on the New Garden Society led by Erin Spinosa
Terrarium gardening workshop led by Kris Bowden and Emilie Kendall
Lecture by Deborah Chud on Piet Oudolf
Lecture on Roses with Mike and Angie Chute of Rose Solutions
Demonstration - Inviting Spring with Early Spring Containers with the Junior League Garden Club
Lecture on the Urban Farming Institute by Executive Director Patrica Spence
2020-2021
“Tree Architecture And Adaptive Growth” by Peter Del Tredici (Senior Research Scientist Emeritus, Arnold Arboretum)
“Inviting a little wilderness into your Garden” by Uli Lorimer (Director of Horticulture, Native Plant Trust)
Artists Gardens by Jana Millbocker (Garden designer and owner of Enchanted Garden)
Edible Landscapes/Heirloom Gardens by John Forti (Executive Director of Bedrock Gardens)
“Lars Anderson Gilded Age” by Stephen Moskey (Author)
Ladies of the Club by Allyson Hayward
2019-2020
Art in Bloom Museum of Fine Arts Tour
“American’s Romance with the English Garden” by Tom Mickey
“Climate Change “C-Change”” Conversation with Chestnut Hill Garden Club
Holiday Wreath and Greens Arrangement Workshop by Sarah Mitchell
Fall Gardening Tips by Hannah Trajish
Brookline Park Projects and Reservoir Preview by Erin Gallentine
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site Tour by Allan Banks
2018-2019
Farm Tourat Allandale Farm in Chestnut Hill
Tour of Dana Greenhouse at theArnold Arboretum
Hudson Valley Seed Company Lecture by Ken Greene Lecture
“Sustaining the Monarch Butterfly”Lecture by Katie Banks Hone
Tour of Tower Hill Gardens in Boylston, MA
Ikebana Workshop
New England Food System-Andy Kendall Lecture
Other Past Events…
Fisher Hill Reservoir Park Tour
Arctic Flower Travelogue Lecture
“Caterpillars as Horticulturalists” by The Caterpillar Lab
“The History of the Tulip” Lecture by Ila Cox
Container Gardening Workshop by the Captured Garden
Tour and History of the Frederick Law Olmsted Historic Site