Wabanaki Essentials: Tools for Life and Home
Long before products manufactured from metals, plastics, or synthetics were widely available, essential daily tools like pots, baskets, bowls, and utensils were handmade from elements found in nature. In this all-ages class, learn how the Wabanaki made such daily essentials and how these traditions live on, connecting people to earth and to heritage. Learn from Barry Dana (Penobscot) and Lori Dana as they share stories, describing how to know what natural elements are used for what function and where they can be found, as well as the making process, produced by hand without the need for electricity, oil, coal, or metal. To finish class, you'll learn how to braid traditional bass rope.
Interested in learning about the benefits of incorporating native deciduous shrubs into your garden? Or maybe you already have shrubs in your landscape and want to expand your knowledge. Either way, join Emily Baisden, entomology and native shrub aficionado, to learn about the extensive selection of native deciduous shrubs available for your garden. We’ll cover the ecosystem services provided by native shrubs, from pollinator hosts to erosion control, as well as how to select the right species for your space, taking into consideration environmental characteristics and seasonal qualities.
In this workshop and field-study class, herbalism practitioner and staff horticulturalist Lesley Paxson will review 10 specific plants used for their medicinal applications. Lesley will take students around the Gardens, examining the morphology (form and structure) of each plant, describing key chemical constituents, and sharing details about what and when to harvest, plant folklore, and history. Students will forage from the select plants, sample recipes derived from traditional methods, and learn how to process their collected materials, once home. Come with an airtight bag or jar in which to preserve your collections.
Want to enter the world of beetles, butterflies, bees, grasshoppers, wasps, and flies? Ages 14-adult are invited to join us and learn about the insect wildlife to be found in backyards and gardens. Learn to identify the most common insects and the roles these important creatures play in their ecosystems. After an introductory slideshow, we'll explore the Gardens to observe and gain insight into insect behavior, identifying where insects prefer to live versus where they’re discouraged. We'll take a holistic approach to studying insects, recognizing that even the smallest patch of yard is inclusive of nature.
Whether called fields, meadows, or pastures, these wide-open, full-sun terrains all feature a dominant grass population mixed with wildflowers and smaller woody species. In partnership with the Boothbay Region Land Trust, this class will guide students on walks at the Gardens, Oak Point, and Zak Preserve. Led by Ted Elliman, author of Grasses, Sedges and Rushes, An Identification Guide, participants will learn how to identify and better understand meadow culture—perfect for those interested in starting or sustaining an open grassland!
Join world-renowned photographer Ron Rosenstock for this Zoom lecture. Ron will elaborate on the three main ingredients needed to create meaningful photography: attention, intention, and awareness. Ron Rosenstock has taken photographs and taught photography all over the world. The lecture will run approximately 90 minutes with time left at the end for questions and answers.
What exactly is a specimen tree? Good question! Specimen trees are trees that fulfill specific garden design goals, such as providing focal features, provoking emotional responses, or contributing to specific themes, just to name a few. The trees can be small, large, narrow, or broad, cascading or twisted in habit, or provide foliar accents in an otherwise monochromatic setting. In this class, landscape designer and horticulturist Irene Barber will take students on a landscape-design tour around the Gardens to learn about specimen trees to consider adding to a new or existing garden back home.
