Art in Bloom, Photo Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

This Saturday, April 30th will kick off the 35th annual Art in Bloom at the Museum of Fine Arts Boson.    As in the previous years the event will feature all things bloom including bouquets inspired from various masterpieces within the collection, which according to the museum will be drawn from “Cassatt and Sargent, to Homer and Copley, in addition to iconic works from Ancient Egypt, Asia, and Europe.”  I have to admit, this is one of my favorite art installations of the series.

Dale Chihuly will also be represented in the Gund Gallery.  The museum boasts that  his, “42 foot green icicle tower and a neon wall-mounted piece, will be on display in the Shapiro Family Courtyard in addition to colorful ―Cat Tails‖ on view outside the Courtyard, visible through the soaring glass walls.”

Additionally Nancy Clarke, who has been the head White floral designer for every president since Carter, will lecturing on A Floral History of Six First Laides.

The museum states that there will be, “a Members’ Night on Sunday, May 1; a free evening Open House on Monday, May 2; and hands-on demonstrations, lectures, master classes, and guided tours throughout the three-day festival.”

Art in Bloom, Photo Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

ART IN BLOOM HOURS & ACTIVITIES

HOURS

Art in Bloom takes place at the MFA daily from Saturday, April 30 through Monday, May 2:

Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Sunday: Regular hours 10 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. with extended hours from 6-8 p.m. exclusively for

Museum Members

Monday:  Regular hours 10 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. with the addition of a free Open House from 5-9 p.m.

FAMILY DAY—Saturday, April 30, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Art-oriented activities for families, including chalk sidewalk drawing with Sidewalk Sam; additional special

programs are featured throughout the galleries. Children 17 and under are admitted free.

MEMBERS’ NIGHT—Sunday, May 1, 6–8 p.m.

Museum hours are extended for a special viewing of Art in Bloom for MFA members.  No tickets are

required.  To become a member, call 617.369.3395 or email membership@mfa.org.

LECTURE AND MASTER CLASS WITH NANCY CLARKE—Monday, May 2

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Lecture and Floral Demonstration.  A Floral History of Six First Ladies. –

$35 –– SOLD OUT

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.: Master Class: Hands-on class to design arrangements suitable for a White House

State Dinner – $200 –– SOLD OUT

Nancy Clarke served as the chief floral designer in the White House through six presidencies and three

decades, arranging beautiful creations according to the tastes of the Presidents and First Ladies, from the

Carters to the Obamas, before recently stepping down.

Art in Bloom, Photo Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

FREE EVENING OPEN HOUSE—Monday, May 2, 5–9 p.m.

The Museum’s evening Open House is from 5 to 9 p.m., when admission is free to the public.  Visitors are

invited to enjoy a special evening viewing of the beautiful floral arrangements throughout the MFA’s

galleries.  The New American Café and the Bravo restaurant are open for dinner.  Performances include:

Second Wind (a women’s a cappella singing group)

Gian Carlo Buscaglia (Latin singer/guitarist)

Jazmen (a trio of Jazz musicians)

ELEGANT TEA––Saturday and Sunday, April 30–May 1

2 and 4 p.m.

Koch Gallery for European Masters

Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children. Reservations required; call 617-369-4204.

The MFA hosts an elegant Art in Bloom tea, accompanied by live music, in the dramatic Koch Gallery, hung with European masterpiece paintings.

Outdoor Walking Tour – Sunday, May 1

3-4 p.m.

Meet at the Sharf Visitor Center

Garden lovers will enjoy a new outdoor walking tour of the MFA’s tranquil Japanese Garden, the neighboring

Back Bay Fens, plus a fascinating look at the architecture and outdoor artwork of the MFA. The tour leaves

from the Sharf Visitor Center and is free with Museum admission.

DAILY, ONGOING ACTIVITIES

Saturday, April 30 through Monday, May 2

Art in Bloom at Home

11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., FREE

Alfond Auditorium

Free flower arranging workshops are offered for visitors to learn how to design their own inspired creations.

Gallery Spotlight Tours

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (also from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday during Members’ Night, and from 5–9 p.m. on Monday

during the Open House), FREE

Ongoing throughout the galleries

A guided look at the floral arrangements and the works of art that inspired them.

Flower Cart

1 – 4 p.m.

Huntington and Fenway Entrances

Carts offering small plants and spring flowers for sale, outside the entrances.

GIVE THE ARTS A CHANCE

A special feature of Art in Bloom is the Give the Arts a Chance benefit drawing—proceeds from which fund

programs at the Museum, such as the annual Memorial Day Open House and scholarships to students at the

School of the Museum of Fine Arts, as well as those that enhance the visitor experience.  This year’s drawing

includes the grand prize of a three-night stay at the elegant Tucker’s Point Hotel and Spa in Bermuda; dinners

for 2 at a gourmet Boston’s restaurant; Red Sox tickets; a luxury stay on Martha’s Vineyard, MA.

TICKETING AND INFORMATION

Art in Bloom is free with general admission, which includes two visits within a 10-day period:

Museum members    FREE, with a special Members-only night on Monday

Adults      $20

Seniors/Students     $18

Youths 17 and younger    FREE

(on school days until 3 p.m., $7.50)

Tickets for Art in Bloom special events are available for purchase by visiting the Museum’s website at

www.mfa.org, or by visiting or calling the MFA’s Remis Auditorium box office at (800-440-6975).  For

specific questions concerning events, as well as the purchase of lecture and master class tickets, please call

the Art in Bloom hotline at 617.369.3169.

I so wish I could be there!!!

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. For the Art and Flowers lover! Art in Bloom at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
2. Wisterias in full bloom at Longwood Gardens!
3. Fine Art Prints Available directly from Britt

Maryland Home and Garden Show/Photo courtesy of the Maryland Home & Garden Show

The Maryland Home and Garden Show’s last day is tomorrow.  With over 150,000 square feet of landscaped gardens and 300 exhibitors, this years show is bound to have something everyone!  The show runs this last weekend: Saturday, March 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and on Sunday, March 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

For more information visit  www.mdhomeandgarden.com

Related posts:

1. It’s Flower, Garden and Home Show Season around the U.S. Part II.
2. This weekend ONLY! Longwood Gardens’ International Orchid Show and Sale!
3. The Washington Home and Garden Show 2010!

Holiday Lights at Lewis Ginter © Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

‘Til tomorrow,

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. The Photo Garden Bee Lifts off in a Hot air balloon over Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.
2. Part VII: GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens!
3. Part IV: The Asian Valley at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

Beam me up for a Longwood Gardens Christmas! © Britt Conley

With over 500,000 lights on display, Longwood  has one of the most romantic holiday walks around.  And this doesn’t even include the evening lit dancing fountains.

A Holiday Stroll © Britt Conley

Walking the vast acreage of lights is wonderful.  Even the grand fountain lawn is lit up.

The Great lawn at Longwood Gardens © Britt Conley

The tree’s are great, either up close are from a distance!

Holiday Lights at Longwood Gardens © Britt Conley

I love taking this stroll each year.  And it’s become my new tradition.  It’s romantic, crisp and festive.   My fellow wanders are always smiling.  They also have a fantastic little hut where one can buy hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, cookies or a hot buttery pretzel (my favorite).

The Tree Row © Britt Conley

And don’t forget to go below the conservatory and head outside.  The view is lovely.

Part of Longwood Gardens light display © Longwood Gardens

They also tend to have the outdoor trains here!  Yet another fun treat.

The Conservatory Trains © Britt Conley

And of course there those trees that are adorned in all their outdoor glory.  This one is a hit every year!

Holiday Lights at Longwood Gardens © Britt Conley

Come back to see part two of what’s in store at Longwood this holiday season!  Next time were going indoors!  You can see what is on tap at Longwood now through January 9th, 2011 by visiting www.longwoodgardens.org

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. A Longwood Garden’s Christmas
2. 5 reasons to spend the 4th of July at Longwood Gardens!
3. Part IV: The Chrysanthemum Festival at Longwood Gardens

Cummer Oak, Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Jacksonville, FL. Photo © Larry Nighswander, courtesy the Cultural Landscape Foundation

2010 Landslide: Every Tree Tells a Story Done in Partnership with American Photo, The Davey Tree Expert Company, Garden Design and American Forests.

The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens famous Oak tree will be featured in a photography exhibition, on view at Aljira Center for Contemporary Art in Newark, NJ through January 8, 2011.  The exhibit features 25 photographs between 12 different locations across the United States and Puerto Rico.

According to The Cummer,

“Landslide, first issued in 2003, is TCLF’s annual compendium of significant at-risk parks, gardens, horticultural features, and working landscapes and each year is accompanied by a traveling exhibition of commissioned photography.  The 2010 Landslide: Every Tree Tells a Story (http://tclf.org/annual-spotlight/landslide-2010-every-tree-tells-story) focuses on the irreplaceable trees and tree groupings, often associated with historically important people and events that have shaped the development of communities and cultures. Russell Hart, executive editor at American Photo magazine, commissioned this year’s photography, and the November/December 2010 edition of American Photo features Landslide site images. Long time supporter Garden Design magazine returns for the 2010 Landslide, The Davey Tree Expert Company joins as Presenting Sponsor and American Forests as a sponsor.

The traveling photography exhibition features sentinel and specimen trees, allées and boulevards, urban forests, formal and vernacular— things that surround us and are living reminders of our heritage. These trees and tree groupings recall our nation’s past and have the potential to bear witness to coming generations. These natural and living features command the same awe and admiration that our culture bestows upon the arts, architecture and design. The 2010 Landslide: Every Tree Tells a Story sites are (alphabetical by location):

Aoyama Tree – Los Angeles, CA

The 60 by 70-foot Moreton Bay Fig tree (Ficus macrophylla) marks the former location of the Koyasan Daishi Mission, one of the city’s oldest and largest Buddhist temples. The tree, nearly 100 years old, stands as a living symbol of the city’s cultural and historical development of Buddhism and the Japanese American community. Photography by Robert Glenn Ketchum.

Arborland Tree Farm – Milliken, CO

This orderly forest inhabited by diverse wildlife is actually a 150-acre tree farm filled with a mixture of shade and ornamental trees and conifers. The farm’s dense canopy is an anomaly in this plains area along the South Platte River. Photography by Jay Dickman.

Tulip Poplar – Tudor Place, Washington, DC

Tudor Place, built in 1805, has a beautiful collection of specimen trees on its 5-½ acre property but there is one in particular that shines brighter than the rest.  A tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), which stands more than 80-feet tall with a diameter of 60 inches, has been present since the founding of Washington, DC as a small port city in the 18^th century. Each passing year brings another chance for danger whether it is from shifting weather patterns, changes in urban development, or from environmental effects. Photography by Amy Bedik.

Cummer Oak – Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Jacksonville, FL

In the 1890s, when the Cummer family settled on the banks of the St. Johns River, this Live Oak tree (Quercus virginiana) was already majestic. Since that time, it has grown to 80-feet tall with a 138-foot span and has witnessed the garden’s evolution from O.C. Simonds’ picturesque 1903 gardens to the formal English and Italian gardens designed by Thomas Meehan & Sons, Ellen Shipman, and the gardens’ owner, Ninah Cummer. Photography by Larry Nighswander.

Sycamore Row – Ames, IA

Professor of Horticulture A.T. Erwin planted this linear feature of almost 50 Sycamore trees (Platanus occidentalis) in the early 1900s parallel to the Ames-to-Campus railway at Iowa State University. While the tracks for the old steam engine and electric trolley have since disappeared, the trees continue to mark the historic transportation route used by countless Midwestern pioneers. Photography by David Jordano.

Olmsted Parks and Parkways – Louisville, KY

This system consists of three flagship parks (Cherokee, Shawnee, and Iroquois) and the six parkways that connect them, all designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. and his sons. For more than three decades, the Olmsted firm shaped the city—18 parks and 14.5 miles of boulevards in all—each designed in deference to natural topographic attributes. Today some 6,000 trees from the Olmsted design era provide the city its mature tree canopy. Photography by Bob Hower.

Commonwealth Avenue Mall – Boston, MA

Initially laid out in Arthur Gilman’s 1850s plan for the Back Bay neighborhood, the original nine-block mall was begun in 1876 and completed in 1881 (with additional sections designed over subsequent decades). The original portion links the Boston Common and Public Garden to Boston’s famed Emerald Necklace and stands as a premiere example of a tree-lined avenue. Photography by James Sheldon.

Boxed Pines – Weymouth Heights, Southern Pines, NC

Hundreds of Longleaf Pine trees (Pinus palustris), scattered throughout the subdivision, are marked with carvings, known as boxes, made by former slaves and their descendants to collect sap for turpentine, pitch, and rosin. In 1904, industrialist James Boyd purchased the land and landscape architect Alfred Yeomans incorporated the old-growth trees into his design for the Weymouth Heights subdivision. Photography by Frank Hunter.

Japanese Flowering Cherry Trees – Essex County Branch Brook Park, Newark, NJ

Conceived by Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. in 1867, the 360-acre park was later redesigned by the Olmsted Brothers firm. The collection of Japanese Flowering Cherry trees (Prunus), established in 1928, numbers more than 4,000 today and rivals the more famous collection in Washington, DC’s Potomac Basin both in actual number and varieties. Photography by Yong Hee Kim.

Elms Of East Hampton – East Hampton, NY

Founded in 1648, the village of East Hampton displays one of the nation’s finest small architectural and landscape ensembles. By 1895, its American Elm trees (Ulmus americana) were noted in print and, in 1920, were made famous by a Childe Hassam painting of the village. While disease and insects have threatened the trees, nearly 150 of the specimens continue to form a high, leafy canopy over the village streets. Photography by Garie Waltzer.

Black Oak Tree – Katewood, Bratenahl, OH

Katewood, historically owned by the Holden family, today best known as the founders of the Holden Arboretum, is a Country Place era estate designed by A.D. Taylor. The Black Oak tree (Quercus velutina) that pre-dates the house stands as a rare remnant of the area’s pre-settlement era. Photography by Barbara Bosworth.

Río Piedras Ficuses – San Juan, PR

Three African Cloth-Bark trees (Ficus nekbuda) located along one of Puerto Rico’s busiest thoroughfares are approximately 50-feet tall, with a 20-foot total trunk diameter. Reminiscent of the farmsteads that once inhabited the region, their combined canopy stretches over seven lanes of highway and marks the entry point to Río Piedras and the greater and San Juan metropolitan area. Photography by Juan Pons.

“Cummer Museum visitors and Jacksonville residents have known for some time that our magnificent oak tree is really something special, but it is always wonderful to receive such recognition from outside, independent sources, said Cummer Curator Holly Keris.  “I hope this distinction will encourage others to look at the remarkable natural resources that surround us all, including other elements of The Cummer campus, and remember not to take them for granted.””

Photo Courtesy of Cummer Oak, Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Jacksonville, FL.

Looks like a great exhibit to me!  For more information visit: http://tclf.org/annual-spotlight/landslide-2010-every-tree-tells-story)

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. The Cummer Museum’s Italian Garden.
2. The Cummer Museum of Art’s English Garden
3. Part V: The Maymont Arboretum and Tree Experience

I wish I could pass along the horticultural details on these but, alas I don’t know.  Would any of you like to help out a Bee?

Ground Covers © Britt Conley

This particular ground cover resides at Winterthur.

Ground Covers © Britt Conley

It beautifully flanks the long walk to the car park, begging to be photographed along the way.

Ground Covers © Britt Conley

Which reminds me I need to get back up there to photograph the Fall.

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

No related posts.

Photo courtesy Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

There will be over 1800 roses in full aromatic bloom and events each day including a wine-tasting, dancing, a live opera and of course dinning.

Tango in the Rose Garden, Photo courtesy Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

There will even be 20 floral displays titled Roses are Red from Ikebana of Richmond.

Rose Garden, Photo courtesy Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Saturday, Noon – 3 p.m. Learn to Tango! Watch expert dancers from the Dance Space and try some new moves yourself! Wine-tasting and dining by Meriwether Godsey in the Rose Garden, too.

Sunday, Noon – 3 p.m. Opera & Roses: The Virginia Opera performs selections. Wine-tasting and dining by MeriwetherGodsey in the Rose Garden, too.

DINING IN THE ROSE GARDEN, TEA HOUSE & CAFE

In the Rose Garden, Noon – 3 p.m.: on this special weekend only, you can “wine and dine” on the Terrace Lawn adjacent to the Rose Garden. (Cash & credit card accepted.) Here you can enjoy:

• Wine-tasting featuring French wines: Rose’, Chenin Blanc & Cabernet
• Tasty sandwiches, salads and more: chicken salad croissants, veggie wraps, cheese & fruit plates, vintner salad, hummus plates & hot dogs
• Beverages including wine splits, beer, soft drinks & bottle water, plus season favorite apple cider
• An assortment of yummy desserts

Tea House overlooking the gardens; 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. See menu & pricing; special wines featured; Sunday will include additional brunch items.

Garden Cafe in the Visitors Center; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. See menu & pricing.

Link: http://www.lewisginter.org/events/event_detail.php?event_id=349

Rose Garden, Photo courtesy Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

So if you are in the Mid-Atlantic region and looking for a great day trip.  Lewis Ginter’s Rose Fest is the place to be : )

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. Part IV: The Asian Valley at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.
2. Part II: The Rose Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.
3. This the last night of holiday lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden!

The Daily Flower © Britt Conley

This is the time of year I shoot many of my Daily Flowers to make it through the coming Fall and Winter.  I love to photograph them.  If you haven’t seen them lately just click Daily Flower in the Menu.  I’ll be heading out this week to see what else is out there!

Previous Daily Flowers © Britt Conley

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. The Daily Flower is back on track!
2. 2/24/10 The Daily Flower
3. Some of my favorite “Daily Flower” Photographs

Time lapse flowers © lamablog

Just click play

And another fun one with Tulips:

tulips © Webiocosm

Just click play:

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. Today is Time-Lapse Tuesday!
2. Time Lapse Tuesday
3. Hey, it’s Time Lapse Tuesday!!!

Lotus Blooming © Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Just play the video below and enjoy!

Also, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LewisGinter and they have a fantastic blog updated by the tremendous staff at http://lewisginter.org/blog.  It’s well worth placing in your favorite garden reads.

‘Til Tomorrow…

Britt : )

Related posts:

1. Time Lapse Tuesday
2. Today is Time-Lapse Tuesday!
3. Time Lapse Tuesday