Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Ginkgo But Were Afraid to Ask by Peter Del Tredici | Lecture, Lunch & Book Signing
Join Dr. Peter Del Tredici of the Arnold Arboretum in Boston for an in-depth look at one of the most ancient and fascinating trees on the planet.
Peter has been studying the natural history and evolution of this tree for the last thirty-five years and is a world authority on the subject. His travels have taken him to remote areas in eastern and southwest China in search of wild-growing Ginkgos as well as to old estates and botanical gardens in Europe and the United States. He is an expert on the cultivation of Ginkgo trees for ornamental purposes as well as for the production of leaves used in the production of medicinal extracts.
Peter Del Tredici is a botanist specializing in the growth and development of trees. He retired from the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in 2014 after working there as a plant propagator, editor of Arnoldia, Director of Living Collections, and Senior Research Scientist for 35 years. He taught in the Landscape Architecture Department at the Harvard Graduate School of Design for 24 years, and the Urban Planning Department at MIT for three years. He has published over a hundred scientific articles on a wide variety of subjects including: the taxonomy and cultivation of hemlocks and Stewartias, the history of plant introductions from Japan and China, the ecology and evolution of the Ginkgo tree, and the morphology of vegetative regeneration in trees. Since 2004, his research has focused on urban ecology and climate change, and in 2010 he published the widely acclaimed, Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field Guide (Cornell U. Press, 2010; 2nd ed. 2020).
Lecture, Lunch & Book Signing $48 / Book $34.95
Wednesday, April 10
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Click HERE to Register and Order Books
We recommend purchasing books in advance and picking them up at check-in. Limited copies will be available for sale on the day of events.
We will help to plant trees, shrubs, and plants at Wojan’s Woods, a West Hartford urban forest donated to our local land trust, Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy (TRLC). The West Hartford Garden Club has helped to remove invasive plants and has been an integral constituent in the selection of native plants, shrubs, and trees to repopulate the area. This effort to restore a natural balance for all creatures will result in a beautiful asset to the community. We have high schoolers who will dig some holes for the trees but need some able planting assistance. Another date will be scheduled later in the month – plantings that have been ordered are arriving in two installments. More information will be shared soon about additional planting date(s).
Please bring your favorite tools for weeding and pruning. A co-chair will arrive at the garden by 8:30 a.m.
PARKING: Parking will be in the paved lot next to the Amos Bull House on South Prospect Street. We encourage you to carpool as space is limited.
We plan to work if the rain is light. If it is pouring, you will get a cancellation call by 8:00 a.m.
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Connecticut’s Notable Trees by Frank Kaputa | Lecture & Lunch
Frank Kapua’s presentation will introduce the Notable Trees project, share its history, and explain what makes a tree notable in our state. Pictures and information about various notable trees will be included, with an emphasis on trees in the Hartford area, especially those in Elizabeth Park.
Frank Kaputa is the co-chair of the Connecticut’s Notable Trees project. Frank has been involved with the project since 2005, and has been involved with all aspects of it, including measuring and photographing trees, public outreach, and the database and website. Frank is a software engineer who lives in Glastonbury.
Lecture & Lunch $48
Wednesday, April 17
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Click HERE to Register.
Ecological Approaches to Garden Design and Management with Harland Patch
April 18, 2024
Live and on Zoom
Elmwood Community Center
1106 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT
Free for members; non-members register here.
Zoom links are automatically sent to members the Sunday before and the day of the presentation.
Ecological approaches to garden design and management are hallmarks of 21st century gardening. Until recently most approaches have been adapted for aesthetic reasons or for the ill-defined goal of supporting biodiversity. Much of the interest in ecological gardens comes from concerns about declining biodiversity and degradation of natural spaces. But the processes underlying ecological declines remain poorly understood by gardeners and designers therefore limiting the ability to create a truly sustainable garden aesthetic. Recent advances in pollination science from the landscape level to genetics can greatly inform the creation and management of ecological gardens.
Dr. Harland Patch focuses his research on many aspects of pollinator biology from genes to landscapes. His current research on understanding the biological mechanisms associated with bee nutrition and how nutrition, in turn, affects bee health. Dr. Patch is working with collaborators to understand the underlying factors that contribute to pollinator host plant choice, including the role of annual and perennial cultivars to support pollinator populations. This includes developing an easy-to-use digital tool to determine which cultivars support pollinators. He is scientific advisor and Director of Pollinator Programming at Penn State’s Bird and Pollinator Garden, a recently built 4-acre garden based on scientific research. He is also involved in ongoing projects to determine the causes of pollinator declines in the US and in Africa. Dr. Patch has taught Molecular Ecology, Pollination Biology and an undergraduate course on honey bees, among other classes.
Free for members; $10 suggested non-member donation. After the event, you’ll receive a recorded copy of the talk.