Join us for this free & open to the public lecture on spiders.

Are you looking for something a little different? Possibly a topic suitable for a late October/Halloween meeting? Actually, this talk is great for any time of the year as an opportunity to learn more about a very underappreciated group of garden arthropods. Spiders are valuable apex predators in our gardens. This talk, shared from a spider expert In Indiana, includes pictures and descriptions of a wide variety of different spiders.   

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

6:30 PM

Paxton COA
17 West St. Paxton MA

About the Presenter: Bonnie Power has been a Massachusetts Master Gardener since 2016 (now a Lifetime MG) and member of the MMGA Speakers Bureau since 2018…and a serious outdoor/indoor gardener most of her life. Curious and research-oriented by nature, she has many horticultural interests and areas of expertise. Bonnie holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Zoology, which informs her perspective on the management of garden insects. She is a member of the MGA Soil pH Testing team and also volunteer guide at Garden in the Woods, a Native Plant Trust botanical garden in Framingham. She learned to grow vegetables as a child from her father, and flowers and houseplants from her mother. Early in her marriage her father-in-law provided her first lessons in organic gardening.  At home in Marlborough, Bonnie grows a variety of vegetables and ornamentals (with a bias for natives). 

Please note, this tour is for PMAGC Members only.

As featured in The Garden Conservancy Open Garden Days, The Garden in the Burrow (named after the Weasley household of Harry Potter fame) is a one-acre plot divided into many different growing areas, including a year-round interest shrub border, a peony and lilac hedge, a new woodland area, fruit trees and multiple borders with perennial and woody plants tucked in everywhere. 

In June and July, they are the stars of the garden, if the rabbits cooperate and leave them alone. The former rock garden (devastated by a brutal winter with no snow cover) is currently being reworked to a more natural space. There are many covered seating areas, and our guests are most welcome to take a seat on our porch, or under a pavilion or pergola to get out of the sun and take in the constantly changing views. 

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Time 10 AM - 12 PM

Home of Cheryl Monroe in Jefferson MA

Free, but advanced signup is required: https://forms.gle/tt18R2iK8Z1qGtei8

Embrace the beauty of the season in a unique and creative way with our Flower Hammering Workshop. In this hands-on experience, you’ll learn the art of flower hammering; a technique that uses a hammer to transfer natural dyes from flowers to fabric.

Artist & Creative Workshop Facilitator Shannon Richards will teach you about the fabric preparation process, give useful tips about using flowers for natural dying, and guide you through the process of how to design your very own beautiful tote bag using a variety of flowers.

All materials are included. Attendees are welcome to bring plant material from their own gardens.

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

6-8 PM

Paxton COA, 17 West St. Paxton MA

$15 PMAGC Members. $20 Non Members. Class is limited to 20. Advanced Signup & Payment required.

Signup Here: https://forms.gle/tuRcf3UB71KwvUdP9

About the Presenter: About smr design company: art and creative workshops inspired by nature and community, smr design company is a woman-owned, Massachusetts-based business founded by artist Shannon Richards. Each product features Shannon's original art & designs. Shannon is also a creative workshop facilitator and event planner - prioritizing sustainable, mindful and nature inspired crafts and experiences.

Join us for this free & open to the public lecture on mushrooms!

They can delight, sicken, enlighten, or kill. They’re mushrooms, the fruiting bodies of an otherwise invisible world of fungi hidden in our forests, lawns…and flowerpots. Join Certified Field Naturalist Jonathan Kranz as he reveals what mushrooms are and how they live; reviews the most common and most spectacular mushrooms in our region of New England; identifies the most delicious mushrooms to eat; and teaches the basics of safe mushroom foraging.

Thursday, August 14, 2025

6 PM

Richards Memorial Library
44 Richards Ave. Paxton MA

About the Presenter: Jonathan Kranz is a MA Audubon Certified Field Naturalist who leads mushroom walks and talks for libraries, land trusts, clubs, and other interest groups in southern New England. He currently serves as vice president of the oldest mushroom club in North America, the Boston Mycological Club, and is a board member of the Pioneer Valley Mycological Association. He lives with his family in a former funeral home in Ayer, where he is chair of the Planning Board.