Upcoming events

  • Communications & Outreach Committee Meeting

    • 18 Apr 2024
    • 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
    Register

    Join us to discuss topics including the website, publicity, outreach, newsletter, and more.

    Please review the agenda before the meeting and come prepared to discuss.

    Link to Agenda

    Zoom Link


    Show details

  • Filippello Park Butterfly Garden Maintenance

    • 21 Apr 2024
    • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
    • 191 Grove St, Watertown, MA 02472
    Register

    Join volunteers from Watertown Community Gardens in maintaining our public gardens, which support native bees, butterflies, birds, and more.  

    We will start each maintenance day by taking a close look at the gardens, to see which bees and other wildlife might be living there.

    Spring garden maintenance activities may include planting new plants, weeding, pruning, adding compost, mulching, etc.

    Any participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the event.

    Location Details:

    The garden is located in the center of Filippello Park, near the children’s splash pad, covered picnic tables, and bathroom building.

    Parking Details:

    We recommend parking in the parking lot at Filippello Park, accessed from Grove Street, or on the east side of the park, along Arlington Street. NOTE: Both parking locations are a short walk from the gardens; Arlington St is about a 400-foot walk, the parking lot is about a 700-foot walk.
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  • WCG & Edible Watertown Present: Urban Nature, Human Nature

    • 24 Apr 2024
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • Watertown Free Public Library
    Register

    Mark your calendars!

    Join Edible Watertown, a project of the Watertown Public Arts & Culture Committee, and Watertown Community Gardens, and Peter Del Tredici of Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University for a lecture on urban ecosystems and how plants, animals, and humans in urban centers can thrive together.

    Urban ecosystems are the ultimate manifestation of the dynamic interaction between humans and nature—between our desire for neat, orderly landscapes on the one hand and our fear of messy ecological chaos on the other. This presentation will focus on the plants that grow without cultivation in cities and their remarkable ability to flourish in spite of stressful environmental conditions. Cities—along with the plants and animals they support—can be considered "novel" ecosystems that not only reflect a tumultuous past but also preview our unpredictable future. The spontaneous vegetation that inhabits our cities is as cosmopolitan as its people and, quite frankly, better adapted to their changing environmental conditions than the native species that once grew there. Like it or not, these novel ecosystems have become the new normal and people need to recognize that they not only help make our cities more livable but also help clean up the mess we have made of the planet.

    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 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. He has published over a hundred scientific articles on a wide variety of subjects including, the ecology and taxonomy of hemlocks and stewartias, the history of plant introductions from Japan and China, and the ecology and evolution of the Ginkgo tree. 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.

    https://reservations.watertownlib.org/edible-watertown-presents-urban-nature-human-nature 

    If you register for this event through Watertown Community Gardens, you'll be sent updates as more details are finalized.

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  • Pest Prevention Cages Workshop

    • 29 Apr 2024
    • 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Hatch Makerspace

    UPDATE 4/14/2024:

    Registration is FULL for this event.  Please sign up for the wait list if you are interested.  This will help us know if we need to offer this workshop again, and at a larger venue.

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    UPDATE 4/1/2024:

    Registration is open for this event through Hatch Makerspace on EventBrite. 

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hatch-pest-prevention-cages-sustainability-series-tickets-863088660417

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    Rabbits eating young plants can be really challenging while gardening in Watertown.  We will be teaching a hands-on workshop where you can learn to make your own plant cages to protect your outdoor plants.  Each participant will take home 2 small cages to use in their home gardens (or donate to public pollinator gardens).

    Volunteer instructors will discuss different materials for making these cages and cutting tools.  The most common materials are poultry netting (aka chicken wire) and hardware cloth.  The most common tools are diagonal pliers, tin snips, shears, or electric shears.

    We will also discuss other tips for protecting plants, including specific types of plants which rabbits tend to leave alone.

    Location: Hatch Makerspace

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  • WCG & Edible Watertown Present: Edible Native Wild Plants of Watertown and Nearby

    • 7 May 2024
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • Watertown Free Public Library
    Register

    Mark your calendars!

    Join Edible Watertown, a project of the Watertown Public Arts & Culture Committee, and Watertown Community Gardens, and Russ Cohen, author of “Wild Plants I have Known and Eaten”.

    Since his retirement in2015 from his position as Rivers Advocate for the Mass Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration he has been giving wild edibles talks and tours. Sometimes called the Johnny Appleseed of Wild Edible Plants he is a passionate speaker. His enthusiasm for his topic is contagious.

    If you register for this event through Watertown Community Gardens, you'll be sent updates as more details are finalized.

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  • Watertown Pollinator Pathways May Committee Meeting

    • 9 May 2024
    • 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Zoom
    Register

    Please join us as we review pollinator-related activities going on in Watertown, brainstorm programs to host, plan volunteer events.

    Our meetings are held on Zoom.  Please review the agenda in the running notes before the meeting and come prepared to discuss.

    Click here to view the committee running notes

    Click here to join the Zoom meeting

    Zoom Meeting Details:

    https://zoom.us/j/99874443186?pwd=SW5VQy9uNWZVTHpqTUl0d2hvKzhDQT09

    Meeting ID: 998 7444 3186

    Passcode: 677224



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  • Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Invasive Plant Removal

    • 11 May 2024
    • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
    • TBD
    Register

    April 13, 2024 Update:

    Sign ups are open through Watertown Helps Out.  Click here to sign up!

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    April 1, 2024 Update:

    This event is formally part of Watertown Community Foundation's Watertown Helps Out initiative - a month of giving back to our community. 

    If you sign up for this event on WCG's website, you will receive a message when WHO's official sign up page goes live.

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    Help keep the Greenway green!

    We will be working on addressing the massive invasive plant problem that has infested the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway. Exact tasks will be defined the day of the event.  

    Our goal is to remove invasive plants and restore wildlife habitat.

    This event is co-hosted by Friends of the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway.

    Details:

    • Starting point will be decided a week or two prior to the event and shared with registrants via email
    • Please bring: Drinking water, garden gloves, and any tools (clipper/pruners/shears, trowel) if you have them. Please wear long pants and close toed/sturdy footwear
    • We will provide trash bags, trowels, gardening gloves and other tools as needed for the day's activities
    • All participants will be asked to sign a waiver upon arrival
    • Any participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult


    Questions?

    Contact Watertown Community Gardens at info@watertowngardens.org

    Contact Friends of the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway at WCGreenway.friends@gmail.com

    Show details

  • Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Invasive Plant Removal

    • 19 May 2024
    • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
    • TBD
    Register

    April 13, 2024 Update:

    Sign ups are open through Watertown Helps Out.  Click here to sign up!

    --------------------------------------

    April 1, 2024 Update:

    This event is formally part of Watertown Community Foundation's Watertown Helps Out initiative - a month of giving back to our community. 

    If you sign up for this event on WCG's website, you will receive a message when WHO's official sign up page goes live.

    --------------------------------------

    Help keep the Greenway green!

    We will be working on addressing the massive invasive plant problem that has infested the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway. Exact tasks will be defined the day of the event.  

    Our goal is to remove invasive plants and restore wildlife habitat.

    This event is co-hosted by Friends of the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway.

    Details:

    • Starting point will be decided a week or two prior to the event and shared with registrants via email
    • Please bring: Drinking water, garden gloves, and any tools (clipper/pruners/shears, trowel) if you have them. Please wear long pants and close toed/sturdy footwear
    • We will provide trash bags, trowels, gardening gloves and other tools as needed for the day's activities
    • All participants will be asked to sign a waiver upon arrival
    • Any participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult


    Questions?

    Contact Watertown Community Gardens at info@watertowngardens.org

    Contact Friends of the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway at WCGreenway.friends@gmail.com

    Show details

  • [Cancelled] Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Invasive Plant Removal

    • 25 May 2024
    • 9:00 AM - 11:30 PM
    • 490 Arsenal Way, Watertown, MA 02472

    April 13, 2024 Update:

    This invasive plant removal event event has been cancelled.  Please consider attending one of our other volunteer events that month:

    May 11 - Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Invasive Plant Removal

    May 19 - Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Invasive Plant Removal

    --------------------------------------

    April 1, 2024 Update:

    This event is formally part of Watertown Community Foundation's Watertown Helps Out initiative - a month of giving back to our community. 

    If you sign up for this event on WCG's website, you will receive a message when WHO's official sign up page goes live.

    --------------------------------------

    Help keep the Greenway green!

    We will be working on addressing the massive invasive plant problem that has infested the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway. Exact tasks will be defined the day of the event.  

    Our goal is to remove invasive plants and restore wildlife habitat.

    This event is co-hosted by Friends of the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway.

    Details:

    • Starting point is at the trail intersection between Watertown Mall and 490 Arsenal Way (with bench and bike racks)
    • Please bring: Drinking water, garden gloves, and any tools (clipper/pruners/shears, trowel) if you have them. Please wear long pants and close toed/sturdy footwear
    • We will provide trash bags
    • All participants will be asked to sign a waiver upon arrival
    • Any participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult

    Questions?

    Contact Watertown Community Gardens at info@watertowngardens.org

    Contact Friends of the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway at WCGreenway.friends@gmail.com

    Show details

  • WCG & Edible Watertown Present: "More Than Just the Buzz"

    • 4 Jun 2024
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • Watertown Free Public Library
    Register

    Mark your calendars!

    Join Edible Watertown, a project of the Watertown Public Arts & Culture Committee, Watertown Community Gardens, and Dr. Robert Gegear for his lecture, titled "More than just the buzz: A practical guide to native pollination system conservation (and why it matters)"

    Learn how ecological data collected by Dr. Gegear's research lab and Beecology Citizen Science Project are being used to gain insight into the causes of species loss from bee and butterfly pollination systems native to New England. The talk will also highlight the ‘eco-technology' that has been developed to aid Beecologists in the collection of species interaction data, including the launch of a new version of the webapp with automated butterfly and plant ID functions powered by iNaturalist in Spring 2022. The talk will conclude with an overview of how citizen scientists have been using Beecology data to significantly advance native biodiversity restoration efforts in Massachusetts over the past 3 years.

    If you register for this event through Watertown Community Gardens, you'll be sent updates as more details are finalized.

    Show details

  • Summer Life-Friendly Garden Tour

    • 23 Jun 2024
    • 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • Locations Around Watertown
    Register

    Mark your calendars!

    It’s the last Sunday of National Pollinator Week, and it’s about the time when Monarch Butterflies reach New England.

    As Watertown is a signatory of the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, we will explore how we support Monarch Butterflies by gardening without chemicals, planting milkweed and nectar plants, and celebrating the living beings around us.

    We look forward to your ideas!

    If you register for this event through Watertown Community Gardens, you'll be sent updates as more details are finalized.

    Co-hosted by Friends of Bees and Watertown Pollinator Pathways, this program is supported in part by a grant from the Watertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

    Show details

To see information from previous workshops and events,
check out our Workshop Materials Resources page!



Watertown Community Gardens is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

P.O. Box 1041, Watertown, MA 02471

info@watertowngardens.org

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