Event Calendar

Maureen and Mike Ruettgers will once again welcome the Garden Conservancy Open Days visitors into their justly storied private retreat outside of Boston, MA. Maureen’s passion for gardening began with herbs, and through that, she discovered the Victorian language of flowers. With this year’s Open Day, she wants to share this rich tradition with fellow garden enthusiasts.
In Victorian society, flowers formed an intimate language of their own with each flower assigned a particular meaning. Learning their special symbolism became popular during the 19th century. Emotions that could not be stated publicly could be expressed through flowers that were given or worn. Maureen has developed an exquisite collection of “porte bouquet” holders and related ephemera, so a curated exhibit on the language of flowers will be the centerpiece of this extraordinary day. Her collection will be augmented with period clothing and thirty specially-commissioned shadow boxes displaying the most important flowers in this romantic art, each handmade of paper (another example of Victorian material culture).
At 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Maureen and fellow members of the Herb Society of America will help participants make their own tussie-mussies, small, hand-held bouquets that convey heart-felt messages in the language of flowers. Victorian tea and cookies, a potpourri table, fun flower facts, beekeeping demonstrations and pollinator discussions, as well as scavenger hunts (for both kids and adults) will be available throughout the day.

Admission to this garden is $10 per person and children 12 and under are free. Exhibit and workshop are free with garden admission.