Events in 2023
Upcoming events 2023
Past events: 2019–2022
Butterfly Walk at the Spruces
Tuesday July 12, 2022, 1 p.m.
A group of sixteen butterfly enthusiasts joined Leslie Reed-Evans, Drew Jones, and Pam Weatherbee for an informative and enjoyable outing at the Spruces. Pam reviewed a typical butterfly life cycle, Leslie pointed out plant and flower preferences for specific butterfly species, Drew described how flight patterns can be used in species identification. Among the nine butterfly species sighted were Monarchs, Eastern tailed-blues, a Great spangled fritillary, Silver-spotted skippers, Black swallowtail, Clouded sulphurs, Wood-nymph, Pearl Crescents, and a Tiger swallowtail, probably Eastern.
Pollinator Friendly Garden Tours 2021
Saturday, Aug 14th, 2021 from 2 pm - 4 pm.
Map of garden locations
Expand map (view larger map icon in upper right-hand corner) or view tab (icon in upper left-hand corner) for details and a brief description of each garden.
Scroll down for the complete list of gardens.
Bee Friendly Williamstown Garden Tours
Saturday, Aug 14, 2021 2-4 pm No Rain Date
South Williamstown
1210 Hancock Road/Rt 43 Caretaker Farm – Bridget Spann, Peace Garden & 100% organic farm
1210 Hancock Road/Rt 43 Elizabeth Smith – Caretaker Cottage – backyard pollinator gardens & meadow
300 New Ashford Road/Route 7 – Bette Craig, former dairy farm now flowers and apple trees
Drive-by “Sidewalk Strips” and small gardens – no hosts
35 Park Street, St John’s Episcopal Church – pollinator plantings
116 Southworth Street/corner of School – Lisa Hiley’s sidewalk strip
31 Church Street – Shira Lynn – Sidewalk strip, permaculture gardens
East Williamstown
37 Main – Alecia Briggs – front yard flowers!
6 Hamel – Erin Casey – vegetable raised bed gardens, new in 2021 (adjacent to 37 Main!)
60 Main Street, by the pond “BFW” Pollinator Garden @The Spruces –Lydia van Schwanenfluegel
“Mid”-Town Gardens
24 Petersburg Road (Corner of West Main & Northwest Hill Roads/Petersburg Road side) Wit McKay – Flowering plants for bees and humans; goldenrod field; hosted by Lindsey Hooper
159 North Street/Rt 7 – Luana Maroja – invasive removal into edible, less-common-varieties of flowering plants and trees
58 Jamieson Hts – Laura Bentz “Circle garden” in the cul de sac
1215 N. Hoosac Road – Lori van Handel; “Treekeeper Cottage”
114 Bridges Road (@White Oaks) – Mackenzie Hunter – Sidewalk Strip
201 Cole (enter across from 31 Church!) please use Church Street side parking– Anne O’Connor – tenant-directed gardens alongside landlord-directed landscaping
17 Elm Street – Nina Marks – permaculture and native plants
53 Maple Street – Leslie Reed-Evans – shade garden for birds
46 Maple Street – Richie Doucette – vegetables instead of lawn
70 Maple Street – Brian Cole – “no lawn” flower front garden
24 Linden Street – Robin Lenz – gardens, not lawn
August 3 -- The Spruces Park -- "Night Out" Community Event
Visit our table to learn more about flowers and pollination! Take home a milkweed seedling (first 25 visitors!)
AUGUST 1 BUTTERFLY WALK AT MOUNTAIN MEADOW
August 1, Mountain Meadow Preserve, at the End of Mason Street, Williamstown, MA
INVESTIGATING FLOWERS and THEIR MANY PARTS. with Prof. Joan Edwards of Williams College
July 31, 4 pm at The Spruces, "Pollinator Plantings" by the Pond. Led by Joan Edwards, this event is good for anyone of any age!
Native Plant Sale, June 5th, 2021, 9 am to 1 pm @ Williamstown Farmer's Market
Pollinator friendly native plants provided by Wing and a Prayer Nursery of Cummington for sale to benefit local pollinators in our gardens! Have questions? Need more info? Write us at beefriendlywilliamstown@gmail.com
Bird Walk, 7:30 am, May 22, 2021 @ Caretaker Farm, Williamstown, MA
Please join us this Saturday, May 22 at 7:30am for a bird walk at Caretaker Farm with David McGowan, Executive Director of Williamstown Rural Lands. Co-sponsored by Bee Friendly Williamstown, Caretaker Farm, and Williamstown Rural Lands. Bring binoculars if possible. Birders of all abilities welcome. Masks required. Post walk update: 45 birders showed up and were rewarded, among other things, with a citing of *four* Great Blue Herons! Thank you, all, and most especially, the birds themselves, for showing up!
Field Lecture, August 10, 2019 @The Spruces, Williamstown, MA
Professor Joan Edwards of Williams College discussed plants and their pollinators, at The Spruces, on Aug 10, 2019. Hand lenses loaned by Joan helped us see flower structures up close, which was truly exciting and educational! Bees and flowers are co-evolved, and many times, specifically adapted to one another! We hope to have Joan speak at the meadow at The Spruces again in Summer 2021. Please stay tuned!
