Stephani Teran
Express staff
When I first moved to Massachusetts thirteen years ago, I was told by a friend who grew up here that “In New England, summer is not just a season, it’s a way of life.” That first summer, as I became acquainted with my surroundings, I saw that her sentiment was true. After eight (at the time) moves all over the country from California to New York, I had never seen a place where people truly savored and squeezed every last drop out of summer that they could. Of course, there is good reason when winter is often long and harsh, but also when the natural beauty, proximity to the ocean, and an abundance of untouched, undeveloped nature stands to be cherished and enjoyed.
In Massachusetts, people are outside early and long past sunset. In my previous seaside neighborhood in Plymouth, lobster bakes on the front lawns were weekly and people lounged in hammocks and lawn chairs as if they had not a modern-day care. Kids rode bikes and played kickball in the little road by the secret beach that was never without locals on towels or quiet summer sojourners scouring the tidepools for this or that. Here in the Plympton countryside, summer days mean garden tending and pottering, kettle pond swimming, afternoons in the shade of ancient trees with popsicles, and evenings of fireflies and fireside s’mores while kids run about in the woods and on farmyard with flashlights playing night games.
In addition to these summer rituals playing out more substantially and beautifully in Massachusetts than anywhere I have ever lived, one other thing I noticed is that local community gardens and nature centers are go-to hubs for locals every day, until summer vacation is over. New Englander’s truly love their gardens -evocative to the level of the British and their national gardening and garden strolling tradition. Luckily, we live in a state with an abundance of gardens and nature centers to explore.
These nature-rich places offer perfect opportunities to get summer-strung children off screens and office-bound adults out into the majesty of New England summer while it is here. There are nature centers that offer education and hands-on involvement through walks and workshops, or there are tranquil, lush gardens that only require relaxation and observation. Here is a list of some local nature centers and public gardens in Massachusetts that are more than worth a day-trip to enjoy. Happy garden strolling and may your summertime livin’ be easy!
Nature Centers:
Wildlands Trust: Wildlands Trust works throughout Southeastern Massachusetts to permanently protect native habitats, farmland, and lands of high ecologic and scenic value that serve to keep our communities healthy and our residents connected to the natural world. From preserving farmland and forests to protecting coastal resources and urban parks, Wildlands carries out a wide and ever-evolving range of conservation tasks. Wildlands Trust is a community service organization working in the land conservation field. They maximize their impact by nimbly responding to the unique needs of local people and wildlife. Wildlands Trust offers daily classes, workshops, walks, service opportunities, training, summer internships, many children’s programs, and educational opportunities. They are located out of Plymouth and are one of 130 land trusts in Massachusetts -the most of any state in the country.
Info:
675 Long Pond Rd.
Plymouth, MA 02360
info@wildlandstrust.org

South Shore YMCA Nature Center: The South Shore YMCA Nature Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education of natural and cultural environments of the South Shore. Their mission is to provide natural science experiences that educate, excite, and commit all generations to preserve the environment and encourage responsible use, stewardship, and enjoyment of our natural resources. Located on 30 acres surrounded by 200 acres of town conservation/recreation land consisting of meadows, woodland, and a pond, the South Shore YMCA Nature Center is home to Environmental Education programs, a Nature Center Preschool and summer day camp, Nature Adventures Camp. Their campus features five nature trails, the Jose Carreiro Children’s Garden, pollinator and native plant gardens, picnic areas, Coe’s Greenhouse, the EcoZone, and much more!
Info:
48 Jacobs Ln.
Norwell, MA, 02061
skugel@ssymca.org

Heritage Gardens: Heritage Gardens in Sandwich offers transcending beauty tucked away in a Cape Cod neighborhood. There are 100 acres of trees, shrubs, beautiful flowers, and sweeping lawns. This extraordinary environment offers examples of professional horticulture, garden design, outdoor discovery, the exhibition of great collections, and a year-round blaze of vibrant color. The region’s moderate temperatures and rainfall mean happy plants totaling more than 500 cultivars spread over Heritage in the Labyrinth, the Hart Family Garden Maze, Hidden Hollow, Flume Fountain, the Parade Field, the Wicked Plants Garden, and the Windmill Garden where some of the most spectacular blooms can be found including hundreds of hydrangeas in the summer. Enjoy garden-related workshops, lectures, and activities throughout the year. Three gallery buildings house special and permanent exhibitions and there is a charming gift shop with gifts for all garden lovers in an antique house near the entrance.
Info:
67 Grove St.
Sandwich, MA, 02563
info@heritagemuseums.org

Green Briar Nature Center and Thornton W. Burgess Society: This charming Cape Cod nature center, library, and gardens is a remembrance of the works of Thornton Burgess, a popular children’s author of the early 1900’s. Visitors can enjoy a wildflower garden and lots of nature activities for parents and children.
Info:
6 Discovery Hill Rd.
East Sandwich, MA, 02537
info@thorntonburgess.org

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill: New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is a nonprofit organization located in Boylston. It is one of America’s most famous botanical gardens. Located on 171 acres by the Worcester County Horticultural Society, it is one of the oldest of its kind in the country and is open to the public for garden viewing, trail walking, activities, private events, educational classes, weddings, exhibitions, and more. They are an AAM-accredited museum that includes an irreplaceable collection of plants. Their mission is to engage visitors in their lifelong passion for growing plants for their ornamental, economic, and ecological value.
Info:
11 French Dr.
Boylston, MA, 01505

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill

Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary: Ashumet’s most spectacular feature is Grassy Pond, a globally rare ecosystem characterized by the species of rare wildflowers that bloom along its sandy shores during low water in late summer and early fall; the pink Plymouth gentian is particularly beautiful. As its name suggests, Ashumet Holly is well known for its 65 varieties of holly trees planted throughout the sanctuary -including the largest and oldest holly tree in North America. Self-guided trails take visitors on a quiet hike through the sanctuary.
Ashumet Rd.
East Falmouth, MA, 02536

Arnold Arboretum: This 265-acre site is part of the emerald necklace of Boston parks designed in the late 1800s by Frederick Law Olmsted (my great-great-great grandfather!). The arboretum is one of the most respected and important centers for plant research in the country, with about 14,000 woody plants representing nearly 5,000 botanical classifications. The Visitor Center has maps and self-guided tour brochures. There are rotating exhibits about the Arboretum and plants, seasonal art exhibitions, a shop featuring books and educational items for children and adults, and activities for children.
Info:
125 Arborway
Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130
https://arboretum.harvard.edu

Garden in the Woods: The New England Wild Flower Society maintains this garden, the largest landscaped collection of native plants in the northeastern United States. New England’s premier wildflower garden has more than 1,000 native plant species, with many rare specimens, as well as the unique New England Rare Plant Garden. Native plants are also available for purchase.
Info:
180 Hemenway Rd.
Framingham, MA, 01701
https://www.nativeplanttrust.org

The Garden at Elm Bank -Massachusetts Horticultural Society: The Garden at Elm Bank is located on Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s 36 acres on the Elm Bank Reservation. The site includes open fields and meadows, streams and pools, wooded areas, and formal gardens. The Charles River nearby surrounds the property. Various gardens at Elm Bank include a Children’s Garden, Vegetable Garden, The Italianate Garden, and gardens of daylilies, rhododendrons, herbs, and daffodils. If you want to see what gardens look like when planned and maintained with a mix of expertise and passion, visit Elm Bank for endless inspiration.
Info:
900 Washington St.
Wellesley, MA, 02482
(They offer a help line for gardening questions staffed by master gardeners at mhshelpline@massmastergardeners.org)
https://www.masshort.org

Long Hill: From 1916 to 1979, Long Hill was the summer home of author Ellery Sedgwick and his first wife, Mabel Cabot Sedgwick, an accomplished horticulturist and gardener. Five acres of cultivated grounds are laid out in a series of separate garden rooms and accented by garden ornaments, structures, and statuary. There is a pleasant 1.2-mile loop trail in the nearby woodlands, filled with spring pools and imposing boulders. This is truly a space to study and learn about gardening logic meeting artistic freedom.
Info:
572 Essex St.
Beverly, MA, 01915
Info@TheTrustees.org

Laura and Alex Falconer might be a bit busier than usual this year. Instead of home gardening, they have set out on a new adventure to bring the garden goods to their community. Both long-time Plympton residents, the Falconer’s have purchased the Plympton staple, Sunrise Gardens, and are taking tradition to new heights with fresh ideas and innovation.
On a hot May day, where the first of summers lashing is felt after months of persistent cold, the vibrant flowers and lush hanging baskets cluster the tables and every corner of the newly minted Falconer’s Garden Shop. Local goods, and very reasonably priced, high-quality garden tools, line wooden shelves of the recently renovated shop building. Piles of fresh mulch and small hills of stone sit ready for customers to load into trucks, and new areas of garden treasures, such as locally grown evergreens, hibiscus plants, and even apricot trees with tiny fruits on them have spread into previously unused areas of the garden center. Things here are growing -and not just the plants.
“I worked part-time here for Sunrise Gardens for five years,” says Laura, “So it is not totally new to me, but it is definitely a lot to learn.” The Falconer’s purchased the garden center over the winter after learning it was for sale. “It just made sense for us,” Alex explains, “Okay, well we have yet to see if it makes sense for us, but things are going good so far.” While maintaining the staples that customers have come to expect from Sunrise Gardens since the 70’s, the Falconer’s Garden Shop will take tried and true and mix it with new offerings -many of them based off of what customers are asking for on a consistent basis.
One of the soon-to-come-focuses? “Native plants,” Laura says, “We get so many customers asking for native plants and so we are going to build up a section of the garden center for those.” Another frequent request: Shade plants. “We have a ton of interest in people looking for shade plants and native trees,” Alex explains, “And we have plenty of room for that, so we are going to add that to the stuff everyone already loves like the hanging baskets.”
The hanging baskets, overflowing with blooms in particularly lovely color schemes, are prepared and planted on site. Standing under the showcase house with ceilings lined with them is a small visual taste of what an undertaking that is. “We start planting them in March,” Laura says, “We get plugs of flowers and then decide which color schemes we like and then we put them together and they are finished around April.”
Aside from the crowd-favorites like marigolds, geraniums, and petunias, Falconer’s is looking to carry more unique plants as well as unique products like pre-made raised beds built by Alex who is a well-known and reputable handyman who can build and fix just about anything. “I made a watering bench for a woman the other day and it gave me the idea to start building things like that to sell in the shop.” The indoor shop space has been tastefully remodeled and has plenty of room for lots of great local products. “Pretty much everything in here is under $25 -even though it’s really nice stuff,” says Alex holding up long handle garden claw. “We are going to carry local honey soon, too,” assures Laura.
With the new ownership came a new logo designed by the Falconer’s. “It is a classic black and white look but we added the Falcon because people so often confuse our name. They think it’s Falconieri, so we figured putting a Falcon in the logo would clear that up,” says Alex. Helping them along in their new barrage of responsibilities are six employees who assist at the checkout counter and caring for the plants. “We have the best helpers,” says Laura, “We could not do this without them.”
Falconer’s Garden Shop is just warming up in terms of offerings and ideas. The fall will bring the beloved pumpkins and mums and cool garden crops like decorative kales and squashes, but the Falconer’s look to take a more community-involved approach. “I am looking into having a little tractor ride for kids out back and a pumpkin patch where kids can pick their pumpkins. We have a lot of space for kid’s crafts and garden classes -you know, stuff that will involve the kids in the area more.” “We also want to have a food truck sometimes for events,” says Laura. We are in a great location so it would be easy for passing people to see there is something going on and stop by.” And rest assured, the Christmas trees will also be back under the Falconer’s ownership. “Oh yes, we wouldn’t skip the Christmas trees,” says Alex. “We will try to keep the wreaths as well but it will be hard to make them like Keelin (the former owner) did. We will do our best.”
Enthusiasm and innovation are bursting to life alongside the thousands of plants and with the Falconer’s endless streams of ideas matched with stellar work ethic and dedication, Falconer’s Garden Shop is well on its way to picking up where Sunrise Gardens left off and establishing a new reputation for local plants, goods, and community inclusion. “We just hope to keep up the amazing legacy Sunrise built and brought to the town since the 70’s,” says Laura. As I check out with a spur-of-the-moment purchase of annuals, herbs, and Osmocote in my second trip there the last few days, it is obvious that the familiar at-home feeling Sunrise had is still there but it is enriched with the amazing energy of new ideas that will surely grow Falconer’s into Plympton’s garden center staple.

Jonas Salk, the American virologist who made the Polio vaccine, famously said, “If all insects disappeared, all life on earth would perish. If all humans disappeared, all life on earth would flourish.” Food for thought as we enter spring and summer and the local insect populations unearth to make their annual appearances after a long, harsh winter. Given that (hopefully) humans and insects are going to be around for a long time, it is up to us to find the means to coexist in ways that respect a symbiotic dynamic rather than one of domination and destruction. One person that has a better grasp than most about how to best do that is Blake Dinius -entomologist for the Plymouth County Extension.
Dinius was hired by the Plymouth County Extension to help curb tick and insect-born illnesses in Plymouth County as well as educate the public on prevention, awareness, and responsible environmental stewardship. After nine years with the county, Dinius is well-known in the community through his many public outreach and education programs and for going out of his way to be accessible for questions, learning, and curiosity about the natural world. With a degree from UMass Boston in biology and previously working at Smithers Viscient, an ecotoxicology testing facility in Wareham, as a biologist/study director of the Insect Department, Dinius is committed to helping the public navigate prevention and preservation with our tiny cohabitants.
“I work to provide science-based information and make it practical to the public through education and exposure to the natural world around them,” Dinius explains. With over 150 outreach programs a year through the Plymouth County Extension, Dinius is going to great lengths to accomplish just that. In addition to traveling all over the South Shore to give talks, Dinius also hosts free educational walks in forests, trails, wildland trust areas, and preserves. Dinius insists that the best and only real way to learn about our natural world and the insects in it, is to have first hand experiences. “The best way for people to come to understand insects is to get to know them”, Dinius explains, “People are not going to protect what they don’t care about, and they aren’t going to care about something they don’t see or understand.”
In addition to tick and mosquito education, Dinius specializes in pollinators. Anyone can easily catch wind of this topic via discussions and topic-presence on the news, social media, in our schools, and anywhere people are chatting about the outdoors. “Save the Bees” is a very basic and broadly applied sentiment, but how can we actually materialize this goal and who/what, exactly, are we trying to save?
In case a reminder is needed, pollinators do us the favor of assuring our survival and existence as a species. Roughly 85% of the worlds flowering plants, including a great deal of our edible food crops, rely on pollination. Pollinators also promote genetic diversity -which is mandatory to survive and adapt to a changing climate and shifting environments. The United States spends over $10 billion a year on pollination services for edible crops and over $3 trillion is spent on pollinator services globally. Our entire food system is dependent on the existence and health of pollinators -we simply can’t have food security or biodiversity without them.
But what about the pollinators at home? Dinius explains, “Our local pollinators are basically following the same trends as the national and some global trends. There are changes happening, but not all of them are the same or considered a decline in the way we think of it. In some areas, there is an overall decline of pollinators, but in others areas there is a decline in the variety of pollinators, but not their overall numbers. It is very complicated and there are many factors that contribute to these changes. The drought, for instance, is a large part of pollinator decline locally. If the flowers are in drought, they produce less nectar which affects the pollinators. It isn’t all about chemicals and loss of habitat. There are many contributing factors.”
When it comes to geography, pollinator populations are faring differently depending on the country and continent. “It is interesting to see that pollinator populations in some countries are actually increasing in spite of drastic decreases in others. One idea being studied is that countries who use pollinators as part of their agriculture systems, meaning to pollinate their crops by hiring out for hives to come sit in their fields, are showing a decrease in pollinators and increase in their diseases, whereas countries who are mostly using the products of the pollinators -honey and honeycomb, are showing increases in populations. Something interesting to think about in terms of what they are being exposed and subjected to and how it is different even in Canada for a pollinator compared to the United States.”
One of the most beneficial things humans can do to care for, protect, and enhance their local pollinator populations is to plant things that are found in our native habitats. The honeybee is not a native insect to North America (it originated in Asia and Africa), and many native bees and wasps are not catered to or noticed in comparison to the ambiguous honeybee.
With a loss of natural habitat as humans over-develop without replenishing or renewing, native pollinators are in a constant struggle to find the food sources their bodies are designed to break down and use. Plants that are not native to the area do not offer the same floral-traits or nutrition to the insects of that area that spent thousands of years evolving to subsist on those specific plants and flora. One of the worst offenders each spring, for countless reasons including its detriment to local pollinators, is the horticultural horror, the invasive Bradford Pear tree. That said, we all love our roses and vegetables, so it would be unrealistic and ineffective to ask people to only plant native species.
Dinius offers a more balanced perspective. “Mix the native plants into your existing and beloved plants. You can have your tomatoes, but perhaps add some spice bush or annual fleabane to your yard amidst the things that are there for ornamental or enjoyment purposes.” Dinius says that once you are aware of the need for native plants and cognizant of the local insect health and populations, other wise and sound environmental choices will fall into place. “Other focuses that help pollinators, like using less or no toxic chemicals in your yard, will usually naturally follow because that is just what happens when you learn to care -you learn to be careful and responsible for how you affect your environment.”
It is one thing to want to protect and promote local insects, but what happens when you want to avoid or hinder them? Dinius spends his days focusing on this public health-centered endeavor. Plymouth County’s tick-disease prevention initiative is largely modeled after Barnstable County’s, where entomologist Larry Dapsis had great success in decreasing infections during the start of the tick epidemic.
Plymouth County also has a financial incentive in pursuing the tick and insect issue. Plymouth County residents spend around $2.3 million per year on tick-related medical expenses, according to data released by County Administrator Frank Basler. It may be tempting to call your local spraying company with the goal of “killing them all” as a large thread on a local social media page recently suggested, but even with the most potent of poisons, ticks will not be eradicated at a level high enough to justify the damage to your local environment.
“The most effective way to deal with ticks and tick bites is through personal protection -meaning on your clothes and body,” Dinius explains. “According to the CDC data the last few years, even the strongest chemicals allowed for spraying for ticks only has about a 60% tick reduction rate,” says Dinius, “A single tick can lay about 3,000 eggs in its lifetime, so it is truly impossible to ‘eradicate’ them -nor do we want to as they are native insects and have a purpose in the ecosystems for other animals and insects as a major food source.”
Dinius points out that personal protection via body sprays and clothing cover and treatment, as well as tick checks when you go inside, provide closer to 100% prevention of tick bites and tick-born illness. “I grew up on 13 acres, I live near wetlands where sprays are illegal, and I am outside in tick-rich environments every day and I have not had a tick bite in 30 years,” Dinius points out, “I make sure I treat my family’s shoes and clothes with EPA Regulated repellants every single time we go outside.” As for the all-natural sprays Dinius says, “They can work in terms of the ingredients they use -they are effective ingredients, the issue is that because they are not regulated by the EPA, the amounts of the ingredients used is often off or not enough to provide adequate protection. It is best to use EPA approved tick and mosquito repellants to have your best chances of avoiding bites.”
In addition to personal protection, it is important to use jurisdiction about yard management. Dinius explains, “Leave the leaves and No-Mow May are great, and they can absolutely benefit insects, but it also benefits ticks. They love leaf mulch. My suggestion is to designate an area of your yard to allow leaf mulch to sit until the weather warms and the insect eggs using the leaves hatch, but you should avoid letting it accumulate where your kids and animals play or go often. I have a specific area that I give to nature -where I keep the grass long and leave the leaves, and I have a great display of fireflies and a healthy pollinator population in my yard, but I make sure it is not the same area my kids play.”
When it comes to the other hot-topic pest of the area, mosquitoes, Dinius explains the need for and administration of large-scale sprays. “The Mosquito Control Project of Plymouth County is a state agency overseen by the Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. They use a spray made of BTI – Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis -a naturally occurring bacterium found in soil that produces toxins specifically targeting the larvae of mosquitoes, blackflies, fungus gnats, and related flies. This spray impacts mosquitoes and midges, but largely leaves other insect populations unharmed. It also dissipates in sunlight and is sprayed at night so that by the time the pollinators are up for the day, the spray is gone and there is no effect on them.”
Dinius also explains that the late summer spraying via planes are only used by the state if there is a credible threat to the public via mosquito transmitted illnesses like EEE. “The late summer sprays are meant to kill mosquitoes on a non-targeted, larger scale, but even with these large applications, studies have shown that insect populations pre and post spray are not different. The spray also does not bind well to soil, so there is no evidence that is gets into groundwater systems long-term and has little to no effect on soil health.”
In spite of the overwhelming presence and talk of tick and mosquito-born illnesses, and pollinator and insect crises around the world, it is imperative to not feel powerless or fearful. “We risk getting hit by a car every time we go across the street,” says Dinius, “But we are not afraid to cross the street -we are careful. We need to apply this to our being out in nature. Now it is more important than ever to be outside -to get to know our surroundings and learn about our local environment so that we care about it, and we can’t do that if we are all avoiding it.” The best way to stop fearing or disrespecting anything is to come to understand it. Dinius hopes we can realize our place in our local ecosystems and thereby enjoy them much more. “It is absolutely great outside. There are so many incredible things to see and learn right out in the woods or in your neighborhood. You just have to make the effort to go look and watch and then learn a bit about what you are seeing. It enriches your life.” This summer I, for one, will be making more of an effort to get to know and be good to my neighbors -not the ones ringing doorbells or driving down the street, but the ones flitting from flower to flower in the garden or burrowing under a dead log. There is a tiny little complex world of creatures co-existing right in your yard, and the neighborly thing to do is to look out for them.
For more information or any questions, contact Blake Dinius at:
bdinius@plymouthcountyma.gov or call 774-773-3404 via the Plymouth County Extension.
Visit the Plymouth County Extension Facebook page for a schedule of free, guided walks, public lectures, and events.

“This is really why I made my daughters learn to garden – so they would always have a mother to love them, long after I am gone.” — Robin Wall Kimmerer

“Mothering” is a word with boundless connotations. It’s most primal definition only scratches the surface of its variant uses and meanings. “Mothering” is synonymous with “teaching” and can be done by more than biological mothers. It can be a solo or group endeavor. Whatever amalgamation of actions, sentiments, endeavors, and hopes comprise “mothering”, the world needs more of it. Some of us came into this life with mothers who were able to be what we needed in many ways. Others have not been so fortunate. In my life there have been many mothers, and mothering has come in countless forms and from handfuls of people and life experiences.
One of my core memories of someone who has mothered me is via my horticulture boss/mentor turned dear friend. While planting out thousands of seedlings on a chilly, late March day for the May plant sale at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, she noticed I was unusually quiet. When she asked what was wrong, I confided in her concerning a serious trial I was going through which was largely being endured in silence and isolation.
She didn’t say much, but she immediately went to the calendar on the wall and scheduled me to come in every day that week at dawn to open and work the greenhouse alone for a few hours until she arrived. I had previously only been scheduled for two other days. I asked her why the sudden schedule change. She replied, “It is impossible to be alone when you are working with plants. You can’t engage in the act without seeing how you are a part of things -not separate from them. Basically, you need the company.” She was right.
In my twenty plus years of gardening, I have many-a-time been a child kneeling at the feet of the mother -taking in all the stories, lessons, and inspiration the natural world has graciously offered me. I have seen others mothered, as I have been, by the earth and the act of becoming a partner with her through gardening to create, sustain, and flourish. This symbiotic relationship is not only natural, it is our birthright as human beings -to engage respectfully and sustainably with the planet and environment we are a biologically a part of. Our ancestors understood this connection in ways we are becoming unfamiliar with in modern times.
Linda Hogan wrote in her poem, Old Ways:
“Walking. I am listening to a deeper way. Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.”
The love of thousands -the mothering energy of centuries, resulted in us, here and now, in this moment. When we connect with the old ways and let them “mother” us, when we honor and learn for ourselves the passed-down truths, wisdoms, lessons, remedies, hopes, and methods that spanned generations of tongues and minds to end up on our mental doorsteps, it is impossible not to feel cared for -bolstered, brave.
The miracle of mothering is that the recipe for doing it successfully, by any means or person, has not really changed across the ages. The mothering I have received from the garden has taught/is teaching me a few life lessons that I might not have learned as blatantly had I not been involved with the earth. Mothering, bestowed by the garden, has shown me that experiences gained by living life connected to the cycles of the earth prove the tried-and-true knowledge that every “take” requires a “give” in an existence of interdependence, that life is entirely seasonal and our peace is dependent upon us relenting to that, and that control is an illusion where nature is concerned, but hope is a compost and is as enriching and mandatory to us now as it was long ago. More so, in fact.
Mothering from the garden has shown me that existence requires interdependence. No one thing or person is so sufficient, flawless, or rational that it/they can find peace and fulfilment or function at full capacity in isolation. I encountered this lesson when learning about companion planting. This is a garden practice where you place two plants that have a symbiotic relationship next to each other and each of them benefits in ways that surpass their potential being planted on their own. In my gardens, I learned to interplant my beloved English rose collection with nepeta (catmint).
Nepeta benefits the roses by providing volatile masking. This is when aromatic plants emit compounds that physically interfere with pests such as aphids’ host-location ability. Aphids identify target plants via chemical signals; companion volatiles mask those signals. Nepeta also provides neighboring flowers to supply pollen and nectar that sustain populations of hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and ladybugs. This means the nepeta calls in a sustained presence of protective predators for the rose’s enemy pest populations. In turn, a more prolific rose bush enhances scent trails that lead pollinators to the nepeta and the rose roots leach nutrients into the soil that feed the nepeta.
As far as humans are concerned, we can easily see this relating to our communal nature and the way our societies were built over time. Each with our varying talents, interests, abilities, and insights offers a unique blueprint of life for others to observe and learn from -be it as inspiration or warning. Our interdependence filters from our personal lives into our communities and even nations. Resources, geographic locations, crops, and technologies from one nation are not found in the other and vice versa and trade is established. In our local governments, voters are needed to choose representation who, in turn, advocate for their bolstering voters for funds and resources. In our relationships, we find the most fulfillment when we are in a pattern of fellowship with each other -where we take turns saving one another through our energy and abilities when another person is in need of sustenance or support. There is no independence in nature -there is interdependence that is founded upon the collection of each participants’ unique abilities combining into a kaleidoscope of harmonious purpose.
When lost in gardening tasks, such as seed starting, composting, weeding, harvesting, and planting, you subconsciously become an active participant in the rhythm of the earth -in its seasons. Rachel Carlson said, “There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” In my own personal chaos, I find the mandatory and reliable demands nature places upon anyone who wishes to interact with it, in a meaningful and prolific manner, a great constant and comfort. No matter the complexities of my day-to-day existence, the peony buds still form in late April and the garlic still needs to be planted in the fall under mulch to grow the winter long.
Living on a flower farm in the forest, I am at the mercy of the earth and her seasons. In the spring, the needed clean-up pulls me from my indoor focus to bask in the vitamin D and birdsong -a counter symphony to any remaining winter seasonal blues. The sound of the first peepers is as important an announcement from my youngest as his latest video game high score, and the started seedlings are fussed over like extra, temperature-sensitive, sun-hungry children.
Summer brings the dance of flood and drought, of paced exertion and perseverance in the wet New England heat. The respite of enjoying a chilled drink around the firepit at the end of a day of summer intensity, while surrounded by little galaxies of fireflies and a symphony of crickets, makes any strains of the day obsolete. In the fall, it is hard to focus on any tasks because just looking upward at the jeweled canopies is the finest distraction of the year. Still, harvest time requires anything but rest. There is an underlying panic -primeval in force, that urges us to hurry, preserve, save, and savor. When winter casts its first blankets upon us, we learn to slow down, listen to the paused frenzy of the year, and hibernate.
Our lives have seasons far more complex and unpredictable. Some have many harvests, others few. Some have a lifetime of dependable rain, others relentless drought. Some have stretches where the dark winter in their soul carries on for years, while others glow in long stretches of sunny days. Many have an equilibrium of seasons of ease and strife. While nobly striving to make the best of the season we are in, and making our own sunshine when there is none, the most detrimental thing we can do is fight against the seasons that are naturally occurring. Seasons of growth can be terrifying and taxing, but stunting ourselves in the comfort of unwavering consistency is like keeping a vibrant plant in a tiny pot to become root-bound. Equally, constantly focusing on “bigger, better, more” comes at a cost of draining our souls of contentment and the ability to see the harvests we do have in our lives -in a world where the very definition of “bounty” is at odds with the earth and inner peace.
In the midst of learning how to give and take respectfully, and how to ebb and flow with life’s seasons, the garden has shown me the one thing that matters more than anything and that I am still striving to learn: To hope. Audrey Hepburn famously said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” There is another adage that sits in my mind: “Plant pears for your heirs” referring to the slow nature of a pear tree maturing to produce an abundant harvest. Gardening is, in itself, a game of chance. You can’t tell a seed’s germination rate by looking at it. You can’t predict the weather that will hinder or help its growth. You can’t foresee most pests or diseases once its grown, or stop every animal that nibbles, or storm wind that bends.
Each seed or plant put into the earth is placed there with the hope that it will become what we need and want it to be -but with no guarantees. Certainly, particular patterns and practices increase your odds every time, but even the most seasoned of gardeners will lose an “invincible” zucchini plant sometimes. Regardless of the outcome, the intent is always hoping for the best. The most prolific gardens are the ones in January, when the snow is still on the ground because they are the gardens in your mind -the ones cultivated entirely from imagination and hope and they are just as important as their physical manifestations in the growing season because there is nothing more tantalizing than potential.
Hope is the food that also feeds the human spirit. We sing about it, write about it, preach and speak about it, and make art about it. We live and die by it. Hope is the one thing that can be so fragile, but also impossible to kill. If we have it, no matter how many seasons or experiences in our lives prove it to be futile, we are kept in motion. We keep trying. We keep dreaming and adjusting and trialing and, eventually once in a while, triumphing. Hope is the compost of our souls -made up of life’s micro and macro observations and experiences. Ironically, unlike gardening, the best way to add to your hope is to give it to others.
Perhaps this article has been a rambling, over-the-top sentiment and full of sop. Perhaps I am presumptuous in assuming the things I am learning will apply to anyone else. The point of my ramblings is that on Mother’s Day this year I see a world, a society, that is in desperate need of a bit of mothering. It is also spring in New England, and we just came through a long, hard winter, and my goodness, are we in need of some blooming things in our lives and souls. I am hard pressed to take advice from humans these days, but every time I take it from the garden it seems to be just what I need, when I need it. I hope you can get outside this spring and let the earth, nature, gardens, and any good, loving force you can find in this world mother you a little bit. After all, mother knows best.

Bob Renekar said, “Recorded music is heard. Live music is lived.” This is also the philosophy of Robert Hollis, President of The Spire Center for Performing Arts in downtown Plymouth. As a touring musician, Hollis spent his music career spreading the gift of music on any stage available. After a few years on the road, Hollis and his musician wife, Donna, decided they wanted to settle and realized that Plymouth was lacking an organization and a hub for local, live arts. Together, they founded the Greater Plymouth Performing Arts Center, Inc. (GPPAC) -a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 and dedicated to performing arts and educational programs which support the vibrant arts community in the greater South Shore region.
With GPPAC up and running, they began to search for a venue to further their mission and capabilities. After learning that Congregation Beth Jacob’s community center, formerly a Methodist church built in 1886, was mostly unused in downtown Plymouth, Hollis approached the Community Preservation Committee to fund the restoration and transformation into a performing arts venue with a mission of presenting a wide variety of entertainment appealing to all generations within the region as well as the thriving New England tourist community. As a cultural asset, The Spire promised to provide an economic boost to historic Plymouth’s active downtown area as the cornerstone for the arts. “We were very fortunate to have a lot of community support and enthusiasm from the start. We were encouraged to see that others wanted a home for performing arts, too,” says Hollis, “We strive to support and expose all kinds of music to all kinds of people at an affordable price.”
In October 2012 the Plymouth Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to appropriate $650K in Community Preservation Funds to acquire and renovate the building at 25 1/2 Court Street in downtown Plymouth. The Town of Plymouth also granted GPPAC with a 100 year near-free lease of the treasured property. Renovations began with a focus on the interior. Particular attention was paid to enhancing the existing acoustics, making sure the audience had clear sightlines with no obstructions, and recrafting and restoring the architecturally beautiful interior that have become The Spire’s trademark. “We are not a club,” Hollis clarifies, “We are a listening place where the music and the act are the focus. We wanted it to be a fun place, but not like a club where people are up and talking and moving around -we wanted to focus on the performer-audience connection.” The result was a 225-seat performance hall featuring superior acoustics that are unmatched by other local venues, custom state of the art lighting and sound systems, and original period architectural details offering patrons an exceptional performing arts experience.
Once The Spire Center was ready for audiences and acts, Hollis began to build a staff and a volunteer team to assist in the mammoth efforts needed to run this promising non-profit. Staff was hired to handle the business duties, work the box office, advertise, operate the lighting and sound equipment, serve as ushers and run hospitality services, be bartenders, perform building maintenance, fundraise, and even be security detail for the guest performers. “We have about five full and part-time employees and about twenty employees total, as well as about fifty volunteers. We also have a board and all of them are musicians, so they really understand what is needed here and how to go about doing it,” says Hollis.
With a restored and staffed venue, an eager staff and volunteer team, and community support backing them, Hollis has been able to line up a healthy stream of local and national artists and groups. Vice President and Director, Lloyd Rosenburg, scouts out performance groups as well as screens and schedules groups that apply to perform at The Spire Center. The result is a lineup of roughly 150 shows a year featuring everything from jazz, classical, rock, comedy, ensembles, country, folk, and blues. “We wanted to give aspiring and local talent a place to get exposure, experience, and build a community base as well as give the community the gift of live music,” says Hollis, “There is something missing when it is a recording. When it is live, it is tangible and you connect with it in a more meaningful way. When it is live, it is also different every time -which makes it really special.”
In an effort to reach a wider audience, The Spire Center offers several unique opportunities to catch a show. The first is their Lobby Series. This series is presented by The Antonia and Vladimir Kulaev Cultural Heritage Fund and was created to support emerging and established artists across New England by offering them a professional platform to share their work with engaged audiences. Experience live music like never before—up close and personal in our unique Lobby Series.
Designed to shine a spotlight on local and regional talent, this series invites audiences to discover rising artists and seasoned performers in an intimate, 70-seat lounge-style setting right in the heart of the Spire. The house lights are dimmed and the atmosphere is warm and inviting as the lobby is transformed into an intimate listening room where music takes center stage. From folk and roots to jazz, indie, and beyond, each performance is a chance to connect in a smaller crowd with the artist, the music, and the community. Tickets are $15 to provide an affordable opportunity to experience live music.
Another style of performance offered by The Spire Center is the Sunday Serenades. Hollis explains, “These are Sunday matinees that offer the chance to attend a concert that isn’t on a weekend evening or late at night. A lot of people, especially after Covid and particularly the elderly, prefer to avoid going to shows and concerts late and night, so we have many patrons who prefer these earlier-in-the-day chances to attend a performance.”
In addition to these creative ways to attend a live show, The Spire Center is also set to provide a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity for aspiring musicians. This September, The Spire Center will launch The Spire Center Music Academy. The academy will offer teachers, directors, classes, and venue space for training musicians, ensembles, choirs, songwriters, composers, and other live performance groups or individuals. “We are passionate about not just showcasing local music, but helping to create more of it,” says Hollis.
Other upcoming events at The Spire Center for Performing Arts include The Americana Theater holding the house for a few weeks in July, and a country music festival that kicks off August 22 with CMA Vocal Duo of the Year and ten-time singles hits on the Country Music Charts, Thompson Square. Of course all of these exciting shows are set to draw plenty of crowds and that is also a necessity for the mission of The Spire Center. “The biggest challenge is always funding,” says Hollis, “We have to be able to pay the bands and performers, the staff to run the shows and maintain the venue, and invest in the forthcoming events and plans to keep it all running. We put a lot of work into finding the most affordable way to price tickets while still ensuring this all runs smoothly and we have a great lineup of performances.”
The Spire Center also gives back to the community by increasing patronage and tourists for surrounding businesses. “You know if we have a Saturday evening performance, the chances are that our patrons will go to a nearby establishment to eat or shop,” Hollis points out, “So some of the surrounding businesses have been really supportive in donations and advertising for us and we like to do the same for them. Anything that enriches one spot in the community enriches all of the community.”
With The Spire Center offering so much to Plymouth and the surrounding towns, it can’t be overlooked that perhaps the community should double the effort to give back to The Spire. The Spire Center also relies on its membership base for crucial funding and support. Memberships are available at different tiers and offer various discounts and perks throughout the year. “Right now, we have about 550 members for The Spire Center and we could not do what we do without them,” states Hollis. “Things like 10% discounts, advanced ticket sales, preferred and private seating, and other events are available to our members to thank them for their support.”
If you are looking to get involved with The Spire Center and preserving and promoting live, local music, you may want to consider volunteering as well. “We are always looking for volunteers as well as collaborative partners in the community,” says Hollis. “It takes a lot to keep it all running, but it is worth it to see how GPPAC and The Spire Center have enriched the community and helped local musicians.” If you are considering a visit to The Spire Center for a lively, Saturday evening jazz band, or relaxing string trio for a Sunday matinee, or perhaps you are part of a local band looking to perform for your home-crowd with unbeatable acoustics -rest assured, once you experience the magic The Spire Center has to offer, you will realize it is more than a venue -it is a home for the priceless, timeless energy exchange between artist and audience, and that is always worth the investment.

Walt Disney was as inspired as he was accurate when he said, “Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children.” Dr. Amber Bartlett can attest to this first hand because her son, Asher, is the one who had the idea for her new business, Asher’s Sandbox, in Plympton. After attending the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony, Bartlett told the Express a little bit about her new business and what it brings to the community.
Express: Please share a bit about your inspiration for Asher’s Sandbox.

Bartlett: “I had my son later in life and found myself struggling to connect with other parents in the same stage, and I worried that as an only child my poor kid was stuck with just me and no friends! One day my son saw an ad for an indoor sandbox play park and said “Mommy, you supposed to take me there!”. I filed it away in the back of my head that it was a cool idea. Then I was driving on Main St, two seconds from my house, saw a space for lease and it hit me…it would be perfect to offer a unique option for building community right in my own town!”

Express: How long has this process taken to complete and can you share some insight regarding the design and work that went into starting this business?

Bartlett: “I don’t waste time so it went relatively quickly! It started with an idea, then a business plan, then approval from the town for a permit, signing a lease, starting construction and being ready to open. All in all, from idea to opening, took around 6 months. It was so rewarding to take a blank square space and then see the vision in my head become reality.”
Express: What has been the biggest challenge with this project?

Bartlett: “Being my own project manager, along with running two other businesses, wasn’t my smartest move! And getting 80,000 pounds of sand from South Carolina to Plympton, MA took extreme coordination, along with an in-depth knowledge of sand, which I never imagined I’d be an expert in!”

Express: What do you hope Asher’s Sandbox will offer to the community?
Bartlett: “This is what I’m most excited about! I want Asher’s Sandbox to be a place where friendships are made, imaginations are encouraged, and fun memories are made. I really want a place where kids can play and explore and parents can choose to participate or to get some reading done, knowing their kids are in a contained, safe space. I also want it to be a resource of community support – we are currently having local students come in to paint murals on the wall so they can showcase their gifts, and we are planning a big clothing/toy swap event. There are so many more ideas like that in our idea vault’!”

Express: What is the structure of the business in terms of offerings? Is it available to rent out? Do you offer parties or classes or other special services?

Bartlett: “We are really aiming to make this a space for children and adults to enjoy. We offer open play sessions for children ages 1-8. Weekday mornings, open play sessions include a themed activity for younger children: Monday is Storytime, Tuesday is Social Club, Thursday is Music & Movement, and Friday is Adventure Club. We offer activities such as craft workshops, sensory box workshops, holiday events (Easter egg hunt & bunny photos!), various character meet and greets (think princess, Paw Patrol, etc.), educational sessions, and yoga classes. We’ve even had business owners host info sessions for potential clients in our event room, while the clients’ children play in the sand. No babysitter required = higher attendance! We also have a great event room for birthday parties, business meetings, corporate events, networking events, dance classes, etc. The Sandbox Library is also in there, which is a Leave a Book/Take a Book for all children to take advantage of. The ideas are endless!”

Express: What else would you like to tell the community about Asher’s Sandbox?

Bartlett: “We want Asher’s Sandbox to be a place that is known in the community for being supportive, engaging, clean, safe, and FUN! We are intentional about listening to what people want or need in this area of family, children, and community so feedback is always welcome. You can always reach out via email
at info@asherssandbox.com, www.asherssandbox.com is where all info & bookings can be found, and our socials are always full of current info!”

Henry David Thoreau mused, “A man may esteem himself happy when that which is his food is also his medicine.” Plants have been a part of the earth’s ecosystem since the Ordovician period, 470 million years ago. They evolved from the simplest forms of algae to the complex, vast, and multifaceted life forces we know today through intrinsic, unhurried evolution that resulted in genetic complexities and variations we are still not in full grasp of today.
Closer to the human scale of the earth’s history, plants were the first food, the first medicine, the first symbolic embellishment for life. Our ancestors knew the herbs and flowers and trees of their regions, what they were capable of, and how to use them. Foraging was a necessary way of life and ailments or maladies were faced independently by the individual, or a local practitioner who had the ancient knowledge and experiences needed to provide aid and comfort. Somewhere along the way to industrialization, modernization, colonialization, and isolation, we have largely lost that connection and knowledge that had been both inherited and inherent.
“On so many levels, herbalism is about human autonomy. It is a tool of the people and our birthright as participants in the earth,” says Stephanie Hardie of Gate and Garden Herbal Apothecary in Weymouth. “We are part of this world, not on top of it -one string in the web of life and learning to connect ourselves as such can bring us, not only improved health and wellness, but aliveness.”
Hardie’s journey with herbalism began as a curious pursuit for answers to her own health questions that she felt were being dismissed. She was also dissatisfied with doing socially normative things and felt drawn to find her own path in life. After embarking on in-depth research for her autoimmune struggles, and finding the support and alleviation she needed through herbs, she began to make products for her family and friends.
Hardie had also previously purchased a home with garden space and began to fill it with the herbs and flowers she felt drawn to. Ironically, her first garden plantings were purchased and planted with no agenda other than to enjoy looking at them. “I was at a home improvement store and saw lavender, rosemary, and thyme plants and felt strangely compelled to get them. I brought them home, planted them, and they became so abundant that I was drowning in them! I thought, ‘What am I going to do with all this?’, so I started looking into recipes and uses for them and I kind of fell down a rabbit hole of learning that I am still in.”
Hardie found that herbalism also provided a connection that had been missing between medical and spiritual wellness. “Health is more than being free from sickness and pain,” Hardie explains, “It is more than the practical application society defines as good-health, it is abundance, fulfillment, autonomy, and aliveness. I found, for me, that herbalism provided so many answers and connections that I had been looking for.” Once Hardie found relief in her own body and mind with the implementing and use of herbs, she began to seek further in-depth knowledge.
Hardie began with self-study through time-tested books on herbalism and then started entry-level courses with reputable experts in the field. “Because I didn’t have an in tact lineage of herbal knowledge when I began, I had to start from scratch and tackle, what was, a very foreign vocabulary to me,” Hardie recounts. “I studied as much as I could on my own, but because I thrive with structured learning, I realized self-study could only take me so far, and I began to take entry-level courses.”
Hardie trained with some of the most trusted and respected herbalists of our day with institutions such as the Herbal Academy and CommonWealth Holistic Herbalism. Hardie then branched out in her studies and certification to earn her Master of Science: Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Bachelor of Science: Mental Health Counseling with a holistic psychology focus, and became a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), a Certified Functional Nutrition Coach, a Certified MindBodyGreen Health Coach, and a Certified Homeopathy Specialist.
With her knowledge growing in abundance and her thirst for learning endless, Hardie felt that the academics were still not enough to truly learn about the amazing herbs she knew so much about. She began in earnest to plant the things she was learning about and make her own products. This required developing personal relationships with plants. “I could not just keep it to the information stage of plant knowledge, I needed to have dirt under my nails. I wanted to touch the plants, talk to them, observe them and have a relationship with them of cultivation but also respect. Each herb has its own sort of personality -likes and dislikes, combinations it works well with and things it doesn’t work well with. I had to plant them to know them.”
Hardie found the merger of her vast knowledge and qualifications, met with increasing hands-on experience, left her with such a wealth of products, solutions, and offerings that she began Gate and Garden Herbal Apothecary. She registered as an LLC with little to no expectations of success, but after surpassing her net-sales goal with five times the predicted sales she knew she was onto something transformative not just for herself, but for others.
Now, Hardie tends to her home garden and has turned in in-law suite in the garage into a certified processing kitchen, an office for shipping her many online orders, and an apothecary that is occasionally open during events to purchase products. Hardie also attends outdoor markets and vendor festivals where she is well-known and sought after by locals -both new and returning customers. Gate and Garden has reached the point where some crops are now sourced from local farms where space is more abundant for a harvest that keeps up with demand. “I responsibly forage for some plant ingredients, and I grow most in my garden, but I do source from local, sustainable farms for things like California poppy and calendula -calendula is in basically everything,” Hardie jokes about the common, multi-use flower, “The only things that are not local, but still responsibly sourced are things not native to this bioregion like cinnamon.”
Though herbalism has opened up a business opportunity for Hardie, her core philosophy always goes back to helping others through sharing knowledge and helping them explore and learn about the world around them and how they fit into it. Gate and Garden’s mission statement: Sharing health, wellness, connection, and reciprocal relationships with nature, others, and self, through informed and devotional herbal products, guidance, 1:1 support, sacred community gatherings, and education. Hardie has become a sage in the community for the spread of knowledge in a non-judgmental, all-inclusive way that makes herbalism not only intriguing, but approachable.
“Using herbs in your life is good for us on so many levels,” says Hardie, “Both in monumental ways, but also in small, day-to-day ways. If you just want to start adding some herbs to your soup because they smell and taste good or if you want to use them in a big, clinical way, they offer something for anyone who uses them. There are entire herbal protocols to support diagnosis’ but there are also herbs that can be used to scent and soften skin -all levels of use and application exist.”
Hardie offers a word of caution, however, to anyone planning to implement herbalism into their lives. “Herbalism is an unregulated field so you need to get to know the plants you are working with and you need to get to know anyone you are taking advice from. Ask tons of questions about their background and training and about why they are suggesting certain applications in your life. Find herbalists that are very transparent about their process. If you have a hard time getting straight answers that is a red flag. Also, there should be no wild claims for cures. We are not doctors and we can’t promise things. That is not how herbalism works anyway. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.”
There is also a lot of misconception about herbalism and it takes a bit of self-guided research to find the truth. “The biggest misconception about herbalism is that it is not real. People think that because it is rooted in things so basic as every day plant material, that it is inflated in potential and purpose. Luckily, we live in a time where there are a lot of credible scientific studies being published that often support, rather than contradict or discredit, the ancient wisdom and applications of herbs. They are even becoming ingredients used in some main-stream medical treatment and medications.”
Hardie also offers a basic encouragement for anyone to start reconnecting with nature and learning about plants. “Just go outside! Listen! Begin by trying to learn about some of the plants you see around you -be it a dandelion in a city sidewalk or a St. John’s Wort on the side of the road -there is always something green outside your door. Learn its name, its region, its properties. You will be amazed at what properties every day plants hold in their DNA. Plants have a language all their own. This is how you begin to rebuild your connection and reestablish your birthright to plant knowledge.”
Though she has a business and life philosophy rooted in ancient plant wisdom, Hardie realizes that individual choice and freedom to choose and follow ones’ unique path is the best life medicine of all. “I don’t care if everyone uses herbs or not. Plants are incredible -they have quite literally changed by life, but that might not be your thing. Your doorway to connection might be panting, breathwork, singing, yoga, or something you can’t name yet. The thing itself doesn’t matter as much. What matters is that it connects you to your body, to the world, to compassion, to something ancient and alive and meaningful.”
Still, if you are carbon-based and a resident of planet Earth, herbs would likely be a better fit for you than you think. Being able to walk out the door and recognize that the flowers of the late-summer tufts of goldenrod lining the path can be dried and seeped in a tea to help your unsettled stomach, or that the unruly mint you foolishly planted outside of a container can be used for large, scented bouquets next to your bedside to calm your nerves at night, gives one such a satisfying sense of being a participant of this earth that it is well worth beginning your own curious investigation into herbalism, or paying a visit to the garden gate of Stephanie Hardie to find out more.
Here are the upcoming events of Gate and Garden Herbal Apothecary this year:
Please visit: www.gateandgardenherbals.com to find out more.
Wild Heart Herbalism Program: Gate & Garden’s flagship teaching, Wild Heart Herbalism is a unique & immersive journey into the art of intuitive & applied plant medicine magick. Learn virtually beginning in May 2026 and/or in person beginning in June 2026.
Earthwoven Seasonal Rituals: Community gatherings with the mission to nurture authentic community through spaces where witchcraft, ritual, and coven-connection intertwine, reminding us that we are each a living thread in the great web of the earth.
3/20/26
5/1/26
6/19/26
8/7/26
9/18/26
10/28/26

Living life to the fullest can mean very different things to each of us. For some of us, basic needs being met is a luxury and aspiration. For others, it may mean extraordinary opportunities and adventure. Regardless of your definition of living life to the fullest, one common component that must be met to feel and experience joy is the right to as much autonomy and free will as possible. Historically, and unfortunately currently, these freedoms are still lacking for many -especially for those in minority groups and of different abilities or conditions.
You don’t have to look too far back in the past to see that these human rights and access to dignity-enriching inclusion and care was particularly denied to those of different abilities and disabilities. A young child with say, what we now know is Autism, was incorrectly diagnosed, incorrectly treated, and often unnecessarily institutionalized and ostracized. Liz Sandblom, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc of the South Shore Chapter, explains, “Before rights for individuals with disabilities were even considered, people usually ended up putting their children in institutions where there was little to no oversight or monitoring of the conditions or welfare for the people kept there.” Without medical advancement or social programs in place to provide support and/or educate caregivers on how to care for those with disabilities, there was a reluctantly accepted and medically promoted mentality of shutting people away in these often-traumatic places and kind of forgetting about them.
Of course, many family members desperately wanted to include their children or family with disabilities in their daily lives and one such group of Weymouth parents did just that. Tired of seeing their loved ones and precious children with different abilities denied opportunities and enjoyment in life, they began the first parent advocacy group in the state in 1951 and almost immediately, The Arc of the South Shore began to change lives. Its mission: To be a family oriented, community-based, non-profit located in Hingham that offers information, referrals, and a range of community programs. The Arc strives to empower families and individuals of all ages with disabilities to reach their fullest potential by providing high-quality, individualized services and opportunities that foster independence, community inclusion, and advocacy.
In the state of Massachusetts, one must fall below a certain IQ or have underlying learning or physical disabilities to legally be considered disabled. This leaves a broad spectrum of what can be managed as a disability and for this reason The Arc has had to develop into a multi-faceted, inclusive, and accommodating organization to reach as many people as possible that are in need of support, opportunity, and education. With 17 independently operating, non-profit chapters, and care provided for over 100,000 individuals since 1951, The Arc is one of the foremost driving forces in the country for advocacy and pushing for legislation for the disabled and differently-abled community. “The biggest functional pillar of our organization is working towards legislation to protect and provide for people who need support to be included in the community, and to help these individuals live life to their fullest capacity,” Sandblom points out.
The Arc of the South Shore currently provides Adult Foster Care, an Autism Resource Center, Community-Based Day Services, Day Habilitation, First Early Intervention, and Personal Care Management as well as Residential Supports. To take a deeper look at the support and services that The Arc provides to the local disabled community and their family, caregivers, and friends, Sandblom explains that the level, intensity, and nature of support varies greatly for each person. “Some need full-time, daily, in-home care and others may only need help with transportation or finding employment. We customize care to the individual and what their support system is capable of offering as well -if they have one in place.”
In addition to offering support systems, The Arc of the South Shore also has a focus on providing caregiver support and education. “We want to make sure that anyone in the lives of the people we are working with is equipped with the knowledge and resources to ensure a healthy, safe, and loving environment and interactions,” says Sandblom. “One thing we like to do is provide enriching entertainment that is sensitive to the needs of the people we work with,” says Sandblom, “for example, we have movie nights where the sounds and sights are calming and not loud or overwhelming -they are sensory friendly events so that everyone can enjoy a normal experience that many of us would not see as problematic or difficult to endure in terms of being over-stimulated.”
One of the most substantial support systems in place with The Arc of the South Shore is the Group Home Program. The Adult Family Care (AFC) program helps individuals with medical, physical, or developmental disabilities receive the daily support they need while living at home. It is an alternative to nursing homes, assisted living placements, or residential care. Caregivers assist with everyday activities such as dressing, bathing, preparing healthy meals, and managing medications, allowing individuals to remain comfortable and supported in familiar surroundings. Being part of a loving family and connected to their community helps individuals maintain their independence, dignity, and quality of life.
“We have 10 group homes here in Hingham and 6-7 group homes in the Plymouth Chapter,” Sandblom notes, “Each home has 4-5 individuals that receive daily care ranging from full-time, daily-attending staff that provides care specific to the needs of the individuals living there.” Each home requires a great deal of funding and a focus on safety and comfort to ensure the dignity and enjoyment of the residents. One new endeavor The Arc is undertaking is adding cutting-edge technology to these group homes to provide further, increasingly comprehensive care and comfort for residents.
Sandblom explains, “We are focusing on integrative, in-house technology for things like thermostat control, door cameras so residents do not answer the door unless it’s an approved guest or caretaker, assistance with laundry services, scheduling reminders for medications and routines, starting and turning off appliances on a set schedule -things that might present a challenge or difficulty for the people in the home. We can’t have staff there all the time, but if you have, say, an Alexa who takes on the ‘nagging mom’ mode of ‘brush your teeth’ or can turn the heat up when it gets too cold, it is an assurance that they are comfortable and safe and it also increases their ability to be a bit more independent.”
Of course, providing these kinds of accommodations and services as well as employing about 200 people across all The Arc chapters requires immense funding and financial support. “We are funded in three main ways,” Sandblom says, “By the state through the Department of Developmental Services, by medical insurances such as Mass Health and the Department of Developmental Services Early Intervention Program, and lastly grants, sponsorships, and community support via donations and fundraisers.”
To celebrate The Arc of the South Shore’s 75th Anniversary, there are several upcoming public events that will help raise awareness in the community and also provide fundraising opportunities. “We have annual events like the Bunny Bash at Derby Street Shops with an Easter bunny, face painting, and other family activities,” Sandblom says, “We also have a Summer Soiree/75th Anniversary Celebration in June with raffles and donation opportunities -all of which support The Arc and our mission to provide care, opportunities, and enhanced quality of life to disabled and differently abled people.”
One of the recipients of services recently suggested a food drive and that event was carried out with great success as was an event that made wheelchair maintenance enjoyable. Sandblom explains, “We had local volunteers help us run a car-wash-style event where we washed and serviced people’s wheelchairs. It was so much fun.” Sandblom assures that volunteers are always needed and greatly appreciated. “We need volunteers for a variety of things -from helping us maintain and repair the playground, gardens, and even things like painting jobs in the buildings and helping run events -we can use support anywhere it is offered.” As for donations, The Arc is often looking for raffle items, giveaways, and partnership opportunities in the community.
In spite of the worthy, noble, and crucial mission The Arc of the South Shore works toward every day, there are still many challenges and unmet needs to operate at full capacity and potential. “We always struggle with federal and state policy and funding,” Sandblom explains, “And our biggest challenge is employment. Covid was a huge setback that we still have not recovered from. We struggle to find enough employees who can provide the level of care needed without the ability to pay a lot of money. There are so many people in need who are waiting for services because we simply can’t provide enough for everyone.”
Still, people like Sandblom are relentless in their dedication and drive to do right by some of the most vulnerable and innocent in our community -much like those parents in Weymouth who just wanted their children to experience joy and freedom in life like anyone else. “I have been doing this for 30 years,” Sandblom says, “and it is really amazing to see how far things have come in terms of what is offered and available now and it gives me hope that things will continue to fall into place and that we will be able to reach and help more people in need. We need the support and involvement of the community and it really is the most rewarding, worth-while work.”
Perhaps this year, if you feel so compelled, to look for a meaningful place or cause to spend your time, focus, and money, look no further than your local The Arc chapter and rest assured that you will be contributing to the lives of others in a beautiful way -and in doing so, you will find that YOU are also living life to the fullest.
Here are The Arc of the South Shore’s Upcoming Community Events:
-Bunny Bash at Derby Street Shops, Friday, April 3 10:00 and 11:00
-Summer Soiree/75th Anniversary Celebration, Thursday, June 18
The Arc of the South Shore, 371 River Street, Weymouth
Please Visit: https://arcofsouthshore.networkforgood.com/events/97223-2026-bunny-bash
Please Visit: https://arcsouthshore.org for information on volunteering, partnership, services, legislation, and upcoming events.

Amidst the bustle of tourists exploring the narrow, colonial-lined streets of America’s Hometown, and locals following their noses to various food establishments in the historic district of Plymouth, you will notice that Middle Street is peppered with people -young and old, carrying various instrument cases and bags filled with music books. They are heading to one of several doors of the Middle Street School of Music where music pours out into the streets as the doors open and students come and go in their weekly pursuits in music education.
Founded by Berklee School of Music graduates, Patricia Drain and Paul Kinnear, Middle Street School of Music opened its doors in 1992 when downtown Plymouth looked very different from today. “When we started here it was like a ghost town,” Kinnear notes, “Everything had moved over to the mall and shops here were boarded up.” Drain and Kinnear did not let the less-than-bustling scene deter them in their goal to provide students with the opportunity to have music education -especially as several local music schools had closed down and there were eager students without teachers who still wanted to learn. “The school I was teaching at closed down and so we were able to give some of the displaced students a place to continue their training,” Kinnear explains.
Starting with four teachers, a handful of students, and a small space in an old building on historic Middle Street, Drain and Kinnear established a stress-free, positive experience for their students that carries on to this day. Instead of a strict focus on music theory and notation and mandatorily prescribed teaching methods, Middle Street School of music allows each instructor to tailor the lesson to each, individual student based on their interests and abilities -making musical training a highly personal experience. “We want students to come here and enjoy being here, not worry or be stressed about their lesson,” says Drain, “Music should be fun -that’s the whole point, to enjoy making it.”
That said, don’t let the open-minded approach fool you into thinking there is not a great deal of hard work that takes place at Middle Street. The school currently employs twenty music teachers and all of them not only meet strict qualifications and high standards, but they have each spent decades perfecting their skill in their chosen fields and many of them actively participate in performing local bands and music groups. “We have had students that left the school and ended up forming some of the well-known, local bands that tour the New England area,” Kinnear says.
A music-and-mind-positive philosophy at Middle Street School of Music has earned loyalty from local families and students -sometimes even after relocating. “I have one student in their 30’s who moved to North Carolina, but we still meet for music lessons on Zoom,” says Drain. One of the most surprising facts about Middle Street School of Music is that a little more than half of their 350+ students are adults. “It really is never too late to start an instrument or learn a bit more about music,” says Kinnear, “Even if it’s just for fun -you don’t have to be amazing or take it seriously, it’s just good for you to do.”
In addition to students of all ages engaging in and learning about music and instruments, Drain and Kinnear are also out in the community performing. They founded Trillium, a jazz trio in the 80’s. Trillium toured all over New England and often performed at Musikfest in Pennsylvania where they shared the line-up with the Fifth Dimension, Diane Schuur, and Queen Ida.
Now as the duo, Swing Set, Drain and Kinnear continue to perform at various venues in and around the Boston/Cape Cod area and for both private events and public performances. Drain also continues to work as a sideman with Java Swing an 8-piece swing orchestra and is an expert in the musical fields of voice, piano, guitar, and ukulele. With his expertise in guitar (a four-year degree in guitar performance), ukulele, mandolin, banjo, and bass, Kinnear has been a member of many well-known local bands as “Fit 2B tied”, “Joy”, “Soul Sensation”, “Bruce Peterson Big Band”, “Shameless”, and “Shatterproof”. Kinnear is multifaceted in his range of musical experience from Broadway to Country, and from Rock and Roll to Jazz.
With such experienced and multi-talented founders, it is not surprising to see a wide range of instrumental instruction and instructors available at Middle Street School of Music. Lessons offered include piano, drums, guitar, mandolin, ukulele, vocals, woodwinds, bass, banjo, horns, reeds, music theory I and II, songwriting, music production, and ear training. Instructors offer private lessons that are built around each students needs, interests, goals, and abilities. In addition, opportunities to play in rock, country, folk, and jazz ensembles as well as group lessons for guitar and ukulele are offered.
The culmination of each year ends with a spring recital in which all students are encouraged, but never forced, to participate. Music teachers help their students select a piece or pieces of music to perform well in advance so that each student is comfortable and adequately-rehearsed for the performance. “Our teachers also use the music that students choose for their recital piece to teach about notation and theory as a learning tool so that they can focus on getting their piece ready and still be learning and expanding on their knowledge,” Kinnear explains.
With music education programs being defunded and dismantled in schools, it is more important than ever to ensure children have the opportunity for music experience and exposure. Drain and Kinnear assure that perfection and proficiency are not the main focus at Middle Street School of Music, but cultivating a positive association with musical training is. Kinnear warns about putting too much pressure on music students, “Sometimes we hear about music teachers out there taking things so seriously -stressing kids out and being unkind if the progress isn’t enough in their eyes.” “That is just not what is it about,” Drain adds, “Music should be a positive thing for all ages and not something that makes you fearful. I don’t understand why anyone would teach to make it anything but a joy.”
Middle Street School of Music may offer only music-based classes, but be assured that the skills and experiences there filter out into the daily lives of the students. “Learning music affects your entire life,” Drain points out, “Things like discipline, courage, focus, dedication, and accomplishment come along with learning an instrument or learning to read music, and those are things that help you in life overall.” “It is really great to see students come here and find real joy when they discover they can play an instrument or make music. Not everyone is going to be some prodigy -I hate to use that word, and sometimes we do get a student that you can tell is meant for the world of music,” Kinnear explains, “but we mostly just like to see our students discover their own capabilities and get confidence and have a way to express themselves.”
While comfortably filled with hundreds of students, Middle Street School of Music is always open to adding more and offering various opportunities to learn and explore music. Connected to the music school, Drain and Kinnear offer various instruments for sale at their Bumblebee Music Shop. The shop offers a range of instruments from Blueridge Guitars, Bristol Guitars, Gold Star Banjos, Rover Banjos and Mandolins, Kentucky Mandolins, Regal Resophonic Guitars, Kala Ukuleles and Guitars, and Cremona Violins and Cellos.
After over three decades of steady growth and stable patronage, it is clear that Drain and Kinnear built Middle Street on the right foundation for success -one that focuses on music positivity and confidence building rather than accolade and prestige. “I am sold on this product,” Drain says with pride, “We have found longevity in keeping musical training about making it enjoyable and accessible and that is something Paul and I are very proud of.”
As a mother of four students at Middle Street School of Music, I can easily agree that what Drain and Kinnear have established through their philosophy and dedication to focusing on a positive student experience, is a love and respect for music that carries on after the lesson is over. After all, finding your adult son playing the keyboard in the attic late at night -lost in the song and confident in his ability to not just play the music, but feel it, is a testament to teaching done in harmony with the human spirit.