Upcoming events

  • Sheep Shearing Festival

    • 27 Apr 2024
    • 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    • 52 Gore Street, Waltham MA

    Watertown Community Gardens will have a non-profit table at Gore Place's annual Sheep Shearing Festival.  Stop by and learn more about gardening to support pollinators and identifying invasive plant species.


    You can purchase tickets to this event at the link below.


    https://goreplace.org/sheepshearing-festival

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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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  • Senior Center Garden Maintenance

    • 5 May 2024
    • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
    • 31 Marshall 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 be working at both the gardens behind the Senior Center, and also the bump out / rain gardens at the corners of Common and Spring Streets.

    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.

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

    Work Day Goals:

    Spring garden maintenance activities may include weeding,  pruning, cutting stems, removing litter, adding compost, mulching, etc.

    Location:

    We will meet at the garden located behind the Senior Center, across the street from 152 Spring St, southwest from the intersection of Common and Spring Streets.

    Parking:

    We recommend parking in the small parking lot southwest from the intersection of Spring and Common St. Street parking on Spring St is also available.


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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

  • Watertown Public Library - Plant & Seed Exchange

    • 15 Jun 2024
    • 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • PatioWatertown Free Public Library123 Main St, Watertown, MA, 02472

    Swap seeds and plants at the library! Join us on the library patio - rain or shine. Bring any plants or seeds you'd like to trade and any gardening/plant care questions you may have. 

    • Please check that your plants are pest-free and label everything you wish to part with. We cannot guarantee that plants you take home will be pest-free and encourage quarantining any new plants you bring home initially. 
    •  Please bring something (tray, box, etc.) to carry the plants you are taking home.
    • Any plant/seed varieties are welcome. 
    • All are welcome to attend; while you're encouraged to bring a plant/seeds, you do not need to bring a plant or seeds to gather with us, ask questions about gardening and plants, and possibly find a plant or seed to take home with you. 

    For questions, contact afry@watertown-ma.gov. 


    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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