Recent News

Dogwood Days 2013: A Week-long Celebration

Tuesday, 07 May 2013 14:08

A week-long celebration of the estate’s kousa dogwood trees, featuring open gardens, guided tours, tree sale, and more

Each June, the Wakefield Estate welcomes visitors to celebrate the annual blooming of hundreds of Polly Wakefield's kousa dogwood trees. We’re excited to announce that this year’s Dogwood Days will include a week-full of special events, including open hours, guided tours, a tree sale and more. The grounds will be open daily for self-guided walks around the formal gardens where hundreds of kousa dogwoods will be at their peak bloom. Program highlights include:

Saturday, June 8: Garden Conservancy Open Days Program, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Each year hundreds of exceptional gardens nationwide are selected to participate in Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program. This year, the Mary M. B. Wakefield Charitable Trust has partnered with the Garden Conservancy to organize “Greater Boston Area Open Days” on June 8 featuring the Wakefield Estate, the Forbes House Museum and 3 other outstanding Milton gardens. For more information, visit the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program website for the Greater Boston Open Days at http://www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays/open-days-schedule/openday/712-greater-boston-area-open-day. A guided tour of the Wakefield Estate will be offered at 1:00 pm, rain or shine.

Tree and Plant Sale:  10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

In conjunction with our week-long Dogwood Days Celebration, we will hold our first annual plant sale. This is your opportunity to add some special woody plants and perennials to your own yard, including some of the estate's signature kousa dogwoods, metasequoias, tulip trees, and mayapples.

Sunday, June 9: Dogs and Dogwoods Day

Join us for a day of fun for families and four-legged friends featuring “dog” related activities including a light-hearted dog shows for kids and adults,  a chance to “dig” like dogs love to do at our  “Dig it” Summer Archaeology demonstration, enjoy a yummy “dog” at our Hot Dog stand or just enjoy a stroll in the garden or a “roll” in the grass at the Rolling Lawn. This event is free – donations are welcome and appreciated. During your visit, make sure to check out our plant sale. Take home one of the Wakefield Estate’s special plants to start your own collection.

Monday June 10 – Friday, June 14

During Dogwood Days week-long celebration, the estate will be open to the public daily from 10am-4pm for self-guided garden tours and plant sale. Stroll about the estate grounds and formal gardens to view hundreds of breathtaking kousa dogwoods at their peak bloom. Plein air artists are invited to capture the blooming dogwoods on canvas and will have the opportunity to sell their work at a later event or enter a competition for the image to be used on the 2014 Dogwood Days poster. If your garden club or organization would like a private guided tour, please call us at (617) 333-0924.

Friday, June 14: Dogwood Fire, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Dogwood Days will conclude with a rousing fire in the front garden.  Join the Wakefield staff in celebrating the conclusion of the 2013 Dogwood Days by roasting a sausage or marshmallow after an evening stroll through the estate’s formal gardens and kousa dogwoods   Please call to register: 617-333-0924.

Sheep Shearing Day May 11

Wednesday, 01 May 2013 10:13

With the arrival of spring, it is time for the annual shearing of the sheep at the Wakefield Estate. The shearing, which is open to the public, is set for Saturday, May 11, at 10:00am. The shearing will take place at the estate, located at 1465 Brush Hill Rd. in Milton. The annual ritual will be performed by Kevin Ford, America's foremost "blade" (hand) sheepshearer. Mr. Ford will demonstrate traditional techniques rather than more modern electric razors. He has made his living at sheepshearing for over 20 years, and conducts many workshops and public demonstrations. During the 1990s, Polly Wakefield kept twenty-five Dorset sheep at the property, and they were sheared by Mr. Ford each spring. The estate currently is home to three Shetland ewes, which are small sheep, and “Jack” the llama, who was “hired” to protect the sheep from coyotes. Once the wool is removed from the sheep, there will a spinning demonstration by a Nina Zonnevylle, a local fiber spinner and artist. For more information, call 617-333-0924.

State of the Watershed is Topic for April Stone Soup

Monday, 22 April 2013 14:15

Our next "Stone Soup" gathering will feature remarks by Taber Keally, longtime board member of the Neponset River Watershed Association and Milton representative to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Taber will give a brief talk on the Neponset watershed and the environmental impact of proposed development in Milton. We hope you will join us April 25 to enjoy tasty soup and learn about what is going on with the watershed. Soup served at 5:30; speaker at 6:00 pm. Please rsvp by calling 617-333-0924. Donations welcome. 

Beekeeping Demo Offers a Peak at Keeping Your Own Hive

Thursday, 04 April 2013 12:53

The Wakefield Estate will host a session entitled “Backyard Homesteading: Beekeeping – Greet the New Queen” on Sunday, April 14, from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm. One of the Wakefield Estate's beekeepers, Scott Harris, will provide a general overview about starting and managing your own backyard bee hive. During the demonstration, Harris will introduce a new queen bee and repopulate his hive with a new colony of bees. Samples of fresh honey for all! Space is limited, pre-registration is required. For more information, call 617-333-0924. Suggested donation - $15.