The Big Bugs Exhibit, by sculptor David Rogers, includes 13 dinosaur sized Big Bugs. October closes the season by featuring spiders, just in time for Halloween. Other Big Bugs in the gardens are an 18-foot, 1200-pound praying mantis, butterfly, damselfly and a bee on a flower. Remaining scheduled events include:
- October 18 – 19 is Spider Weekend; make your own spider and web for an unscary experience.
- October 25 – 26 is Vote For Your Favorite Bug weekend. Cast your ballot for the best insect.
- October 31 is the last day to see the exhibit, a great way to spend Halloween outdoors.
Garden In The Woods is a living museum of wild flowers set among woodlands, meadows, bogs, barrens and a pond. It is home to the New England Wild Flower Society. The 45 acres of land is planted with native plant species including the rare and endangered.
In autumn, plan to see plants turning a palette of colors, everything from the Acer rubrum swamp maple to Lonactis linarifolius bristly aster. Native plant enthusiasts should not miss the lily pond, where currently the Big Bugs dragonfly is on display.
David Rogers' Sculptures
David Rogers originally designed four bug exhibits for the Dallas Arboretum that was displayed in 1994. He uses forest material such as red cedar and willow along with techniques of rustic design and construction to create his sculptures. Why insects?
“Insects play a vital role in a garden, but are unnoticed, so I put them on such a large scale that you can’t help but notice them,” says David Rogers, according to the New England Wild Flower Society.
Insects
Insects play an important role in the plant world as plant pollinators. Insects are most threatened by the loss of habitat and pollution. The decline in recent years of honeybee populations and its resulting economic impact is one example of human dependence on plant and animal worlds.
The migrating of monarch butterflies is a good example of interconnected relationships among plants, animals and the climate. Each year monarch butterflies go south to the mountains of Mexico. Monarch butterflies return north in spring as milkweed begins to grow. Milkweed is a host plant, providing a place to lay eggs and a food source for the caterpillars. It is for this reason, many gardeners will plant milkweed in a less landscaped part of a butterfly garden.
Educational Programs
New England Wild Flower Society, Arnold Arboretum and Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture are cosponsoring the Extending the Garden In Time and Space. Many educational programs are conducted at Garden In The Woods.
Nearby Framingham is Wellesley College where the Margaret C. Ferguson Greenhouses is part of a horticultural program. This botanic garden was created for research and learning at the college but are open to the public, year round.
Permission received for all photos used in this article.
Chris Eirschele - Chris writes on plants grown and gardens explored; she is a member of the Garden Writers Association.
Join the Conversation