Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens

A Spring Clean-up in the Robbins Town Gardens on Earth Day
2024-04-20 12:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
On April 20, 2024, Earth Day, the Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens sponsored a clean-up day in the gardens between the Library and the Town Hall. The morning was wet and rainy, but by noon it was just cloudy and a comfortable temperature to work outside. So we started out in the early afternoon with a good group of volunteers. Several members of the Arlington Rotary, the Arlington Garden Club, and other Arlington residents joined the Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens to help “spruce up” the garden in preparation for the spring and summer seasons.

Fixing the fence

Leftover leaves and sticks from the winter beneath the shrubs were bagged for disposal in more than twenty-five leaf bags, generously donated by Shattuck Hardware.

Volunteers removed a lot of invasive plants and trimmed some dead wood on shrubs.

Bye bye leaves!

The Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens and the Arlington Garden Club will be working in the garden in the spring and summer months. The work schedule will also be posted here on our website. If you’d like to join us to help keep the garden looking beautiful, send an email to FRTG2018@gmail.com, and we’ll connect you with the appropriate person.

Remember that the garden is beautiful this time of year and is a great place to visit if you haven’t been there in the past few weeks.

2023 Annual Meeting
2023-11-20 18:00 - 21:00
Hello Garden Friends,I want to remind you of our annual meeting on November 20 at 6PM in the Library Community Room. We’ll go over what we accomplished this past year, elect new people to the board and new officers and gather suggestions from you about what you would like to see us work on in the future. If you’ve ever wondered what our organization does, are interested in joining our Board of Directors, wanted to help out with our work in the garden, or wanted the chance to suggest things we might want to do, we would love to see you. We’ll have tea, coffee and nibbles. Hope to see you there.Yours for the GardenChristine Harris – Current President

2nd Annual Garden Party
2023-06-23 18:30 - 21:30
SAVE THE DATE! JUNE 23

Come join in our second annual garden celebration. We’ll have food, wine, beer and other beverages and a great band. Stay tuned for more information

Garden Work Day
2023-05-25 14:00 - 16:00
Work Plan:

cutting the wintercreeper where it cascades over the rocks

Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.)

Parking: We provide parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

We look forward to seeing you – Christine Harris, JoAnn Robinson, Mona McKindley

Garden work Day
2023-05-18 13:00 - 15:00
Work Plan: We will be cutting some of the pachysandra back and thin pruning the part we are keeping that trains over the rocks.

Making a space for the leucothoe near the water works bunker and transplanting it.

Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.)

Parking: We provide parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

We look forward to seeing you – Christine Harris, JoAnn Robinson, Mona McKindley

Garden Work Date
2023-05-18 08:30 - 10:30
Work Plan: TBD

Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.)

Parking: We provide parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

Emily Snyder and Patsy Kraemer

Garden Work Day
2023-05-11 13:00 - 15:00
Work Plan: Help prune the suckers off crabapple trees. If it rains heavy with lightening, we cancel and try again next Thursday.

Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.)

Parking: We provide parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

We look forward to seeing you – Christine Harris, JoAnn Robinson, Mona McKindley

Garden work Day
2023-05-11 08:30 - 10:00
Work Plan:

PURCHASED & READY TO PLANT TOMORROW 5/11: 7 x 12 flats = 84 ‘pachysandra terminalis’:

Please bring your digging tools, talents and, if you have it, & fencing+stakes

Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.)

Parking: We provide parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

We look forward to seeing you – Emily Snyder and Patsy Kraemer

Garden Work Day
2023-05-04 13:00 - 16:00
Work Plan: Weeding and light pruning among the old and newer ornamental shrubs. Spring tree assessments.

Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.)

Parking: We provide parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

We look forward to seeing you! Mona, JoAnn and Christine

Garden Work Day
2023-05-04 08:30 - 10:30

Garden Work Day
2023-04-27 02:00 - 16:00
Dear Garden friends

We look forward to working with you in the garden on Thursdays

When:

We plan to hold work sessions on Thursday Afternoons from 2:00-4:00

Work Plan: Remove invasives near town hall. Thin some of the day lilies along the side of town hall. Thin and replant pachysandra.

Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.)

Parking: We provide parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

JoAnn’s cell / text: (617) 642-1590

Christine’s cell / text (617) 876-7367

Earth Day = Clean Up Day
2023-04-22 10:00 - 14:00
Come meet neighbors and friends and work together to spruce up the garden. We will be meeting in the garden from 10AM till 3PM to clear away the leaves and branches that have accumulated over the winter and lay down some mulch in the garden beds. If you’d like to join us on Earth Day, please email frtg2018@gmail.com and put “EARTH DAY” in the subject line. We’ll send you more information about our plans for the day.

Garden work Day
2023-04-20 08:30 - 10:30

Garden Club Work Group
2023-04-20 08:30 - 10:00
Group will meet on alternate Thursday mornings starting Thursday April 20

We’ll focus on the garden area around the reflecting pool in anticipation of spring garden events coming up..

Serious rain will cancel. Or a rain call will be made by 7:30 am.

General Work Plan: Weeding, pruning, clearing invasives around Whittemore Robbins House & the Reflecting Pool

Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.)

Parking: We provide parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

Friends Garden Party
2022-06-17 18:30 - 21:00 | Robbins Town Hall Gardens, 700 Mass Ave Arlington, Arlington, Massachusetts, 02476, United States
Come one, come all to the hidden garden at the center of Arlington.

We’ll go inside the Town Hall if it rains

Your $50 ticket gets you 2 drinks ( wine, Beer or non alcoholic) a delicious meal from either Jose’s Torta Mexicana or Blue Ribbon Barbeque, live music from the band ‘What She Said’ https://www.facebook.com/WhatSheSaidIL , and a chance to win an ornamental tree planted in your yard.

Proceeds from the event will go to restoring this beautiful Olmsted Garden.

For more information email frtg2018@gmail.com

Garden Party

Town Garden Work Session
2019-09-19 08:30 - 10:30, 2019-09-05 08:30 - 10:30
Work Plan: Weeding, pruning, clearing around the Whittemore Robbins House. Serious rain will cancel. Or a rain call will be made by 7:30 am. Meeting place: Meet Emily Snyder at the Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.) Parking: We provide free parking permits for parking near the Carriage HouseWear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

Town Garden Work Session
2019-08-22 08:30 - 10:30, 2019-07-11 08:30 - 10:30
Work Plan: Work in the town garden to do some pruning and light weeding. Meeting place: Meet Patsy Kraemer at the Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.) Parking: We provide free parking permits for parking near the Carriage HouseWear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

Town Garden Work Session
2019-08-14 08:30 - 10:30
Meet Mona at the Carriage House and work in the Town Garden.

Work plan: weeding area 7 and pruning the viburnum in area 8. This is a great opportunity to learn about pruning shrubs. Spot watering if needed.

We provide free parking permits for parking near the carriage house. Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long handled tools and garden carts.

Town Garden Work Session is cancelled for this week only.
2019-08-08 08:30 - 10:30

Town Garden Work Session
2019-07-31 08:30 - 10:30
Town Hall Garden Work Session

Wednesday July 3, 2019

@

8:30 am

–

10:30 am

Meet Mona at the Carriage House and work in the Town Hall Garden.

Work plan: weeding
near town hall for a while, then weed the shrubs near pool and lawn oval.
Spot watering if needed.

We provide free parking permits for parking near the carriage house. Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long handled tools and garden carts.

G
2019-07-25 08:30 - 22:30
Time: 8:30 – 10/10:30 am Serious rain will cancel. Or a rain call will be made by 7:30 am. Work Plan: Weeding, pruning, clearing invasives around Whittemore Robbins House & the Reflecting Pool Meeting place: Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.) Parking: We provide free parking permits for parking near the Carriage HouseWear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

Emily Snyder & Patsy KraemerEmily’s cell / text: 617-750-0106_

Town Hall Garden Work Session
2019-07-03 08:30 - 10:30
Meet Mona at the Carriage House and work in the Town Hall Garden. We
provide free parking permits for parking near the carriage house. Wear
gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long handled
tools and garden carts.

Town Gardens Work Day
2019-06-27 08:30 - 10:30
Work Plan: Spreading mulch which will be brought to work areas for spreading by town summer interns. Meeting place: Meet Emily Snyder at the Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House (700R Mass. Ave., Arlington Ctr.) Parking: We provide free parking permits for parking near the Carriage HouseWear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

Town Garden Work Day
2019-06-19 08:30 - 10:00

Work plan
2019-05-30 08:30 - 22:00 | Carriage House behind Whittemore Robbins House,, 700r Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, Massachusetts, 02476, United States
Meet at the carriage house and work in the Whittemore Robbins House Garden.

Parking: We provide free parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

Work Plan 5/23
2019-05-23 08:30 - 10:00
Join Mona to finish the spiny branches piled on the small cotoneaster in areas 2 & 3 and work on rabbit fencing in area 7. Work group will also dig out some daylilies near the coffee tree, trim the juniper trees and will lightly cultivate the mulch near the Deutzia.

Anyone wishing to help should bring their gardening hand tools, weed bucket, sunscreen, hat, gloves, water and bug spray.

Come Celebrate restoration of the Reflecting Pool
2019-05-18 18:30 - 19:30
Cash Bar, Savory Hors d’Oeuvres,

Music and Theater.

Tickets: $25.00 in advance, $30 at the door

Available at the Town Hall Select Board office, the Book Rack or the Chamber of Commerce

Celebration sponsored by the Town of Arlington, the Friends of Robbins Town Gardens, the Arlington Historical Commission, the Cyrus Dallin Museum, and the Arlington Garden Club

Work Session
2019-05-16 08:00 - 10:30
Our plan for 2019 is to hold work sessions in the Town Hall Gardens on alternate Thursday mornings starting Thursday, May 2nd.

Serious rain will cancel. Or a rain call will be made by 7:30 am.

Work Plan: Weeding, planting, topdressing with compost in some areas, rabbit protection in some areas, and scouting for pests and diseases. Check one dogwood in Area 1 has anthracnose due to all the rain and might need to be replaced. We will see when the leaves are fully open.

Rabbits are eating the cotoneaster and have begun chewing on the bark of the old azaleas. Install garlic stakes on new cotoneaster at grotto. Spray after the next rain with Critter Ritter or Deer-Off.

Areas 3 and 4 still have dead wood and a large dead crown in a dogwood in Area 4 that needs surgery. Areas 3 and 4 at the lawn oval have invasive plants but we will remove them next year when there are dogwoods to replace and more mountain laurels and Korean Azaleas to infill the existing ones.

**There will be a demo of heading back the overgrown Japanese Yew in Area 4 next Thursday. Discussion will include preserving the shape as well as reducing the size in height and girth. This may include follow-up pruning in six months to redirect those sprouts that shoot straight up.

We will continue this technique on some of the other oversized shrubs in area 3 and 4, with the understanding that the azaleas, mountain laurels and Mountain Pieris are supposed to be clusters or masses growing into one another.

Invasive vines will sprout up so ongoing removal will continue each week. Digging the root out is best. Just cutting the top is okay if the root is hidden.

Mona will talk about elm tree cultivars at the next garden club Thursday work session.

Update

Pruned one overgrown upright Japanese Yew area 4. Sprayed rabbit deterrent and use granule fox urine P E W! Areas 2, 3, 4 Piled spiny branches on the small cotoneaster as an experiment area 2

We can cut bits of thorny rose and barberry and stick it all around the plants.

Parking: We provide free parking permits for parking near the Carriage House

Wear gloves. Bring water and hand tools if you want. We have long-handled tools and garden carts.

Emily’s cell / text:617-750-0106
