Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum
Spring Speaker Series: The North Shore Flower Garden (Saving Seeds & Starting Seedlings)
Thu, Apr 16
|First Parish Community Hall
Former flower farmer Kellie Dodd will bridge the past and present of North Shore flower gardening from the Gilded Age to your own backyard. She will present the wonder of seeds in the context of horticultural history, and show you how to start your garden!
Time & Location
Apr 16, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
First Parish Community Hall, 1 Chapel Ln, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944, USA
About the event
Former flower farmer, gardener, and plant-mom Kellie Dodd will be taking you on a journey from the grand North Shore flower gardens of over a century ago, to the wonder of seeds today!
Starting in the nineteenth century, seasonal residents to the North Shore — including Manchester-by-the-Sea — established magnificent estates among its natural beauty, and talented gardeners produced ornamental masterpieces known throughout the nation. Since then, interest in flower gardening has continued to blossom here through passionate individuals and trained professionals.
This is a practical talk as much as it is informative, as Ms. Dodd will help you explore the hope and magic seeds bring, learn about the essential steps from seed to seedling, and gain practical tips on saving and shopping for seeds. With historical context in mind, whether you’re new to gardening or looking to deepen your knowledge, this talk will cover the why, what, when, and how…