We are a horticultural, non-profit society devoted to Begonia plants. We are based in Massachusetts, serving several New England states, the U.S., and the world. Welcome to our website!
Please click on the headers at the top of our web pages to move through our site. If you have any questions about our society or our website, please don't hesitate to contact us or click on the Contact Us link found on the menus at the very top of our web pages. Check out our social media links found at the bottom/footer of all of our web pages.
Please click on the headers at the top of our web pages to move through our site. If you have any questions about our society or our website, please don't hesitate to contact us or click on the Contact Us link found on the menus at the very top of our web pages. Check out our social media links found at the bottom/footer of all of our web pages.
Stuart Hammer.
Photo courtesy of Christopher, Hays, Wojcik & Mavricos, LLP
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Stuart in his greenhouse sharing plants and information.
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Stuart Hammer
I am sorry to have to tell you that Stuart passed away this morning [September 13, 2021] after a courageous struggle with cancer. Stuart was always an enthusiastic supporter of Buxton and ABS. He was very generous with plants and with his time and was an eager participant in Buxton activities. Our December party was always held at his home where he always encouraged attendees to help themselves to cuttings of pretty much anything in his greenhouse. He also assisted ABS with legal matters and with their investments. Stuart will be greatly missed.
There will be a service for him this Friday. We will commemorate both Wanda Macnair and Stuart at our show this Saturday.
Mike Mack
President, Buxton Begonia Branch of ABS
Memorial Service for Stuart Hammer
Funeral services will be held at 1:00pm, Friday, September 17, 2021, at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden, MA. Preceding the funeral service, calling hours will be from 12:00pm to 1:00pm at the funeral home. There will be a memorial reception following the service; details to be announced at the time of funeral, as well as shiva information.
The family welcomes donations to Rachel’s Table (http://www.rachelstable.org/) as an expression of sympathy instead of flowers.
Stuart Hammer's Obituary can be accessed by clicking here.
I am sorry to have to tell you that Stuart passed away this morning [September 13, 2021] after a courageous struggle with cancer. Stuart was always an enthusiastic supporter of Buxton and ABS. He was very generous with plants and with his time and was an eager participant in Buxton activities. Our December party was always held at his home where he always encouraged attendees to help themselves to cuttings of pretty much anything in his greenhouse. He also assisted ABS with legal matters and with their investments. Stuart will be greatly missed.
There will be a service for him this Friday. We will commemorate both Wanda Macnair and Stuart at our show this Saturday.
Mike Mack
President, Buxton Begonia Branch of ABS
Memorial Service for Stuart Hammer
Funeral services will be held at 1:00pm, Friday, September 17, 2021, at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden, MA. Preceding the funeral service, calling hours will be from 12:00pm to 1:00pm at the funeral home. There will be a memorial reception following the service; details to be announced at the time of funeral, as well as shiva information.
The family welcomes donations to Rachel’s Table (http://www.rachelstable.org/) as an expression of sympathy instead of flowers.
Stuart Hammer's Obituary can be accessed by clicking here.
Wanda Mcnair
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of our greatest Begonia grower members, and mentor to us all, Wanda Mcnair. She passed away on August 19, 2021, and was 90 years old. She touched all of us in so many ways, encouraging all of us to grow wonderful plants and to get involved, while performing in the various roles she played for our local and national societies, as well as the Gesneriad societies.
From our President, Mike Mack:
"I am very sorry to report to you that our much beloved member, Wanda Macnair, has passed away. [Her obituary is attached.] Wanda and Dick, received the Charles Jaros Award honoring their lifetime achievement in support of begonias and ABS. Wanda was also honored in having a begonia named after her. She was boundless in her enthusiasm for begonias and in her support for those newly interested in begonias, myself included. She and Dick, who remains active as our Treasurer, were always involved and dedicated members of ABS and of Buxton. She will be sorely missed. The executive committee is working on an appropriate way to recognize her incredible contributions. " Mike Mack
Our condolences to her husband, Richard Mcnair, their son, Douglas, and the entire Mcnair family, friends and acquaintances. Wanda, you will be missed greatly. RIP.
Please check out the link to the Lasting Memories website created by her son, where you can read about her incredibly full life as well as share your condolences, photos, and stories of Wanda:
Lasting Memories - Wanda Mcnair
We now have a Memorial Page for Wanda on this website, and you are welcome to read some of the comments our members have been sharing. Please feel free to submit your comments to us by sending them to us and giving us permission to post them.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of our greatest Begonia grower members, and mentor to us all, Wanda Mcnair. She passed away on August 19, 2021, and was 90 years old. She touched all of us in so many ways, encouraging all of us to grow wonderful plants and to get involved, while performing in the various roles she played for our local and national societies, as well as the Gesneriad societies.
From our President, Mike Mack:
"I am very sorry to report to you that our much beloved member, Wanda Macnair, has passed away. [Her obituary is attached.] Wanda and Dick, received the Charles Jaros Award honoring their lifetime achievement in support of begonias and ABS. Wanda was also honored in having a begonia named after her. She was boundless in her enthusiasm for begonias and in her support for those newly interested in begonias, myself included. She and Dick, who remains active as our Treasurer, were always involved and dedicated members of ABS and of Buxton. She will be sorely missed. The executive committee is working on an appropriate way to recognize her incredible contributions. " Mike Mack
Our condolences to her husband, Richard Mcnair, their son, Douglas, and the entire Mcnair family, friends and acquaintances. Wanda, you will be missed greatly. RIP.
Please check out the link to the Lasting Memories website created by her son, where you can read about her incredibly full life as well as share your condolences, photos, and stories of Wanda:
Lasting Memories - Wanda Mcnair
We now have a Memorial Page for Wanda on this website, and you are welcome to read some of the comments our members have been sharing. Please feel free to submit your comments to us by sending them to us and giving us permission to post them.
Begonia Exhibition and Sale
Saturday September 18, 2021 from 10AM to 4PM
Saturday September 18, 2021 from 10AM to 4PM
Our Annual Plant Show and Sale will be at Tower Hill Botanic Garden!
Come enjoy this diverse display of begonias, plants known primarily for their colorful foliage. See a range of plants that vary in color, leaf texture, and pattern. People are encouraged to enter their own plants in the exhibition (entry is on Friday, September 17 from 10AM to 3PM).
Buxton Begonia members will help you with plant entry and identification. Learn tips for growing this well-loved houseplant. Many unusual and rare begonias will be available for sale.
The 2021 show will not be a judged plant show, but we will be awarding People’s Choice Awards. We will also offer educational lectures and “pop-up” demonstrations of begonia propagation and creating small terrariums. Show entry is included in the price of admission to Tower Hill Botanic Garden. The gardens are located in Boylston, MA and for their admission protocol and required advanced ticket information here is their website.
Friday, September 17, 2021:
10:00 – 3:00 Entries brought in for Exhibition need Entry Form, Plant Health Check, Classification Approval, (Classrooms A&B are our Exhibition Space)
Saturday, September 18, 2021:
10:00 – 4:00 Buxton Begonia Exhibition Show and Plant Sale opens to the public
11:00 - 11:30 Mini Propagation Demonstration by Cindy Brown, in the Exhibition Space
12:00 - 12:30 Terrarium Demonstration by Madeline Lombard, in NW Hallway outside of Exhibition Space
2:00 - 3:00 Growing Tuberous Begonias by Nick and Cathy Alteri, in the Auditorium
3:00 People's Choice Awards will be placed
4:00 – 5:00 Plants must be picked up by all exhibitors
Read your monthly member newsletter, The Buxtonian, for more details, or contact us for further information.
See you there!!
MEETINGS FOR 2021-2022
We will resume our in-person meetings starting with our September 11, 2021 meeting from 9:30AM to 12 Noon. We will be gathering in the Community Conference Room to the right of the first glass door at the main entrance, at the Framingham Public Library, Christa McAuliffe Branch, 746 Water Street, Framingham, MA 01701. Meeting protocols require masks inside at all times.
Our meeting will be "Begonia Hacks and Learning Experiences in the last 18 months". We will hold a Plant-A-Palooza where members will take turns coming up to tables to purchase plants from our brimming plant tables at this meeting! One hack presented at the meeting is how to extend the height of the plastic salad bowls many of us use to grow begonias requiring enclosed terrariums. You can read a step by step for building a height extension for the large bowls by clicking here.
We typically socialize and share/sell plants, cuttings, and starts from 9:30 to 10:00AM, then we hold our main presentation, followed by the Plant of the Month presentation. Then, we hold a brief Society business meeting.
Please check your email for our latest Buxtonian Newsletter for details.
If you are not currently a member but would like to attend, please send us an email by clicking here and we will answer any questions or provide any additional meeting details for you.
We will resume our in-person meetings starting with our September 11, 2021 meeting from 9:30AM to 12 Noon. We will be gathering in the Community Conference Room to the right of the first glass door at the main entrance, at the Framingham Public Library, Christa McAuliffe Branch, 746 Water Street, Framingham, MA 01701. Meeting protocols require masks inside at all times.
Our meeting will be "Begonia Hacks and Learning Experiences in the last 18 months". We will hold a Plant-A-Palooza where members will take turns coming up to tables to purchase plants from our brimming plant tables at this meeting! One hack presented at the meeting is how to extend the height of the plastic salad bowls many of us use to grow begonias requiring enclosed terrariums. You can read a step by step for building a height extension for the large bowls by clicking here.
We typically socialize and share/sell plants, cuttings, and starts from 9:30 to 10:00AM, then we hold our main presentation, followed by the Plant of the Month presentation. Then, we hold a brief Society business meeting.
Please check your email for our latest Buxtonian Newsletter for details.
If you are not currently a member but would like to attend, please send us an email by clicking here and we will answer any questions or provide any additional meeting details for you.
Of Interest:
From our February 2021 Zoom Meeting, Mike Mack shared his effective and much safer methods of dealing with begonia plant pests- Mealybugs. A description of his method is available here.
At our November 2019 meeting, Mike Mack made a terrific presentation on how he built an Indoor Greenhouse in his basement for his various begonia plants. It is complete with humidity, air circulation, and light controls, and was built on a reasonable budget. The presentation made at the Buxton Meeting is available here.
From our February 2021 Zoom Meeting, Mike Mack shared his effective and much safer methods of dealing with begonia plant pests- Mealybugs. A description of his method is available here.
At our November 2019 meeting, Mike Mack made a terrific presentation on how he built an Indoor Greenhouse in his basement for his various begonia plants. It is complete with humidity, air circulation, and light controls, and was built on a reasonable budget. The presentation made at the Buxton Meeting is available here.
We had a Great 2019 Begonia Show and Sale!
We had a wonderful Show and Sale September 21st and 22nd, 2019! Our thanks to all of the volunteers for all of their efforts, small and large, in making this show a success! Our Winners and Photos Page can be found here.
Here are some photos of the crazy good Plant Show and Sale, our lecturer, and our miniature garden class for children:
Our President, Betsy Szymczak, has written a brief report for the three Flower Shows she participated in (Feb. - March 2019). The report includes the Connecticut, the Philadelphia, and the Boston Flower Shows, with photos.
Our Large Bay Window Exhibit at the 2019 Boston Flower Show won a Blue Ribbon!!
December's Holiday Potluck Luncheon held in conjunction with the New England Gesneriad Society was great fun, and we thank Stuart for hosting this at his home, and allowing us to wander thru his warm and inviting greenhouse on a cold rainy December day. For some pictures from this event Click Here.
Plant of the Month
At our monthly meetings, one of our begonia expert growers brings in one plant, and describes its background or history as well as their specific experiences growing it. Click here for past plants. |
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