This month, the Wakefield Estate kicks off its 2015 Stone Soup and Speakers Series on Thursday, January 29th with “Portrait of the Eastern White Pine.” The theme for this year’s series is “Profiles of Great Trees of the Wakefield Estate,” offering a fun look at some of the interesting facts and history about some of the very special tree species in the estate’s collection. During our series, arboriculture experts will offer portraits of five of the notable trees at the estate including exciting anecdotes about plant hunters and some of the rich botanical history. In several cases, the “story” of the tree is as stunning the tree’s presence as a specimen in our arboretum. January’s fascinating topic is the Eastern White Pine, a species that figures prominently in the early history of our nation, and more recently, provided the basis for a boom in dwarf conifers due to its “witches brooms.”

The program is free, but RSVPs are appreciated, and donations welcome.

The schedule for the rest of the Stone Soup and Speaker Series is:

February 26: Apple, Malus species

March 26: Dawn Redwood, Metasequoia

April 30: Dove or Hankerchief Tree, Davidia Involucrata

May 28: Chinese Dogwood, Cornus Kousa

Stone Soup and Speaker events are held in the early evening from 5:30 until 7:00 pm on the final Thursday of each month. These warm and casual programs begin with a bowl of tasty home-made soup, followed by a short presentation by a featured speaker. The Wakefield Estate is located 1465 Brush Hill Road. For more information, call 617-333-0924 x22 or visit www.wakefieldtrust.org.