From harvesting to bottling, learn the steps to make a herbal salve! Salves are topical ointments created from plants used to heal a specific condition such as dry skin, burns, scars, splinters, or sore muscles. The class will begin indoors with a live demonstration followed by a walk through the gardens to identify plants that can be used to make a salve. Each participant will take home a tin of herbal salve.
Learn the techniques and history of papercutting with examples of traditional and contemporary styles. Students will leave this two day workshop with several pieces of their own artwork, exploring different methods or approaches. The class theme will be birds and blossoms.
Whether called fields, meadows, or pastures, these landforms all feature a dominant grass population in a wide-open, full-sun terrain mixed with wildflower and smaller woody species. Partnering with the Boothbay Region Land Trust, this class will guide students on two walks at local land trust properties. Led by Ted Elliman, co-author of "Grasses, Sedges and Rushes: An Identification Guide," participants will learn how to identify and better understand meadow culture. This is the perfect class for those interested in starting or sustaining an open grassland. Class Level: Beginner-Intermediate
In this two-day hybrid class, learn about native woody plants that contribute so much to our landscapes and local biodiversity. Andy Brand, Director of Horticulture at the Gardens, will discuss identification, habitat, and woody plants' role in plant reproduction and management as hosts for insects, birds, and other wildlife. You'll leave with recommendations for native species and cultivars and guidance for cultivation, landscape uses, and soil and light considerations. Class Level: Intermediate-Advanced.
The cool, damp climate of Maine and northern New England is perfect for mosses and liverworts, plants known as bryophytes. Join Maine Master Naturalist Jeff Pengel to examine, identify, and learn the natural history of mosses and liverworts. Through presentation, photographs, specimen examination, and fieldwork, students will learn to discern the differences between common groups, know key identification techniques and vocabulary, and recognize more than a dozen common species in the field. Class level: Beginner-Intermediate.
Paint the changing landscape in watercolor during this three-day workshop. Crafted for artists looking to enhance their skills, you'll learn to blend warm, earthy tones for autumn and cool, muted hues for winter, capturing these seasons' unique light and atmosphere. We'll master techniques to paint various trees, colorful foliage, and intricate shadows, adding depth and dimension to your work. For intermediate watercolorists.
Deepening your connection to nature through moving meditation offers enormous benefits for personal well-being. In this gentle and sensory-oriented class, students will experience the practice of walking mindfully through a forest to gain deep serenity and new awareness. Follow Susan Bickford, a certified guide in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku also known as forest therapy/forest bathing, as she gives you the tools to begin your own meditation practice. The walk ends with a tea ceremony that honors the experience. Class Level: all.
The leaves are turning, the air is crisp, and pumpkins and gourds abound! Take advantage of nature’s bounty within Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens' spectacular Dahlia and Iris garden. Spend one, two, three, four, or all five days surrounded by stunning dahlias in full bloom and learn how to draw and paint the fall harvest. All levels are welcome. Class appropriate to teens 14+.
Immerse yourself in fall foliage. Using the spectacular leaves found on the grounds of the Gardens', create blazing seasonal watercolor, colored pencil and/or watercolor pencil drawings. All levels welcome! This class can be taken alone or as part of a five-day series. Class appropriate to teens 14+.
Fall is an excellent time to learn how to create the lumpy bumpy textures found in the Cucurbitaceae family, known as gourds. Learn all about different gourds, their shapes, and growth cycles. This class can be taken alone or as part of a five-day series. It is recommended to take Pumpkins and Gourds in Color as a complement to this class, but it is not required. All levels are welcome. Class appropriate for teens 14+.
Invasive species are considered highly undesirable by botany, ecology, horticulture, and conservation professionals—and for good reason. In this three-part course, Amanda Devine, Regional Land Steward for Maine Coast Heritage Land Trust, will identify the basic ecological problems surrounding these aggressive, tenacious plants. We'll discuss the complicated and sometimes political issues and how a plant becomes labeled "invasive." Class level: Intermediate-Advanced
Fall is an excellent time to learn how to create the lumpy bumpy textures found in the Cucurbitaceae family, known as gourds. Learn all about different gourds, their shapes, and growth cycles. This class can be taken alone or as part of a five-day series. It is recommended to take Pumpkins and Gourds in Graphite as a complement to this class, but it is not required. All levels welcome. Class appropriate to teens 14+.
One of the greatest joys of fall is the emergence of the stunning dahlia. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens has a particularly beautiful collection with a variety of shapes and colors. This class can be taken alone or as part of a five-day series. It is recommended to take Dahlia Details in Color as a complement to this class, but it is not required. All levels welcome. Class appropriate for teens 14+.
One of the greatest joys of fall is the emergence of the stunning dahlia. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens has a particularly beautiful collection with a variety of shapes and colors. This class can be taken alone or as part of a five-day series. It is recommended to take Dahlia Details in Graphite as a complement to this class, but it is not required. All levels welcome. Class appropriate for teens 14+.
Explore the unique architectural elements that blend seamlessly with nature in the Gardens. Discover how to capture the beauty of garden structures, from bridges and trellises to the whimsical Children's Garden play cottage, as you learn techniques to enhance your painting skills. Guided by Maine artist Susan Bartlett Rice, you'll create your own paintings inspired by the stunning autumn surroundings. No prior experience is necessary—just bring your creativity and a love for art and nature! This is a three-day workshop suitable for adults and teens 14+.
If you want to design landscapes inspired by and inclusive of nature, studying design principles through the lens of natural systems is essential. In this three-day course led by landscape designer and horticulturist Irene Brady Barber, students will learn to identify and incorporate the components of ecological landscape design. Online and onsite, we will examine the systems influencing design decisions, practice environmental site analysis, and design conceptual plot plans for a selected site. Class Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Wow your neighbors and friends with these stunning decoupaged pumpkins. Gardens' Arts Coordinator Caroline Clare Davis will demonstate how to adorn your fall centerpiece with pressed garden flowers, grasses, and berries. Each participant will go home with one small pumpkin and one medium/large pumpkin. No tricks, only treats here! All levels are welcome. Suitable for teens 14+.
The mission of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections between people and nature and promote plant conservation through horticulture, education, and plant science.
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