Top 20 Plants for Winged Companions
Join us for an online panel presentation featuring 20 plants that attract winged companions like the birds, native butterflies, moths, and flying insects that are essential to our ecosystems. Many of the plants we’ll discuss are found in forests, fields, and other natural ecosystems, wonderful species for gardens and rewilding. Staff horticulturists Lesley Paxson, Alicia Miller, and Brent McHale will share their favorites, perfect for your gardens or wild spaces. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Thursdays, April 13 & 20, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Are you interested in growing hydrangeas in your garden? Or maybe your hydrangeas aren’t performing as well as you'd like? Join this online presentation with Horticulturalist Courtney Locke as she provides a thorough overview of the many different types of hydrangeas and how to successfully grow them for bountiful blossoms and sturdy structure.
Meet in-person at the Gardens for this introduction to the Botanical Arts Certificate Program. Our program offers a broad palette of botanically inspired classes. Enrolled students select courses that suit their interests and work toward a final project. Learn about this program and its classes, and decide if this creative curriculum inspires you. New and current students should enroll in the orientation. The fee is $25 dollars for new enrollees; those previously enrolled do not have to pay a fee, just sign up as a current student.
Thursdays, May 4, 11, 18, & 25, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Deepening your connection to nature through moving meditation offers enormous benefits for personal well-being. In this gentle class, experience how the simple practice of walking mindfully through a forest can provide deep serenity. By engaging with all five senses, we enhance awareness and presence. Follow Susan Bickford, certified guide in the ancient Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, or forest therapy/forest bathing, as she gives you the tools to begin your own meditation practice. The walk ends with a tea ceremony.
Monday-Wednesday, May 8-10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Ever wondered what wildlife is living in your backyard? In our seasonal series of field-study classes (register separately for each), participants ages 14-adult will learn more about the creatures that live in or around their garden, looking for shelter, food, and water. Join us in mid-spring for the first class and see spring animal-activity first-hand, an experience that will provide deeper insight into and appreciation for their roles in the ecosystem, better informing us how humans and wildlife can live together more harmoniously. With the return of spring, our wildlife awakens and begins actively foraging, preparing to find mates, establishing new homes, and more. In this session, we’ll focus on resident and migratory birds, amphibians and reptiles, and which mammals are active and evident this time of year.
In this hands-on garden crafting class, students will learn everything there is to know about living willow structures: where they are used, how to make them, and the variety of willow species to use. Alicia Miller, CMBG Horticulturist and willow structure designer, will guide you through the process of planting a potted harlequin braided willow tree that you'll be able to take home and grow for many years. We ask that students bring their own clippers and garden gloves. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.
Every other Thursday, May 18-October 5, 7-9 a.m.
Tuesday & Wednesday, May 23 & 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday, May 30-June 1, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
