ON LINE CLASSES, WINTER GARDEN WALKS and LECTURES
If self-isolating has you feeling restless, never fear. Local botanical gardens are going above and beyond to offer virtual classes, discussions, workshops and garden tours. From vegetable gardening workshops, inspiring garden tours and online classes here are a few suggestions from Club Members to keep your mind sharp and learn something new while you hunker down on the couch.
VIRTUAL LECTURES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
MORRIS ARBORETUM
Why You Can’t Buy a Forest in a Can: Managing and Restoring Diversity in our Woodlands and Gardens
Wednesday, March 24 | 10:00 – 11:30 AM EST
In this talk, F. Otto Haas Executive Director Bill Cullina will look at what makes our eastern forests special and what we can do in our own backyards and communities to restore the diversity of our woodlands. Register now.
Birding: Get Ready for Spring Migration Virtual Class, Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder
Across North America birders eagerly await spring migration. During this amazing annual phenomenon, birds leave their winter homes in the south and journey north using the same route that their ancestors once used. Spring migration occurs in a mass movement. It takes place over a shorter period of time than the fall migration since birds are anxious to reach their breeding grounds and begin mating. During this time, the males are in their beautiful plumage to attract mates so you will see birds in their most vibrant colors. Sharon will fill you in on the Atlantic Flyway and how it is a major north-south path for migratory birds in North America. She will tell you about some of the beautiful birds you may see and good places in the area to go birding. RESERVE NOW!
Japanese Flowering Cherries: “The Loveliest Trees” Virtual Class, Anthony Aiello, The Gayle E. Maloney Curator, Morris Arboretum
Japanese flowering cherries are one of the great highlights of spring and among the most beloved ornamental flowering trees. Regarding cherries, a famous expert wrote, “there are to be found among the cherries some of the loveliest trees in the world”. Flowering cherries have long been a captivating presence in Japan and throughout the U.S. since their introduction over 100 years ago. In this lecture, Tony Aiello, will detail the introduction of flowering cherries into various locations in the eastern U.S, with a focus on those planted throughout Philadelphia. Tony has been using the Morris Arboretum’s cherry collection as a model for preserving its horticultural heritage and at the same time providing best practices of veteran tree care. He has also been working with other botanic gardens in the northeast to identify, propagate, and share rare varieties of flowering cherries.
Friday, April 9 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm. Members: $10 | Non-members: $15. RESERVE NOW!
MORE FROM MORRIS
The Arboretum has an extensive calendar of virtual lectures lined up for Spring 2021. CLICK HERE to review their offerings.
HARDY PLANT SOCIETY - Pop-Up Events
"Tuesdays at 10" is a free Members-Only Educational Series of Virtual Lectures held every other week beginning on January 12th. All sessions with be approximately 45 minutes long and will include Q&A. Registration is required for each session. All sessions start at 10 am.
To join or to renew your to the Hardy Plant Society membership, click here. Dues are $35 for one year or $60 for 2 years.
March 23, 2021 - "Seeds" presented by Glenn Ashton. Click here for details.
April 6, 2021 - "Early Start, Long Beauty - Cool Season Ornamental Grasses" presented by Thom Mzarik. Click here for details
FOR THOSE WHO LOVE ARRANGING FLOWERS
The E-books offered by Joseph Massie (seeBy Design June 2019 issue) are outstanding. CLICK HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page for the e-book series. The e-books retail for $35.00.
Sign up for NEW FEATURES AND EDUCATIONAL CONTENT from Hitome Gilliam through Patreon!
See educational video tutorials, virtual courses, and MORE! Offerings through Patreon start at $3/month. CLICK HERE for more information. There is also a dedicated Playlist on her YouTube Channel, where you can find all Video Tutorials showing how to use new mechanics and innovative design ideas.
LONGWOOD GARDENS
Below is a partial list of some of the upcoming courses offered at Longwood. These courses includes 6-month access to Longwood Gardens. CLASSES FILL QUICKLY, check their website regularly for new offerings.
Floral Design Basics October 26, 2020–April 25, 2021 | Self-paced Register Here
Want to try your hand at floral arranging? This expansive online course provides the foundational skills you need to begin creating beautiful floral arrangements. Learn how to select and condition flowers, use tools and mechanics, and use sustainable design strategies to create beautiful arrangements from our expert instructors Jane Godshalk and Cres Motzi. Delve into various floral design styles including a decorative round, vegetative style, a parallel design, garland style, and designs in glass through a series of informative online presentations and video tutorials. Take advantage of this content in the luxury of your own home with six design modules that can be completed at your leisure. Fee: $99. Fee for Gardens Preferred and Gardens Premium Members: $89
FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Organic Gardening: Date to be announced, tentatively Spring 2021. $675.
Organic Gardening is one of eight online courses Cornell offers in their Horticulture Distance Learning Program. To be notified of next course, fill out this form.
This online course was developed in response to a strong, growing interest in organic gardening and is intended to examine the basics of small-scale organic gardening. The topics and depth of information offered will help new gardeners learn the basics and feel comfortable getting started, while also offer more experienced gardeners the opportunity to expand their knowledge base. This course may not be ideal for very experienced organic gardeners. Additionally, students will walk away with a wealth of resources to look into for further study
The course has a strong foundation in soil health and its impact on plant health and a whole systems approach to gardening. The course also explores various techniques for growing different kinds of garden plants – annuals and perennials, food plants and ornamentals.
Participants are required to read assigned material, participate in online group discussions with other students, complete reflective writing/design work and take part in some hands-on activities. Though the class isn’t “live”, it is designed to keep a pace of one topic each week (see outline and syllabus below). New content is posted weekly. You work at your own pace, and assignments are due the following week. Most students spend approximately 5 hours/week with the content, though there are always ample resources and opportunity to do more.
Course outline:
Week 1: Introduction: What is Organic Gardening? Knowing Your Site.
Week 2: Soil, Compost, and Mulch
Week 3: Vegetables and Flowers: Site Design & Planning for the Season
Week 4: Vegetables and Flowers: Early, Mid, Late Season Crops; Harvesting, Herbs
Week 5: Maintenance & Managing Pests Organically
Week 6: Trees, Shrubs, and Herbaceous Perennials: The Long-Term Landscape
Optional Extra Readings: Advanced Topics for the Adventurous Gardener
FROM PHIPPS CONSERVATORY Sustainable Landcare Series
Certified Backyard Habitats | Gabi Hughes Wed., March 24 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Your yard is a wonderful place to observe and enjoy local wildlife. Learn how to create a backyard habitat to support these creature, and what features and plants will support birds, butterflies and more. Gain the skills and knowledge necessary for turning your yard into a certified backyard habitat.
Planting for Pollinators | Juliette Olshock Wed., April 14 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Have you always wanted a pollinator garden, but weren’t sure where to start? Whether looking to plant a new meadow or just to plug pollinator plants into an existing garden, you will learn the plants and structures that support these useful animals. Learn the importance of native host plants and why they are necessary for supporting butterflies. You will get a list of plants to attract pollinators and learn about the online tool from Phipps to help you find sustainable plants for your garden.
Permaculture for the Home Garden | Elizabeth Lynch Wed., May 5 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Permaculture stands for “permanent culture” and is a means of mimicking natural systems in order to grow food on your land while enhancing the local ecology. This course outlines some of the main principles and techniques for designing an urban or suburban homestead. You will learn about edible landscaping, perennial companion planting and home-scale sustainable and integrated systems (including an introduction to zones and sectors).
FROM THE BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN
BBG’s Continuing Education classes are now open! Register for a class today and explore the world of plants.
Certificate in Horticulture
BBG offers a Certificate in Horticulture—a program is designed for highly motivated home gardeners who want an in-depth understanding of plants and gardening. For more information, please visit their Certificate in Horticulture webpage.
MT CUBA’S ON LINE CLASSES ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Take a virtual tour of Mt Cuba’s native plant gardens, register for classes, or learn about their research and conservation efforts.
BARNES HORTICULTURE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
The three-year program offers a comprehensive course of study in botany, horticultural practices, garden aesthetics and design. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates receive a Certificate of Achievement in Horticulture, which is well regarded by the industry and by area public gardens. Classes in the program can also be individually audited, space permitting.
YEAR 1 Areas of study include: Herbaceous Plants and Bulbs, Soil Science, Elements of Art, Ecology, Botany, Landscape Analysis
YEAR 2 Areas of study include: Cultivated Trees and Shrubs, History of Gardens and Landscape Architecture, Introduction to Plant Taxonomy, Garden Practicum, Landscape Design I and II
YEAR 3 Areas of study include: Advanced Horticulture Practices, Landscape Design III, Plant Pathology, Conifers, Weed Science, Entomology
Since 1940, the Barnes Arboretum and certificate program have served as training grounds for hundreds of horticulturists in the Delaware Valley. The extensive living collections and gardens, the greenhouse and the herbarium create an unparalleled environment for horticulture education.
All that is required of program participants is a genuine interest in horticulture or plants and a serious commitment to coursework. Structurally unique in the Delaware Valley region, this intense program develops skilled practitioners through a combination of classroom lectures, field visits, self-guided learning, and hands-on practice led by a highly reputed and experienced faculty.
If you have any questions about the program, contact jthomas1@sju.edu or go online at: https://www.sju.edu/barnesarboretum/horticultural-certificate. You can also download the program brochure here: Horticultural Certificate Program Brochure.