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November

11/24/2019
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

FREE Battle Park Tour
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
Learn about the history and preservation of the property now known as Battle Park on the UNC campus. We'll walk through the park in the peak of its autumn glory, covering hotspots visited and named by Kemp Plummer Battle himself as well as the philosophies behind the preservation and conservation of our natural areas. Free; preregistration required.

11/30/2019
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Nature Walk: Fall Colors at Horton Grove Nature Preserve
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
Join us for a late-autumn walk at Horton Grove Nature Preserve in central Durham County! We will explore the autumn flora of the meadow, then walk on woodland trails to enjoy the colors of red maple, hickory and beech. Free; preregistration required.

December

12/7/2019
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

FREE First Saturday Tour: A Winter Landscape
The color of springtime is in the flowers; the color of winter is in the imagination. ~Terri Guillemets Bundle up and walk with us as we explore the patterns and colors of nature as winter moves in on the Garden.

12/7/2019 5:00 PM

Winter in the Garden Holiday Festival: 5PM Entry
Get away from the hustle and bustle of the season and enjoy the peaceful holiday splendor of the Garden as we celebrate the end of the year with lights, holiday music, food for purchase, kids’ crafts, and good cheer. We will be selling timed entry tickets to this event. You may not enter the festival until the time listed on your ticket, but you're welcome to join at any point thereafter and may stay for the duration of the event.

12/7/2019 6:00 PM

Winter in the Garden Holiday Festival: 6PM Entry
Get away from the hustle and bustle of the season and enjoy the peaceful holiday splendor of the Garden as we celebrate the end of the year with lights, holiday music, food for purchase, kids’ crafts, and good cheer. We will be selling timed entry tickets to this event. You may not enter the festival until the time listed on your ticket, but you're welcome to join at any point thereafter and may stay for the duration of the event.

12/7/2019 7:00 PM

Winter in the Garden Holiday Festival: 7PM Entry
Get away from the hustle and bustle of the season and enjoy the peaceful holiday splendor of the Garden as we celebrate the end of the year with lights, holiday music, food for purchase, kids’ crafts, and good cheer. We will be selling timed entry tickets to this event. You may not enter the festival until the time listed on your ticket, but you're welcome to join at any point thereafter and may stay for the duration of the event.

12/7/2019
8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Winter in the Garden Holiday Festival: 8PM Entry
Get away from the hustle and bustle of the season and enjoy the peaceful holiday splendor of the Garden as we celebrate the end of the year with lights, holiday music, food for purchase, kids’ crafts, and good cheer. We will be selling timed entry tickets to this event. You may not enter the festival until the time listed on your ticket, but you're welcome to join at any point thereafter and may stay for the duration of the event.

12/12/2019
10:00 AM to 10/12/2019 4:00 PM

RESCHEDULED: Graduation Preparation for the Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration
Students will receive guidance on Independent Projects, graduation procedures and requirements, as well as organizing the exhibit, photographing and framing their paintings, and an introduction to marketing their work. Non-credit course. $76 ($68 Members)

12/12/2019
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LUNCHBOX Talk: Tropical Plants that Rocked the World
This lecture looks at five products from tropical plants that have changed the course of history. Find out how these plants have affected the lives of millions of people and have reached across time to shape the modern world. We’ll also look at a sixth tropical crop that is currently altering the course of history … but not for the better.

12/14/2019
1:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Edibles on Paper: Holiday Citrus
A favorite around the holidays, the gift of an orange was a cherished symbol of joy, good luck and prosperity in many cultures received in the cold of winter. Discover painting colorful citrus in transparent watercolor. Techniques covered include color matching, wet on wet washes and detailing with drybrush. Watercolor experience helpful. $56 ($50 Members)

12/14/2019
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Winter Vegetative Propagation
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
Learn the fundamentals of vegetative propagation and how to propagate woody plants through stem cuttings during the dormant season (November through February). We’ll focus on low-tech methods you can apply at home, emphasizing plants native to the southeastern United States. The workshop will take place in the classroom and the NCBG nursery. This class can accompany our Native Plant Propagation workshop for those who have taken it, but you don’t need to have taken Native Plant Propagation to participate. $32 ($29 Members)

January

1/4/2020
9:30 AM to 2/1/2020 2:30 PM

Botany
This course is introductory in nature and designed for a broad audience. It covers basic principles of botany including taxonomy, anatomy, morphology and physiology. Class time is divided between lectures and examining/dissecting samples. There are also opportunities for making observations in the gardens.

1/7/2020
1:00 PM to 1/28/2020 4:30 PM

Beginning Drawing
An introductory level course of drawing for beginners and those wishing to refresh their skills. Includes using a sketchbook for line drawing exercises on seeing to draw, quick sketching, mapping for accuracy, and other basic principles of drawing. Prerequisite for Intermediate Drawing, Beginning Watercolor, and Beginning Colored Pencil. Note: This class involves homework assignments. The amount of time students need to spend on homework varies and usually ranges from five to 15 hours per week.

1/11/2020
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

FREE Second Saturday Tour
Did you know that the Garden offers FREE guided tours the second Saturday of every month? Each month offers a glimpse into what’s happening in our unique native plant gardens – from spring wildflowers to fall color – and what makes the NCBG one of the premier conservation gardens in the US. Tours are one (1) hour and led by our skilled volunteer Garden Guides. FREE, but please pre-register. Space is limited! Meet in the Allen Education Center lobby at 10:00 AM.

1/16/2020
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM

2020 Vision: Seeing and Understanding the Power of Wildflowers and Native Plants in the Life of North Carolina
In this kickoff lecture for the North Carolina Botanical Garden’s 2020: Year of the Wildflower Exhibition, Tom Earnhardt will share his 2020 VISION for North Carolina and how finding a cure for the epidemic of plant blindness can have a positive impact on biodiversity worldwide. Join Tom on a journey through North Carolina as he shares a vision of healing through the power of wildflowers and native plants that can lead to reclaiming biodiversity in our neighborhoods, towns and the state, one lot at a time.

1/22/2020
1:30 PM to 2/19/2020 3:30 PM

Bluets: Preschoolers Exploring Nature - Winter Series
Wednesdays, Jan 22 – Feb 19, 2020 (no class 2/12; 4 sessions) 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. For ages 4-5. Learning comes naturally during this fun-filled series that fosters a sense of wonder for nature and science. Preschoolers will learn about owls, winter weather, and how plants and animals survive the cold through hands-on activities, nature walks, stories, crafts, and group play. Healthy snack provided. Note: This is a drop-off program. Fee: $80 ($72 Members)

1/23/2020
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LUNCHBOX Talk: The North Carolina Wildflower of the Year - A Retrospective
The North Carolina Wildflower of the Year Program is a collaborative effort between the North Carolina Botanical Garden and the Garden Club of North Carolina. For the past 37 years, this program has encouraged the use and propagation of native plants in the home landscape by promoting a different North Carolina native species each year and distributing seeds to interested gardeners in the southeastern United States. The NC Wildflower of the Year Program is a part of the 'conservation through propagation' theme of the Garden that strives to ensure that wild populations of native species are not damaged by unethical harvesting or over-collecting. Come hear a retrospective on this long-held and much loved Garden program.

1/25/2020
9:15 AM to 2/15/2020 12:45 PM

Composition
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
This course is a broad study in the elements that formulate a good artistic composition. Students learn how to make visual choices and determine how parts of a plant are arranged on the page to balance botanical accuracy and artistic sensitivity. Composition serves as a prerequisite for Integrating Composition and Color Theory. Note: This class involves homework assignments. The amount of time students need to spend on homework varies and usually ranges from five to 15 hours per week.

1/25/2020
1:30 PM to 3/7/2020 4:30 PM

Winter Flora
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
This course is designed for a broad audience as well as for students who are enrolled in either of the Garden’s certificate programs. Field trips and exercises provide experience in the use of identification keys and recognition of plants in their winter condition in natural settings. Enjoy discovering that many trees and shrubs are easily recognized when not covered with leaves!

1/31/2020
9:15 AM to 2/21/2020 1:15 PM

Plant Taxonomy
This course builds on the fundamentals taught in Botany and prepares students for supplementary material covered in Flowering Plant Families. It is a core course for the certificate in Native Plant Studies, and is offered as an elective in the Botanical Art & Illustration certificate program. Students learn the basic concepts of the taxonomy of vascular plants and how to identify plant families by making observations of selected characteristics. The use of taxonomic keys is introduced. Interesting examples are studied to illustrate current issues in plant taxonomy and nomenclature. This course serves as a prerequisite for Flowering Plant Families.

February

2/1/2020
1:30 PM to 2/29/2020 4:30 PM

Geology for Botanists and Ecologists
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
This primarily lecture course is a survey of the principles of geology most important to the distribution of native plants and natural communities. Classes cover the different types of rocks, their chemical and physical effects on the soils that form from them, the geological processes that shape the earth’s surface and the landforms that result from them, and the way natural communities align with these patterns. An optional field trip on the 5th Saturday will visit a couple of places where these principles can be seen in action. This course is intended for a broad audience, but some familiarity with natural communities, native plants, and some exposure to basic chemistry will be beneficial. Fee: $130 ($117 NCBG members).

2/8/2020
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Veni, Vidi, Vici! - Secrets to Understanding Botanical Names of Wildflowers
Get to know the origins and meanings of the Latin names of plants. Explore scientific names that are mischievous, historic, honorific, wrong, descriptive and just plain fun! No verbs will be conjugated. Fee: $24 (NCBG Members $22).

2/13/2020
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LUNCHBOX Talk: Let's Talk About Sex (in Plants)
Heterostyly, dioecy, monoecy, polygamy…oh my! The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species have long intrigued evolutionary biologists including Charles Darwin who penned a book by the same name in 1877. Separating sexual function between different individuals carries risks, especially for sedentary organisms. Picture yourself on a deserted island…alone. Nevertheless, many plants take that chance to ensure cross-fertilization between individuals. Join Garden Director Dr. Damon Waitt, on an exploration of the ecological and evolutionary consequences of sex…in plants.

2/15/2020
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Morgan Creek Valley Tour
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
The Morgan Creek Valley in Orange County holds a wealth of natural and cultural heritage, from ice-age rhododendron bluffs and rare wildflowers to American Indians and moonshiners. Come prepared for several short hikes as we explore the length of the Morgan Creek valley, journeying by van from its headwaters near Maple View Farm to the Triassic Basin bottomlands of the Mason Farm Biological Reserve, a magnificent birding area where 118 bird species have been documented. $25 ($22 Members)

2/27/2020
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LUNCHBOX Talk: Native Plant Combinations
Take home some ideas for your yard at this lunchbox talk on native plant gardening. The focus will be on native plants that work well together. From sun to shade, spring to fall, and wildflowers to shrubs there’s sure to be something for everyone. Even if you don’t garden, come on out for some pretty plant pictures to remind you that it won’t always be February.

2/29/2020
1:00 PM to 3/21/2020 4:30 PM

Beginning Watercolor
In this class, students are introduced to watercolor and learn basics techniques such as flat and graded washes. Students learn to paint various simple shapes (spheres and cylinders) and a small botanical subject. Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing.

March

3/4/2020
1:00 PM to 3/25/2020 4:30 PM

Gouache
This four-week elective course gives the student an introduction to the fundamentals in painting gouache (opaque watercolor) and provides instruction for botanical art and illustration. Prerequisites: Beginning Drawing, Beginning Watercolor.

3/7/2020
9:15 AM to 4/18/2020 12:45 PM

Intermediate Drawing
In this class, students continue their journey to learn the skills needed to produce a clean, accurate pencil drawing. Specifics of the course include: measuring, ellipses in perspective, and tonal gradation. Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing.

3/7/2020
9:30 AM to 3/28/2020 12:30 PM

Flowering Plant Families
This course builds on the information covered in Plant Taxonomy and focuses on the study of plant diversity by targeting twenty major and fairly stable plant families found in North Carolina. Classroom discussions of evolutionary adaptations and relationships are combined with field studies in the Garden and close-up examination of representative examples. Prerequisite: Plant Taxonomy.

3/7/2020
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM

Vernal Pool Wonders - FOR FAMILIES!
For ages 6 & up with accompanying adult. Chorus frogs, dragonfly larvae, and spotted salamanders…oh my! Nature is waking up in the garden’s vernal pools. These spring nurseries are swimming with life in early spring. Peek into the ponds with dip nets, meet live critters, and learn about the wonders and mysteries of life in a vernal pool. Fee: $12 ($10 Members) per child; no fee for accompanying adult

3/8/2020
1:30 PM to 3/29/2020 4:30 PM

Plant Ecology
Plant Ecology is a conceptual course designed for a broad audience interested in the interactions of plants within their environments. Ecological relationships at the organism, population, community, and ecosystem levels are examined, using examples from the rich and diverse North Carolina flora. Students learn about nutrient and energy cycling within ecosystems, as well as about current threats and trends for the conservation of ecosystems. No prerequisites.

3/12/2020
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LUNCHBOX Talk: Trillium: A Natural History and Life Cycle Through Botanical Art
It is an extra special thrill hiking through North Carolina’s piedmont or mountain woodlands in the spring and suddenly encountering a Trillium or better yet, a colony of them. This exquisite ephemeral wildflower emerges in March or April and is all but camouflaged among the leaf mulch of our deciduous trees until its striking single flower announces its presence. It’s seen briefly before it disappears underground again by the end of June. The local circle of the American Society of Botanical Artists have teamed up with an instructor from the Garden’s Native Plants Studies Certificate Program to tell the complex and beautiful story of Trilliums using original artwork in a presentation portraying the species of the Piedmont and their natural history. The over twenty original drawings, paintings and illustrations will also be on display during the presentation.

3/14/2020
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Hike: Spring Ephemerals on the Piedmont Nature Trails
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
Take a walk through the Piedmont Nature Trails with NCBG’s Battle Park Manager, Nick Adams, in search of trout lilies, sweet Betsy’s, windflowers, and many more of the spring ephemerals that brighten the forest floor this time of year. Please note that the hike is moderate to strenuous, depending on your abilities. The Piedmont Nature Trails traverse uneven and/or steep terrain at times. You are encouraged to bring a hiking stick! For the safety of our guests, dogs are not allowed on tours. Meeting spot: The breezeway at the front of the James & Delight Allen Education Center.

3/21/2020
1:30 PM to 5/9/2020 4:30 PM

Spring Flora
This course is intended for a broad audience as well as for students who are enrolled in either of the NCBG certificate programs. Field trips and exercises provide experience in the use of identification keys and recognition of plants in a natural setting. Upon completion of this course, students will have an understanding of basic plant morphology, naming conventions for plants and the history of scientific naming, how to identify the prominent plants of the season using a dichotomous key and field characteristics, all through a season-specific lens.

3/26/2020
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LUNCHBOX Talk: Do Venus Flytraps Eat their Pollinators for Lunch?
Did you know that Venus Flytraps do not “eat” the insects that pollinate them? What are these special insect pollinators, and why do they not succumb to this carnivorous plants’ predation? Bring your lunch and come learn more about this fascinating North Carolina longleaf pine savannas research from Dr. Clyde Sorenson, entomologist from NC State University.

3/28/2020
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers in Watercolor
Celebrate a sure sign of spring - ephemeral wildflowers! Come learn about Southeastern native spring ephemerals and how to paint them with watercolor. Bev will give instructions, demonstrations and individual guidance. No prerequisites. $30 ($27 Members) Fee includes all supplies.

April

4/1/2020
1:00 PM to 4/22/2020 4:30 PM

Mixed Media: Botanicals in Watercolor, Colored Pencil, and Pen & Ink
This class is designed to increase your skills and confidence in the use of the various art media taught at the Garden. The instructor demonstrates techniques to combine watercolor, ink and colored pencils to create vibrant botanical paintings. Students receive one-on-one instruction to evolve their own unique drawing and painting. Prerequisites: Pen & Ink, Beginning Colored Pencil, Intermediate Watercolor

4/8/2020
1:30 PM to 4/29/2020 4:30 PM

Principles of Conservation Biology
This course is intended for an experienced audience and introduces the principles of biodiversity and conservation. Topics include natural diversity, island biogeography, rare plants, conservation genetics, ecological restoration, conservation landscaping, and preserve design. Prerequisites: Botany, Plant Ecology (or with instructor permission).

4/14/2020
1:00 PM to 5/5/2020 4:30 PM

Intermediate Traditional Watercolor
This course builds upon the knowledge and skills of Beginning Watercolor. Using live botanical specimens, students apply basic drawing and watercolor skills to create detailed, realistic watercolor studies of individual plant structures such as stems, twigs, leaves, petals, flowers, pods, and fruit. Classes cover such topics as creating the illusion of depth and volume and portraying shape, color, and textural details accurately. Prerequisites: Beginning Watercolor, Intermediate Drawing

4/25/2020
1:00 PM to 5/30/2020 4:30 PM

Integrating Composition and Color Theory
In this class students learn the basics of color and the techniques for properly mixing pigments to match a specific color. Concepts of the color wheel and analogous/complementary colors are explored through instruction and numerous exercises. The three attributes of color – hue, value and intensity are also covered. This class was formerly known simply as Color Theory. It serves as a prerequisite for the Advanced Watercolor classes and for Intermediate and Advanced Colored Pencil. Prerequisites: Composition, Intermediate Watercolor

May

5/7/2020
1:00 PM to 6/18/2020 4:30 PM

Advanced Traditional Watercolor
This course builds upon Intermediate Traditional Watercolor. Students independently select a native plant of their choice and design and complete a watercolor painting displaying different aspects of that plant. Instructor is available for consultation and problem solving, as well as in-class critiques. Students prepare a written analysis of their work explaining their design choices and a report describing the botanical details of their selected plant. Prerequisites: Intermediate Traditional Watercolor, Integrating Composition and Color Theory.

5/19/2020
1:00 PM to 6/30/2020 4:30 PM

Advanced Drawing: Botanical Plates
In this course, students work towards refining drawing skills in creating a plant portrait. Specifics to this class include rendering a tonal botanical plate, working with live plants, studying plant anatomy, using microscopes, as well as mapping and cross-contour drawing for accuracy. Prerequisites: Intermediate Drawing, Composition.

June

6/3/2020
1:00 PM to 6/24/2020 4:30 PM

Beginning Colored Pencil
Colored pencil is a next step in advancing from drawing to painting, and introduces the full array of fine art pigments. This course is a hands-on introduction to commonly used materials and techniques such as layering, blending, burnishing and tonal gradation. Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing.

6/4/2020
1:00 PM to 6/25/2020 4:30 PM

Advanced Colored Pencil
This course builds on Beginning and Intermediate Colored Pencil techniques. Using a live plant and/or reference photographs of their choice, students will create a small series of colored pencil pieces of native North Carolina plant(s). Prerequisite: Intermediate Colored Pencil.

6/6/2020
9:30 AM to 6/20/2020 12:30 PM

Entomology
This nine hour course is designed for a broad audience. Most aspects of insect biology will be covered, with an emphasis on the adaptations that have made them the most diverse group of organisms. The variety of orders, families, and species will be reviewed, using examples found in the local area. Observational techniques will be demonstrated in a field trip to Mason Farm, and a tour of the Garden’s display areas will be used to discuss how to improve habitats for insects in our own backyards.