7/20/2019
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Coker Arboretum Tour
Take a tour of this gem on the UNC campus with Coker Arboretum curator Margo MacIntyre. We'll cover the unique history and composition of this wonderful garden as we explore early summer flowers.

7/29/2019
9:00 AM to 8/2/2019 3:00 PM

Junior Naturalists - Nature Explorers Summer Camp (ages 8-10)
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
Whether your child is interested in plants, bugs, or birds, this is the camp for kids who love nature! Campers spend the week honing their naturalist skills and developing an understanding of ecology by getting their hands dirty exploring the Garden’s woodlands and wetlands. Guest naturalists, art projects, and field trips will enrich our nature study and fun! Session has 16 campers. Fee: $285 ($256 Members)

8/3/2019
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

FREE First Saturday Tour: Insects on Parade
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
In summer, the empire of insects spreads. ~Adam Zagajewski Enjoy a walk with a Garden Guide and search for some of the many insects that call the Garden home. Learn some of their secrets and about the important roles they play an important role in our local landscape.

8/6/2019
1:00 PM to 8/27/2019 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.

8/8/2019
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LUNCHBOX Talk: Here There Be Dragons
Dragonflies and damselflies are a common sight along most bodies of water, a gorgeous sign of summer in North Carolina. Join Chris Goforth from the NC Museum of Natural Sciences to learn which dragonflies travel in front of storms, the crazy acrobatics required to reproduce, and the fantastic way that dragonfly nymphs live up to “dragon” in their name. Dragonflies and damselflies are truly unique animals, so come get to know a few local species and hear all about the amazing biology, behavior, and body parts that make these creatures so fascinating!

8/17/2019
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Coker Arboretum Tour
Take a tour of this gem on the UNC campus with Coker Arboretum curator Margo MacIntyre. We'll cover the unique history and composition of this wonderful garden as we explore early summer flowers.

8/24/2019
9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

iNaturalists in Action
Join us for this hands-on introduction to recording plant and wildlife observations with the iNaturalist mobile app and website (inaturalist.org). We’ll meet in the classroom for a brief overview of the application and a discussion of photographing flora and fauna for identification. We’ll then carpool to nearby Mason Farm Biological Reserve to make observations, and we’ll return to the classroom at the end to take a closer look at some of them. We'll provide suggestions for recording observations on your own and contributing observations to citizen science projects. To participate, you will need to bring a digital camera, smartphone, or tablet.

8/29/2019
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

LUNCHBOX Talk: Bites & SITES: Native Plants & Sustainable Landscape Practices in University Landscapes & Public Gardens
The North Carolina Botanical Garden is planning to utilize the Sustainable SITES® and the Living Building Challenge frameworks in the design and construction of the future Plant Biodiversity Research Center. Emily McCoy, a landscape architect formerly with Andropogon and currently with Design Workshop and an adjunct professor at NC State, has been a leader in the use of the Sustainable SITES® framework in design projects nationally. Bring your lunch and come hear how Emily uses conservation practices, including the use of native plants, in her design work in university and public garden settings to minimize ecosystem impacts of building and landscape projects. SITES® uses a multiple impact framework to benefit the environment, landowners, and local/regional communities and economies, and is the most comprehensive system for creating sustainable and resilient land development projects.

9/5/2019
1:00 PM to 11/7/2019 12:30 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. $150 ($135 Members)

9/7/2019
9:15 AM to 10/19/2019 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. $150 ($135 Members)

9/7/2019
10:00 AM to 9/14/2019 12:00 PM

Gardening for Wildlife
Are you interested in attracting more pollinators and wildlife into your garden? Gardening for wildlife can establish sustainable landscapes that promote life of all kinds. Lauri will share ways to provide essential habitat elements like food, water, cover, and places to raise young while also creating beautiful, colorful gardens that appeal to various aesthetic preferences. Learn how to make your garden a mini nature preserve for birds, butterflies, and other pollinators and wildlife.

9/8/2019
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Certificate Program Annual Celebration
Join us for a Celebration of the 2019 graduates of the Native Plant Studies and the Botanical Art & Illustration certificate programs! From 2:00 to 2:30, we will provide brief programmatic information and updates, providing a background to the programs for those who are visiting with graduates and for those considering registering for the certificate programs. We will then turn the focus to celebrating our graduates! We will hear from students and instructors of both programs about their journeys and experiences with the programs. After the program, we will adjourn to the Pegg Exhibit Hall and DeBerry Gallery for a reception honoring our graduates and the opening of the Botanical Art & Illustration student exhibit in the DeBerry Gallery. Native Plant Studies graduates will also share posters of their work.

9/14/2019
10:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Caterpillarology - FOR FAMILIES!
For ages 8 & up with accompanying adult. Fall is a great time to observe the larvae of butterflies and moths – the caterpillars! Meet live caterpillars, hear their fascinating stories, what they need to survive, and explore the garden for these mysterious insects and their plant partners. $10 ($9 Members) per child; no fee for accompanying adult

9/17/2019
1:00 PM to 10/8/2019 4:30 PM

Field Sketching
Take your sketchbook outdoors and reconnect with plants in their natural environment. In this course, students are encouraged to shed old habits and try new techniques as they travel to a variety of gardens and habitats. Through a combination of guided exercises and free experimentation, students discover new ways of seeing plants, new problem-solving skills, and a refreshing way of thinking about layout and color. Several media are used, from ballpoint pen to watercolor to pencil. No prerequisite. $150 ($135 Members)

9/21/2019
9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Native Southeastern Medicinal Plants
Explore the beauty of native southeastern medicinal plants through field identification. Using the expansive resources of the NCBG display gardens and the Piedmont Nature Trails behind the Garden, students take in the abundant medicine that our local flora has to offer. Topics include field identification, ethical gathering and harvesting, history and lore of each plant, therapeutic and medicinal uses as well as preparations. No prerequisites.

9/21/2019
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Nature Journaling in the Garden
Develop your nature journaling skills, whether you are just getting started, want to add visual notes to a written journal, or simply enjoy drawing what you see. Through guided exercises, we’ll practice perceptual and drawing skills to quickly establish a framework for a diagram, drawing, or description in your journal, then experiment with portable drawing and painting media. We’ll also look at strategies for organizing your journal for outdoor excursions. All skill levels are welcome! Come dressed to venture outside. Bring your favorite journal and tools or refer to the provided materials list. $36 ($32 Members)

9/28/2019
9:00 PM to 10:30 PM

Moth Night
Moths are among our most diverse, colorful, and ecologically important groups of organisms. Approximately 2,700 species occur in North Carolina, but most people only ever see just a few and are startled when they first see a Luna Moth or a Polyphemus Moth, never having suspected that there were such species flying around in the night. Moth Night shines a light on this amazing group of organisms. We'll use two common techniques to sample moth populations – blacklights and baiting – to take a look at the local fauna. Bring your cameras, with best results obtained using a flash.

10/5/2019
10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Field Trip: The Sandhills Gamelands
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
Ever wanted to see a pitcher plant in the wild? Now’s your chance! Come explore one of the finest examples of a longleaf pine ecosystem in North Carolina, home to rare and fascinating plant communities, with expert botanist Bruce Sorrie. We’ll discuss the role of fire (natural and managed) in maintaining the various plant communities in this 60,000 acre public reserve and how the species on the reserve have adapted to the ecosystem’s nutrient-poor soils and frequent disturbance. Transportation to the Sandhills is not included in the timing or in the trip fee. Field trip begins at 10:30 a.m. and ends between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. in Hoffman, NC (just outside the Game Land). Participants must get themselves to Hoffman (about 80 miles or 1.5 hours south of Chapel Hill).

10/6/2019
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Growing a Backyard Medicine Garden
Let’s explore beautiful native medicinal plants you can grow in your own backyard! Using the NCBG display gardens as our classroom, we will meet both shade-loving and sun-loving plants. We’ll learn about each plant’s growth patterns, nutrient needs and growing tips. Spatial and design considerations will be included. We’ll discuss each plant’s medicinal qualities and simple preparations you can make at home, and we’ll explore differences between cultivating plants at home and wildcrafting. $32 ($29 Members)

10/12/2019
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Graduation Preparation
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)

10/12/2019
1:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Native Seed Propagation
Intended for all levels, students learn seed propagation techniques for native perennials and woody plants. Topics include seed collection methods, post-collection handling, cleaning equipment and techniques, seed storage, seed sowing techniques, sowing media, cultural requirements of seedlings, and dormancy requirements. No prerequisites. $38 ($34 Members)

10/19/2019
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Botanical Contact Printing: Fabrics
Explore fabrics, thread, and natural dyes while learning about eco/botanical contact printing. We’ll cover vocabulary, techniques, flowers and foliage, wild color recipes and we’ll explore the process of extracting plant tannins and natural wild color to create beautiful permanent immersions from nature. This workshop includes hands-on activities and time in the Garden. You’ll take home two silk scarves, vintage printed fabric and a fabric sample book of different leaves, plants and pods. A great opportunity to learn a new surface design skill for creating gifts, quilt fabrics and more.

10/22/2019
1:00 PM to 11/12/2019 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. $150 ($135 Members).

10/26/2019
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Peak of Autumn at Penny's Bend
A two-mile hike through the fall landscape of this 84-acre natural area in northeast Durham. Surrounded on three sides by the Eno River, Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve encompasses mature forests and prairies with regionally rare plants. Explore the fall scenery as you learn about how the Garden manages this unique property. Much of this hike is on primitive trails over uneven terrain, with one short, steep climb up from the river. Wear sturdy hiking footwear and bring a walking stick, insect repellant and water. Meeting spot supplied upon registration. $15 ($13 Members)

10/27/2019
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Nature Walk: Saxapahaw Island Park and the Haw River
Come explore Saxapahaw Island Park, one of the newest Alamance County Parks along the Haw River Trail and Mountains-to-Sea Trail . We will explore the trails in the 30-acre Park, find fall-blooming wildflowers, and identify the trees which grow on this sandy oasis in the Haw River. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Children are welcome, but please leave pets at home.

11/3/2019
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM

Annual Jenny Elder Fitch Memorial Lecture: A New Garden Ethic
In a time of mass extinction and climate change, how and for whom we garden matters more than ever. Our built landscapes reflect social ethics and values that guide our response to reviving wildness in and outside the urban environment. How can we recognize and develop compassion for other species? What roll do native plants have in opening us to the perspectives of others? What happens to our society when we advocate for the equality and freedom of a silent majority? Through ecology, psychology, landscape design, horticulture, philosophy, and social science, we’ll explore the rich complexity of rethinking pretty and what a garden means in the anthropocene.

11/12/2019
6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Full Moon Nature Walk at Mason Farm
Join a Garden educator for a moonlit stroll at Mason Farm Biological Reserve. We’ll walk along a flat 2-mile loop, making several stops along the way to watch the moon rise and learn about the natural world after dark. Dress warmly, wear good walking shoes, and bring water and a flashlight. You may wish to bring binoculars. This event is appropriate for adults and older children. No children under 10, please. No pets. $10 ($9 Members)

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

Nature Walk: Fall Colors at Horton Grove Nature Preserve
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.

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

Winter Vegetative Propagation
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)

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

Winter Flora
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!

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.

2/27/2020
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.

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

Hike: Spring Ephemerals on the Piedmont Nature Trails
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.

3/26/2020
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.