Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration
The Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration provides comprehensive courses to people who wish to improve their skills in drawing and painting plants in an accurate and technically detailed manner. Studies leading to the certificate will enhance the experience of both the professional and the dedicated amateur artist. The program is designed to give students a well-balanced curriculum combining basic scientific background, visual arts theory, and practical experience using various media.

Keep the Animals Out of Your Garden - Virtual On Demand
Mammal browse is one of the biggest challenges that gardeners face. And we all have critters that we are sharing our gardens with, including deer, rabbits, groundhogs, even cats and dogs! The reality is, our gardens are delicious- they are fertilized, irrigated and full of tasty exotic plants, so of course the local wildlife will take delight in eating our hard work. In this fun webinar, author, and horticulturist Brie Arthur, will explain her approach to dealing with unwanted animals. She will cover it all, including a few things that you should NOT do! From the best repellents and inexpensive fencing solutions to using a few favorite veggies to help deter problem animals, attendees will learn easy-to-apply strategies. Brie aims to make you laugh and answer all your questions in this interactive virtual session.

Botanical Art Fundamentals: An Online Program
The Botanical Art Fundamentals Program is designed to give students a foundational level curriculum combining basic scientific background, visual arts theory, and a basic level of experience using various media. Classes are taught by North Carolina art professionals and botany professionals. The program can be completed 100% in the virtual format, although individuals may also choose to take courses in-person as well. Course offerings and scheduling are designed for completion within a one and one half to two-year period.

12/7/2022
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Winter Walk on UNC's Campus
Winter is a great time to enjoy the shrubs and trees of the university campus. This walk will meander through the older parts of UNC and will highlight mature specimens of broad-leaf evergreens, conifers, unusuals, and a few originals. Special mention will be made of the many storied hollies and cultivars along the way. Geoffrey Neal will trace the footsteps of NCBG Assistant Director (retired) Ken Moore and NCBG Foundation founding member William L. Hunt. As we pass through McCorkle Place, Polk Place and the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery, we will find the many plants introduced by W.C. Coker, first UNC Professor of Botany and steward of the Coker Arboretum for over 40 years.

12/10/2022
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Introduction to Mushrooms
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
This course is intended for a broad audience as an introduction to mushrooms, including their identification, ecology and cultivation. Session includes classroom discussion on the basic taxonomy of fleshy fungi and a foray to a nearby forest. Price includes supply fee, which covers materials for mushroom cultivation bags that participants will be able to take home. No prerequisites.

12/15/2022
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Hybrid Lunchbox Talk: Protect Our Pollinators! Become a Community Scientist with Budburst
Join staff from the North Carolina Botanical Garden to learn about Budburst, a national community science project that brings together researchers and the public to answer critical questions about how plants and pollinators are responding to a changing climate. Learn how you can contribute to the effort by making simple plant observations, as well as how the Garden is partnering with local community organizations to expand the reach of this project locally. With Budburst, you can experience the magic of nature, while contributing to the fight to save it.

1/14/2023
1:30 PM to 3/4/2023 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!

1/25/2023
1:30 PM to 2/15/2023 3:30 PM

Bluets: Preschoolers Exploring Nature - Winter Series
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: $96 ($86 Members)

1/27/2023
9:30 AM to 2/10/2023 12:30 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 students enrolled in either of the NCBG public certificate programs. 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.

2/5/2023
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Crafting Botanicals with Paper: Carolina Lily
This workshop will feature North Carolina’s state wildflower, Lilium michauxii Carolina Lily, as a hands-on introduction to making paper botanicals. In the process of making several Carolina Lily blooms, participants will learn how specific components (e.g., the reproductive system, the leaves, etc.) can be rendered in paper to make a realistic replica of this beloved flower. Materials and tools will be provided.

2/9/2023
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Hybrid Lunchbox Talk: Increasing Seeds for Conservation Needs
There’s a problem in natural resource conservation: a lack of plant material (seed and vegetative plugs). But not just any type of plant material; there is a lack of genetically diverse, locally sourced plant material. In this talk we’ll learn about the importance of using local material, what is involved in plant materials development (wild collections, propagation, seed increase, seed storage) and what the North Carolina Botanical Garden is currently doing to address the demand.

3/1/2023
6:00 PM to 3/18/2023 10:00 AM

An Introduction to Birds and Birding
Join instructors from the New Hope Audubon Society for an introductory course in bird identification, classification, physiology, behavior, and more. This hybrid course is aimed at bird watchers of all skill levels. Whether you're not sure if that bird at your feeder is a chickadee or a nuthatch or whether you know how to tell ruby-crowned from golden-crowned kinglets, this class will have something for you. We will meet for a two and a half-hour Zoom session as a group on Wednesday, March 1, then split into small groups for a trip to Mason Farm Biological Reserve.

3/11/2023
8:30 AM to 3:00 PM

Art and Yoga Retreat - The Heart of Hope: Wisdom from the Garden
Participants will explore how we can embody the meaning of HOPE in our mind, body, and heart with the beautiful backdrop of the North Carolina Botanical Garden. Through the integration of mindfulness practices of gentle yoga, meditation and creative journaling practices, participants will have the opportunity to express themselves to foster community, resilience, and hopeful intention.

3/12/2023
1:30 PM to 3/26/2023 4:30 PM

Plant Ecology
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
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 will learn about nutrient and energy cycling within ecosystems, as well as about current threats and trends for the conservation of ecosystems. No prerequisites.

4/1/2023
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Penny's Bend: A Half Day Field Trip
Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve is an 84-acre site that protects numerous rare plant species. It is surrounded on three sides by the Eno River in eastern Durham County, North Carolina. This half day field trip will include a visit to distinct plant communities including a remnant Piedmont prairie, rich mesic and alluvial forests, and dry shortleaf pine-dominated bluffs. Rare species found on the Preserve include the smooth purple coneflower (Echinacea laevigata), eastern prairie blue wild indigo (Baptisia minor var. aberrans), hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens), and Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria). 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 insect repellent, water, and a walking stick, if you ever use one.

4/22/2023
1:30 PM to 5/13/2023 4:00 PM

Intermediate Drawing - Hybrid
In this class, students continue their journey to learn the skills needed to produce accurate tonal graphite botanical drawings from life. Covered topics include: more methods to increase accuracy, transitioning to tonal drawing, light on form fundamentals, realistic textures, and rendering fine plant details. Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing.

6/3/2023
1:30 PM to 6/24/2023 4:00 PM

Advanced Drawing: Botanical Plates - Hybrid
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, as well as mapping and cross-contour drawing for accuracy. Prerequisites: Intermediate Drawing, Composition.