Grow With Us September/October

Grow with us

EVENTS, CLASSES, PROGRAMS, & MORE

Mark Your Calendars for NIGHT LIGHTS 2023!

NOVEMBER 24 – DECEMBER 31

Celebrate the season with enchanting landscapes, fun experiences, and thousands of lights. Enjoy s’mores, seasonal drinks, a model train, and fun photo opportunities while creating memories for the whole family.

Members get early access to NIGHT LIGHTS tickets and a 25% discount! Member tickets are available to purchase online on October 16 and public tickets on October 30. Visit nebg.org/nightlights for more information.

Leaps & Bounds

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO BUILD A WORLD CLASS PUBLIC GARDEN. With your support, we’ve been growing by leaps and bounds, demonstrating that organizations like ours play an invaluable role in the community.

Last spring, more than 4,000 students and chaperones visited the Garden as part of 85 different field trips—a Garden record. During these visits, students explored our varied garden spaces, learning about habitats and the vital role plants play in our ecosystems. They made meaningful connections with nature and, just as importantly, with each other.

Over the summer, we expanded our Planters for People program, installing 35 large, vibrant planters along Worcester streets lacking tree wells. This

project beautifies neighborhoods and forges important connections between the Garden, local community-based organizations, businesses, and residents. Meanwhile, our Get a Tree, Plant a Tree program secured another $100,000 in state funding meaning this fall and next spring we will continue building Worcester’s urban tree canopy by planting another 200 trees in environmental justice neighborhoods where their long-term benefits are needed most.

CONTENTS

2

Growing Neighborhood Favorites

Vegetable Garden supports access to fresh, healthy foods with produce people are getting excited about.

4

Climate Garden Opens

The vision for our newest garden space is coming to life. From plantings to purpose, learn what makes this hands-on, youth oriented garden so special.

6

Classes & Programs

As our mission expands, our Garden map grows, too. As you’ll learn about in this issue of Grow With Us, just this summer we opened another new garden space. Located off Pliny’s Allée, the Climate Garden invites people of all ages, but youth in particular, to learn about sustainable gardening techniques that can help us all adapt to climate change and build a more resilient future.

For all the ways you’ve supported us in our efforts to create experiences with plants that inspire people and improve the world, thank you. We couldn’t do this important work without you. We hope to see you at the Garden this season. Autumn is one of the most magical times of the year and we look forward to welcoming you on your next visit!

With gratitude,

Explore your creativity or learn a new gardening skill through classes or programs for adults, families, and kids. There is something fun for everyone!

8 Special Learning Opportunities

Check out upcoming workshops for current or aspiring horticulture and landscape professionals.

11

Upcoming Plant Shows

Don't miss stunning dahlias, captivating carnivorous plants, artful ikebana displays, and more.

14 Pride

Celebration

Join us for an evening of lively festivities in celebration of our LGBTQ+ community.

16

Myths, Magic, & Monsters

Journey into a realm of legend and lore in an exhibit that will leave the whole family spellbound.

Grace C. Elton chief executive officer new england botanic garden at tower hill

With your support, we’ve been growing by leaps and bounds, demonstrating that organizations like ours play an invaluable role in the community.

GROWING NEIGHBORHOOD FAVORITES

AT 1.2 MILLION ON THE SCOVILLE SCALE, THE WRINKLY, CRIMSON-COLORED ‘ARMAGEDDON’ PEPPER RANKS AS ONE OF THE HOTTEST IN THE WORLD. That makes it, without a doubt, also one of the hottest peppers ever grown in the Vegetable Garden at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. One of the oldest garden spaces onsite, the Vegetable Garden highlights unique, often heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown in beautiful combinations. While the fiery ‘Armageddon’ was a bit of a novelty experiment this year, several other hot peppers were planted with a purpose: to grow food that the Garden’s valued community partners would be excited about.

New England Botanic Garden donates almost all of the Vegetable Garden’s produce to the South Worcester Neighborhood Center, a nonprofit organization that provides a food pantry to individuals and families living in Worcester’s Main South neighborhood. Residents who use this resource come from diverse cultural backgrounds. “One big goal of the Vegetable Garden is to help to expand access to fresh, healthy foods,” says Dawn Davies, New England Botanic Garden’s Formal Gardens Manager. Dawn has overseen the Vegetable Garden for over 20 years.

New England Botanic Garden donated more than a thousand pounds of produce to the South Worcester Neighborhood Center in 2022. Over the course of last year’s regular drop-offs, Dawn began to learn about the specific types of foods people would most like to find at the pantry. Tomatoes, they said. Along with eggplant, squashes, and, of course, hot peppers, especially varieties of these vegetables commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking. Often, these produce options are either hard to find in supermarkets or too expensive when available at all.

Inspired by the South Worcester Neighborhood Center feedback, Dawn incorporated into this year’s Vegetable Garden design nine different varieties of eggplant, roughly 20 different tomatoes, 10 varieties of sweet peppers, and 15 varieties of hot peppers, as well as radishes, mustards, and rice.

“It’s great to see people get excited about the foods we drop off,” Dawn says. “And if a fruit or vegetable is meaningful to someone and they request it, I like to do my best to find it and grow it.”

“One big goal of the Vegetable Garden is to help to expand access to fresh, healthy foods.”

dawn davies , new england botanic garden ’ s formal gardens manager

What makes a garden a Climate Garden?

When members of New England Botanic Garden’s horticulture and education teams got together to envision the purpose of their newest collaborative venture, the Climate Garden, a pollinator on the wall would have been pleased. The group imagined a hands-on, interactive learning space where visitors, especially young people, might find inspiration to do their part in tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time: climate change.

Agricultural activities, combined with the deforestation associated with them, rank as the third leading source of global greenhouse gas emissions.1 But how we grow our food doesn’t need to contribute so significantly to climate change. In fact, what we grow can help draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Moreover, how we grow it can restore healthy soils, support biodiversity, and build a more sustainable food system.

Take intercropping. This method of planting companionable crops in close proximity saves space, reduces weeds naturally, and produces strong crop yields. Planting cover crops such as legumes, grains, and brassicas protects and enriches soil, prevents erosion, and supports a healthy soil microbiome. Growing woody perennials like blueberries produces a valuable crop while sequestering carbon in the plant’s leaves, stems, and roots. Meanwhile, native plants incorporated into any garden or agriculture system provide essential food and habitat for beneficial insects.

The Climate Garden opened on June 1, 2023, and in time, it aims to demonstrate these agricultural techniques and more. Spanning roughly 20,000 square feet, the Climate Garden features 26 long, rectangular garden beds, accessible crushed stone pathways, and a designated gathering area for community groups, school groups, and others to use. As this special garden and its plant collection grows and matures, the team looks forward to engaging the community, especially youth, through hands-on classes and programs.

As months of planning have proven, many different factors, plants, and planting techniques can make a climate garden, but empowering youth to grow their own food and become environmental stewards is most vital. Today’s youth will face the harshest impacts of climate change but given the tools and knowledge, they can also become the most powerful advocates for a more sustainable future.

1 https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data

“Plants that nourish us...that nourish the planet...that nourish wildlife!”

Open seven days a week for lunch, the Farmer and the Fork Café will offer a variety of items prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients including salad greens grown in their hydroponic Freight Farm.

Legacy Gifts

A Letter from Donor

Sylvia Vander Sluis

I started building my own gardens at the same time Tower Hill Botanic Garden was created. As a businessperson, artist, outdoor lover, and gardener, this botanical center has impressed me on many levels. Since the late ‘80s, when I bought an unfinished house in Lancaster, I have drawn inspiration and delight walking its paths. As new gardens were added and existing ones evolved, I could always find intriguing textures, colors, and shapes that I wanted to photograph, remember for my own place, or just enjoy in the moment.

The Garden became a place of relaxation and sensory stimulation that I enjoyed returning to again and again. The Vegetable Garden became one of my favorites, with its reliable riot of color and yearly change of theme.

American Craft Fair

In collaboration with The Worcester Center for Crafts

October 21 10 am –5 pm

October 22 10 am –4 pm

Mark your calendar

It seemed natural for me to start leading garden tours, supporting special events, and sharing my enthusiasm with others. Warm and knowledgeable, the horticulture director at the time and whom I knew, Joann Vieira, always treated me as a friend –I often saw her out in her golf cart on the trails.

Over these 30+ years, as the master plan has evolved, the Garden’s skill in planning, fundraising, and executing on its vision has continually impressed me. I decided to leave a portion of my estate to this organization. From my perspective, the Garden honors its legacy, while also innovating and expanding its reach to ever-broader audiences to remain relevant in its time. It is a worthy institution to invest in!

Classes & Programs

PROGRAM REGISTRATION

For the most up-to-date information about our programs, or to register, please visit the calendar section of our website. If you have questions about our programs, or if you need assistance with registration, please contact our Registrar at registrar@nebg.org or 508.869.6111 x174

ADULT PROGRAMS

Online Learning

Egg-cellent Desserts LAURA ZIMAN

In this session we will prepare three fantastic, classic, and crowd-pleasing egg-based desserts: Creme Caramel, Bread Pudding, and Floating Island. Each project will give you the opportunity to practice different skills, and we will look at some interesting variations that can be used to make each dish unique.

Sunday, September 10, 1–2:30pm

$20 M; $30 NM

Marvelous Meatballs LAURA ZIMAN

Meatballs – or non-meatballs – can be made with anything and are enjoyed by people everywhere. During this session we will make chicken or turkey meatballs with unexpected flavors; beef or lamb meatballs seasoned with international flavors and simmered in a tomato-based sauce; and finally, a vegetarian ball that any carnivore would enjoy!

Saturday, October 21, 4–5:30pm

$20 M; $30 NM

Wellness

Yoga in the Garden MANDI GARRISON

Enjoy gentle-to-moderate flow yoga in a class for all levels. Classes are held outdoors (weather permitting).

Tuesdays, 6–7:15pm and Thursdays, 10:30–11:45am

PER CLASS: $15 M; $22 NM

Tuesday Chair Yoga REBECCA REBER

Using a chair as a prop, come and have fun while enjoying the benefits of movement in this gentle yoga class. Classes are held indoors.

Tuesdays, September 5–26, 11:30am –12:30pm

$50 M; $65 NM I 4-WEEK SESSION

Tuesdays, October 3–31, 11:30am –12:30pm

$60 M; $75 NM I 5-WEEK SESSION

Relaxing Yoga Flow EMMA BARTOLINI

Start your Friday morning with a mindful yoga flow. Our practice will incorporate synchronization of breath and mindful movement while we explore postures to build strength, balance, and stability, and find peace within our morning. Classes are held outdoors (weather permitting).

Fridays, 9:30–10:30am (No class October 13 & 20)

PER CLASS: $13 M; $20 NM

Friday Chair Yoga EMMA BARTOLINI

Join us for Friday chair yoga! This fully supported practice is a wonderful opportunity to explore the benefits of yoga in a different way. This class is great for seniors, professionals seeking relief from a desk job, people recovering from injury, or those with limited mobility.

Fridays, 11am –12pm (No class October 13 & 20)

$13 M; $20 NM

Qigong & Tai Chi Movement ROSE HORWITZ

Breathe deeply and practice gentle fluid movements mindfully to reduce stress and improve strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, range of motion, and stamina.

Wednesdays, September 6–27, 10:15–11:30am

$80 M; $95 NM I 4-WEEK SESSION

Wednesdays, October 4–25, 10:15–11:30am

$80 M; $95 NM I 4-WEEK SESSION

Reiki Level I and II MICHELLE GOODWINE

Reiki activates the natural healing processes of a person’s body and restores physical and emotional well-being. Learn more about this practice and experience its effects both as a practitioner and a participant. The Level I class is open to all and will provide an introduction to Reiki, including its origins and principles, while the Level II class will give students who have already taken Level I a chance to expand their knowledge.

Saturday, September 9, 9am–12pm (Level I)

Sunday, September 10, 9am–12pm (Level II)

$135 M; $150 NM

Fall Equinox Yoga Mini-Retreat

MANDI GARRISON

Immerse yourself in this mini yoga retreat. The retreat will include time with your yoga practice, a lecture, journaling, meditation, and guided relaxation.

Saturday, September 16, 9:30am–12:30pm

$40 M; $55 NM

Forest Bathing NADINE

MAZZOLA

Relax and refresh through mindfulness practices and sensory awareness while experiencing the beauty of nature.

Sunday, September 17, 9am –12pm

Sunday, October 29, 9am –12pm

$30 M; $40 NM

Yoga Renewal LINDA

SNAY

Renew body, mind, and spirit with this revitalizing yoga mini retreat. Participants will experience the balancing effects of both strong and gentle yoga practices. Whether you are brand new to yoga or a seasoned student, this two-hour workshop will cover the many facets of the yoga practice that meet you where you are and encourage you to come back again and again.

Saturday, September 23, 9–11am

Saturday, October 28, 9–11am

$30 M; $45NM

Relaxing Yoga for the Fall Equinox

EMMA BARTOLINI

Come join us for a relaxing one-hour Saturday morning yoga flow to celebrate the fall equinox. We’ll draw inspiration from nature’s cycle to find ease and release and enjoy the practice of letting go. Our practice will include a mindful flow, relaxing breathwork, and a guided meditation through our savasana.

Saturday, September 30, 9–10am

$13 M; $20 NM

Restorative Yoga and Meditation

LISA MOORE

Restorative yoga is a slow-paced style of yoga that encourages physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. This class will focus on long holds, stillness, and deep breathing, and close with meditation practice. Classes are held outdoors (weather permitting).

Sunday, October 1, 9:30am–10:45pm

$13 M; $20 NM

Grounding Yoga Flow

EMMA BARTOLINI

Feel centered, strong, and solid with grounding postures that allow a deeper-rooted connection in body and mind. Our 60-minute practice will include a mindful flow, relaxing breathwork, and a guided meditation through savasana.

Saturday, October 14, 9–10am

$13 M; $20 NM

THEATRE AT THE GARDEN

Everyone has the ability to create art and to explore their ideas in a new and alternative way. Theatre can relieve stress, teach concepts, help you communicate, encourage you to express ideas, and more. Join Meredith Charles, creative director and owner of Drama Out of the Box, for two workshops that will use theatrical methods and tools to reshape how you approach learning and life.

Mindfulness Through Theatre

Saturday, September 16 / 9:30–11:30am

Mindfulness is something many people aspire to, and theatre can help us get there. Through drama and improvisation techniques, we will practice letting outside influences and worries fall away as we work to connect with ourselves and each other on a deeper, more immediate level. We will work and play in the moment, and participants will leave with some concrete tools they can apply outside of the workshop to help them practice mindfulness in their daily lives.

$60 M; $75 NM

Improv at the Garden

Saturday, October 28 / 10:30am–12:30pm Did you know that improvisation isn’t just for entertainment? In this workshop, participants will learn and practice improvisation activities and techniques that will help to improve expressive language skills as well as promote faster thinking and decrease stress. Research has shown that learning improv can help “retrain” the brain to actively listen, communicate more effectively, be more open to ideas, and work collaboratively. Plus, because improv is a lot of fun, it is a great stress reliever as well.

$60 M; $75 NM

Cacao at the Garden RACHEL GOLDBERG

Join us for a special program that will highlight the ceremonial aspects of cacao. During this program, you will participate in guided meditation and reflection, sample ceremonial cacao, and learn more about its spiritual and scientific properties.

Saturday, October 14, 10:30am–12:30pm

$45 M; $60 NM

Nature Mandalas: Family Circles BETH ADOETTE

This circle workshop is all about acknowledging and honoring the many people who make up “family” in our lives, either through blood, love, or kindred spirit. Create a personal work of art that celebrates the people in your life using beautiful nature objects that capture their individual spirits and together complete a beautiful whole.

Sunday, October 29, 1–3:30pm

$50 M; $65 NM

Visual Arts

Hand Embroidery: Fall Leaves LIZ IVES

Learn the basics of hand embroidery, with a focus on fall leaves to brighten your home. Open to beginners as well as experienced embroiderers!

Sunday, September 3, 10:30am –1:30pm

$70 M; $85 NM

Botanic Prints with Gelli Plates LINDA SNAY

Create beautiful, original monotype artwork with the Gelli plate printing method. Learn simple techniques to create beautiful nature prints without a press. Participants will use flowers, leaves, and other natural elements to make unique impressions and explore additional techniques such as layering, stenciling, and masking. The possibilities are endless with this fun and simple printmaking method.

Friday, September 8, 10:30am –1pm

$50 M; $65 NM

LANDSCAPE WORKSHOPS

Join us for two upcoming workshops designed for current and aspiring landscape and horticulture professionals. For more information, including a full schedule of events, speaker biographies, registration fees, and information about continuing education credits, please visit www.nebg.org.

Ecology-based Landscape Practice in New England

Thursday, September 28 and Friday, September 29, 9am–4:30pm each day

This two-day event will explore real world applications of ecology-based landscape design and management principles with particular emphasis on New England landscapes. The first day of the program will feature classroom lectures co-taught by three experts in this field: Ted Elliman, Uli Lorimer, and Larry Weaner. On day two, they will be joined by the Garden’s Director of Horticulture, Mark Richardson, for outdoor field studies that will provide the tools to recognize the conditions that determine the absence or abundance of native or exotic species and apply that understanding to enhance the landscapes we plant and manage.

Co-sponsored by New Directions in the American Landscape

Season’s End Summit: Disturbance on the Landscape

Thursday, October 26, 8:30am–4:30pm

This annual conference invites professionals to learn from experts, leaders, and each other. Attend Season’s End in person and get the value of visiting the Garden and its acres of varied landscapes, or attend virtually from anywhere in the country to enjoy presentations from experienced professionals. As always, this event promises to be engaging, energetic, and enlivening!

Co-sponsored by the Ecological Landscape Alliance

Needle Felted Fairy Houses MERRY BENINATO

The fairies are back – at least for an afternoon! Create a three-dimensional wool sculpture of a fairy house, complete with tiny windows, flowers, beneficial bugs, and a curl of smoke drifting from a wee crooked chimney. Students will start with a basic shape of core wool and add layers of colorful wool by hand with a felting needle, according to their own tastes. The finished creation can serve as decor, or a useful pincushion.

Saturday, September 9, 1–3:30pm

$60 M; $75 NM

EcoArt NIKKI HOWLAND

This class explores sculptural creation using found objects. Whether the objects chosen are from nature or not, we will focus on how art can help form positive ecological perspectives. We will briefly cover the key principles of design and how to apply them to one’s own work.

Saturday, September 9, 1–3:30pm

(Rain date: Sunday, September 10)

$60 M; $75 NM

Natural Dyeing LIZ IVES

Learn the basics of natural dyeing, techiques that provided the colors people wore for thousands of years. Each session will focus on different natural dyes and colors, all from a variety of sources. Participants will dye samples of linen, cotton, wool, and silk in each of the dye pots and will leave with at least one silk scarf that they have dyed themselves.

INvaSIvE COmmON rEEd TOpS

Sunday, September 10, 10:30am –2:30pm

rEd, bluE, aNd purplE

Sunday, October 29, 10:30am –2:30pm

$60 M; $75 NM

Decoupage Delights: Transforming Glass Bottles with Floral Napkins

BINDIYA JAIN

Discover the secrets of decoupage as we transform ordinary wine bottles into stunning pieces of art using delicate flower napkins. Unleash your creativity and take home a unique masterpiece that will add elegance to any space.

Friday, September 15, 1:30–3pm

Saturday, October 28, 9:30-11am

$45 M; $60 NM

Macro Photography STEVE MCGRATH

Spring, summer, winter, or fall, macro photography opens the door to a wonderful new world of photo opportunities. The close-up world is a magical place full of pattern, color, and abstract imagery. Flowers become abstract works of art, stones appear as polished gems, and butterflies transform into sci-fi monsters! This course will show you ways to use your existing camera gear to create spectacular macro photographs.

Spiral Hand-Tied Bouquets MARY BETH HAYES

Discover two different ways to make a spiral, hand-tied bouquet using beautiful locally-grown seasonal flowers, unique foliage, and textural elements. The workshop will also demonstrate how to wrap the bouquet and provide a temporary water source.

Sunday, September 17, 1–2:30pm

$90 M; $115 NM

Introduction to Sogestsu Ikebana KAYE VOSBURGH

This course introduces Japanese flower arranging and gives students experience making arrangements in low containers (moribana) using a pin holder (kenzan).

Thursday, September 21, 9:30am –12pm

Thursday, October 19, 9:30am –12pm

$35 M; $45 NM

En Plein Air Painting JILL POTTLE

Painting outside in the landscape is a rich experience. Not only are you responding to the natural light, but also the atmosphere of the day and a moment in time. Come and paint in glorious gardens of or the deep woods that surrounds the formal gardens. Learn how to simplify, design, and compose while getting down the information quickly before the light changes.

Fridays, September 22 – October 13, 1:45–4:45pm

$125 M; $150 NM I 4-WEEK SESSION

Introduction to Zentangle KAREN KEEFE

Zentangle is an easy-to-learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns, many of them inspired by nature. This hands-on class introduces you to basic Zentangle principles and methodology.

Sunday, September 24, 1–4:30pm

$45 M; $60 NM

Needle Felted Pumpkins LISA MAGNUSON

Needle felting is a fun and easy craft that involves sculpting wool into different shapes and artistic designs using special barbed needles. Experience the art of needle felting and make an adorable fall pumpkin.

Sunday, September 24, 9:30am –12pm

$70 M; $85 NM

Garden Inspired Mixed Media LINDA SNAY

Explore watercolor and mixed media to make vibrant, exciting artwork that captures the beauty of nature. Using inspiration from the natural elements, colors, and shapes in the gardens, participants will make quick sketches and notes in sketchbooks. Back in the studio, create original artwork using watercolor, colored pencils, pen, ink, even embroidery.

Friday, September 29, 10:30am –3pm

$65 M; $80 NM

Sunday, September 17, 10am –1pm

$60 M; $75 NM

Fall Harvest Flower Arrangements

DEBORAH KRAUSE

The harvest season is a wonderful time to enjoy special seasonal flowers, distinctive seed pods, soft grasses, and fragrances of herbs. Experience the therapeutic benefits of horticulture while creating a floral arrangement including beautiful cut flowers with shades of autumn colors and foliage with amazing textures and herbs.

Saturday, September 30, 10:30am –12:30pm

Sunday, October 1, 1–3pm

$80 M; $95 NM

Experiments with Watercolors

VICTORIA CHAPMAN

Experiment with watercolors and see what they do! Participants will explore how watercolors work and feel using a variety of brushes and different quantities of water. See how watercolors can mix with other materials, such as salt and ink. At the end, try painting your own picture from life or imagination.

Saturday, September 30, 1–3pm

$55 M; $70 NM

Neurographic Sketching NIKKI

HOWLAND

Tap into your subconscious and relax your mind! This course will focus on the basic techniques and the meditative qualities of neurographic art. You will leave the session with a contemplative way to create something unique and beautiful that leaves you feeling calm and thoughtful.

Saturday, October 28, 1–3pm

$40 M; $55 NM

Everlasting Arrangement in Antique Garden Container

DEBORAH KRAUSE

Experience the therapeutic benefits of horticulture while creating an everlasting arrangement with natural dried floral materials including colorful roses, fragrant lavender, eucalyptus, yarrow, feathery grasses, statice, lotus pods, and woodland moss.

Saturday, October 14, 1–3pm

$80 M; $95 NM

Landscape Photography STEVE MCGRATH

Want to use your smart phone or digital camera to take better landscape photographs? In this class you will learn how to use natural light and find the best composition, while building an understanding of the ways different focal length lenses behave and explore using depth of field and filters.

Sunday, October 1, 10am –2pm

$60 M; $75 NM

Smartphone Photography STEVE MCGRATH

This class is dedicated to helping you with understanding how to use your smartphone for photography, how to take a create great images on your phone, what editing apps to use, and how to share and print your images.

Sunday, October 29, 10am –1pm

$60 M; $75 NM

Gardening & Horticulture

The Growth of Trees MICHAEL WOJTECH

Discover how trees grow, reproduce, and interact with their environment across days, weeks, seasons, and years. Build your understanding of trees from the intricate details of buds, flowers, leaves, and bark used for species identification to the collaborative roles of trees in ecosystems.

Saturday, September 9, 9am –12pm

$40 M; $55 NM

Work in the Fall Garden REED PUGH

This workshop will provide homeowners with proper practices for putting their gardens to bed for the winter. Topics include mulching, leaf management, fertilization, transplanting and division, soil management, pest and disease management, protection, and cutting back plants.

Saturday, September 9, 10:30am –12pm

$30 M; $45 NM

Winterizing Your Roses TERESA MOSHER

Roses are a classic plant that can brighten up any garden or home. Discover tips for choosing hardy roses, fertilizing, rose dormancy, fall rose care, and winter protection.

Saturday, September 9, 1–2:30pm

Saturday, September 23, 1–2:30pm

$45 M; $60 NM

Plant Propagation for the Home Gardener

REED PUGH

This workshop will show you how to propagate both annuals and perennials in your garden over the winter with minimal cost. You will learn about the tools, techniques and equipment needed to bring your gardening in for the winter, including seed propagation in late winter.

Sunday, September 10, 10:30 am –12pm

$35 M; $50 NM

Bog Building Workshop DAVE SACKETT

Build your own mini bog! Members of the New England Carnivorous Plant Society (NECPS) will guide you through how to plant and maintain a beautiful mini bog full of carnivorous plants to take home with you and coach you on how to keep them happy. You will also learn about carnivorous plant dormancy and different options to wake these plants back up in the spring.

Saturday, September 30, 11am –12pm

Sunday, October 1, 11am –12pm and 2–3pm

$60 M; $75 NM

PLANT SHOWS

Fall Tree Identification Walk ALEX KLEIN

As trees lose their green chlorophyll in the fall, we get to see the colors they have been hiding underneath all summer. Often, we can differentiate species of trees by their fall foliage, or spot interloping vines that have otherwise disguised themselves in the canopy all year. Join us for one last glorious walk amongst the trees this season as the leaves bid us farewell.

Saturday, October 28, 1–3pm

$30 M; $45 NM

Beginner

Houseplants

101: Picking,

Potting and Particulars MOLLY WILLIAMS

Learn the houseplant basics! This class is based around a trio of popular houseplants: pothos, succulents, and air plants. During this workshop we will talk about choosing healthy plants and learn how to pot them – and how to take care of them once you get them home. Come ready to get your hands dirty!

Saturday, October 28, 1–2:30pm

$70 M; $85 NM

Coordinated in partnership with the region’s plant societies, plant shows feature dazzling displays, rare and unusual plants for sale, and opportunities to learn tips from expert growers through lectures and demonstrations. Discover more at nebg.org/shows

INCLUDED WITH ADMISSION.

Buxton Branch of the American Begonia Society and the New England Chapter of the Gesneriad Society Show & Sale

Saturday, September 16, 10am–5pm

Sunday, September 17, 10am–4pm

New England Dahlia Society Show & Sale

Saturday, September 23, 2–5pm

Sunday, September 24, 10am–3pm

New England Carnivorous Plant Society Show & Sale

Saturday, September 30, 10am–5pm

Sunday, October 1, 10am–4pm

Boston Chapter of Ikebana International Show & Sale

Friday, October 13, 12–5pm

Saturday, October 14, 10am–5pm

Sunday, October 15, 10am–4pm

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Family Fun

Garden Buds | AGES 3–5

Join us for circle time, a story, a take-home craft packet, and a guided garden adventure.

Thursdays, 10:30–11:30am

M: $8 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $15 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Fantastic Fungi | AGES 6–12

Join us for a magical mushroom hunt as we uncover fascinating facts about fungus.

Saturday, September 10, 2–3pm

M: $9 CHILD, $6 ADULT; NM: $16 CHILD, $24 ADULT

Family Bog Building Workshop | AGES 8–16

Learn about the amazing world of carnivorous plants and create a mini bog with live plants.

Saturday, September 30, 2–3pm

M: $20 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $28 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Tots & Toddlers Yoga | AGES 1.5–3

Just for littles with their adults! Join us to move, stretch, breathe, and practice yoga together.

Tuesday, September 12, 10:30–11am

Tuesday, October 17, 10:30–11am

M: $8 CHILD, $8 ADULT; NM: $10 CHILD, $20 ADULT

Myths & Magic Hike | AGES 3–8

Embark on a garden adventure and learn about our resident magical and mythical creatures.

Saturday, September 23, 2–3pm

Sunday, October 1, 1–2pm

M: $9 CHILD, $6 ADULT; NM: $18 CHILD, $24 ADULT

Little Seedlings | AGES 1–3

Come explore the wonders of nature and practice sorting, counting, observing, and more.

Tuesday, September 26, 10:30–11:30am

Tuesday, October 31, 10:30–11:30am

M: $6 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $10 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Fall Family Fun Hike | AGES 5–12

Embark on a fall foliage hike, learn why leaves change color, and create an upcycled leaf press.

Sunday, October 22, 1:30–3pm

M: $10 CHILD, $6 ADULT; NM: $18 CHILD, $24 ADULT

Kids’ Workshops

Plant Potions | AGES 6–10

Mix up magical plant-based potions and conduct experiments with simple household ingredients.

Saturday, September 16, 2–3:30pm

M: $18 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $26 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Magical Mini Gardens | AGES 5–12

Design your own miniature fairy dish garden, complete with a magical friend.

Sunday, September 17, 1–2pm

M: $25 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $34 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Green Thumbs | AGES 6–9

Join us for hands-on gardening projects in our new Climate Garden.

Saturdays, September 23 – October 14, 10:30am –12pm

M: $12 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $21 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Fairy Houses & Gnome Homes | AGES 5–12

Use natural materials to create your own fairy house or gnome home in a basket.

Sunday, September 24, 1:30–3pm

Sunday, October 8, 1:30–3pm

M: $25 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $34 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Autumn Luminaries | AGES 6–12

Create a glowing autumn leaf luminary to celebrate the season.

Saturday, October 7, 1:30–3pm

M: $20 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $29 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Leaf Lab | AGES 6–12

Join us to learn why leaves change color, create leaf prints, and conduct leaf experiments.

Monday, October 9, 1–2:30pm

M: $18 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $24 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Ikebana for Kids | AGES 8–16

Learn the basics of this Japanese floral arranging technique and create your own mini display.

Sunday, October 15, 1–2pm

M: $16 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $24 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Spooky Yoga | AGES 4–8

Stretch your skeletons, cast calming spells, and try a spooky craft.

Saturday, October 28, 11am –12pm

M: $12 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $20 CHILD, $19 ADULT

Mythical Masks | AGES 6–10

Use cut paper, cardboard, feathers, and other natural materials to create a magical, mythical mask.

Sunday, October 29, 10:30am –12pm

M: $16 CHILD, $0 ADULT; NM: $24 CHILD, $19 ADULT

JUST FOR KIDS School Programs

Nature Play Days in The Ramble

Join us for Nature Play Days in The Ramble and our new Climate Garden. Drop-in for free fun family activities this season. Use your imagination to create magical worlds and explore the great outdoors as we dress up, craft, make music, play, and make new friends. Visit our website for more details.

Music Makers | AGES 2–8

Dance to your own beat and make music with us.

Mondays, 12–2pm

Nature Storytime | AGES 3–8

Join us for an interactive hour of exciting stories about plants, animals, nature, and more.

Tuesdays, 11am –12pm

Imagination Station | AGES 3–8

Stop by for imaginative play as we dress up and create magical worlds together.

Wednesdays, 12–2pm

Farm to Market | AGES 3–10

Stop by our new Climate Garden, see what’s growing, lend a hand, and play at our farm stand.

Thursdays, 1–2pm

Exploration Station | AGES 3–10

Drop by our discovery stations to play, read, learn, and investigate.

Fridays, 12–2pm

Discovery Backpacks | AGES 3–12

Check out our Discovery Backpacks filled with exciting activities and tools for exploring together.

Everyday, 10am –5pm

Weekly Schedule

EVERY DAY / 10am –5pm

MONDAYS / 12–2pm

TUESDAYS / 11am –12pm

WEDNESDAYS / 12–2pm

THURSDAYS / 1–2pm

FRIDAYS / 12–2pm

Discovery Backpacks

Music Makers

Nature Storytime

Imagination Station

Farm to Market

Exploration Station

New England Botanic Garden offers a wide range of educational programs to engage children of all ages in hands-on, minds-on outdoor learning. From gardens to trails, there is so much to discover in our outdoor classroom. Book your visit today!

Children’s Birthday Parties

Make your child’s birthday one to remember and host their special day with us! Now booking for fall and winter. Visit nebg.org for details.

CHIAOZZA, an exhibit of colorful sculptures displayed across Botanic Garden. surprising creative between growing plants art in a show inspired wonders of the plant world.

Experience CHIAOZZA, an exhibit of imaginative, colorful sculptures and wall works displayed across New England Botanic Garden. Discover the surprising creative parallels between growing plants and making art in a show inspired by the wonders of the plant world.

a sculpture exhibition through october

15, 2023 included with general admission

GROW, FORAGE, EAT Through October 1

LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration

Thursday, September 7 5–9pm

Save the date for our annual Pride Celebration! Join us as we celebrate our LGBTQ+ community and the two weeks of Pride Worcester through a lively evening of festivities, including a DJ dance party, drag shows, local LGBTQ+ vendors, community organizations, and more! Visit nebg.org for more information.

Come learn about the wide variety of wild and cultivated plants we eat in an illustrated exhibit featuring stunning artwork created by the New England Society of Botanic Artists.

INCLUDED WITH GENERAL ADMISSION. Visit nebg.org for more information.

Jessica Daigle Ripening Blackberries

GROW the GARDEN

WEEK OF GIVING

September 15 –22, 2023

Participate in the third annual Grow the Garden Week of Giving. With a goal of raising $150,000 in one week, every gift you make will be matched dollar for dollar throughout the week.

When you give you are also eligible for drawings for exclusive experiences such as Night Lights tickets, free membership, free adult and youth classes, Garden Shop discounts, and more. All gifts support the mission of the Garden—creating experiences with plants that inspire people and improve the world. Visit tinyurl.com/Growthegarden23 for more information.

GNOMEVEMBER

November 1–30

The gnomes of New England Botanic Garden have welcomed a few new residents to their community, and their silly antics are bigger and craftier than ever. Come and see the Garden’s newest inhabitants and witness their takeover this #gnomevember2023!

Discover a world of wonder as you meet some of the mythical, magical, and monstrous creatures that have inspired fascinating legends and captured human imaginations for centuries. From majestic unicorns and fire-breathing dragons, to trolls, fairies, and phoenixes, magical beings made of natural and natureinspired materials come to life in an exhibit that will leave you spell-bound. This fall in The Ramble, journey with us through a realm of Myths, Magic, and Monsters, where anything is possible, and the impossible is real.

Magic by Moonlight

Select Fridays & Saturdays, September 29 – October 28, 6–8:30pm

On select evenings this fall, Myths, Magic, and Monsters becomes even more mesmerizing with dazzling light displays and illuminated mythical creatures. These family-friendly evening events include enchanting activities, atmospheric music, and real-life folklore friends. Explore the wonders of the season and experience The Ramble in a whole new light. Don’t forget your wings and wands!

Enchanted Weekend

Saturday, October 7 –

Monday, October 9, 10am–4pm

Join us for a weekend full of legends and lore this autumn as our mythical guests transform the Garden into a realm of imagination, wonder, and magic. Enjoy brews and local fare at our Beer Garden, browse our magical marketplace, and discover hidden mythical creatures along the way. This weekend will feature enchanting crafts, workshops, and entertainment for all ages. Come dressed up as your favorite fantasy being!

Youth Programs

Visit the Youth Programs section on page 12 for more details.

Plant Potions | AGES 6–12

Saturday, September 16, 2–3:30pm

Myths & Magic Hike | AGES 3–8

Saturday, September 23, 2–3pm

Sunday, October 1, 1–2pm

Fairy Houses & Gnome Homes | AGES 5–12

Sunday, September 24, 1:30–3pm

Sunday, October 8, 1:30–3pm

Mythical Masks | AGES 6–10

Sunday, October 29, 10:30am–12pm