LOCALevents

Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales

• Open every night through January 1, 2023, except December 24–25, 2022 Garden of Lights The Garden of Lights display transforms Brookside Gardens into a magical winter wonderland. Stroll through the onehalf mile, outdoor, walk-through exhibit and enjoy the twinkling lights and glimmering one-of-a-kind displays adorning the flowerbeds and grounds throughout the 50-acre horticultural gem in Wheaton, MD. Tickets are $10 per person (age 5 and older) and only available to purchase online at Eventbrite.com.

• Friday, December 23, 10:30–11am Bones of the Winter Garden Explore the bones of Hillwood’s winter gardens with Jessica Bonilla, director of horticulture. Evergreen plants take center stage, deciduous woody plants become architectural, and hardscapes become more important. Winter’s cool light shapes the experience, and more subtle shades of green and brown can be sensed. The few flowers in bloom are very special, and the texture of conifer needles and tree bark seems richer in the winter sunlight. Details at https://hillwoodmuseum.org.

• Saturday, December 31, 12–2pm New Year’s Eve Forest Bathing Join the Friends of the National Arboretum’s nature and forest therapy guide in this two-hour program that encourages participants to slow down and take in the National Arboretum through all of the senses. Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, is the simple practice of taking in the woods through the senses for health benefits. The benefits are immense: boosted immunity, lowered blood pressure and heart rate, improved attention and mood, and hitting the reset button on life. The Japanese have enjoyed shinrin yoku for decades as a regular public health initiative. Suggested fee of $35. Register at www.fona.org. •Saturday, January 7, 11am–12pm Grow Your Own Microgreens! Check the menu of a fine restaurant or the produce section of a specialty grocery store, and you’re likely to spy microgreens: tiny, delicate greens that add color, texture, and flavor to a variety of foods as a garnish or ingredient. Big on nutrition and flavor, microgreens can be expensive to purchase. But they can also be grown cost-effectively at home, in a tiny space, and with simple supplies. All you need is a sunny windowsill or a well-lit area along with a microgreen growing kit, and you’ve got all the essentials for growing your own microgreens. This is a great crop for urban gardeners who are limited to a windowsill, balcony, or fire escape. Fee: $10 ticket includes take-home microgreen seeds and $25 ticket includes a microgreen kit of three types of greens to grow at home. Details at www.eventbrite.com/e/grow-your-ownmicrogreens-tickets-85376869515.

• Saturday, January 7, 10–11:30am Tasting: Teas for Winter Health A steaming cup of tea offers warmth, comfort, and health benefits throughout cold and flu season. Sample a variety of the best teas and herbal infusions to boost immunity and cure the winter blues. Learn about their medicinal properties and discover healthful new brews to enjoy year round. Take home a sample. $25 per person. Register online at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ parktakes or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173. Code DZJ.3HHO.

• Saturday, January 21, 10am Creative Custom Bird & Fairy Houses Join Kathy Jentz, editor, Washington Gardener Magazine, and transform a plain wooden birdhouse into an enchanting home for your feathered friends or use it as a whimsical accent to liven up the garden. Paint, embellish, and accessorize a small dwelling into a colorful craft. (Note: This is for “big kids” those over age 18 to relax and be creative!) Fee: $40. Register at https:// activemontgomery.org.

Looking Ahead

• Saturday, January 28, and Saturday, February 4, 12:30–4pm Washington Gardener 18th Annual Seed Exchanges Washington Gardener Magazine is cohosting two annual seed exchanges, one at Brookside Gardens and the other at Green Spring Gardens, with lectures and a face-to-face seed swap. Bring your extra seeds to swap and leave with a bag full of seeds, make new garden friends, and get expert planting advice. Fee: $20 ($15 for verified Friends group members and Washington Gardener subscribers). See details on pages 6–7.

• Thursday, February 9, 6:30–8pm Winter Garden Book Club Meeting We will discuss The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants by Jennifer Jewell. You can order it new or used at our Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3Y8nxRE or at our Bookshop store: https://bookshop.org/a/79479/9781604699029 Register at https://us02web.zoom. us/meeting/register/tZUkdOuspzwtHdzK8_VkBgXSThn6rZ5IguKQ. The Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club meets quarterly via Zoom and is free and open to all. Event Listing Updates

See updated event listings on the Washington Gardener discussion list. Join by emailing WashingtonGardenersubscribe@googlegroups.com. How to Submit Events

To submit an event for this listing, email washingtongardenermagazine@gmail. com with “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is January 5 for the January 2022 issue, for events taking place after January 15. o

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