People live indoors, but your garden is a dynamic, living habitat for other fauna. Science tells us that a diversity of plant materials promotes a diversity of landscape insects and a healthier, more sustainable ecosystem. Janine Lester, landscape designer and consulting arborist, will show you how your ornamental landscape can be a beautiful and edible […]

It can seem watercolor painting needs only water + watercolor paint. Mix them together, apply to paper with a brush and voila! It’s not quite that simple. It is essential for watercolor artists to observe and recreate the highlights, mid-tones, and shadows of specimens in a variety of hues and values. The ability to manipulate […]

Whether for quick sketches or fine-finishing artwork, toned papers provide numerous advantages. They are quite handy in greatly reducing the difficult work of applying midtones--the most time-consuming in most media. In addition, white pigment for highlights and other light values appears more realistic and, when desired, can really pop! Toned papers can also be great […]

Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arrangement, was introduced by the Buddhist monks in the mid 6th century through their floral offerings in the temples. They began teaching the art in the 14th century to nobility, shoguns, samurai and merchants. The principles focus on lines; which represent heaven, man, and earth; space and form. As […]

Published in 2012, the Flora of Virginia is our long-overdue technical manual covering all of the native and naturalized plant species found in the Commonwealth. This three-day session covers essential aspects of the Flora that will help attendees successfully navigate dichotomous keys at all levels (family, genus, species), teach them how to get the information […]

Create a unique, naturalistic fall design incorporating the rich colors of the autumnal palette. Learn step-by-step the floral professional's tips and techniques to achieve this parallel style. Gain an understanding of proper mechanics and conditioning requirements for the materials used. Leave with a beautiful autumn bouquet to grace your home and a new set of […]

Between the tall tree canopy and the flower border lies the space where small trees and shrubs thrive. This middle layer provides critical shelter and food for pollinators, birds and mammals alike. In this class, we'll explore the Virginia native shrubs which thrive in the varying light and growing conditions of the home landscape. You'll […]

This class will empower gardeners of any level to create beautifully curated containers for their outdoor spaces. You'll learn how to choose a container and select plants that fit the needs of exposure, watering requirements and other considerations. You'll also receive information on how to use a planting template, gain ideas for artfully choosing plant […]