Featured Programs for Adult Learners
Explore our featured classes and tours for adult learners! To view all of our upcoming classes, visit our Garden Course Finder or use our Programs by Date tool.
This year marks four decades of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Celebrate the Garden’s 40th Anniversary with a themed class, tour, or speaker series event.
SHARPENING YOUR BEEKEEPING SKILLS
FOR BETTER RESULTS
Saturday, July 13, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
This class, taught by Jesse Frierson of East Coast Honey, is tailored for beginner to fourth-year beekeepers. Explore beekeeping best practices and learn many “tips of the trade” to help to enhance your results in 2024 and as you begin preparations for the 2025 season. We’ll cover swarms, varroa mites, hive beetles, wax moths, honey harvesting, dealing with the late summer dearth, fighting back against yellow jackets, how to properly prepare your hives for the fall and winter months, and many other topics.
Learn More & RegisterNATURE JOURNALING
OBSERVING NATIVE BEES OF VIRGINIA
2 Saturdays: July 13, 20, 2024
10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Learn how to cultivate your own nature journal practice with Stephey Baker, local artist and avid urban gardener. Virginia is home to over 400 species of bees, spread across six family groups. Although we can’t cover all 400+ native bee species in this course, you will be introduced to some spectacularly colorful buzzing beasties. Learn how to observe our native bees and use that knowledge creatively in a nature journal. To help you record your discoveries, step-by-step instructions will be provided. Foster an appreciation for our native bee species, learn more about their habitat and conservation needs, and inspire creative journaling.
Learn More & RegisterVINE TO GLASS:
WINES OF SWARTLAND, SOUTH AFRICA
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Join renowned sommelier and author Jason Tesauro for an evening of flights, bites and edutainment. If South African wine conjures the over-oak and glitz of postcard-perfect Cape Winelands, wild Swartland is your down and dirty natural antidote. In lieu of consumerism, Swartland is driven by craft, collaboration, and beguiling quality. This hot, rugged, dry land harbors old-vine bush-vines which imbue wines with intense concentration and expression worth knowing. Sample 6 wines during class and paired with each glass, enjoy thoughtful small plates from Executive Chef Jared Serr themed to the region and wine. Fee includes complimentary wine glass.
Learn More & RegisterAQUATIC PLANT
CARE BASICS
Saturday, July 20, 2024
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
In this class taught by Danny Cox, the Garden’s Vice President of Horticulture, participants will be introduced to different aquatic plants that can be grown in water gardens. We will discuss different types of aquatic plants and how they can be used in water garden design. Danny will share tips on propagation and care. While a portion of the class will be indoors with a guiding slideshow for discussion, the class will utilize the Garden’s aquatic plant collection and water garden displays, so there will be outdoor time too. This class is a wonderful opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the horticultural display incorporating aquatic plants that will be in the Fountain Garden as part of the Garden’s 40th Anniversary Celebration.
Learn More & RegisterEXPLORING VIRGINIA-GROWN FLOWERS
WITH RIVER CITY FLOWER EXCHANGE
Thursday, July 25, 2024
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Please note that this class will meet off-site at the River City Flower Exchange (3300 W Broad Street, Suite 106 in Richmond).
Fall in love with Virginia-grown flowers this summer! Join Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden as we go on the road for an exclusive opportunity to tour River City Flower Exchange, Central Virginia’s first all local flower market. You’ll meet local growers, learn all the secrets about Virginia-grown flowers, and have an opportunity to purchase sustainably-grown local blooms at the market. Explore for yourself why the beauty of Virginia-grown flowers is the best beauty for you and your world. You’ll learn about the US domestic cut flower industry and its ecological impact, why using local flowers in your designs is more sustainable, information about seasonal selection and how to substitute Virginia-grown flowers for imports, and much more!
Learn More & RegisterPLANT IT NOW!
FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING
Saturday, July 27, 2024
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Having four seasons in which to grow here in Virginia, fall is a great opportunity to transition from Spring/Summer crops to Fall/Winter crops. Horticulturist T.J. Oliver helps us know when it is time to say goodbye to cucumbers and tomatoes and say hello to cabbage, kale and kohlrabi. T.J. describes how to plan a fall garden with plants that work best in our climate through organic gardening techniques and provides pointers for those who want to grow vegetables year-round. This class will include a walk to the Kroger Community Kitchen Garden, and each participant will receive some seeds to get them started with their fall vegetable planting.
Learn More & RegisterLearning for All
We believe that all adults in our community should have access to plant-based, nature-focused learning opportunities. Each season, we offer adult classes with several pricing tiers to enable you to register at the amount you’re able to pay.
A Garden for All
We are committed to offering diverse adult learning opportunities that are inclusive and accessible to all learners. If you would like to request an accommodation to support your participation in an adult learning opportunity at the Garden, please contact [email protected] or call 804-262-9887 x320 and we will make our best effort to help.
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