Class Schedule July – November 2026

NEW! Beginning Botany — Learn the Plant Families Every Virginian Should Know! | July 16 | IN-PERSON

Curious about the plants you see every day? This engaging introductory course makes botany accessible, practical, and fun. Join the Garden’s Vice President of Horticulture, Danny Cox, as you explore the ten most common plant families in Virginia—and learn how to recognize them anywhere you go. You’ll build the foundational skills that botanists use daily: essential terminology, naming conventions, and the pattern recognition techniques that make plant ID quicker and more intuitive.

Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes | Starts July 30 | IN-PERSON

Identification of grasses, sedges and rushes is often perceived as one of the most difficult activities in the realm of botany. This is due to many factors, the most prominent of which are that grasses, sedges, and rushes (i.e., “the graminoids”) are usually small, narrow-leaved plants with unassuming, diminutive flowers – and they all look alike! Even more disconcerting, the “language” surrounding graminoid botany seems like an insurmountable pile of un-pronounceable Latin words with no end in sight. This course with Dr. Douglas DeBerry is for the disgruntled multitudes who would like to gain a better understanding of grass, sedge and rush terminology, classification, nomenclature and most importantly, identification. In addition, those already proficient in plant identification will find this course to be a useful refresher. Emphasis is on native or naturalized species in Virginia, and the use of dichotomous keys in technical plant manuals and regional floras.

NEW! Creating a Resilient Garden: Growing Landscapes in a Changing World | September 12 | IN-PERSON

Discover practical strategies for creating beautiful, adaptable gardens that thrive in the face of changing environmental conditions. In this class, students will learn how to apply sustainable design principles to create landscapes that can withstand challenges such as extreme weather, invasive pests, and shifting climate patterns. We’ll explore drought-tolerant plant selection, tools for evaluating your landscape’s strengths and vulnerabilities, strategies for enhancing local biodiversity, and sustainable maintenance practices that support long-term resilience and recovery.

Building Healthy Soil | October 3 | IN-PERSON

We all know that soil is fundamental for life, but did you know that soil itself is a living ecosystem? When it is healthy, soil performs many critical functions. Join instructor Karin Stretchko, Assistant Professor at Reynolds Community College, to learn about core principles and best management practices to enhance and promote soil health in your garden. Learn how to analyze your own soils with amendment techniques, drainage, and more. A guided walk through the Garden will demonstrate how Lewis Ginter’s horticulturists remediate the Garden’s soil to flourish for years to come.

NEW! Plant Identification: Tools and Techniques for Identifying Native and Naturalized Plants in the Mid-Atlantic Region | October 15, 16 | IN-PERSON

This course provides an in-depth overview of the tools and techniques used by botanists to identify plants to the species level, with a strong emphasis on family characteristics. Attendees will learn how to use the diversity of resources available – including field guides, apps, AI, and technical manuals – to answer the question: “What is that species?” More importantly, they will learn how to use dichotomous keys to verify their identifications – the most critical step in plant ID. With this class, you will learn not only how to get an answer, but also how to know that you got it right!

Ecological Garden Cleanup and Fall Preparation | November 14 | IN-PERSON

Curious how you can clean up your garden this fall to create a pleasant, presentable space that is sustainable for your local wildlife? Join instructor Kaity Bevenour, native plant specialist & owner of Parallel Nursery, for a review of landscape management techniques for wildlife support! We’ll go beyond “leave the leaves” and discuss exactly how to structure your clean-up to meet your aesthetic & ecological goals. At the conclusion of the lecture portion, we will take a walk through the garden to view some of these practices!