Class Schedule November 2025 – April 2026

NEW! Orchids 101 | November 22 | IN-PERSON

Orchids are an incredibly fascinating plant group – and they’re easier to care for than you might think. In this class, Conservatory Horticulturist Clare Reines will introduce you to the care, history, and unique features of multiple orchid genera. We’ll cover the basics of orchid care and walk you through repotting an orchid of your own. With practical tips and plenty of guidance, this course is perfect for anyone looking to build a stronger foundation in orchid care.

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Introduction to Hydroponics | January 17 | IN-PERSON

Hydroponics is a type of horticulture that involves growing plants without soil, in water, and with a growing medium. Hydroponic growing can be done at home and has many benefits over other growing methods, but most people don’t know how to get started. The good news is that it doesn’t take much to start your hydroponic growing journey, and the output is so rewarding! Join Ekene Tharpe, Department Chair, Horticulture with Reynolds Community College, for an introduction to hydroponics! Ekene will help break hydroponics down to its core elements including system types, system inputs, and the essentials of successful growing.

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NEW! Selecting House Plants 101 | January 24 | IN-PERSON

Discover all things indoor plants and find the best way to care for plants inside your home! Selecting the right house plant for the right location can make all the difference for its long-term care and success. We will discuss it all — lighting requirements, potting soil type, containers, fertilization, and care routine for your specific plant — leaving everyone feeling like an indoor plant expert.

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Spring Planting for Pollinators | January 25 | IN-PERSON

Spring is when the pollinators wake up and get back to work! Come learn about our amazing pollinator friends with entomologist Clara Aus. You’ll learn spring planting techniques, pollinator flower preferences, host plants and how to make an attractive spring garden. Take home a spring blooming native plant and a variety of native seeds, as well as handouts on gardening and pollinators. Complete with an excursion into the Garden to see the pollinators in action, this class is sure to be educational AND fun!

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Creating a Kitchen Garden | January 31 | IN-PERSON

Get your hands dirty and creative juices flowing  to realize your kitchen garden in time for the spring thaw! Kitchen gardens are made for intensive cultivation, so they are usually smaller than traditional vegetable plots and can easily be fenced to deter deer and other critters. Best of all, they can look lovely! Mark Ragland covers planning, preparation, and plant selection with a trip to the Garden’s Kroger Community Kitchen Garden for inspiration.

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Seed Starting 101 | January 31 | IN-PERSON

Dive into the most sustainable seed-starting practices that will make your garden eco-friendly, pest-resistant, and bursting with nutrient-dense produce! We’ll explore everything from innovative soil blocking techniques to regenerative and organic tips and tricks, along with expert advice on seed sourcing and much more. But that’s not all — you’ll walk away with an exciting starter kit that includes seeds, pre-made soil, and essential amendments to kick off the growing season in style! Join us and cultivate your gardening skills while nurturing a thriving, sustainable ecosystem. Get ready to sow the seeds of success!

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Ecological Garden Cleanup and Spring Preparation | January 31 | IN-PERSON

Curious how you can clean up your garden this winter 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!

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NEW! Planning and Preparing a Cutting Garden | March 7 | IN-PERSON

Imagine stepping outside and gathering a fresh bouquet of flowers you grew yourself — beautiful, fragrant, and always in season. In this class, former flower farmer Conner Parrish with Bloomistry will show you how to design and grow your very own cutting garden at home. You’ll gain practical skills, insider tips from a professional grower, and take home a starter kit packed with everything you need to begin your journey to homegrown blooms and endless bouquets.

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Bonsai for Beginners | March 13 | IN-PERSON

In this workshop, Horticulture Section Leader Jayton Howard will dive into the origins and history of bonsai, how to care for and plant a bonsai, and teach some basic bonsai training techniques. We’ll learn these techniques through the planting and training of your very own starter bonsai that you will get to take home with you and grow into a mighty bonsai. This workshop is geared toward bonsai beginners — no previous bonsai knowledge is necessary. Come to learn the basics and leave feeling like you’re ready to take on the world of bonsai! Jayton will provide all information needed to successfully maintain and care for your starter bonsai.

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NEW! Designing a Four-Season Perennial Garden | March 14 | IN-PERSON

Do you dream of a perennial garden that delights in every season? Learn how to create a dynamic, low-maintenance perennial garden that provides color, texture, and interest year-round, specifically tailored for USDA Zone 7. This class explores the principles of four-season perennial garden design, with a focus on plant selection, bloom succession, textures, and sustainable gardening practices. You’ll gain the tools to design a garden in both sun and shade that evolves beautifully, from spring’s first blooms to winter’s striking silhouettes. Whether you’re planting a new bed or enhancing an existing space, this course will inspire and guide you to create a perennial garden that’s visually engaging and ecologically supportive every month of the year.

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NEW! Hummingbird Haven | March 14 | IN-PERSON

Learn techniques to make your Virginia garden a welcoming stop for hummingbirds all year long! Dive into practical advice for creating a hummingbird garden that offers a safe, supportive environment with proper food sources, perching spots, and shelter. We will highlight native Virginia plants alongside design and care tips, resulting in a garden robust enough to provide for hummingbirds throughout the dormant season. Each student will also receive specialized consultation from native plant expert Kaity Bevenour to build a custom Parallel Nursery mix-and-match pack of six native perennial plants to take home!

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NEW! Gardening for Moths | March 15 | IN-PERSON

Discover the often-overlooked magic and importance of moths in our ecosystems. Whether you’re new to gardening, or already passionate about supporting moths with native plants, this class will inspire you and provide the resources/knowledge you need to conserve and nurture moths at home. We’ll explore moth life cycles, analyze their vital role in the food chain, and review practical steps you can take to create a moth-friendly space in your yard, balcony, or community garden. Participants will take home Moth Garden seed packets, various handouts, and special insect-friendly, outdoor lightbulbs that don’t distract moths. Join us and discover how you can bring your garden to life after dark!

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NEW! Spring Pruning | March 28 | IN-PERSON

Spring is coming, and it’s time to get out and start pruning for a successful growing season ahead! In this course students will gain hands-on experience and valuable knowledge of tools, techniques, and expected outcomes for springtime pruning, including an opportunity to see best pruning practices firsthand in the Garden.

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Orchids 101 | March 28 | IN-PERSON

Orchids are an incredibly fascinating plant group – and they’re easier to care for than you might think. In this class, Conservatory Horticulturist Clare Reines will introduce you to the care, history, and unique features of multiple orchid genera. We’ll cover the basics of orchid care and walk you through repotting an orchid of your own. With practical tips and plenty of guidance, this course is perfect for anyone looking to build a stronger foundation in orchid care.

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NEW! Blooming Success: How to Tend and Harvest a Cutting Garden | April 11 | IN-PERSON

Learn how to care for a flourishing cutting garden from seedling to vase. Former flower farmer Conner Parrish with Bloomistry will teach proven techniques for watering, fertilizing, staking, and pruning to keep your flowers blooming all season. Discover the best times and methods to harvest blooms for longer vase life and continuous flowering. You’ll also practice proper cutting techniques, bouquet conditioning, and simple garden care routines that make all the difference. Each participant will leave with practical skills, fresh inspiration, and a take-home kit to help you grow and enjoy your own homegrown bouquets.

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NEW! Propagating Plants 101 | April 11 | IN-PERSON

Let’s discover all the exciting ways there are to propagate plants! In this course students will learn about the different kinds of propagation and when they are best used. Not only will you get a hands-on opportunity to practice new propagation methods in the Garden, but you will also take home a piece of the Garden’s collections to inspire further propagation at home.

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NEW! The Botanical Body: Gardening Practices for Mindfulness | April 18 | IN-PERSON

Gardening provides many physical and mental benefits beyond just creating a beautiful space to enjoy. Learn how to incorporate therapeutic design techniques into your space, and ways to maintain your garden that nurtures both your well-being and also local wildlife. At the end of the course we will take a walk around the garden and practice some of the mindfulness techniques outlined in the course. Students will take home a garden journal and three native perennial or medicinal plants to add to their own healing garden.

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Growing and Using Culinary Herbs | April 18 | IN-PERSON

Fresh herbs add flavor to your favorite dishes and beauty to your garden, patio or deck. Avoid extra expense at the grocery store by growing your own often used culinary herbs. Join foodie, world traveler, and herbal expert Mark Ragland and learn how to successfully grow herbs in your garden. Then, explore exciting and delicious ways to use them in your kitchen.

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Container Gardening with Native Plants | April 25 | IN-PERSON

Learn how to use native plants in your container gardens! Join instructor Kaity Bevenour, native plant specialist & owner of Parallel Nursery, to examine what makes a native plant species a good container plant, how to create visually appealing plant combinations in the sun or shade. We will review some commonly available native perennials that would be best suited for pots in the central VA area. Once the lecture is concluded, participants will put their knowledge into action and create their very own custom container garden to take home.

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For creative workshops where you can use live plants to make plant creations to take home, check out our Plant Play: Make and Take Workshops learning category!