Interested in taking a class? Click here to see a complete list of upcoming educational programs.
Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden
VirtualA virtual presentation with Camille Dungy, award-winning poet and distinguished professor at Colorado State University. Camille Dungy’s most recent book recounts the role her garden played in her experiences as a university professor, author, wife, and mother, including the challenges of different ecosystems involved in moving to new home sites with the COVID pandemic as backdrop. Her story is rooted in real life events that are both insightful and inspirational.
Lifelong Longleaf Hike: Carvers Creek
The longleaf pine story continues as we explore one of the best examples of a longleaf pine savanna remaining in North Carolina. Venus flytraps, pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants dot the grassy landscape under the dappled shade of longleaf pines in this Nature Conservancy Preserve.
Longleaf Pine Restoration Project Tour with the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina
Lumbee Tribe Cultural CenterVisit a longleaf pine restoration project at the Cultural Center of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina in Pembroke, NC. Learn about history, culture, and future plans. For those interested, you can convene with Kevin at Fuller’s BBQ in Pembroke after the program for additional conversation and community.
Twilight Thursdays
North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United StatesEvery Thursday from April 4 to June 13, we’re staying open until 7 p.m. so you can enjoy our display gardens in the evening. Our exhibit hall and Garden Shop will be open, and you’re welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy outdoors – we have lots of benches and picnic tables, plus open lawn...
Botanical Exploration Using Flora Apps
North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United StatesSince its initial inception more than 30 years ago, Alan Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern United States has expanded to cover more than 10,000 plant species across 25 states. From printed books to digital PDFs, to a modernized suite of web and mobile apps, the Flora is an ever-evolving suite of tools and products that continue to facilitate and enhance botany across the southeast.
Join Alan and Southeastern Flora team members Michael Lee (Data Scientist, NCBG) and Scott Ward (Research Botanist, NCBG) as they provide an in-depth tour of FloraQuest: Carolinas and Georgia, a new mobile app designed for phone or tablet that helps users identify all wild-growing plants from North Carolina to Georgia. In this program, the flora team will demonstrate how to identify plants in FloraQuest using dichotomous keys, graphic keys, diagnostic photographs, and a botanical glossary. After their presentation, the Flora team will then show how to use botanical characters such as flower color, growth form, geographic location, and flowering month to identify plants in the diverse wildflower beds of the North Carolina Botanical Garden.
Hybrid Lunchbox Talk – From Conflict to Collaboration: How Conservation Partnerships are Helping Save an Imperiled Ecosystem
North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United StatesThe longleaf pine ecosystem is one of the most biologically diverse in North America, and the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker is one of its most iconic species. In the 1990s, populations of this woodpecker in the NC Sandhills were critically low. The largest population was on Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), but the Army did not want to alter training or land management. Private landowners mistrusted government agencies and were cutting their longleaf rather than see an endangered bird move in. It had the makings of a classic environmental conflict, until some forward-thinking people decided they had more to gain from solving the underlying problem than fighting each other. What resulted was the invention of several key programs that are now used nation-wide, the recovery of the Sandhills population, and a partnership that became a model for how to do collaborative conservation. This talk will discuss longleaf conservation efforts in NC and across the range and will explore how the lessons learned from the Sandhills can be applied to other environmental conflicts. This talk is part of the Saving our Savannas: Stories of the Longleaf Pine exhibition, which explores the history, ecology, and culture of the longleaf pine ecosystem.
Twilight Thursdays
North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United StatesEvery Thursday from April 4 to June 13, we’re staying open until 7 p.m. so you can enjoy our display gardens in the evening. Our exhibit hall and Garden Shop will be open, and you’re welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy outdoors – we have lots of benches and picnic tables, plus open lawn...
Hybrid Lunchbox Talk – Gone with the Wind: Sherman’s March Through the Longleaf Pine Forests of North Carolina
North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United StatesEarl Ijames, Curator of African American History and Agriculture at the North Carolina Museum of History, Kevin Melvin, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer of The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, will explore the history of Sherman’s March (Anson/ Richmond Counties) to April 1865 (Historic Bennett Place), including the impact on people, environment, and economy of the region.
Twilight Thursdays
North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United StatesEvery Thursday from April 4 to June 13, we’re staying open until 7 p.m. so you can enjoy our display gardens in the evening. Our exhibit hall and Garden Shop will be open, and you’re welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy outdoors – we have lots of benches and picnic tables, plus open lawn...
Rooted In Wisdom: A Journey Through Plant Spirit Herbalism
North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United StatesEmbark on a transformative journey into the world of Plant Spirit Herbalism with this experiential course. Dive deep into the spiritual energetics of herbs like lemon balm, tulsi, and passion flower, and discover how to harness their wisdom for holistic wellness. Explore the ancestral knowledge of plant spirit medicine and learn how to incorporate these ancient practices into your modern life. Join us as we honor the sacred relationship between plants and humans, and uncover the profound healing potential that lies within.
Small Wonders, Small Shifts – A Virtual Offering
VirtualAs we attune to the micro wonders of the natural world, we deepen and expand our awareness. By focusing on these small wonders, we learn new ways of seeing and being. In this virtual workshop, we will devote our attention to nature’s tiny wonders and also embrace “micro practices” — simple, mindful shifts that nurture us, cultivate awe, and enhance our connection to the natural world. Our explorations will incorporate writing, art making, and contemplative practices. This session will utilize the expressive arts, which encourages self-expression with a focus on the process rather than the final product. No art or writing experience is necessary. Just bring your sense of curiosity.