Home gardening workshops, nature art classes, and more!
We offer many learning opportunities for adults, including native plant gardening workshops, conservation studies programs, botanical art classes, health and well-being classes, nature walks, programs focusing on people-plant connections, and Lunchbox Talks, just to name a few. Offerings range from one-hour lectures, to short classes, to longer, multi-day courses and certificate programs. We have something for everyone!
- Advance registration is required for all programs.
- All classes are held at the Allen Education Center, off of Old Mason Farm Road in Chapel Hill, unless otherwise indicated.
- Members receive a 10% discount on class fees. Not a member? Join here!
- Need to cancel or request a refund? Cancellation and refund policy [PDF]
Special Focus
For those looking to delve deeper into a topic, we offer certificate programs and series in several areas. Explore our offerings below!
Certificate in
Botanical Art & Illustration
The Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration provides participants with a well-balanced curriculum in both botanical art and illustration that includes scientific background, visual arts theory, and practical experience in different media.
New in 2019!
Conservation Gardening 101
Learn the foundational concepts of planting design, implementation and maintenance of compellingly beautiful native plant gardens based on sound conservation practices.
Certificate in
Native Plants
The Certificate and Advanced Certificate in Native Plants provide a well-balanced botany, ecology, and taxonomy curriculum that enables students to expand their knowledge and develop a greater appreciation of native flora of the southeastern United States.
Certificate in
Therapeutic Horticulture
The Certificate in Therapeutic Horticulture provides comprehensive instruction to professionals and students in the health and allied health fields who wish to incorporate therapeutic horticulture into their practice. The program includes classroom instruction, hands-on activities and field trips in therapeutic horticulture, horticulture, and other important topics relevant to this field.
Annual Lectures
Evelyn McNeill Sims Native Plant Lecture
Every spring the Garden offers a lecture focused on native plants and their conservation and ecology. The lecture series was initiated in 2000 with a gift from Botanical Garden Foundation Board member Nancy Preston. Mrs. Preston wanted to honor her mother, Evelyn McNeill Sims, on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Born in Lumberton, North Carolina, Mrs. Sims was educated at UNC-Greensboro and later moved to Kingsport, Tennessee, with her husband and daughter. Wildflower excursions in the mountains surrounding Kingsport were a favorite activity for Mrs. Sims, who eventually became a volunteer guide at Bays Mountain Nature Park.
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Save the date! Speaker and registration details will be announced at a later time.
See past Sims Lecture speakers
Jenny Elder Fitch Memorial Lecture
Named in memory of Jenny Fitch, local plant enthusiast and passionate gardener, this lecture takes place each fall. Mrs. Fitch passed away in 1995. The endowment for the lecture series was graciously donated by her husband, R.B. Fitch, in 1997 after friends and family sent scores of memorial gifts to the Garden. We have been able to bring a renowned gardener or horticulturist to Chapel Hill each year since 1999 to present the Jenny Fitch lecture.
Sunday, November 5, 2023
A World of Discovery: How Science and Heart Can Make You a More Ecological Gardener with Nancy Lawson
Much has been written about gardening for human senses, but how do plants and animals perceive the world around them? What do we miss when we landscape for human visual appeal but neglect the sensory experiences of our wild neighbors? Noise, light and odor pollution can have many unintended consequences. Through science, heart, and our powers of observation, we can learn to mitigate these disruptions and create sensory refuges in an increasingly noisy world.