Class Schedule January – April 2025

NEW! Ecological Garden Clean-up & Spring Prep | January 18 | 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! Students will take home a book of their choosing for identification help or further reading.

Winter Botany | January 21, 22 | IN-PERSON

This course provides an in-depth overview of the tools and techniques used by botanists to identify woody plants to the species level using winter characteristics. Attendees are exposed to the key characters that differentiate woody plants at different taxonomic levels, including growth form (habit), habitat, bark and the various characteristics of the twigs such as bud size and orientation, bud scales, leaf scars, bundle scars, stipule scars, branch/fruit scars, pith structure, lenticel configuration, spur shoots, armament, fruits and others. Emphasis is on native or naturalized species in Virginia, and the use of dichotomous keys published in various forms. An important focus of the course will be on empowering attendees to “dismantle” some of the terminology surrounding winter plant identification. The course will also review practical considerations for identification of herbaceous (non-woody) plants in winter. Course handbook included, with winter keys provided. Lecture, field and lab practicum.

NEW! Medicinal Plants: Traditions, Topicals, & Teas | March 30 | IN-PERSON

Plants have been used as medicine for thousands of years, and in this course, we honor the traditions from countries all around the world. Join biologist Clara Aus as she leads the group through a brief history of plants as medicine, outlines a variety of plants and their medicinal properties, and then explains some of the basic science behind the functions of these plants. Participants will compile 5 tea bags with the provided herbs and plant parts of their choosing for a variety of ailments. Each participant will learn to make and practice making a poultice with a partner before the class takes a walk through the Garden to look at medicinal plants.