Bird Watching Walk in Schenley Park | Maria Wheeler-Dubas

Sat., June 3 [please note new date] | 8 - 9:30 a.m.

$10 members | $15 nonmembers

Meet in the lobby of the Center for Sustainable Landscapes at Phipps Conservatory (directions provided upon registration)

Join us for a morning of exploring the ecology and biology of our native Pennsylvania birds! We will start with an introduction to bird life and then seek out some feathered neighbors in Schenley Park.

This class is now filled. Please email edu@phipps.conservatory.org to be placed on the waiting list.

Houseplants 101 | Amber Halliman

Tues., June 6 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$20 members | $25 nonmembers

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Whether you just bought your first plant or can’t decide, join this fast and fun overview of how to care for houseplants. All the fundamentals are covered, including sensible plant selection for your lighting conditions, watering, fertilizing, grooming, and troubleshooting. Learn through pictures and diagrams to nurture your green thumb into bloom.

Terrarium Workshop | Kim Bailor - Terrarium Therapy

Thurs., June 8 | 6 - 7:30 p.m.

$30 members | $35 nonmembers | $40 material fee

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Please join us for a tropical terrarium workshop. In this workshop, you will learn how to create a beautiful open vessel terrarium. Your experience will include an assortment of tropical plants, one glass vessel, Terrarium Therapy unique soil blend, decorative stone, moss, a care guide to take home, and instruction throughout the class. Feel free to bring your own glass vessel if you have one! You will also learn the difference between open-vessel terrariums versus closed-vessel terrariums and all the information needed to care for your plants. We will discuss best practices for plant care and maintenance, sun requirements, watering, and propagation for healthy plants.

Houseplant Propagation Lab | Janel Morrison

Mon., June 12 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$20 members | $25 members | $10 material fee

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

In this class, we will discuss how to vegetatively propagate tropical houseplants.  Learn how to make more plants through various types of cuttings, and different methods of layering and grafting.  This will be a hands-on learning experience.  By the end of class, you will have a variety of propagules to take home and add to your collection.

Once Upon a Garden: Three-Part Nature Writing Series | Maria Wheeler-Dubas

Tues.: June 13, 20, 27 | 6 - 7:30 p.m.

$45 members | $50 nonmembers

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

The wild world provides so much scope for the imagination, as Anne with an E would say. Join us as we dive into the basics of storytelling and world-building, build our writing mechanics, and research skills, and workshop our ideas into written pieces!

Part 1: The Basics of Story and World-Building

Part 2: Writing Mechanics, Descriptive Language, and Research

Part 3: Workshopping Pieces Together

Herbal Medicine Making: Summer Session | Michelle Soto

Wednesdays: June 14, 28, July 12, 26, Aug. 9 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$225 members | $250 nonmembers | $35 supply fee (optional)

Presented as a live webinar through Zoom

Medicine-making is an ancient art that we can master today. This class is hands-on from the comfort of your home. Learn how to work with various plants and make medicinal syrups, teas, and tinctures. Michelle Soto of Cutting Root Apothecary will share stories and information about each plant and how to use them medicinally. Students will have the opportunity to order a bundle with supplies needed for making medicines to be mailed directly to their homes. All the herbs provided are grown and processed at Cutting Root Farm & Apothecary in Butler, PA. This is the summer curriculum and will be covering the following herbs: calendula, white pine, anise hyssop, lemon balm, bee balm, and marshmallow.

Shinrin Yoku Guided Forest Therapy Walk | Martha O'Grady and Charlie Yuill

Sat., June 17 | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

$25 members | $30 nonmembers

Meet in the Phipps Welcome Center, Walk in Schenley Park

Come join Forest Awakenings for a relaxing nature retreat shaped by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku. Over the course of three mindful hours, we’ll slow down and connect with the More Than Human World in a deeper, more intimate way. Following a research-based process, we’ll get in touch with our bodies and our place in the living fabric of life. Our walk will conclude with a gratitude offering and open-hearted sharing over tea brewed from local plants. For more information, visit www.ForestAwakening.com

If walks must be postponed due to inclement weather, it will be held the following day. You will be contacted by 5 p.m. the day before if the walk is to be rescheduled.

Secret History of Plants (Phipps Walking Tour) | Boaz Frankel

Mon., June 26 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$15 members | $20 nonmembers

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

This interactive, after-hours tour of the Conservatory will encourage you to think about plants in an entirely new way. Plants aren’t just the building blocks of our gardens – they’re the source of our food, medicine, housing, clothing, culture, and so much more! We’ll stroll through Phipps’ collection and discover how plant and human interactions have shaped our world in surprising ways.

Dyeing with Nature Series | Mary Alice Koeneke and Judith Mackenroth

Tuesdays: June 27, July 11, 25, Aug. 8 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Full Series: $90 members | $110 nonmembers | $43 supply kit (optional)

Live webinar through Zoom

Discover the hidden rainbow of natural dye colors hiding in your own fields and garden. Not only will you learn how to grow your own palette of color, but discover how easy it is to transfer that color onto wool, silk, and cotton fiber. Once the dyes are extracted, you can even use them to create your own unique paints and inks! 

Supplies are available for pickup from Phipps Garden Center or mailed out. Allows participants to dye alongside classes. Only available for purchase if registered for the whole series. This option closes on June 13.

June 27: How to Grow a Dyers' Garden

July 11: Getting Started with Natural Dye

July 25: Introduction to Indigo Dye and Shibori

Aug. 8: Introduction to Dyeing with Lichen

How to Grow a Dyers' Garden | Mary Alice Koeneke

Tues., June 27 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$25 members | $30 nonmembers

Live webinar presented through Zoom

Welcome to a new way to enjoy a colorful garden--grow your own colorful natural dyes! Master Gardener Mary Alice Koeneke will present a palette of amazing plants that you can grow in your own garden to produce a rainbow of natural dye colors. [The option to purchase seeds along with this class is now closed.]

Understanding Climate Change | Maria Wheeler-Dubas

Mondays: July 10 and 17 | 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Free, registration required

Live webinar presented through Zoom

Are your garden flowers blooming earlier in the spring? Do leaves seem to change color later in the fall? Does it seem like the weather has just been weird or even record-breaking for the past few years? If you’ve noticed these things, you’re not alone! You’re spying the effects of climate change, and you are spot on. For this series, we will talk about…what is climate change, how do scientists know it’s happening, and what can we all do to help?

Week 1: The science and evidence behind climate change

Week 2: What can we do at home and how do we effectively talk about climate change.

Getting Started with Natural Dye | Judith Mackenroth

Tues., July 11 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$25 members | $30 nonmembers

Live webinar presented through Zoom

Unlock the hidden rainbow of natural dyes at home. Discover how easy it is to transform a troublesome weed into a beautiful dye, you'll never look at weeding the same way! We'll be using natural dyes from roots, leaves, wood & more, and creating one-of-a-kind treasures. 

Shortened Shinrin Yoku Guided Forest Therapy Walk | Martha O'Grady and Charlie Yuill

Sun., July 16 | 10 - 11:30 a.m.

$10 members | $15 nonmembers

Meet in the Phipps Welcome Center, Walk in Schenley Park

Come join Forest Awakenings for a relaxing nature retreat shaped by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku. Join this shortened version of our popular forest therapy walk, where we’ll slow down and connect with the More Than Human World in a deeper, more intimate way. Following a research-based process, we’ll get in touch with our bodies and our place in the living fabric of life. For more information, visit www.ForestAwakening.com

If walks must be postponed due to inclement weather, it will be held the following day. You will be contacted by 5 p.m. the day before if the walk is to be rescheduled.

Secret History of Plants (Phipps Walking Tour) | Boaz Frankel

Mon., July 17 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$15 members | $20 nonmembers

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

This interactive, after-hours tour of the Conservatory will encourage you to think about plants in an entirely new way. Plants aren’t just the building blocks of our gardens – they’re the source of our food, medicine, housing, clothing, culture, and so much more! We’ll stroll through Phipps’ collection and discover how plant and human interactions have shaped our world in surprising ways.

Building Solitary Bee Hotels | Braley Burke

Wed., July 19 | 6 - 7:30 p.m.

$20 members | $25 nonmembers | $35 material fee

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Did you know that most bees do not have hives? Many actually nest in reeds or other small tubes that provide shelter for their offspring. Learn about the solitary bees of Pennsylvania and craft a solitary bee house based on the ecology of the bees and recommendations by insect specialists.

Backard Composting | PA Resources Council

Thurs., July 20 | 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Workshop only: $20 | Workshop & compost bin: $70 (same price for members and nonmembers)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Are you unsure what to do with your kitchen, garden, and yard scraps? Would you like natural, home-made compost for your lawns and gardens in the spring? Join us for this information-packed class, learn best practices for backyard composting, and get all your composting questions answered.

Introduction to Indigo Dye and Shibori | Judith Mackenroth

Tues., July 25 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$25 members | $30 nonmembers

Live webinar presented through Zoom

Let the magic begin! Indigo is an ancient blue dye with a silly secret--the dye molecule isn't water soluble, so the usual simmering dye method doesn't work. Instead, we use special methods that render the blue substance into a pale-yellow liquid, but don't despair, when lifted from the dye vat, the fiber magically turns blue before your eyes! Learn the fast and easy way to make indigo ready to use in as quick as ten minutes. Shibori is the traditional Japanese art of patterning indigo-dyed fabric, and we'll be giving it a try on a silk scarf, as well as tie-dye on a cotton bandana. 

Rain Barrels | PA Resources Council

Wed., Aug. 2 | 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Workshop only: $20 | Workshop & rain barrel: $780 (same price for members and nonmembers)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Wondering how to reduce your impact on our local watersheds? Learn how to reduce stormwater runoff and the spread of pollution by setting up a rain barrel for harvesting, storing, and using rainwater at home. Explore strategies for reducing our impact on local watersheds through water-friendly techniques for common household tasks, lawn and garden maintenance, waste reduction, and more. 

Pressed Flower Stained Glass | Sarah Cohen - Petal Vision Glass

Mon. Aug. 7 | 6 - 7:30 p.m.

$35 members | $40 nonmembers | $40 material fee

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Curious about stained glass and flowers inside? Make your own Stained Glass Flower craft. Learn different techniques with dried and pressed flowers and transform them into a cabinet of curiosities that preserve natural wonders and your memories. Students will learn how to cut sheet glass and foil the edges. 

You will make at least 2 things: brooches (pins), magnets, or curious objects. You choose! Optional: students may bring their own poems, handwritten notes, paper collages, cut-outs, decals, magazines, pictures, and thin materials like dried flowers, feathers, or anything sentimental you’d like in the glass.

Introduction to Dyeing with Lichen | Judith Mackenroth

Tues., Aug. 8 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$25 members | $30 nonmembers

Live webinar presented through Zoom

Did you know there was another rainbow UNDER your feet? There's an entirely different palette of colors from fungi and lichens. Discover how to use fungi safely and ethically for dyeing. We'll be using a variety of different fungi - learn how to make several different colors in only one pot, perfect for smaller amounts of dyestuffs.

Shinrin Yoku Guided Forest Therapy Walk | Martha O'Grady and Charlie Yuill

Wed., Aug. 9 | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

$25 members | $30 nonmembers

Meet in the Phipps Welcome Center, Walk in Schenley Park

Come join Forest Awakenings for a relaxing nature retreat shaped by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku. Over the course of three mindful hours, we’ll slow down and connect with the More Than Human World in a deeper, more intimate way. Following a research-based process, we’ll get in touch with our bodies and our place in the living fabric of life. Our walk will conclude with a gratitude offering and open-hearted sharing over tea brewed from local plants. For more information, visit www.ForestAwakening.com

If walks must be postponed due to inclement weather, it will be held the following day. You will be contacted by 5 p.m. the day before if the walk is to be rescheduled.

Gardening for Birds | Gabi Hughes - Audubon Society

Tues. Aug. 15 | 6 - 8 p.m.

$15 members | $20 nonmembers

Live webinar through Zoom

Our local birds are an engaging bit of the wild that we can easily see right in our own backyards. And you can provide for those birds beyond just a basic birdfeeder or bird house. Join us to learn how to plant your way to a Bird-Friendly Backyard, while making your property both more beautiful and an ecosystem asset. Explore planting concepts, native plant species suggestions, and other simple changes that will have a positive impact on birds and beyond.

Foraging Basket | Dan Brockett

Sat. and Sun., Aug. 19 and 20 | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

$170 members | $190 nonmembers | $35 material fee

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Taught by Center for Contemporary Craft resident Artist Dan Brockett, this weekend intensive will have you walking away with a fully functional and beautiful basket you can use however you like. Whether for flowers, fruit, the farmer’s market, or decoration, this rib-style weave basket is large enough for a variety of purposes. With all the willow being grown on his very own farm and employing traditional Pennsylvania-born weaving techniques, Dan will teach you how to work with your hands to create a functional piece of artwork from living plants. 

Please bring your own lunch, as there will be a break. Please be aware this class is finger and wrist muscle intensive. Those with arthritis or hand pain should take caution.

Moss Shadowbox | Sarah Needham

Mon., Aug. 21 | 7 - 8:30 p.m.

$25 members | $30 members | $35 material fee

Live webinar through Zoom

Moss art brings the beauty and texture of nature into your home. You will get a complete material kit shipped to your door, including a shadowbox frame to create your patch of nature, sure to freshen any space. Beyond dried moss, you will also receive stones, twigs, and other natural materials. Please have a glue gun on hand, and feel free to take creative freedom by collecting materials to add to the arrangement. 

Eco-Printed Silk Scarf | Judith Mackenroth

Wed., Aug. 23 | 6:30 - 8 p.m.

$35 members | $40 nonmembers | $25 material fee

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

That beautiful rainbow of summer flowers can be transferred to fabric, so you can enjoy their ethereal beauty even in the winter. Use fresh and dried flowers and leaves to create unique pieces of art, a sort of botanical print that can have crisp images of leaf veins and petals, or impressionistic washes of color, depending on the method used. The supply fee will cover three silk scarves, dyer's alum & iron mordants, dried flowers & other dyestuffs, to participate in class.