Horticultural Happenings (Regional) Events
Mushroom Habitats Class (Fort Bragg, CA)
While we wait patiently for peak season… let’s learn where our magnificent mushrooms like to live! Join Naturalist and Mycologist Mario Abreu for a visual presentation on mushrooms and their substrates followed by a brief walk to find some examples in the Gardens. This class will explore common mushroom habitats with focus on the associated trees. Mario will also cover how mushrooms benefit from trees, tree identification basics, which mushroom species are associated with certain trees, and more.
View event website »Monday Mushroom Walks (Fort Bragg, CA)
Take a guided tour of the MCBG Mushroom Collection! The Gardens is home to more than 160 species of wild mushrooms during fall and winter. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of some types of fungi. Normally hidden underground, these reproductive structures lie dormant until the rainy season, when they sprout above the earth.
Enjoy an introduction to mushroom identification followed by a guided walk with Naturalist and Mycologist, Mario Abreu each Monday from November 18 through December 23. Mario will begin with an approximately 45-minute introduction followed by a 2-hour guided field walk. Please remember, mushrooms found at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens should stay at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens… DO NOT PICK OR COLLECT from our botanical collection!
Fall Plant Sale (Fort Bragg, CA)
It is time to stock up at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens’ annual Fall Plant Sale at the Nursery at MCBG. This year’s Fall Plant Sale includes discounts on all plant purchases and select Store items. Enjoy 10% off all plants, and current Members of the Gardens receive 20% off! Take advantage of the great prices and add some fabulous mixtures to your home garden. The Garden Store and Nursery will also have clearance prices on select items. Stock up on foundation shrubs, assorted perennials, ground covers, and pollinator-friendly plants. Snag some fresh MCBG gear, tools, pottery, gardening books, and more. Be sure to take advantage of the low prices during the sale.
View event website »Gather & Grow – John Abbot, The Naturalist
John Abbot was a renowned naturalist who produced exquisite watercolors of Georgia’s flora and fauna. His work, which predates John James Audubon’s, is now prized worldwide. Abbot documented the region’s butterfly and moth faunas and their interactions with native plants. Two species of moths, Oiketicus abbotii and Sphecodina abbottii, bear his name in recognition of his contributions.
View event website »Watercolor Workshop: Holiday Snow Scene (Washington, CT)
Celebrate the start of the holiday season with a watercolor workshop featuring an enchanting New England snow scene. Each student will create a 8”x 6” winter themed painting, perfect for printing your own holiday greeting cards or for giving as a special gift. Watercolorist Betsy Rogers-Knox provides step-by-step demonstrations and individual instruction in this fun, one day workshop. Join us and learn to capture the seasonal beauty of a quintessential New England winter landscape. All levels welcome.
View event website »Dried Wreath Making Workshop (Washington, CT)
Create your own fabulous dried winter wreath using locally sourced materials in this seasonal workshop. Join Beth Crowell of Meadow Rue Gardens as she shares her experience of drying flowers and offers advice for growing and preparing your own plants for drying. After a demonstration of proper assembly techniques, enjoy creating your own wreath with choice natural materials provided by Meadow Rue Gardens. Using a 14 inch metal base, you will craft a luxurious 24 inch artisanal wreath that will warmly welcome your favorite people into your home this season. Participants should bring their own clippers. All other materials provided.
View event website »Sumi-e Brush Painting: Birds and Branches (Washington, CT)
Sumi-e is a traditional Japanese watercolor technique that uses minimal brush strokes and charcoal ink to create paintings that capture the delicate beauty of nature. Gain confidence in the basic techniques of sumi-e as you learn to create original ink paintings featuring birds and branches. Because the process of sumi-e is immediate, you will have time to practice loading your brushes, trying different brush strokes and getting comfortable using ink on paper before starting on your final paintings. While we will be using black ink, colors will be available to those who wish to experiment. All levels are welcome.
View event website »Roman Gardens (Washington, CT)
The story of ancient Roman gardens is remarkably complete even after two thousand years. We are surprisingly well informed about these gardens, not only on their design but also the actual plants with which they were furnished. Ancient writings, wall paintings and modern archeological excavation have all contributed to building a highly accurate picture of what the gardens looked like in antiquity. We are further blessed with a few villa and town house gardens in Pompeii and its environs that have been excavated virtually intact, some with their ancient sculptures still displayed in the original positions. A few have even been replanted with the same plants in the same positions where they originally grew. Join Hollister House Garden’s George Schoellkopf for a look at the world of Roman gardens based on what actually survives and what we have learned from ancient literature and modern archeological excavation.
View event website »Fall Mushroom Cultivation Workshop (Washington, CT)
Celebrate the autumn equinox and learn how to grow mushrooms in your own backyard! Join us as we explore the fungal kingdom with Willie Crosby of Fungi Ally. He will introduce us to six wild mushroom species and share mushroom science and lore before diving into techniques you can use at home to cultivate mushrooms outdoors. Learn how to inoculate logs, wood chips and stumps for years of delicious mushroom harvests. Then get hands-on practice preparing and inoculating your very own shiitake log to take home. Your shiitake log will continue to produce crops of mushrooms for several years. All workshop materials included. Additional mushroom spawn and grow kits will be available for purchase. Attendance is limited, so reserve your place early.
View event website »Garden Journaling: Berries and Pods (Washington, CT)
Early autumn at Hollister House Garden is a study in abundance. The garden is a showcase for colorful berries, interesting pods and a variety of fruits. After a step-by-step demo and exercise in the barn, we’ll explore the garden and capture these autumn treasures in our journals. Whether you are a new or experienced journal keeper, artist Betsy Rogers-Knox will provide plenty of drawing and watercolor tips to expand your garden record keeping.
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