To Peat or Not To Peat, That is the Question
In the horticulture and landscape industry, peat is a ubiquitous material used in potting soils, composts, bales of straight peat, and more. It has long been considered a reliable horticultural resource, and recently, questions around sustainability, sourcing, and its role in climate change mitigation have come to light. In this presentation, peat research specialist Dr. Brian Jackson of North Carolina State University will share valuable information about using or not using peat in your landscape or horticultural practice. Talking points include peat alternatives for growing media, harvest locations and practices, and sourcing materials.
Learn MoreConverting Lawn to Meadow: Design & Management
An increasing area of interest for gardeners and landscape clients is to convert a lawn space into a beautiful native wildflower ecosystem, benefiting insects, pollinators, and humans alike. Robert Graham, Land Steward of New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, will share insights on how to make a thriving wildflower garden. We'll dive into design considerations, the conversion process, and learnings from New England Botanics' own managed meadow space. You'll leave with tools for budgeting, timelines, and realistic management strategies to get the best out of your landscape projects.
Learn MorePlant Nurseries in New England: Experiences on How to Start & Succeed
If you've ever considered starting a plant nursery, this one's for you. Whether your goals are driven by a passion for plants, frustrations with supply, or a desire to meet local needs, our panel of three nursery growers and owners will share recommendations for success. Leveraging their different business models, we'll cover everything from sustainability, the changing business climate, lessons learned, and motivations and goals for owning a nursery.
Learn MoreInvasive Plant Management: Lessons Learned
Support healthy gardens while tackling invasive plant issues with skills learned in this valuable presentation. Chris Polatin, restoration ecologist with Land Stewardship, Inc., will discuss how he incorporates Integrated Pest Management into successful mitigation practices. Developed over 20 years as an ecological restoration practitioner, Chirs has honed his skills and will share what to do, what not to do, and what are the most feasible outcomes. Additionally, we'll cover commonly encountered and emerging invasive plant species, seasonal consideration and prioritization, and native plant revegetation strategies. Landscape and garden professionals will leave with tangible mitigation tools and resources for additional support.
Learn MoreForm and Texture In Graphite I
Delve deeply into the art of graphite drawing. Using simple botanical subjects, this online class will give students confidence in accurately depicting various fruits and vegetables. Using a light source and three-dimensional armature and an emphasis on highlights, mid-tones, and shadow areas, artists will develop an understanding of concave and convex shapes. Students will complete a three-part series of drawings, line, armature, and full tonal graphite drawing. This is a two-day online Zoom class on Thursdays, March 7 and 14. The classes are recorded and available for future viewing.
Learn MoreDesigning with Native Shrubs: Formal to Naturalized Applications
From ornamental to functional benefits, there are many opportunities to use native shrubs in any landscape. It's time to scratch privet off the shopping list and add New England native plants, northern bayberry or fragrant summersweet. In this online presentation, we'll see examples of various native shrubs and discuss their applications and plant combinations. Whether you're doing a formal garden perimeter or a wildlife habitat naturalizing project, we'll share management practices and plant selection to help you meet your design goals.
Learn MoreForm and Texture In Graphite 2
In a continuation of Form & Texture with Graphite Part I, students will further develop their understanding and application of graphite to more complex natural subjects. By using pineapples, pine cones, the interior of a pepper, and so on, students will develop their skills, including working on rendering different pigments in greyscale. Explore the tonal quality and textural differences between the papery skin of garlic and the deep, dark shine of an eggplant. Learn to translate multi-colored subjects into tonal values, all while maintaining form and perspective. This class will meet via Zoom from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on March 21 & 28 and April 4 & 11. Pre-requisite: Suggested as a continuation of Form and Texture with Graphite Part I. These classes are recorded and available for future viewing.
Learn MoreWhite Pine Cone and Chick-a-Dee
Join us as we celebrate the Maine state bird, the Black-capped Chickadee, and the unique state flower, the White Pine Cone and Tassel (Pinus strobus, linnaeus). Learn about this tiny bird from egg to feather and its deciduous habitat as we explore anatomy and composition. By the end of the four-week online class, students will create an original painting of a Black-capped Chickadee on a White Pine tree branch with a pine cone! All levels are welcome. Students can work in watercolor or colored pencil.
Learn MoreWatercolor Batik with Erica Qualey
Watercolor and wax is an exciting combination, and when you add in a delicately textured rice paper, WOW! The results are fantastic and lovely, with rich, bold colors and soft textures created by the natural qualities of rice paper. Erica will lead you step by step through layering paint and wax, teaching you all the skills you need to know to start creating your watercolor batiks. We'll begin with how to choose a good reference photo, how to design a strong composition, and finally, where to apply wax and how to make corrections when you make a mistake. All levels of painters, from beginners to advanced, are encouraged to join the fun!
Learn MoreBlock Printing with Jordan Parks
Explore traditional block printing methods with a modern touch, which can be used anywhere, as a printing press is not required! Participants will leave the workshop understanding basic block printing techniques and multiple prints of their designs. We encourage students to use the gardens as inspiration and/or to bring ideas, sketches, or photographs from home. During this two-day workshop, you'll learn about the various tools and materials used in linoleum block printing, how to transfer ideas to sketches, and how to take those sketches from tracing paper to block and paper. No previous printmaking experience is required, but students with experience are also welcome.
Learn MoreArt & Botany: Creating a Botanical Dissection Plate
Combining botany, design, and illustration, students will have the opportunity to create an artful botanical dissection plate during this two-day workshop. Botanical dissection plates have been around since the invention of the microscope and are realistic educational illustrations of plant anatomy. Participants will learn valuable techniques used by science illustrators, such as field sketching, plant dissection, and drawing from magnified plant specimens. Students will also learn how to use color and design to create eye-catching compositions. The workshop will take place both in the gardens and the classroom, where students will learn how to translate their knowledge into creative and visually appealing illustrations. This workshop will take a loose and artful approach to this typically technical and time-consuming process. All experience levels are welcome!
Learn MoreMonotype Workshop with Suzanne Stokes
This two-day workshop will focus on how to create monoprints, which are one-of-a-kind prints where an image made with ink is transferred onto various papers. Unlike most printmaking techniques, which allow for multiple originals, monoprinting creates a single, unique image at a time. The beauty of this technique lies in its spontaneity and its allowance for combinations of printmaking, painting, and various mark-making methods that can be printed multiple times in a variety of ways. Open to all artistic and printmaking skill levels.
Learn MoreThe Maine Forage: Five Days of Maine Forage Drawing with Mindy Lighthipe
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is filled with natural treasures waiting to be drawn and painted! Join Mindy Lighthipe for this fun five-day workshop as we focus on capturing wild Maine. From the beach to the woodlands, learn to draw forms and figures like shells, seaweed, woodland creatures, mushrooms and more in graphite, and then transpose into full-color illustration. On the last day, we will take all our sketches and drawings and create a coastal Maine original composition. All levels are welcome. Get the best value by signing up for all five classes. For those who can't attend all five, you may sign up for individual days.
Learn MoreThe Maine Forage: All Things Beachy in Graphite, Day 1
Bring your beach-combed treasures or borrow from our collection as we investigate shells, seaweed, crab claws, horseshoe crabs, and more through form and shading. On day one, we will draw with graphite.
Learn MoreThe Maine Forage: All Things Beachy in Color, Day 2
Bring your beach-combed treasures or borrow from our collection as we investigate shells, seaweed, crab claws, horseshoe crabs, and more! For day two, we will draw and paint in color using colored pencils, watercolor, and gauche! Students choose their medium. All experience levels are welcome!
Learn MoreThe Maine Forage: Woodlands in Graphite, Day 3
From woodland creatures to forest floor treasures of Maine, students will study specimens and photographs and render them in graphite. We'll explore the fur textures of the red squirrel, mushrooms in leaf litter, twigs, acorns, and more! All experience levels are welcome.
Learn MoreThe Maine Forage: Woodlands in Color, Day 4
From woodland creatures to forest floor treasures of Maine, students will study specimens and photographs and render them in the color medium of their choice. Starting with graphite drawings and learning to transfer to full-color illustrations, we'll explore the fur textures of the red squirrel, mushrooms in leaf litter, twigs, acorns, and more! All experience levels are welcome.
Learn MoreThe Maine Forage: Grand Finale, Day 5
Day five is the culmination of five days of exploration through Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Combining shells, leaves, and forest friends, we'll create an original composition. Students can use the medium of their choice, either in graphite or color. All experience levels are welcome!
Learn MoreEncaustic Critters with Hélène Farrar
This is a unique opportunity to work with wood and the ancient medium of encaustic in creating a "critter" in the form of a relief wall piece! Whether a chipmunk, baby barred owl, or hedgehog is your critter of choice, we'll explore forms on board and then learn to cut with a jigsaw to establish wings, feet, and other creative design elements. Students will be introduced to the molten beeswax paint to create a rich surface for their critter.
Learn MorePainting the Autumn Gardens with Pastels
Be inspired by the brilliant colors of autumn and beautiful gardens in this two-day pastel workshop. Geared for all levels of experience, this course will introduce beginning artists to pastels with pure pigments that offer the perfect complement to the colorful bounty of nature. For experienced painters, the course offers techniques to create painterly works with bold color and mark-making. Diana combines demonstrations with one-on-one attention and encouragement at the easel. Using fun exercises, participants will learn how to use color and value selection, simplified compositions, and mark-making to create expressive garden and landscape paintings. Participants will have plenty of time to paint and complete fully developed paintings.
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