Filter by Category

March 30

Garden Design: Conceptual Planning

When we design a garden, we do much more than create a space to show off favorite flowers; we reflect personality and a sense of place, incorporating circulation, function, and design principles. Join us at the Gardens as we explore the conceptual process that awakens creativity and trains the brain to draw freehand while learning how to use graphic tools. We’ll practice with onsite spaces and have time for students to apply newfound skills to their projects. Class Level: Intermediate

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-3:00pm

Instructor: Cheryl Salatino

Cost: $60–75

April 2

Staff Top 20 Erosion Control Plants

Staff horticulturists Jen Dunlap, Catherine Kaczor, and Lon Ames share their top 20 plants for erosion control in this online panel discussion. While these plants can be functional to support our soils, they are beautiful and can be utilized in combinations as ornamental as any traditional garden. Learn about the various heights, habits, and ideal environments.

Class Levels: All Levels

Location: Online

Time: 3:00pm-5:00pm

Instructor: Multiple Instructors

Cost: $15–28

April 4

Garden Design: Structure & Movement

Once conceptual ideas are narrowed down to one or two general schematics of our garden spaces, we can start shaping them with program and structure. Structure and movement consist of more than a row of shrubs, a fence, a path, or a wall at your property line – this is how you shape a space, create a sense of enclosure, and lead the eye to landscape destinations. This online lecture and demonstration will identify features and design principles captured initially on trace layers, ensuring pragmatic and inspirational functions in our gardens. Upon registration, students will receive a list of supplies recommended for the class and ongoing design projects. Class Level: Intermediate

Learn More

Location: Online

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Instructor: Cheryl Salatino

Cost: $36–46

April 12

Soil Science for Gardeners (Sold Out)

This class is sold out, but please click "Learn More" to join our waitlist. | Soil is a living matrix of chemical and biological interactions, and a fundamental understanding of soil science is critical when selecting well-adapted native plants or choosing amendments needed by native plant communities. This two-day hybrid class for the ecologically-minded grower will discuss soil texture, chemistry, water-holding capacity, the biologically diverse life in the soil, and how these dynamic relationships can affect a plant’s health. Class Level: Intermediate

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-2:30pm

Instructor: Monique Bosch

Cost: $140–175

April 13

Garden Design: Its in the Layers

In this class hosted at the Gardens, we’ll look at the palette and plant choices that coordinate with the structure and movement of our design space(s), along with personal and environmental considerations. Using a base plan, we’ll focus on implementing the layers of details, from ground to canopy, onto layers of trace paper. By constructing your physical garden’s layers on layered drafts of trace paper, you can avoid becoming overwhelmed, and before you know it, your dream design is intact! Class Level: Intermediate

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-3:00pm

Instructor: Cheryl Salatino

Cost: $60–75

April 18

White 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 More

Location: Online

Time: 9:30am-11:30am

Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe

Cost: $230–260

April 23

Plant ID & Ecology: Viburnums

Viburnums are an important genus in New England landscapes, offering essential habitats for wildlife and attractive seasonal floral and berry displays. Join Lon Ames, horticulturist for the Haney Hillside Garden, in his online class to learn about native and non-native viburnums that can be used in your garden borders. Discussion will include sizes, habits, ecological benefits, and characteristics that make viburnums stand out in your displays.

Location: Online

Time: 3:00pm-5:00pm

Instructor: Lon Ames

Cost: $22–28

April 26

Fundamentals of Botany (Sold Out)

This class is sold out, but please click "Learn More" to join our waitlist. | A core understanding of plant biology will open up the world of plants for any gardener. Through discussion, lecture, and hands-on lab work, this class begins with basic plant anatomy, exploring how every aspect of a plant works to sustain photosynthesis, respiration, and water and mineral uptake.

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-2:30pm

Instructor: Bryan Peterson

Cost: $140–175

April 27

Garden Design: Final Plan to Fruition

Whether you're working on a new garden design or revising an existing one, this class at the Gardens will address both the large-scale process and the detailed specifics of design. After a brief recap of the design process to ensure comprehension and strengthen the core intent of our designs, we'll address how to merge the layers of design details, ensuring legibility is maintained. Through a collaborative workshop, students will present their design projects, exchange constructive feedback, and discuss the means for making the design come to fruition. As the series final installment, students should come prepared with a design project they've been working on, no matter the stage. Upon registration, students will receive a list of supplies needed. Class Level: Intermediate

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-3:00pm

Instructor: Multiple Instructors

Cost: $60–75

May 10

Horticultural Ecology

Plants interact with their garden environments, from abiotic influences like temperature, pH, humidity, and sunlight to biotic influences like other plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and even humans. This two-day hybrid class teaches how plants adapt, compete, and depend on these influences. You'll learn concepts like parasitism, pollination, plant adaptation, and dispersal. Class Level: Intermediate to Advanced.

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-2:30pm

Instructor: Dan Robarts

Cost: $140–175

May 11

Proper Planting: Plants & Practices

Strengthen your gardening skills with a focus on best planting practices in this in-person workshop and demonstration. We'll demonstrate how and when to sow seed, plant bare-root plants, and how to transplant both young potted seedlings and much larger, more mature specimens. You'll leave feeling informed about effective planting, including seasonal timing, rootbound plants, planting materials, and proper tools.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Instructor: Catherine Kaczor

Cost: $32–40

May 20

Watercolor 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-3:00pm

Instructor: Erica Qualey

Cost: $295–325

May 21

Selecting Native Herbaceous Plants

Presented in three parts, native plant expert Dan Jaffe-Wilder will introduce students to various native perennials to use in garden settings. The course will include two online presentations in May and September and an in-person fieldwork day in July. Through the series, we will discuss selecting the right plant for the right place in the right combination, using the best quality for the application, cultivation variables, choosing plants for their ecological role, specialized garden communities, aesthetics, propagation, and proper plant procurement. Class Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Instructor: Dan Jaffe-Wilder

Cost: $155–190

May 24

Trees of Maine: ID, Ecology & Management

Kick off Memorial Day weekend with this field-study class honoring our northeastern forests and learning more about their fragile ecosystems. Wabanahkik (Dawnland), the broader territory that includes the area now known as Maine, consists of a variety of climate conditions that host an assortment of deciduous and coniferous species valuable to thousands of living organisms. We'll discuss individual tree species, their ecological roles, and management practices that support the health of the living matrix. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-9:30am

Instructor: Multiple Instructors

Cost: $15–34

June 6

Natural Communities of Maine

Guided by ecologist Ted Elliman, this comprehensive, two-day hybrid course will introduce students to natural plant communities, their defining physical environments, the plants living in them, and the natural processes affecting them. Online discussion and hands-on field work will evaluate the variety of plant communities throughout Maine and how this information influences your gardening choices. Class Level: Intermediate

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-2:30pm

Instructor: Ted Elliman

Cost: $140–175

June 8

Forest Therapy Walk and Tea: Spring

Deepening your connection to nature through moving meditation offers enormous benefits for personal well-being. In this gentle and sensory-oriented class, students will experience the practice of walking mindfully through a forest to gain deep serenity and new awareness. Follow Susan Bickford, certified guide in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest therapy/forest bathing, as she gives you the tools to begin your own meditation practice. The walk ends with a tea ceremony that honors the experience.

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:00am-12:00pm

Instructor: Susan Bickford

Cost: $15–36

June 8

Plant Your Own Vertical Garden

Leave with a beautiful vertical garden in this hands-on workshop. Designers Cheryl Tyler and Jen Dunlap will guide students through a step-by-step process of building and planting an 18"x 14" framed planter. The plant pallet of ferns, mosses, and lichens will be provided for outdoor and indoor applications. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 10:00am-12:30pm

Instructor: Multiple Instructors

Cost: $45–80

June 10

Wearable Art: Marquetry Jewelry with Polymer Clay

Build your own pin or pendant (or both) based on inspirations from the flowers and foliage in the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. From observational drawing or photography, develop a simple flower or leaf design based on a color palette of your choosing. Employing Bonnie's signature marquetry techniques for surface design, and construct your pendant before making a pin back or pendant bale using wire and clay for a beautiful and fun finish. Basic polymer skills will be helpful but not required.

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:30am-3:30pm

Instructor: Bonnie Bishoff

Cost: $295–325

June 15

Plant A Succulent Container Garden

Succulents provide the perfect plant for both seasoned and aspiring gardeners. These powerhouse low-maintenance plants add elegance and unique displays for small or large gardens. Join staff Horticulturist and container garden aficionado Brent McHale to show you what plants to use and how to plant your own shallow container garden that you'll take home to display and admire on your patio, deck, or balcony. All materials will be provided. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 1:00pm-3:30pm

Instructor: Brent McHale

Cost: $45–80

June 21

Sustainable Horticulture Practices

Ecosystem balance, soil, and water quality are all influenced by our landscape practices. This extensive, two-day sustainable horticulture class will help students apply the principles of ecologically safe gardening practices to their garden or landscape. Through online and in-person sessions, we’ll examine composting, techniques for eco-friendly soil amendments, alternatives to pesticides and herbicides, responsible native plant acquisition, erosion control methods, plant forms for function, and so much more. Class Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-2:30pm

Instructor: Irene Barber

Cost: $140–175

June 22

Plant ID and Ecology: Hardy Ferns

Ferns are commonly used to add elegance, texture, and an ethereal feeling to any shade garden, and did you know there are thousands of fern species? To learn more about fascinating fern ecology, genera, species, and cultivars, join Bill Cullina, former Director of Horticulture and President & CEO of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, now Director of Morris Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of Native Ferns, Mosses, & Grasses for a captivating slideshow and garden tour exploring the extensive inventory of ferns at the Gardens. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Instructor: Bill Cullina

Cost: $36–44

June 28

Integrated Pest & Disease Management

State Horticulturalist Gary Fish leads this one-day class, which covers extensive ground on the insects, diseases, and deficiencies found on plants in the landscape. Applying principles of integrated pest management (IPM), the course will help students identify, monitor, and prevent poor plant health and, when necessary, deal with treatments. Mr. Fish will emphasize preventative measures and help students determine methods to mitigate further plant pest problems. Class Level: Intermediate

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-3:00pm

Instructor: Gary Fish

Cost: $50–62

July 11

Landscaping for Wildlife

Habitat loss is the primary cause of declining wildlife populations, and learning how vital native plants are to wildlife and how much our landscape choices matter is one of the most critical steps we can take to divert such loss. Combined with a short online lecture followed by an interactive workshop and field study at the Gardens, students will learn how and what to manage in the landscape and how to incorporate certain native plants to create welcoming habitats that attract wildlife, conserve natural resources, and encourage biodiversity. Class Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-11:30am

Instructor: Deb Perkins

Cost: $62–75

July 12

Field Trip to Captain Fitzgerald Recreation & Conservation

Join Catherine Kaczor, staff gardener and passionate naturalist, for an educational walk at Captain Fitzgerald Recreation and Conservation Area in Brunswick. Visiting Maine's only remaining Sandplain Pine Barren community, you will learn how to identify endemic native plant species and how to recreate elements of this native plant community in your home landscape. If the weather permits, we will see dozens of pollinating insects and birds, so bring your hand lenses and binoculars. We'll have extra on hand if you don't have these items. Come prepared with sunscreen, water, and good walking shoes. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Captain Fitzgerald Recreation and Conservation

Time: 9:30am-12:00pm

Instructor: Catherine Kaczor

Cost: $10–32

July 15

Block 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-4:30pm

Instructor: Jordan Parks

Cost: $265–295

July 20

Is it Really a Weed? ID and Management

Weeds, by casual definition, are undesired plants found in a specific location. Delany Pitman, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Horticulturist, leads a combination of field study and lecture discussing the perception of weeds, identification, cultural management, and ecology. You'll leave with a broader understanding of what & why plants are commonly known as "weeds" and whether they might be embraced or removed from a garden or landscape. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Instructor: Delaney Pitman

Cost: $28–36

July 26

Plant Problems? Ask Garth

Garth Welch, staff IPM Specialist, is here to help identify your plant problems. Focusing on common issues found on garden plants, Garth will explain how to discern the cause from insect, disease, or deficiency. Emphasizing Integrated Pest Management, Garth will advise students on cultural recommendations to resolve the plant problem. Students can bring photo samples of up to two different plant issues for Garth to help identify. To prevent spread, please do not bring live samples of the plant(s). Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Instructor: Garth Welch

Cost: $32–40

August 5

Art & 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-4:00pm

Instructor: Joy Grannis

Cost: $275–310

August 9

Garden Groundcovers: Plants and Uses

Groundcover plants combine beautiful form and function, supporting healthy soils and providing texture and color to any garden. In this class, you'll learn from staff Horticulturalist Jen Dunlap about the wide variety of groundcovers, especially those indigenous to the Northeast. We'll uncover their economic and ecological benefits, such as a solution to replace the need for any other kind of mulch.

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Instructor: Jen Dunlap

Cost: $28–36

August 14

Introduction to Native Flora of Maine

The first step to gardening with Maine’s native plants is meeting them in their wild habitats. Over this three-day in-person class, Melissa Cullina, the Gardens’ Director of Plant Science & Collections, will help students recognize around fifty frequent coastal species. As a staff botanist, Melissa will cover plant identification skills, terminology, and botanical etymology. Through guided walks, both at the Gardens and a Boothbay Region Land Trust property, students will practice skills and collect samples for identification and botanizing native species. Class Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-4:00pm

Instructor: Melissa Cullina

Cost: $175–205

August 19

Monotype 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-4:30pm

Instructor: Suzanne Stokes

Cost: $295–325

August 24

Plant ID and Ecology: Goldenrods and Milkweeds

Milkweeds and goldenrods adorn our New England landscapes from July through October in shades of white, pink, and yellow, providing beauty and valuable nectar and pollen to native pollinators. Native plant ecologist and botanist Edward Elliman will lead students through a deep dive into the botanical and ecological lessons of these genera and species through a lecture, slideshow, and outdoor field study. Class Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-2:30pm

Instructor: Ted Elliman

Cost: $46–58

August 30

Selecting Native Woody Plants

Learn about native woody plants that contribute so much to our landscapes and local biodiversity in this two-day hybrid class. Andy Brand, Director of Horticulture at the Gardens, will discuss identification, habitat, and the role woody plants play in plant reproduction and management as hosts for insects, birds, and other wildlife. You'll leave with recommendations for native species and cultivars and guidance for cultivation, landscape uses, and soil and light considerations. Class Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-2:30pm

Instructor: Andy Brand

Cost: $140–175

September 6

From Chaos to Contentment: The Making of a Garden

Internationally recognized horticulturist Dr. Allan Armitage presents on his journey of creating a new personal garden. From years of working in horticulture and visiting hundreds of gardens globally, Dr. A, as many call him, was inspired to downsize his garden. With wisdom and empathy, Dr. Armitage will explain his difficult process of choosing the plants and combinations that meant the most to him and his family, with the ultimate goal of reducing chaos and increasing a sense of contentment. Special Presentation: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 5:00pm-6:30pm

Instructor: Allan Armitage

Cost: $20–28

September 7

Forest Therapy Walk and Tea: Late Summer

Deepening your connection to nature through moving meditation offers enormous benefits for personal well-being. In this gentle and sensory-oriented class, students will experience the practice of walking mindfully through a forest to gain deep serenity and new awareness. Follow Susan Bickford, a certified guide in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest therapy/forest bathing, as she gives you the tools to begin your own meditation practice. The walk ends with a tea ceremony that honors the experience. Class Levels: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:00am-12:00pm

Instructor: Susan Bickford

Cost: $15–36

September 7

Lunch & Tour with Dr. Allan Armitage: Legends & Lore of Plants

In this intimate, informative, and entertaining garden tour, "Dr. A" will highlight Western legends in horticulture, plant nicknames, and extraordinary stories behind plant discovery, cultivation, and uses. Whether you're a new or seasoned gardener, Dr. A's stories will enlighten and clarify your curiosities about plant origins, classification, and naming. After the tour, we'll dine together in the newly renovated Cafe at the Gardens. Lunch is included in the price of the event. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-1:00pm

Instructor: Allan Armitage

Cost: $58–70

September 7

Garden Tour with Dr. Armitage: Stories of Trials & Triumphs

Join award-winning horticulturist and author Dr. Allan Armitage for an insider's perspective of breeding, cultivating, and trialing plants that millions of gardeners enjoy today. Dr. A's vibrant storytelling style and abundant knowledge of plants make any plant lover truly hear and hold onto every word. Stroll along with a fascinating, horticulturally encyclopedic narrator, and you'll learn about the trials, challenges, and successes discussed and inspired by the plants encountered, along the garden tour. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm

Instructor: Allan Armitage

Cost: $32–42

September 9

Mosaic Botanicals and Beach Finds

Make your own small sparkling mosaic wall piece (or two) in this two-day workshop. You will be provided with a variety of pre-cut shapes. Experiment with various types of glass, ceramic tile, beads, and shells. Add dyes and glitter to your grout for added sparkly, colorful texture. All levels are welcome.

Learn More

Location: Timber Frame

Time: 10:00am-4:30pm

Instructor: Caroline Davis

Cost: $185–215

September 14

Turning Garden Plants Into Houseplants

Improved air quality, aromatherapy, aesthetic interest, and emotional and edible nourishment are a few of the benefits of having houseplants. Join Brent McHale to learn about the garden plants that do best indoors, what kind of indoor conditions and considerations to be aware of, and the numerous ways to display the plants that you love outdoors, now indoors. Each student will pot and take home a young new houseplant. Class Level: All Levels

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 9:30am-12:30pm

Instructor: Brent McHale

Cost: $25–52

September 17

Invasive Plants: Identification, Issues and Ecology

Invasive species are considered highly undesirable by botany, ecology, horticulture, and conservation professionals—and for good reason. In this three-part course, Amanda Devine, Regional Land Steward for Maine Coast Heritage Land Trust, will identify the basic ecological problems surrounding these aggressive, tenacious plants. We'll discuss the complicated, and sometimes political issues, and how a plant becomes labeled "invasive." Class Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 3:00pm-5:00pm

Instructor: Amanda Devine

Cost: $140–175

September 23

The 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-3:30pm

Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe

Cost: $585–615

September 23

The 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-3:30pm

Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe

Cost: $125–145

September 24

The 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-3:30pm

Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe

Cost: $125–145

September 25

The 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-3:30pm

Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe

Cost: $125–145

September 26

The 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-3:30pm

Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe

Cost: $125–145

September 27

The 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-3:30pm

Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe

Cost: $125–145

October 9

Encaustic 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 More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-3:30pm

Instructor: Hélène Farrar

Cost: $295–325

October 15

Painting 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.

Learn More

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center

Time: 10:00am-4:00pm

Instructor: Diana Rogers

Cost: $265–295

October 25

Ecological Landscape Design

To design landscapes inspired by—and inclusive of—nature, it is essential to study design principles through the lens of natural systems. In this three-day course led by landscape architect Lisa Cowan and landscape designer and horticulturist Irene Barber, students will learn to identify and incorporate the components of ecological landscape design. Online and onsite, we will examine the systems influencing design decisions, practice environmental site analysis, and design conceptual plot plans for a selected site. Class Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Learn More

Location: Online / at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Time: 9:30am-2:30pm

Instructor: Multiple Instructors

Cost: $160–190