Opening on May 1 for the 2024 season.
Monday, January 25, March 1, and Saturday, May 15 Join landscape designer Larry Weaner as he guides students through the step-by-step process of designing native, ecology-based landscapes for New England. Specifics will include site analysis, species selection and arrangement, and the creation of ecological, process-based management specifications. Techniques to artfully combine all of these considerations will be woven throughout the program.
Using watercolor, capture the peace and majestic beauty of our forests. In this class we’ll explore some of the techniques used to build depth, atmosphere, and capture a sense of light. Conducted via Zoom, day one will be include group instruction. Days two and three will be held at the Gardens, and participants will paint plein air, receiving one-on-one instruction and feedback.
Friday, April 14 & Saturday, April 22 | 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.
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. In this two-day hybrid class, learn how plants adapt, compete, and depend on these influences, and get familiar with concepts like parasitism, pollination, plant adaptation, and dispersal.
Friday, May 12 & Saturday, May 20 | With a core understanding of plant biology, working with plants takes on a whole new meaning and helps the gardener answer so many questions. Through discussion, lecture, and hands-on lab work, this class begins with basic plant anatomy, exploring how every aspect of the organism works together to sustain photosynthesis, respiration, and water and mineral uptake.
Wednesday, May 17, Saturday, July 8, & Wednesday, September 13 | Presented in three parts, native plant expert Dan Jaffe-Wilder will introduce students to a wide variety of native perennials to use in a number of garden settings. Class sessions during May, July, and September will feature native plants and an overview of an extensive range of seasonally-relevant perennials. Discussion during online lecture and in-person field-study will include how to select the right plant for the right place in the right combination, cultivation variables, choosing plants for their ecological role, specialized garden communities, aesthetics, propagation, and proper plant procurement.
Friday, May 26 & Saturday, June 3 | Learn how Maine’s native plants behave in their natural habitats. Guided by ecologist Ted Elliman, this comprehensive, two-day hybrid course will introduce students to Maine's 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.
Friday, June 16 & Saturday, June 24 | 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 pesticide and herbicides, responsible native plant acquisition, erosion control methods, plant forms for function, and so much more.
Friday, September 1 & Saturday, September 9 | Over two days, online and in-person, learn about native woody plants that contribute so much to our landscapes and local biodiversity. 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. Online and in the field, Andy will recommend native species and cultivars, and explain cultivation, landscape uses, and soil and light considerations.
Friday, September 8 & Saturday, September 16 | 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 vital 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.
Tuesday, September 26, Tuesday, October 3, & Friday, October 13 | 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; the complicated (and sometimes political) issues surrounding them; and how a plant becomes labeled “invasive.”
Friday, October 20, Friday-Saturday, October 27 & 28 | To design landscapes inspired by—and inclusive of—nature, study essential 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, examine the systems influencing design decisions, practice environmental site analysis, and design conceptual plot plans for a selected site.
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
The mission of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature through horticulture, education, and research.
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