Events & Classes  Adult Classes
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The classes at the Atlanta Botanical Garden offer as much variety as does
the Garden itself.
Adult classes range from the artistic, like floral design
and watercolor painting, to hands-on practical gardening workshops.
The Garden offers children's classes as well, covering a fun mix of plant topics like natural dying and gourd craft.
Many noted environmental and horticultural experts hold lectures at the Garden throughout the year.
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Scarecrows in the Garden Registration
Date: July 1 - August 15
Time: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Join the fun and register your original scarecrow. Scarecrows will be shown at the Garden during the harvest month of October. Contact scarecrows@atlantabotanicalgarden.org for a registration form, $25 to register.
Call or email for availability after August 15.
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Tai Chi in the Garden
Date: Saturdays, June 14 - August 16
Time: 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
The Garden is a beautiful and relaxing place to begin the weekend. Learn this ancient Chinese exercise form, designed to increase flexibility and balance. Cultivate mental focus and physical strength in an enchanting garden setting.
Instructor: Lori Rowe
Fee: $130 (Members $120)
Registration deadline: June 10
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Drawing Orchids in Black and White
Date: Tuesdays, June 10 - July 8
Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. OR 6 - 9 p.m.
Orchids are intriguingly complex, with infinite shapes and patterns. A simplified approach, using black and white media (graphite pencil, charcoal, pen, and markers), aids in exploring and drawing orchids. A supply list will be mailed with your confirmation. This class is a pre-requisite for "Drawing Orchids in Colored Pencil" in the next quarter. "Introduction to Drawing" or previous drawing experience strongly recommended. A supply list will be mailed with your confirmation.
Instructor: Carol Anne Sutherland, artist
Fee: $160 (Members $150)
Registration deadline: June 5
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Yoga in the Garden
Date: Tuesdays, April 15 - June 3
Tuesdays, June 17 - August 5
Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Practice your yoga surrounded by the beauty of the Atlanta Botanical Garden's organically-grown Rose Garden. Transform body, mind and spirit through a flowing series of postures and breathwork in the open air of summer! Perfect for all levels. Bring a mat with you to class.
Instructor: Kim Alford, RYT, Kashi Atlanta instructor
Fee: $110 (Members $100)
Registration deadline: April 10 or June 12
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Patio Gardening
Date: Wednesday, July 9
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Date: Saturday, July 12 at Smithgall Woodland Garden, Gainesville, GA.
Time: 10 a.m. - noon
Participants will learn to create intimate garden spaces on patios, decks or poolsides. Learn to select, group and plant containers and water features for a spectacular effect in a small outdoor space.
Instructor: Mildred Pinnell Fockele, Atlanta Botanical Garden horticulture director
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Registration deadline: July 3
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Composting and Topdressing
Date: Saturday, July 12
Time: 10 a.m. - noon
Stop throwing away brown gold. Learn how to take garden trash and turn it into rich, water-holding compost no matter how small the space available. This course will cover methods of compositng and the benefits of different types of composted material. Increasing organic material boosts the soil's water-holding capacity, which is an immense help to your plants during watering restrictions.
Instructor: Hilary Nichols, Atlanta Botanical Garden Senior Horticulturist
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadine: July 6
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Drawing Orchids in Colored Pencil
Date: Tuesdays, July 15 - August 12
Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. OR 6 - 9 p.m.
Explore the exquisite and varied colorations of the Orchid family. Students will start by drawing from color reproductions of orchids for color studies, then move on to work from live orchid stems. Each week a variety of orchids will be provided in the classroom as well as opportunities to draw orchids in the Fuqua Orchid Center. The first week, bring a favorite color reproduction of orchids to class for study.
Instructor: Carol Sutherland, artist
Fee: $160 (Members $150)
Registration deadline: July 10
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Shade Gardening
Date: Wednesday, July 16
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
In the Southeast region where woodlands are the primary natural community, shade gardening generally takes fewer resources (including water, time and effort) than full-sun gardens. Learn to create beautiful gardens in shady spaces, or how to select the plants and how to maintain it all.
Instructor: Tara Dillard, author, columnist and award-winning landscape designer
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadline: July 11
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Butterfly Gardening
Date: Saturday, July 19
Time: 10 a.m. - noon
Learn how to attract butterflies to your garden by planting the right food sources and by planning for good seasonal succession. Students will learn about butterflies native to Georgia and take a tour of the newly-installed butterfly garden.
Instructor: Emily Russell, Atlanta Botanical Garden senior horticulturist
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Registration deadline: June 25
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Trees and Shrubs for Summer Interest
Date: Saturday, July 19
Time: 10 am - noon
Trees and shrubs help to stabilize soil, cool the landscape, minimize storm water loss from run-off, decrease the carbor footprints and make the world a more beautiful place. Learn about the wide selection of beautiful trees and shrubs that look their best in the long, hot season between spring blooms and fall color. This class will include a walking tour of the Garden, and will cover trees and shrubs in a wide range of sizes and growth rates.
Instructor: Jamie Blackburn, Atlanta Botanical Garden curator of woodland gardens
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadline: July 14
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Botanical Watercolor Basics . . . and Beyond
Date: Wednesday and Thursday, July 23 & 24
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Join Hillary Parker for an exciting and informative 2-day workshop exploring the basics of botanical watercolors. Whether you are a novice, a returning student, or an experienced artist looking for a refresher, this fun and innovative course uses the abundant resources of plant life at the Garden for endless subject matter while covering important skills and techniques. Enjoy learning more about light, form and color theory, while developing and refining painting skills such as washes, glazes, and fine line work.
Instructor: Hillary Parker, internationally recognized watercolorist
Fee: $200 (Members $185)
Registration deadline: May 10
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Orchid Care Clinic
Date: Saturdays, May 31, June 28, July 26, August 30 & September 27
Time: 10 a.m. - noon
Join Fuqua Orchid Center staff on the last Saturday of the month for some expert orchid advice. Drop in any time between 10 and noon with your questions and a maximum of two orchid plants for advice on care for your temperamental treasures. There is no fee for the clinic; materials for repotting orchids will be available for a charge of $5/plant.
This clinic is free with the purchase of Garden admission, registration is not required. Materials for repotting orchids will be available for a charge of $5/plant.
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Plants that Beat the Heat
Date: Thursday, August 7
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
When the summer heat starts beating down full force, many find that gardens take a turn for the worse. Learn about plants that can stand up to the torturous Georgia summers yet still look fantastic. This course, which includes a walk through the Garden, will cover old standards as well as new introductions that keep the garden looking great into the fall.
Instructor: Amanda Campbell, Atlanta Botanical Garden Manager of Display Gardens
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadline: August 2
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Water Thrifty Aquatic Gardens
Date: Tuesday, August 19
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Aquatic plants add a new and wonderful dimension to the garden, in addition to helping wildlife. Add a beautiful, ecologically-sensitive aquatic feature to the garden using containers for water plants, taking care with site selection, and using captured rainwater. Learn to incorporate small water features and aquatic plantings into the garden while being mindful of responsible water use.
Instructor: Valerie Quam, Atlanta Botanical Garden
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadline: August 14
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Tai Chi in the Garden
Date: Saturdays, August 23- October 25
Time: 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
The Garden is a beautiful and relaxing place to begin a weekend. Learn this ancient Chinese exercise form, designed to increase flexibility and balance. Cultivate mental focus and physical strength in an enchanting garden setting.
Instructor: Lori Rowe
Fee: $130 (Members $120)
Registration deadline: August 16
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Frog Photography
Date: Saturday, August 23
Time: 1 - 4 p.m.
Students will have the rare opportunity to work on photography skills using live frogs from the Garden's educational collection. With a focus on digital photography (rather than film photography), participants will learn techniques for photographing live animals, and common pitfalls to avoid. The class will also cover image processing via Photoshop. Bring your photographic equipment and, if possible, a laptop with Photoshop. Register early-- space is limited.
Instructor: Dr. Dante' Fenolio, Atlanta Botanical Garden amphibian conservation scientist
Fee: $50 (Members $42)
Deadline: August 17
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Drawing Trees
Date: Tuesdays, August 26 - September 23
Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. OR 6 - 9 p.m.
Celebrate trees by learning to draw them with pencil, pen, marker and charcoal. With the focus on trees native to Georgia, we will draw leaves and branches, tree trunks and bark, tree bases and roots, and tree structures and shapes. Join us for this fun and life-affirming art class.
Instructor: Carol Sutherland, artist
Fee: $160 (Members $150)
Registration deadline: August 20
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Improving Garden Soil
Date: Wednesday, August 27
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
The secret to any successful garden is well-loved soil. With proper care, plants grow much stronger and hardly notice a drought. Only a 5% increase in organic material quadruples the soil's water-holding capacity. Learn how to get ready for fall planting: types of soil, sources of amendments and amounts to incorporate will be covered, followed by a hands-on demonstration. Bring along any home soil tests for help with interpretation, or learn how and where to have a soil test done.
Instructor: Hilary Nichols, Atlanta Botanical Garden senior horticulturist
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadline: August 21
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Plan your Autumn Veggie Garden
Date: Thursday, August 28
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Georgia's climate allows for a beautiful and productive vegetable garden well past the summer harvest of tomatoes and squash. all it takes is a bit of planning, and this class will teach how to do it. Find out about vegetables and herbs that perform well throughout the autumn months and learn important techniques for improving results for a delicious up to and beyond the first frost.
Instructor: Stephanie Van Parys, horticulturist
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadline: August 22
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Sustainable Landscape Design: A Formula for Planet-Friendly Gardens
Date: Thursday, September 4
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Consider garden sustainability from the beginning. Beautifully designed gardens created with an environmental ethic in mind are organic, low-maintenance and ultimately improve property value. Learn some simple rules to keep in mind when planning a new landscape, so the garden can be the best it can be.
Instructor: Tara Dillard, author, columnist and award-wining landscape designer.
Fee: $25 (Member $20)
Deadline: August 30
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Georgia Amphibian Identification
Date: Saturday, September 6
Time: 10:30 - noon
Georgia is one of the most amphibian-rich states in the nation. Learn to identify many native frogs and salamanders by sight (and in the case of frogs) by sound.
Instructor: Robert Hill, Atlanta Botanical Garden amphibian specialist
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadline: September 1
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Community Park Design Clinic
Date: Saturday, September 13
Time: 1 - 5 p.m.
This clinic, presented in partnership with Park Pride, is for people who care about their neighborhood parks and who need design assistance. Park Pride will use case studies to educate participants about the principles of good design. Participants will then work one on one with designers to develop a plan that addresses their area of interest in their neighborhood parks. Prior to registration, Park Pride will send a Site Analysis Checklist to each potential participant. Registration is not confirmed until Park Pride receives your completed site analysis.
For more information or to register, contact Walt Ray at 404-817-7965 or walt@parkpride.org .
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Proper Design for a Low-Maintenance Garden
Date: Wednesday, September 17
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
A dream garden can quickly become a maintenance nightmare of constant weeding, mowing, transplanting, watering and deadheading. A poor landscape design can result in homeowners laboring with repetitive garden chores rather than enjoying their landscape as they had planned. Learn about the most common design mistakes and simple solutions to create a lower-maintenance garden. Whether starting fresh, or looking to make-over an existing landscape, these tips will reduce the effort needed to keep a garden looking its best.
Instructor: Tom Flowers, president of Sanctum Design Group
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Registration deadline: September 10
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Orchids for Beginners I: Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum
Date: Saturday, February 16
Time: 10 a.m. - noon
Orchids generally can be divided into two broad groups that dictate cultural requirements. Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum, both beautiful genera, belong to the group whose care requirements are closest to other typical houseplants. This class will examine how to grow these plants and their relatives in the typical home environment. Each class participant will go home with an orchid plant.
Instructor: Michael Wenzel, Atlanta Botanical Garden plant recorder
Fee: $35 (Members $30)
Registration deadline: February 10
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Bog Container Gardens
Date: Saturday, September 20
Time: 10 a.m. - noon
Give your patio or porch some personality with a beautiful and fascinating Bog Container. Learn all you need to know to find and select interesting carnivorous plants, arrange them into a container planting, and maintain your container garden from year-to-year. Class participants will make small bog container gardens to take home.
Instructor: David Ruland, Atlanta Botanical Garden conservatory horticulturist
Fee: $35 (Members $30)
Registration deadline: September 12
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Growing and Using Herbs
Date: Saturday, September 20
Time: 10 am - noon
Grow the very best herb garden in Atlanta. Learn about the three keys to success: sun, lime and good drainage; explore soil preparation for herbs and great varieties for plentiful harvests. Students will also learn tried and true preservation techniques, some easy gourmet recipes and even a little about herbal crafts in this survey class.
Instructor: Geri Laufer, horticulturist, author and garden writer
Fee: $25 (Members $20)
Deadline: September 12
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