Garden Classes in NYC, New York

Container gardening know-how is in high demand. Learn how to create a container garden for your patio, terrace, or entryway that is at once functional and gorgeous—and discover techniques for ensuring that your plants thrive in all four seasons. 

Designed for students who want a user–friendly introduction to plant science, this course surveys the major groups of plants—flowering plants, conifers, ferns, and bryophytes—focusing on plant form and structure.  Learn about the relationships between appearance and function, ecology, systematics, and evolution, and become botanically literate....

Perfume can be traced back thousands of years to an Ancient Egyptian tradition, beloved by Cleopatra. Discover the history of perfume and the therapeutic benefits of essential oils in this hands-on workshop. Learn scent-blending techniques and how to identify and keep perfume notes.  Formulate three unique signature scents using wax, carrier...

You eat plants every day, but do you ever stop to consider the botany on your plate? We’ll examine various culinary plants up close and learn how the botanical function of different plant parts relate to their gastronomic appeal. The workshop includes a hands-on lab and planting your own kitchen botany window box. Notes: Please bring your registration...

Mushrooms have been utilized for thousands of years for medicinal and edible purposes. John Michelotti, owner of Catskill Fungi, will show you how to cultivate gourmet mushrooms at home using safe and simple techniques.  Using cardboard and coffee grounds, create your own oyster mushroom starter (Pleurotus ostreatus) to take home, while learning...

Viburnums have recently skyrocketed to gardening fame, and for good reason! They offer so much to the landscape including unparalleled beauty and fragrance, adaptability and pest resistance, diverse landscape function, a food source for birds and pollinators, and so much more. Learn which of the many readily available native and exotic species and...

Ready to take your compost operation to the next level? In this workshop you'll learn everything you need to make compost using the method of aerated static piles. This system reduces the time you spend turning piles by pushing air through your compost pile.  Led by Operations Coordinator, Aleks, you'll get the insider view of compost operations...

"Gardens are never finished and most of the pleasure is in their creation rather than their completion." So says James Alexander-Sinclair, one of the UK's foremost garden designers and one who relishes collaborating with his clients. He will take us through some his favorite gardens-both private and public-sharing the stories behind their creation...

Explore the basic principles underlying successful, environmentally friendly gardening, including the structure and physiological processes of plants and their relationships to the settings in which they grow. Students learn not only what to do, but why.  Topics include  soils and their improvement,  seed sowing,  vegetative...

This one-day course covers the basics of pruning evergreens, deciduous trees, and shrubs, as well as how to maintain the woody plants in your garden.  Bring your pruners! We will discuss tool selection and maintenance, while we practice techniques using potted plants (at NYBG) and trees in the landscape (at NCNC).  Class is held rain or...

Container gardening requires some specialized knowledge to achieve quality results. Learn the basics for planting and maintaining a healthy outdoor container garden: materials and styles of containers, customized potting mixes, fertilization, and watering requirements.  Learn which plants thrive in containers and you'll be ready to go!

Learn all about the many types of succulents and what differentiates them from other houseplants. Discover how to maintain, repot, diagnose common problems, and propagate. Get hands-on as you create your own succulent soil and plant your own succulent family. Notes: Please bring your registration confirmation and a photo ID to the security desk...

Successful indoor gardening requires knowledge of both plant material and growing techniques. Learn to select the right plants for various locations, based on light levels, temperatures, and aesthetics. Discuss unusual plants, tools and supplies, and maintenance such as grooming, nutrition, and pest control that will keep your plants in good shape.

Here in NYC, fall is the best time to hunt for edible fungi, including honey, oyster, and hen-of-the woods mushrooms. Paul Sadowski, 25-year veteran of the New York Mycological Society, will show you how to identify many species and their look-alikes, where to find them, and how to cook or preserve them.  We'll embark on mushroom hunts together...

Florists and floral designers who want long-lasting, gorgeous interior plantings won't want to miss this unique class from florist, horticulturist, and indoor plant expert Chris Raimondi. In this class, Chris shares essential horticulture practices for proper selection and maintenance of plants used in atria, corporate offices, and for special events....