Education and Events Report, March 25, 2019
from Assistant Director, Amy Tipton
*This month, in addition to our monthly upcoming events and classes email, we're excited to share with you a new Education and Events Report from Assistant Director Amy Tipton. To see the regular upcoming classes email, scroll down.*
We are proud of more than 50 years of “Sharing the World of Plants with People,” and our 2019 calendar of programs includes many of the classes and events that you have come to love:  Certificate of Native Plant Studies , At Home in the Gardens classes, seasonal guided hikes, and our ever-popular Plant Sales (Mark your calendar for our Spring Plant Sale April 11 -13!). 
Spring Plant Sale

April 12-13, 2019: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) gardens.uncc.edu Members preview sale, Thurs., April 11, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. New location this year: just down Mary Alexander Road from the Greenhouse, at the CAB building (behind Hickory Hall)....

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gardens.uncc.edu
You may have noticed several recent additions at the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens.  We have a diverse offering of new opportunities for adults, kids, and families, and we are bringing art to the Gardens! Many of these changes are in response to your requests (thank you to all who completed surveys! If you haven’t yet given your input, please do : UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens survey ). 

Check out some of our exciting new offerings :
April 1 – May 16 (Mondays 10 -11 am and Thursdays 6-7 pm)—no reservations required! Gardens’ staff will take turns leading hikes to showcase their favorite parts of the Gardens.
$5/person. Free for members and UNC Charlotte students, faculty, and staff.

Adult Classes and Field Trips:
NEW classes (such as Botanical Drawing , Aquatic and Wetland Plant ID and Hardscaping Workshops - registration coming soon! )
NEW certificate program for sustainable gardening ( Landscape for Life )
NEW field trips (such as our Water Lily Paddle- registration coming soon! )

Children’s Classes and Camps:
NEW Crafternoons (such as Mother’s Day Gift-Making )

Family Events:
This festival includes art exhibits, classes for adults, classes and activities for kids, a walking tour of Garden Art Totems installed in the Van Landingham Glen, a photography contest, and a silent auction.


Kids and Teen’s classes include: Cellphone Macrophotography for Kids and Teens , Ink and Watercolor Florals , Create a Mini Garden Art Pole , and Nature Sketchbooking (a family class).

NEW Fairies in the Forest , June 21
This event is a celebration of Summer Solstice and all things winged. Children (and adults) are encouraged to dress up in their “fairy” best (including wings), bring a picnic, take photos, and learn about the insects that inhabit our forests!

….and the return of our famous Carnivorous Carnival (August 3). 

Opportunities for Artists:
Garden Art Totems (Exhibit, Contest, and Silent Auction)
Create a Garden Art Totem to be displayed in our Gardens, to win prizes, and to donate to our silent auction to support arts and educational programming.  Deadline: May 1, 2019

Enter your photos to win prizes and have your work exhibited at the Bigleaf Magnolia Art and Garden Festival.  Deadline: May 4, 2019

Join other artists in the Gardens to sketch, paint, photograph, etc. Afterwards, meet at the picnic tables in the Idesia Grove of our Susie Harwood Garden with your brown-bag lunch to enjoy the company of other creatives. Or, just come watch the artists work while you enjoy the Gardens. Thursdays May 9 – October 4, 9 am to noon

Our full catalog is available at:  https://gardens.uncc.edu/course-catalog/.
Upcoming Classes and Events
Last chance to register- spots available this weekend!
March 30-31. CNPS Credit: 9 hours
Saturday 9 am-3:30 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm. Cost $100
Advanced Basic Botany is an in-depth continuation of the Basic Botany class. It covers various practical aspects of the four life stages of plants: Sexual and Asexual Reproduction; Dispersal of fruits and seeds; Establishment of seedlings; and Maintenance of adult plants.

We will learn how plants adjust their floral structures and behavior to be most effective at cross pollination. We will see how different flower types attract specific pollinators. We will also explore the fascinating aspects of dispersal--how timing, color change, and rewards of ripening fruits help attract different animals. Understanding the germination of seeds will help explain the distribution of plants across the landscape and make it easier for students to have success when starting plants from seed. Maintenance involves insight into plant behavior and how plants adjust to environmental changes and protect themselves against herbivores. We will examine flowers, analyze seeds, and observe specific plants.

Register here .
April 4, 6:30-8:30pm
Learn elements of striking container design and plan your own spring and summer porch, patio, and deck plantings. Our very own Ed Davis and Mary Duke will demonstrate how to select and place a variety of plants in containers to create delightful combinations of color, form, and texture. Instructors can help interested students plan themed containers for specific light conditions, to attract butterflies and/or hummingbirds, or to complement specific home colors.

For students planning on purchasing plants at the Spring Plant Sale, the instructors can assist with container plans based on expected sale stock. 

Register here .
Saturday, April 20, 10 am and 11am
The Van Landingham Glen of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens showcases a wide variety of native spring wildflowers–a collection which includes some unusual characters! Assistant Director Amy Tipton and VanLandingham Glen Manager Meredith Hebden will share their passion for natives while identifying these plants and including information about their botanical and cultural significance.
Cost: $5 per person, $15 for families of 3+, Free for members (donations greatly appreciated!)

(In the event of heavy rains/storms, the walk will be postponed until April 21)

Register here .
April 23, 11am-2pm
FREE and open to the public; donations are welcomed.

In celebration of Earth Day, the UNC Charlotte English Department is co-sponsoring an public event with the Botanical Gardens called “Gardens and Verses” which focuses on the relationship between humans and the nonhuman world.

Poetry, prose readings, and open mic will occur in the Gazebo in the Harwood Garden. Tables will be set up for composing original work on site at the pond and near the stone outcropping by the Moon Gate in the Harwood Garden as well as in the Van Landingham Glen (with hammocks!), and possibly other sites in gardens.

Interested participants may take part in a scavenger hunt to find plants referenced in the texts. Free pizza will be provided (while supplies last). 
For even more events through August, including special tours, gardening workshops, kid's camps, arts programs, and more, see our full calendar HERE .