Bob Gutowski, Former Director of Visitor Experience and Education, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

Join us for a special after-hours wander through the Garden! Together we’ll watch the colors of sunset fade into twilight and explore how the evening changes the sounds and feel of the landscape. Using red lights to keep our night vision intact, we’ll uncover details that are often missed in daylight. This special after-hours experience will be led by Bob Gutowski, an experienced horticulturist, naturalist, educator, and Morris historian. We will stick to level paths and start from the Welcome Center.

Wednesday, September 23
6:00 – 7:30 pm

Members: $25 | Non-members: $30

Sam Bucciarelli, President of the Philadelphia Mycology Club

Join the Philadelphia Mycology Club on a walk around the Morris, looking for fungi growing behind the scenes of the main garden display! We will explore the grounds for fungi growing in the garden beds and among the trees and discuss how to document and identify them. We'll also discuss the important roles these fungi might be playing in the overall health of the gardens. Leading the tour is Sam Bucciarelli, president of the club. Sam is a mycologist with a passion for ecology, especially as it pertains to fungi and the role they play in helping our ecosystems thrive.

Saturday, October 10
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $25 | Non-members: $30

(All Ages)
Brooke Ezzo, Wildlife Futures Program, University of Pennsylvania

Join us in celebrating Bat Week with a special evening educational program about the important role bats play in Pennsylvania and what you can do to support bats in your yard and neighborhood. If you’re curious about these nocturnal neighbors, we invite you to join us as we explore the Morris at night! We will begin with a short presentation to learn about these incredible creatures and end with an explorational walk to see these flying night mammals in action.
This program is led by Brooke Ezzo from Penn Vet Wildlife Futures Program, a partnership program that aims to research, prevent, prepare for, and mitigate threats to wildlife health.

This program is open to all ages. One registration covers one adult and one child. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Additional adults will require additional registration.

Would you like to install a bat box on your home property? Add a ‘Bat Box Add-On' when you register and pick up your very own Wildlife Futures Approved Double Chambered Cedar Bat Box the evening of the program!

Wednesday, October 28
6:00 – 7:30 pm

Members: $25 | Non-members: $30
Bat Box Add-On: $55

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

Explore some of the best spots for autumn birding at the Morris! We will visit our natural areas including wetlands, meadows, and the woodlands along Wissahickon Creek. These areas provide great habitat for a wide variety of birds year round.

We will see resident birds as well as migrating raptors, warblers, and sparrows. If time permits, we will also have a chance to look for birds in other Morris habitats. These sessions are for beginning or experienced bird watchers. Bring binoculars. Each single-session class will meet at the Morris Wetland. Park in the meadow next to the entrance kiosk and meet Sharon there. Choose one date or sign up for both! Pricing is per session.

Wednesday, September 30
8:00 – 10:00 am

Wednesday, October 21
8:30 – 10:30 am

Members: $25 | Non-members: $30

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

Fall is a spectacular time for birding at the Militia Hill Hawk Watch in Fort Washington State Park. It will be prime time to see all 16 species of East Coast migratory raptors, alongside a wide variety of songbirds, warblers, and sparrows. All experience levels are welcome! Bring binoculars if you have them; we will also have some pairs to lend.

We will meet at the Militia Hill Hawk Watch platform in Fort Washington State Park.

Tuesday, October 6
8:00 – 11:00 am

Members: $40 | Non-members: $45

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

DAMIEN RUFFNER, Program Manager for Urban Conservation, Audubon, PA

Come visit the Discovery Center and see the amazing variety of bird species found in and around the Strawberry Mansion Reservoir. Expert and novice birders are both welcome. We will look for birds in the midst of their fall migration.

The Discovery Center is used by Audubon Mid-Atlantic for research and science-based conservation projects. It enables visitors to connect with Audubon's national and international conservation initiatives. Located on a major migratory stopover on the Atlantic Flyway for over 100 species of birds, it is a premier destination for bird watching throughout the region.

The tour will take us on a 1.5 mile walk around the reservoir. Binoculars are available for loan. Meet at the Discovery Center, 3401 Reservoir Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19121.

Saturday, October 17
8:00 – 10:00 am

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

Located in Hillsborough, NJ, Duke Farms was one of the first sites designated by New Jersey Audubon as an Important Bird Area (IBA). Featuring restored wetlands and grasslands, the park provides vital habitat for over 330 bird species and hosts thousands of raptors during fall migration. The property contains approximately 1,100 acres of grasslands and agricultural lands, 950 acres of woodlands, 400 acres of flood plain habitat, two miles along the Raritan River, and 72 acres of open water spread across nine lakes. This amazing mix of habitat types provides an oasis for birds in a highly developed region of New Jersey. Extensive native meadows and grasslands at Duke Farms support impressive numbers of state-threatened grasshopper sparrows, Savannah sparrows and bobolinks. 

Meet Sharon at the Orientation Center at Duke Farms. Bring lunch, and your binoculars!

Friday, October 23
9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Members: $50 | Non-members: $55

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Delaware Bay, is nearly 16,000 acres in size and includes lots of great birding habitat. There are pristine tidal salt marshes, freshwater impoundments, croplands, and woodlands. Unquestionably Delaware’s single best-known birding site, Bombay Hook justifies its fame with exceptional birding throughout the year. We will watch for shorebird migration southward and may also see bald eagles that are known to nest at the refuge. Bring binoculars! 

Meet at the Bombay Hook Visitor Center, 2591 Whitehall Neck Rd, Smyrna, DE 19977.

Thursday, November 5
9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Members: $50 | Non-members: $55

Dr. Cynthia Skema, Botanical Scientist,  Morris Arboretum & Gardens 

Do you hope to install “living systems” or self-sustaining habitats in your garden or landscape designs? To do so, you’ll need to understand the fundamentals of why and how plants evolve and reproduce, as well as how we capitalize on these natural processes to propagate plant materials that we want to use in our landscapes and gardens. Expand your concept of designing landscapes for wildlife and other users of plants to include a need to design for plants themselves, as genetically and evolutionarily unique entities.

We will learn what ecotypes are, how they could impact the success of a landscape project, and why plant provenance really matters. Be introduced to the plant phenotype and learn what underlies it biologically, what plant plasticity is, and how it may show up in your garden.

The course format is two in-person lectures and is open to the public, with priority registration offered to individuals enrolled in Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ Certificate Program in Ecological Horticulture. Completion of this course counts toward the requirements of the Certificate Program. This course has been submitted for 3 CEUs with LA CES, ISA, PLNA, and the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts.
 
TWO TUESDAYS, December 1,8 
5:30 – 7:15pm 

Members: $80 | Non-members: $85

Please visit our Certificate Program in Ecological Horticulture section to register for this course.

Becca Kohn, Manager of The Sewing Room; Education Assistant, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

Join us this fall for an introduction to needle felting! Using the fall season as our inspiration, crafters will learn how to “paint with wool” using natural wool roving, cardstock stencils, and simple needle felting techniques.

Designed with beginners in mind, but perfect for all skill levels, this class focuses on approachable techniques and creative play rather than perfection. All supplies are included, and you’ll leave with a personalized felt banner and a solid foundation in flat felting.

Friday, October 2
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

LaShaun Collins, Healing and Fiber Arts Practitioner

Do you feel like you need to slow down and spend time being creative? Come to the Morris to honor your creativity with a relaxing afternoon of fiber arts, ending in a meditative sound bath experience.

Learn the foundations of frame loom weaving from setting up your loom to creating a small handwoven piece. Afterward, move into a sound bath to enrich the meditative experience of your weaving practice. During the sound bath you have the option to continue weaving or rest as you drift along a beautiful sound healing journey.

All materials will be provided, all experience levels welcome.  End the class with a weaving of your own design, as well as your own frame loom to continue your new hobby!  Your take-home kit will include a small frame loom kit, yarn, and a guidebook for finishing your piece if it is not completed during the course.

Saturday, October 3
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Members: $95 | Non-members: $100

Beatrice Daudelin, Adult Education Apprentice, Morris Arboretum & Gardens
Molly Baraldi, Youth and Visitor Education Apprentice, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

Let your imagination run wild as we create whimsical fairy houses together! We will use a combination of found natural materials, clay, and other special bits and bobs in this magical, hands-on experience for all ages. We will start indoors and use tools to construct our bases and create some one-of-a-kind accessories for our fairies. From there, you are free to join us in bringing your creations down to the enchanting Whimsical Woods and continuing to decorate with found natural materials! 

One registration covers one adult and one child. Additional children will require additional registrations.

Saturday, October 3
10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

Please visit our  Growing Minds section to register for this course.

Margaret Saylor, Botanical Artist

Have you always wanted to practice plant illustration but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you enjoy botanical illustration already and would love an afternoon carved out in the Morris’s beautiful setting to practice your technique in the presence of a skilled instructor. Join us for this fun and engaging experience designed for botanical artists of all levels, and work at your own pace to discover your own illustration style. Frequent demonstrations will clarify the painting progress. A materials list will be emailed to all participants in advance of the class. This workshop will focus on drawing and painting fungi, combining accurate illustration with the beauty of shape, form and color!

Artist Margaret Saylor creates highly detailed, textural botanical paintings and drawings that capture the essence of a simple object from nature and present it as an exquisite jewel in an ethereal setting. Fungi and mushrooms are her personal specialty!

For a full day of fantastic fungi, please join us earlier in the day for an Off the Beaten Path Mushroom Walk with the Philadelphia Mycology Club. Sam Bucciarelli, club president, will take us looking for fungi growing behind the scenes of the main garden display!

Saturday, October 10
12:30 – 3:00 pm

Members: $80 | Non-members: $85

Mitch Roberge, Artist; Horticulturist, Haverford College

Join us in the garden and learn the basics of watercolor. During this course, you will focus on different techniques for capturing beauty in the natural world. Together, we will experiment with layering colors, creating texture, and building value as you find inspiration in the fall scenery around the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. This class will be held outside, with an indoor space available in case of inclement weather. Bring a snack and drink. A materials list will be emailed to all participants in advance of the class.

Saturday, October 17
1:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

Bill Cullina, Executive Director, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

Discover a new way of seeing the garden—up close. Macro photography reveals the intricate beauty of flowers, textures, and pollinators that often go unnoticed during a casual walk. Designed for visitors of all experience levels, this class introduces the art of close-up photography using tools you already have or are considering purchasing. Although focused primarily on digital (DSLR) cameras, many techniques can be applied to smartphones with a macro mode.

In a relaxed, non-technical format, Bill Cullina will cover simple techniques for improving focus, lighting, and composition in outdoor settings. He’ll also share tips on working with natural light, stabilizing your shots, depth of field, and using accessories like flashes, reflectors and tripods. Finally, he will cover some basic photo-editing processes and tricks, including sharpening, exposure, vibrance, and HDR.

Friday, October 23
1:00 – 4:00 pm

Members: $40 | Non-members: $45

Nicole DeLizzio, Stewardship Manager at the Willistown Conservation Trust

Create your own beautiful wood-burned artwork in this one-of-a-kind workshop! Discover different woodburning techniques, compare how different types of wood burn, and explore your artistic side by creating various textures, shapes, and designs with a simple-to-use wood-burning pen. All supplies are provided; just bring your creative spirit!

Nicole DeLizzio is the stewardship manager at Willistown Conservation Trust. She graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in agriculture and natural resources and a minor in wildlife ecology and conservation. With a combined passion for trees and art, she has delved into the art of pyrography and wood burns frequently.

Saturday, October 24
10:00 am – 12:30 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

A Series of Courses with Common Press & Morris Arboretum & Gardens

Common Press at the University of Pennsylvania is dedicated to scholarly exploration and creative practice in the history, craft, and material culture of printing and bookmaking. Through hands-on workshops, Common Press provides education about the cultural, historical, and technological significance of letterpress printing, typography and bookbinding. The Morris has teamed up with Common Press to offer three different hands-on learning opportunities this fall, exploring the art of botanical printmaking.

Register for each class separately, below.  Note different locations for each class.

Emily Tipps, Binding Instructor, Program Manager, and Librarian at the Book Arts Program at the University of Utah

All paper is made from cellulose, the primary structural component in the cell walls of plants. This essential connection means it is possible to make paper from the plants growing all around us. Making paper from foraged materials can yield beautiful, interesting, and surprising results. In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of hand papermaking, creating sheets from locally-grown materials. The session will include a walk around the Morris to observe a variety of plants utilized in papermaking and other paper-related crafts such as surface dyeing. Attendees will go home with a small stack of handmade sheets whose unique character reflects the botanical environment.  

Emily Tipps teaches at the University of Utah’s Book Arts Program in Salt Lake City. Her creative interest in the whole book (from initial concept to final binding) includes papermaking pedagogy and making paper from locally-foraged common plants of native, invasive, and garden varieties. 

Friday, September 25
12:30-3:00pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Jessica Peterson, Director, Common Press at the University of Pennsylvania
Bryan Thompsonowak, Director of Education, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

In this unique workshop we will print historic botanical letterpress printing plates using a portable letter press. Each participant will work on their own specimen book, bound by hand using the Japanese stab-binding technique. This program will take place at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. Meet at the Welcome Center.

Thursday, October 29
2:00 – 4:00 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Jessica Peterson, Director, Common Press at the University of Pennsylvania
Stephanie Bruneau, Assistant Director of Adult Education, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

This special program will explore pressure printing, a method of making printing plates using low-relief botanical materials. After we make the printing plates, we will then print with them on the Common Press Vandercook printing presses. The botanical materials we will use in the program will be fern fronds collected from the Dorrance H. Hamilton Fernery at Morris Arboretum and Gardens—the only remaining freestanding Victorian fernery in North America. We will learn a bit about ferns in general, and the types of ferns we will be printing with, as we create our prints! 

This program will take place at Common Press, in the Fisher Fine Arts Library on the UPenn campus.

Friday, November 6
1:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Fabienne Adler, Owner, Paper Crane Garden Company

Join us an introduction to the art of kokedama! You'll learn to craft beautiful Japanese style moss wrapped plants that will bring a vibrant touch of nature into your home. Fabienne Adler, owner of Paper Crane Garden Company, will lead you in the basic techniques of creating kokedama using native plants including native ferns and mosses. You'll also learn practical care tips to help your creation stay beautiful long after the program. Each person will make and take home three kokedama. 

Wednesday, November 4, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Members: $65  |  Non-members: $70

Jessica Liddell, Owner, Bella Mosaic

Get ready for the holiday season by creating a beautiful mosaic piece for your Thanksgiving table! In this special two-part workshop, you'll design and build a one-of-a-kind mosaic centerpiece using colorful stained glass and mosaic materials.

During the first session, you'll learn mosaic design, explore tools, select your colors, and adhere your pieces. Between classes, your project will cure, and in the second session you'll grout and finish your work, leaving with a functional and festive piece ready to showcase at your holiday gatherings.
Create something meaningful for your own table or make a thoughtful handmade gift for a holiday host.

Instructor Jessica Lidell is an experienced mosaic artist who has taught adults and children for years and has exhibited her work in a wide range of venues. This is a two-session class. Materials will be provided.

TWO THURSDAYS
November 5, 12
1:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $90 | Non-members: $100

Drawing Birds
Jack Hobe, Wildlife Artist, Birder, Naturalist, Educator

Join naturalist and wildlife illustrator Jack Hobe for a workshop on drawing birds of prey! Discover practical techniques to help you capture their unique shapes, postures, and movements. Weather permitting, each class may conclude with an optional short walk for those who feel comfortable sketching outdoors. No prior art experience is required—each workshop welcomes all skill levels! Bring a sketchbook or paper, pencil, and colored pencils or watercolor (if desired).

Sign up for each session separately.

Drawing Hawks in Flight: Raptors are majestic and fierce subjects, and they can be easily observed soaring overhead during autumn migration. Expert wildlife artist Jack Hobe will share ways to apply a "flight frame" model for drawing flying raptors through easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials and practice photos. Participants will also learn tips for portraying the changing wing shapes and how to apply practical wing anatomy. No art or drawing experience required for this workshop—all skill levels are welcome!

Saturday, November 7
12:30 – 2:30 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Drawing Owls: Owls are charismatic and fascinating birds. Learn how to sketch them in this workshop with birder and illustrator Jack Hobe! Jack will guide participants through the steps of using a gesture sketching system to capture owls' form and gist on paper, and how to adapt this system for drawing them in different poses. Jack will also cover pointers for drawing an owl face from different angles and working with live owls in the field. There will be photos and videos available for practice throughout the program.

Saturday, November 14
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

LaShaun Collins, Healing and Fiber Arts Practitioner

This is a fun and deeply relaxing way to enter the meditative and expressive world of weaving. During this beginner frame loom weaving workshop, you will learn various weaving techniques as you work intentionally to create a handwoven bookmark to pair with your favorite book. From setting up your loom to finishing your piece, you will be guided through the weaving process. During our time together you will be encouraged to play and explore as you create your own unique handwoven bookmark. You will leave with a woven bookmark of your own design to use or give as a gift, as well as a small frame loom and the knowledge of how to use it to create more weavings for all your holiday gifting needs!

All materials will be provided; all experience levels welcome. You will also go home with your small frame loom kit, yarn, and a bookmark guidebook. The guidebook includes instructions for finishing your piece if it is not completed during the class.

Friday, November 20
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Members: $55 | Non-members: $60

Mitch Roberge, Artist; Horticulturist, Haverford College

This program is a yearly favorite and always sells out, so register early to secure your spot! We will put on festive music and work side by side to create a festive winter wreath for our homes this season! In this 90-minute guided workshop, you will combine fresh-cut seasonal foliage with ribbons and natural embellishments to adorn your very own greenery wreath.

Register for either the morning or the afternoon session. All materials will be provided! Please bring a pair of pruners and gardening gloves.

MORNING SESSION
Friday, December 4
10:00 – 11:30 am

AFTERNOON SESSION
Friday, December 4
12:30 – 2:00 pm

Members: $60 | Non-members: $65

Katelyn Irvine, Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner, Certified Nursery & Landscape Professional

Celebrate the quiet beauty of the winter through an afternoon of reflection, creativity, and connection with nature. Together, we'll take a mindful winter walk to observe seasonal botanicals such as evergreen boughs, pinecones, juniper, rosemary, and other natural treasures while exploring their cultural significance, ecological roles, and traditional uses. Along the way, we'll practice intentional observation, embracing the slower rhythms and inward focus of the season.

Back indoors, participants will decorate a glass jar using pressed leaves as a reminder of nature's ever-changing cycles before creating a personalized botanical oil candle. Inspired by the symbolism of continually burning oil throughout history, each candle serves as a gentle reminder that even during winter's darkest days, light, hope, and resilience continue to endure.
Participants will leave with a handcrafted oil candle and a renewed appreciation for the quiet gifts of the season.

Katelyn Irvine is a Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner (THP) as well as a Certified Nursery & Landscape Professional (CNLP) with a long-standing background in mixed media arts. When she’s not curating horticultural therapy workshops, she’s busy acting as the Creative Director of Pleasant Run Nursery in Allentown, New Jersey. 

Saturday, December 5
1:00 pm -2:30 pm

Members: $30 |  Non-members: $35

Please go to our Health & Wellness section to register for this course.

Al Paris, Professional Chef/Restaurateur

These demonstration classes will cover the creation of a meal focused on products from Erdenheim Farm. Each class will include a discussion about how the food is raised or grown on the farm, followed by a cooking demonstration by Chef Al Paris, and finish with a chance to eat and savor the creation. Chef Al Paris has owned and created the culture and cuisine of 13 award-winning restaurants—most recently Paris Bistro in Chestnut Hill. He believes that all cooks can create their own distinct cuisine through the clarity of their vision and the use of the freshest seasonal ingredients.

The class meets at the Sheep Barn parking lot at Erdenheim Farm (5051 Flourtown Road, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444).

A different seasonal menu is offered, and typically changes monthly. Please sign up for each session separately.   Registration and menus located below.

The class will begin with farm pumpkin cornbread served with honey balsamic greens. Chef will then prepare a buttered mustard roast Erdenheim lamb sausage and white bean chard stew. For dessert we will make a ricotta and roast fig tart with lemon syrup.

The meal features Erdenheim Farm lamb sausage, tomatoes, honey, chard, microgreens, and eggs.

Saturday, October 17
12:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $120 | Non-members: $130

Creole Handpies in Pastry
The class will start with focaccia buns incorporating squash, roast onion, and rosemary, served with roast strawberry vinaigrette and mixed greens. Chef will then prepare natchitoches (creole meat pies en croûte) featuring Erdenheim beef, as well as raisins, capers, and sauteed chard. For dessert, Chef will serve molasses crumb cupcakes with sweet cream.

The meal features Erdenheim Farm beef, honey, chard, onions, squash, microgreens, and eggs.

Saturday, November 14
12:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $110 |  Non-members: $120

The class will start with whole-grain porter buns served with wilted greens and cultured butter. Chef will then prepare a pan-seared Erdenheim Angus ribeye with a honey red wine glaze and caramelized root vegetables. And for dessert, a warm roast pumpkin custard pie with maple whipped cream.

The meal features Erdenheim Farm ribeye steak, pumpkin, honey, chard, microgreens and eggs.

Saturday, December 12
12:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $125 | Non-members: $135

Ben Wissinger, Co-Owner, Katydid Hill

Warm up with a cup of tea at the Morris! In this class, we will explore how Katydid Hill farm grows and processes the plants they use. We will learn about regenerative farming, organic certification, and how Katydid Hill works to go above and beyond in their work with the land—increasing soil organic matter, reducing energy use, and building habitat for the creatures they share the land with! Next, we will have a tea tasting followed by some hands-on learning about tea blending. Each participant will make their own custom blend and take home their very own unique jar of tea!

Katydid Hill Farm is a small, organic, herbal tea farm in Berks County, PA, where they grow all the herbs that they use in their teas and tinctures.

Wednesday, October 14
10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Member: $60 | Non-member: $65

Liz Aubry, Bartender, Bar Lizette

Grab a friend and fall forward into a treasure trove of cocktail ingredients. With the end-of-summer bounty, the home gardener has plenty of fresh ingredients to turn into seasonal cocktails. From fresh herbs and flowers to autumn harvest produce, learn how to bring the garden to the glass.
This class will focus on flavor combinations and cover techniques and ingredients accessible to the home bartender, all surrounded by the beautiful backdrop of Morris Arboretum & Gardens at sunset.

This class is for ages 21+. Ample tastings included; BYO cheese and crackers if you desire a snack with your sips!  This class is held in our outdoor tent. Please dress for the weather.

Sunday, October 25
5:00 – 7:00 pm

Members: $60 | Non-members: $65

Growing Minds at Morris Arboretum & Gardens is a program series for kids and families that inspires a sense of wonder about the natural world within the beautiful setting of the Morris. The classes represented in this section offer children and their caregivers the opportunity to connect meaningfully with nature through a wide variety of creative and educational programs.

 Parents and caregivers are asked to stay with children for classes.

(Ages 2–4)
Rebecca Silvey, Environmental Educator

Children ages 2–4 and their favorite caregiver are invited to join us to explore the outdoors and learn about some fun early science subjects like leaves, weather, soil, and insects. In each class we will take time to do an age-appropriate activity and read an engaging story outside in nature!

Class occurs rain or shine so please dress for the weather. In the case of extreme weather we will move indoors. As we will be going on adventures on uneven terrain, we ask that all participants wear sturdy shoes and leave strollers behind. Siblings should register as participants. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes before the class starts so you can find your way to our starting spot in the Whimsical Woods.

SIX MONDAYS:  September 28; October 5, 12, 19, 26; November 2
10:30 – 11:15 am

Members: $145 | Non-members: $165

Beatrice Daudelin, Adult Education Apprentice, Morris Arboretum & Gardens
Molly Baraldi, Youth and Visitor Education Apprentice, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

Let your imagination run wild as we create whimsical fairy houses together! We will use a combination of found natural materials, clay, and other special bits and bobs in this magical, hands-on experience for all ages. We will start indoors and use tools to construct our bases and create some one-of-a-kind accessories for our fairies. From there, you are free to join us in bringing your creations down to the enchanting Whimsical Woods and continuing to decorate with found natural materials! 

One registration covers one adult and one child. Additional children will require additional registrations.

Saturday, October 3
10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

Courtney Douds, Master Falconer, Environmental Educator

School is closed today—what to do? How about an intimate encounter with a raptor? Meeting a bird of prey can be a transformative experience—inspiring awe, curiosity, and respect for the power and beauty of the natural world.

Join us for this rich educational experience—an incredible encounter with live birds of prey. You’ll leave with lots of new knowledge about our feathered friends, inspired by the exceptional natural beauty of raptors. This program is engaging and appropriate for children of all ages, 1-101! One registration covers one adult and one child. Additional children will require additional registrations.

Friday, October 9
1:00 – 2:30 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Maura Manzo, Yoga and Meditation Teacher 
  
Join experienced yoga instructor Maura Manzo for this one-of-a-kind yoga experience on the Out on a Limb exhibit at Morris, suspended 50 feet above ground and surrounded by a canopy of trees, colors, sights and sounds.  
 
This unique practice will be tailored to all skill levels and focuses on poses that promote rootedness, connection, and mindfulness. Human beings are deeply connected to trees and have much to learn from them. Class will end with an extended guided relaxation inspired by one of the greatest teachings of trees: There is beauty that comes from letting go. 
  
This treetop yoga experience is a wonderful way to combine the physical and mental benefits of yoga with the beauty and serenity of the natural world. You are invited to come early to class and explore the walking trails and gardens within the Morris as part of your experience. One Thursday evening scheduled each month.  Pricing is per session.  Register for each session separately.

  Pricing is per session; Register below. 

Maura Manzo, Yoga and Meditation Teacher 

Thursday,October 22
5:15 – 6:30 pm 

Members: $35 / Non-members: $40 

Meghan Dwyer, Yoga Teacher, Camaraderie

Join Meghan Dwyer for a gentle, all-levels yoga class on the beautiful grounds of the Morris. In tune with the new moon and the changing astrological season, we’ll move slowly, breathe deeply, and connect with nature’s quiet invitation to begin again. This practice blends mindful movement, breath, and reflection to help you set heartfelt intentions for the lunar cycle ahead. Supported by Meghan’s intuitive guidance and drawing from her work with earth-based practices, this practice encourages a deep connection to the earth, the season, and your own inner rhythms, supporting intention-setting and gentle renewal. Meghan is a yoga teacher and ceremonialist hailing from Chestnut Hill who currently teaches at Cameraderie in Ambler. Please bring your own mat.

Choose one date or join us for all three! Register for each session separately, below. Pricing is per session.

Meghan Dwyer, Yoga Teacher, Camaraderie

SESSION 2: Friday, October 9
10:00 – 11:15 am

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Meghan Dwyer, Yoga Teacher, Camaraderie

SESSION 3: Monday, November 9
12:00 – 1:15 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Lisa Zahren, Mindful Dance Instructor

Using gentle, easy-to-follow guidance and open, free-flowing movements, we will experience the Morris with all of our senses through embodiment practices, dance, and mindfulness. This practice invites you to dance and move in your body’s own way. All bodies celebrated and welcomed.

Each of the sessions will meet at the Welcome Center and begin with a short, mindful walk to the location for that week. Once there, we will follow a guided movement and some stillness meditation to open all the senses and connect with that area of the Morris.

Lisa has been teaching embodied movement classes using the tools of the Nia Technique for more than a decade, including classes for cancer support groups. Nia combines elements of martial arts, yoga, mindfulness, and dance to create a movement practice that balances and energizes the body. She is a certified teacher of Nia Technique and Open Floor Dance Practice.

Wednesdays, September 16, 23, 30
10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $70 | Non-members: $80

Wednesdays, October 7, 21, 28
10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $70 | Non-members: $80

Wednesdays, November 4, 11, 18
10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $70 | Non-members: $80

Anisa George, Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Nationally Certified Health and Wellness Nurse Coach

Shinrin Yoku, or Forest Bathing, is an ancient practice with benefits beyond mental clarity. Relax your mind with this new way of touring the Morris grounds, exploring not just for its botanical beauty, but for the peace it offers. Forest bathing is proven to have powerful effects on the mind and body. Allow the Morris trees to relax your body, clear your mind, reduce your cortisol, and improve your cognitive function and memory. We will meet at the Welcome Center. The class is all outdoors so please dress for the weather. 

This mindful experience is only offered twice this fall! Choose one date or join us for both.

Pricing is per session.

Friday, September 18
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Friday, October 23

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

Kelly McLeod, Holden Qigong Certified Teacher; Founder, Chee Gong with Kelly Kel

Join experienced practitioner Kelly McLeod for six weeks of Five Elements Qigong amidst the tranquil beauty of the Morris. Embrace the arrival of the autumn season with this ancient Chinese art for fitness and healing. We will practice routines that include breathing techniques, warm-ups, stretching, invigorating exercises, gentle flowing movements, and a brief closing meditation. Each session will let you explore the five-element theory of qigong as you connect your energy with the energy of the natural surroundings to feel grounded, revitalized, and at ease. Regardless of your prior experience, all are welcome to join and rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit.

SIX TUESDAYS
September 22, 29; October 6, 13, 20, 27
10:30 – 11:30 am

Members: $110 | Non-members: $120

Rev. Dr. Hasan Rucker, DHH, AMP, Doctor of Holistic Health & Alternative Medicine, Spiritual Interfaith Minister, Health and Wellness Consultant, Coach, and Educator

Tai chi is a living tradition—an ancient system of holistic health that works to harmonize mind, body, spirit, and emotion through the cultivation of Qi, our natural life energy. In this foundational tai chi class, we move with intention, breathe with awareness, and reconnect with the quiet intelligence already present within the body.

Each session in this six-week outdoor program will gently guide you through:
 - centering breathwork 
 - mind focusing and Qi awareness practices
 - foundational postures
 - soft, fluid stepping and balancing techniques
 - somatic relaxation and grounding methods

This is a space to unwind, release stagnation, restore circulation, and awaken a deeper sense of self connection. We will practice outside, with the beauty of the fall season at the Morris as a peaceful and grounding backdrop for your practice. Over time, participants often notice increased vitality, emotional clarity, improved balance, and a renewed relationship with their own inner healing capacity.

Our approach is progressive, compassionate, and responsive. Your holistic wellness is continually supported, refined, and nurtured as you engage with this well-balanced practice. It is advisable to wear comfortable clothing and flexible footwear. No yoga mat is needed—just bring your breath, your presence, and your willingness to grow.

SIX MONDAYS: September 28; October 5, 12, 19, 26; November 2
3:30 – 4:30 pm

Members: $110 | Non-members: $120

Mary Campbell, Yoga Teacher

Reconnect with your body, breath, and the beauty of nature in this gentle chair yoga series of four sessions held outdoors at the Morris. Designed for practitioners of all levels, this practice invites you to explore yoga in a safe, supported, and accessible way. Whether you are returning to movement after an injury, managing chronic conditions, or simply looking for a gentle outdoor practice, this series offers a welcoming space to move, breathe, and restore. Bring a chair if you prefer, or one will be provided, and wear comfortable layers to enjoy the meadow’s fresh air. Mary Campbell is a yoga teacher, reiki master, poet and outdoor enthusiast. She currently teaches at Camaraderie, Ambler.

FOUR THURSDAYS: October 8, 15, 22, 29
12:00 – 1:00 pm

Members: $95 | Non-members: $115

LaShaun Collins, Healing and Fiber Arts Practitioner

Do you feel like you need to slow down and spend time being creative? Come to the Morris to honor your creativity with a relaxing afternoon of fiber arts, ending in a meditative sound bath experience.

Learn the foundations of frame loom weaving from setting up your loom to creating a small handwoven piece. Afterward, move into a sound bath to enrich the meditative experience of your weaving practice. During the sound bath you have the option to continue weaving or rest as you drift along a beautiful sound healing journey.

All materials will be provided, all experience levels welcome.  End the class with a weaving of your own design, as well as your own frame loom to continue your new hobby!  Your take-home kit will include a small frame loom kit, yarn, and a guidebook for finishing your piece if it is not completed during the course.

Saturday, October 3
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Members: $95 | Non-members: $100

Please go to Creative Expressions to register for this class.

LaShaun Collins, Healing and Fiber Arts Practitioner

This is a fun and deeply relaxing way to enter the meditative and expressive world of weaving. During this beginner frame loom weaving workshop, you will learn various weaving techniques as you work intentionally to create a handwoven bookmark to pair with your favorite book. From setting up your loom to finishing your piece, you will be guided through the weaving process. During our time together you will be encouraged to play and explore as you create your own unique handwoven bookmark. You will leave with a woven bookmark of your own design to use or give as a gift, as well as a small frame loom and the knowledge of how to use it to create more weavings for all your holiday gifting needs!

All materials will be provided; all experience levels welcome. You will also go home with your small frame loom kit, yarn, and a bookmark guidebook. The guidebook includes instructions for finishing your piece if it is not completed during the class.

Friday, November 20
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Members: $55 | Non-members: $60

 Please go to Creative Expressions to register for this class.

Katelyn Irvine, Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner, Certified Nursery & Landscape Professional

Celebrate the quiet beauty of the winter through an afternoon of reflection, creativity, and connection with nature. Together, we'll take a mindful winter walk to observe seasonal botanicals such as evergreen boughs, pinecones, juniper, rosemary, and other natural treasures while exploring their cultural significance, ecological roles, and traditional uses. Along the way, we'll practice intentional observation, embracing the slower rhythms and inward focus of the season.

Back indoors, participants will decorate a glass jar using pressed leaves as a reminder of nature's ever-changing cycles before creating a personalized botanical oil candle. Inspired by the symbolism of continually burning oil throughout history, each candle serves as a gentle reminder that even during winter's darkest days, light, hope, and resilience continue to endure.
Participants will leave with a handcrafted oil candle and a renewed appreciation for the quiet gifts of the season.

Katelyn Irvine is a Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner (THP) as well as a Certified Nursery & Landscape Professional (CNLP) with a long-standing background in mixed media arts. When she’s not curating horticultural therapy workshops, she’s busy acting as the Creative Director of Pleasant Run Nursery in Allentown, New Jersey. 

Saturday, December 5
1:00 pm -2:30 pm

Members: $30 |  Non-members: $35

(All Ages)
Doug Wechsler, Photographer, Naturalist, Author

Trees are the basis of a lot of life in a forest—and that doesn’t stop when they die. Millions of creatures depend on dead trees for food and shelter. Following the fall of an oak tree, Doug Wechsler explains how the tree is broken down by animals, insects, and fungi over the course of fifty years. Along the way, explore parts of a tree, insect life cycles, and the magic of mycelia. What IS a slime mold, anyway? Join us and discover how rotten wood benefits the forest by providing essential nutrients for new trees to grow. 

This program will engage learners of all ages and will end in an optional short walk along Morris’s woodlands trail to see some of what we’ve learned in the field. Doug’s book, What Good is a Dead Tree?, will be available for sale and for signing!

Saturday, September 26 **CANCELLED**
1:00 – 3:00 pm

We encourage you to support Doug's amazing work!  His website is here, where you can you also purchase his book!

Tim Bennett, Founder, Bennett Compost

Learn how to start your own successful home compost bin with compost professional Tim Bennett. Compost is key to a thriving garden and reducing your home food waste. This workshop will guide participants through the key steps of creating a successful at-home compost. Learn the different methods for home composting and choose the one best tailored to your needs. Let’s get composting!

Tim Bennett is the founder of Bennett Compost. Bennett Compost serves over 6,000 households and businesses in Philadelphia. Last year, they kept over 4 million pounds of food waste out of landfills.

Friday, October 2
2:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $25 | Non-members: $30

Samantha Nestory, Engagement Manager and Naturalist, Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden 

Most people are familiar with the innumerable benefits of living trees. But even after their death, trees provide vital habitat, shelter, and food for wildlife. Join us as we learn how dead and dying trees still teem with life, from tiny termites to fantastic flying squirrels and everything in between! 

This program will begin with a lecture and discussion and then move outside to look at snags in the landscape, and the way Stoneleigh has worked to incorporate dead wood into their landscape projects and native plantings. 

This program will take place at Stoneleigh, a former private estate located in Villanova that is now one of the newest public gardens in the Philadelphia region. Its extraordinary trees, sweeping vistas, and intimate garden spaces reflect more than a century of loving care by three different families. In its new role, Stoneleigh is an intriguing blend of historical landscapes overlayed with beautiful new gardens designed to support and nurture our local ecology. Stoneleigh’s Engagement Manager Samantha Nestory holds ecology and entomology degrees from the University of Delaware and is passionate about ecological gardening, native plants, and insect conservation. 

This program has been submitted to carry 2 CEUs from ISA, LA CES, and the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts and is an approved elective in the Certificate in Ecological Horticulture program. 

Wednesday, October 7 
10:30 am – 12:30 pm 

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Margaret Pickoff, Horticulture Educator, Penn State Extension

The growing season may be coming to an end, but fall is still an important time in the garden. In this course, you will learn how to prepare your garden for the coming winter weather. Which perennials should be cut back and which should you leave standing until spring? Which trees and shrubs need to be pruned, and how can you protect them from the coming frost? And what should you do with all those leaves? Class will meet in the Welcome Center for an indoor lecture, followed by a walk around the grounds of the Morris where we’ll explore class concepts using examples found in the landscape.

Margaret Pickoff is a horticulture educator with Penn State Extension based in Bucks County. She provides education, outreach, and support for green industry professionals and horticultural businesses in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Thursday, October 8
10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Erin Monda, Horticulture Manager, Calder Gardens

Calder Gardens is Philadelphia’s newest public garden designed by renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, located in Fairmount. Join Horticulture Manager Erin Monda for a tour of the Calder Gardens landscape, where she will cover the construction and installation of the garden, Oudolf's designs, plant highlights and some of her favorite combinations, and management of the garden. Admission into the building to discover Alexander Calder's art is included. Exploration of the indoor portion of the museum is self-guided.

We will meet at Calder Gardens, 2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

Thursday, October 8
1:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $65 | Non-members: $70

Please go to our Trips section to register for this program.

CORE COURSE

Allison Houghton, Ecological Consultant, Educator

Understanding our soils gives us incredible agency in a garden or landscape. In this course we will cover the basics of how to recognize, grow, and support living and resilient soils. We will explore what soil is, the major components and properties of an “ideal” soil and how to actively manage for excellent soil health. You will learn the chemical properties of soil, major and minor nutrients, how to read a soil test, and ways to recognize common deficiencies in plants and in the landscape as a whole.

We will address common soil challenges like compacted, degraded, and polluted soil as well as strategies for what to do when problems arise. Just as important as the chemical and physical properties of soil, we will explore the incredible role of soil biology in plant health, how you can work with it, add to it, and recognize increased plant health over time. Throughout the course participants will gain simple handson strategies for working with living soils and how to track progress along the way. We will discuss soil testing with a local soil-testing laboratory as well as simple at-home measures to quickly evaluate soil health such as texture, water infiltration, topsoil depth, hardness, aggregate stability and how to read your weeds to track changes over time. Soil is like the living skin of our 12 planet, and soil builders are needed as never before.

This course will equip you with the tools and knowledge to become a soil steward and work alongside this amazing underground world at our feet. Our first class will meet online for a 3-hour lecture, followed by an in-person field session at the Morris a few days later. This course is open to the public with priority registration offered to individuals enrolled in Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ Certificate in Ecological Horticulture. Completion of this course counts toward the requirements of the certificate program. This course has been submitted to carry 7 CEUs with LA CES, ISA, PLNA, and the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts. 

LECTURE 
Wednesday, October 14 
6:00 – 9:00 pm (Online) 

FIELD SESSION 
Saturday, October 24 
9:00 am – 2:00 pm 

Members: $200 |  Non-members: $215 

Please visit our Certificate Program in Ecological Horticulture section to register for this course.

Trevor Schulte, Azalea Meadow Horticulturist, Morris Arboretum & Gardens

Why stop to smell the flowers when you can pet the moss? Whether you plan on building a bryophyte-centric garden or are simply encouraging a few patches around your home, mosses add texture, beauty, and a sense of peace to nearly any space. We’ll go over common mosses, propagation techniques, and how to garden with moss and moss relatives before heading into the Morris for some hands-on learning where we will transplant some mosses ourselves. Learn about the often-overlooked division of plants while gaining the skills to start your own moss patch! Class will meet in the Upper Gallery of the Welcome Center.

Thursday, November 5
2:00 – 4:00 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

CORE COURSE

LEE ARMILLEI, Principal, Landscape Designer, APLD

Welcome to the world of ecological design, where environment and art intersect! Get your creative juices flowing as you combine design process and design principles with the ecology you’ve learned in prior certificate courses. Students will design a predetermined site to create a beautiful and immersive space, supportive of people and the planet.

This intensive two-day workshop starts with the basics of understanding the client, analyzing the site and drafting plans, and builds as students shape the landscape using design principles and ecological themes. Students will then develop a site-specific plant palette and apply it to foundation plantings, natural areas, and the spaces in between. Through a combination of lecture, studio time, and homework, students will gain real time practice and feedback, learning to make informed decisions in ecological design. Although the class will be working on a predetermined site, each design is sure to be unique!

This course is open to the public, with priority registration offered to individuals enrolled in Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ Certificate in Ecological Horticulture. Completion of this course counts toward the requirements of the certificate program. This course has been submitted to carry 10 CEUs with LA CES, ISA, PLNA, and the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts. This popular course will be offered twice this fall/winter; choose from the dates below. The material covered will be the same in each session. Pricing is per session.

SESSION 1 
TWO THURSDAYS 
November 12, 19 
10:00am – 3:30pm 

SESSION 2 
TWO FRIDAYS 
January 8, 15 
10:00 am – 3:30 pm 

Members: $250 |  Non-members: $260 

Please visit our Certificate Program in Ecological Horticulture section to register for this course.

Thomas Mrazik, Horticulturist and Owner of Goodly Gardens, Worcester PA 

Enjoy an interactive autumn visit to an award-winning home garden, highlighting a naturalistic, meadow style design with mostly ornamental grasses and wildflowers. 

In fall, a meadow-style garden becomes austere, absent of vibrant petal colors and growth. Such a garden is stripped down to its essential components of maturing, dying and dead plants. Leaves lose their primary color and have fallen. Petals disappear. Plant stems shift and tilt. Colors become blended with tan, brown or black. 

Yet, there is good news at this time. A late season naturalistic-style garden reveals uniquely beautiful ornaments, exposing stark, strong forms, interesting seed heads, soft colors, and various airy forms. They all create swaths of impressions, hazy silhouettes, and sentinel skeletons, unavoidably inviting a curious gardener’s eye and discovery! Thom has curated this garden to have four-season interest over the course of many years. Come enjoy the skeletons and silhouettes and leave full of inspiration for your own winter landscapes! 

This course has been submitted for 1.5 LA CES Landscape Architects. This class does NOT carry CEUs for arborists. It is an approved elective in the Certificate in Ecological Horticulture program. 

Saturday, November 14 
2:00 – 3:30 pm 

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35
  

Please visit our Trips  page to register for this course.

Beth Davis, Fourth-Generation Orchid Grower, Waldor Orchids

Have you ever wanted to grow orchids, or have you already taken the plunge and are enjoying their beauty? Orchids are unusual and exotic but relatively easy to grow. Come and hear all the tricks for successful orchid culture from orchid grower Beth Davis. Beth will present basic cultural information and provide a hands-on potting demonstration. Students will pot up their own beautiful orchid to take home and enjoy (included in the cost of the class). There will be an emphasis on transplanting, grooming, and some of the different ways to repot your orchid. Beth will have additional plants for sale, with some unusual varieties available!

Bring a box to take your new orchid home.

Monday, November 16
10:00 am – 12:30 pm

Members: $50 | Non-members: $55

Dr. Kevin Chase, Entomologist, Bartlett Tree Experts

Join us for a class on the biology and management of ticks and mosquitoes that can vector and transmit human diseases. While this topic might make you itch, it is important for arborists and other landscape professionals to know how to control ticks and mosquitos in the landscape. We will talk both about pesticide use to control ticks and mosquitos, as well as landscape and cultural practices to help reduce likelihood of infection.

This course has been submitted for PA Pesticide Credits, as well as 2 LA CES, ISA, and New Jersey Board of Tree Experts CEUs.

Monday, November 16
1:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

Please go to our School of Arboriculture section to register for this course

A virtual lunchtime conversation

Tracy Qiu

Catherine Seavitt

Every picture of a plant tells a story. From botanical illustrations and herbarium specimens to illustrated manuscripts and contemporary photographs, images shape how plants are named, understood, and valued. They also reveal deeper stories about exploration, colonialism, science, and whose knowledge is preserved.   

Join Tracy Qiu and Catherine Seavitt for an interactive lunchtime virtual conversation that uses four images to explore how botanical knowledge is created, shared, and challenged. Together, they will examine the colonial legacies of botanical gardens and plant science, consider how terms like native, exotic, weed, and invasive influence our thinking, and highlight the contributions of Indigenous communities and other often-overlooked knowledge holders.   

Held the day after Indigenous Peoples' Day, this timely conversation invites participants to reconsider the stories we tell (and the ones we don't) and discover how the ways we picture plants continue to shape our relationships with the living world. 

Tracy Qiu is a post-doctoral researcher at Concordia University in Montreal, specializing in the colonial history of botanical gardens and their roles in contemporary society. With over a decade of experience as a researcher, consultant, and artist, she applies decolonizing and inclusion-focused practices to help public gardens address issues of racial diversity, colonial legacies, and community belonging. Tracy is a former Longwood Graduate Fellow and has worked with Niagara Parks and the National Tropical Botanical Gardens. Her interdisciplinary approach combines qualitative research, visual art, and horticulture to explore how gardens can reconcile their colonial pasts while fostering inclusive futures.

Catherine Seavitt is professor and chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture, the Martin and Margy Meyerson Chair of Urbanism, co-executive director of The Ian L. McHarg Center for Urbanism & Ecology, and creative director of LA+, the Weitzman School’s interdisciplinary journal of landscape architecture. She joined Penn in July of 2023, after more than a decade on the faculty at the City College of New York, where she served as professor and director of the Master of Landscape Architecture program. Catherine’s scholarship and design work examines the entanglement of public space and public health through the lens of ecology, policy, and novel plant science.  
 
A Zoom link will be emailed to all registrants in advance of the program.  

Tuesday, October 13 
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm 

Members: $10  |  Non-members: $15 

Please use this link to register through our  Lectures page.

Mike Weilbacher, Naturalist, Writer, Educator

America’s sixth-largest city is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Meet some of the region’s featured creatures and the places where you can see the full diversity of wildlife. In addition, you'll learn the surprising ecological practices of the Lenape, the key role Philadelphia played in our nation's understanding of natural history, and the largest threats to nature locally—plus great ways you can help heal nature.

Presented by writer-naturalist Mike Weilbacher, this illustrated lecture is the perfect companion to Mike’s book by the same name, which he will be selling and signing after the lecture. A former nonprofit executive, Mike travels the region offering lectures and walks on diverse topics like climate change in Philly, the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, and the healing power of nature.

Saturday, November 7
10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Please use this link to register through our Lectures page.

Amanda Staples, Farmer, Horticulturist, Business Owner

Join farmer and business owner Amanda Staples for a tour of the Germantown Kitchen Garden, the half-acre vegetable farm and plant nursery in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. As we walk around the farm, Amanda will talk about the history of the farm and how it evolved from an overgrown lot covered in rubble and weeds to the productive farm, plant nursery, and community gathering space that we see today. She'll share some of her challenges and successes over the past 16+ years, lessons learned, and how she runs the farm today. Come with questions!

We will meet at the Germantown Kitchen Garden, 215 E. Penn St., Philadelphia, PA 19144.

Tuesday, September 29
2:00 – 3:30 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

Fall is a spectacular time for birding at the Militia Hill Hawk Watch in Fort Washington State Park. It will be prime time to see all 16 species of East Coast migratory raptors, alongside a wide variety of songbirds, warblers, and sparrows. All experience levels are welcome! Bring binoculars if you have them; we will also have some pairs to lend.

We will meet at the Militia Hill Hawk Watch platform in Fort Washington State Park.

Tuesday, October 6
8:00 – 11:00 am

Members: $40 | Non-members: $45

Please go to our Birding section to register for this course

Erin Monda, Horticulture Manager, Calder Gardens

Calder Gardens is Philadelphia’s newest public garden designed by renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, located in Fairmount. Join Horticulture Manager Erin Monda for a tour of the Calder Gardens landscape, where she will cover the construction and installation of the garden, Oudolf's designs, plant highlights and some of her favorite combinations, and management of the garden. Admission into the building to discover Alexander Calder's art is included. Exploration of the indoor portion of the museum is self-guided.

We will meet at Calder Gardens, 2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

Thursday, October 8
1:00 – 3:00 pm

Members: $65 | Non-members: $70

Glenn Mason, Award-Winning Wildlife Photographer
Troy Bynum, Naturalist, Birder, Wildlife Photographer

This unique program will combine an indoor talk and an outdoor walk, both focusing on learning about and delighting in Dixon Meadow in the fall. We will start indoors, joining award-winning wildlife photographer and acclaimed author Glenn Mason for a photographic journey of autumn flora and wildlife. Then, we will move outdoors for a walk in the preserve led by the Whitemarsh Foundation’s resident birder Troy Bynum.

We will learn how the season of harvest is a living sky of migrating birds, why and how the foundation tends the preserve like a garden, and why the rewilded Dixon Meadow is such an important link in preserving the local ecology of the Wissahickon and surrounding habitats that define our region.

We will meet at Dixon Meadow House at the Whitemarsh Foundation, 548 Flourtown Ave., Lafayette Hill, PA 19444.

Wednesday, October 14
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Aaron Greenberg, Arboretum Manager, Laurel Hill Cemeteries

Laurel Hill West was founded in 1869 and features nearly 200 acres of gently rolling hills, mature trees, carved stone monuments, historic architectural features, and hundreds of mausoleums. It is home to generations of Philadelphians from all stations in life. Laurel Hill West is especially well known for its historic landscape and beautiful collection of mature trees.

We will tour West Laurel Hill Cemetery in its autumn splendor with Arboretum Manager Aaron Greenberg who will show us some of the remarkable plants in the collection. From the dazzling reds of the sugar maple allée to the yellows and oranges of sweet gum and hickory, fall is a beautiful time to explore the tree collection!

We will meet at the Conservatory at Laurel Hill West. When you enter the main gates off Belmont Avenue, follow the white dashed lines through the cemetery to the Conservatory and park there.

Thursday, October 15
10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust is an 852-acre land conservancy in Huntington Valley. It has 11 miles of woodland, meadow, and creekside trails. Over 150 bird species have been recorded here, including over 60 species of breeding birds. Recently, land was added to the Trust that includes intact forest. These sheltered forests provide a breeding habitat for birds like scarlet tanagers, wood thrushes, and oven birds. Our visit coincides with peak fall songbird migration. 

We will meet at the Pennypack Ecological Trust offices, 2955 Edge Hill Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006. Bring your binoculars!

Thursday, October 15
8:00 – 10:30 am

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

Please go to our Birding section to register for this course

DAMIEN RUFFNER, Program Manager for Urban Conservation, Audubon, PA

Come visit the Discovery Center and see the amazing variety of bird species found in and around the Strawberry Mansion Reservoir. Expert and novice birders are both welcome. We will look for birds in the midst of their fall migration.

The Discovery Center is used by Audubon Mid-Atlantic for research and science-based conservation projects. It enables visitors to connect with Audubon's national and international conservation initiatives. Located on a major migratory stopover on the Atlantic Flyway for over 100 species of birds, it is a premier destination for bird watching throughout the region.

The tour will take us on a 1.5 mile walk around the reservoir. Binoculars are available for loan. Meet at the Discovery Center, 3401 Reservoir Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19121.

Saturday, October 17
8:00 – 10:00 am

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Please go to our Birding section to register for this course

Andrew Conboy, Certified Arborist & Founder, Community Canopy Project

McKaig Nature Education Center is home to some of the oldest forests in our region! These woods host a great diversity of plants, from interesting wildflowers to ancient trees estimated at over 200 years old. Join Morris Urban Forestry Consultant Andrew Conboy for an exploratory walk through these woods. Andrew will show you how to identify numerous trees and other plants, teach about their ecological value, and point out unique wildlife.

Participants will meet at McKaig; the meeting location will be emailed to all participants in advance of the class. This course has been submitted for 2 ISA and New Jersey Board of Tree Experts CEUs.

Saturday, October 17
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $35 | Non-members: $40

Please go to our  School of Arboriculture  section to register for this course

Sandi Polyakov, Head Gardener, Shofuso Japanese House and Garden

Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, located in Philadelphia's West Fairmount Park, is a 17th century-style Japanese house with traditional Japanese-style gardens. The gardens are gorgeous in the fall, alight with fall color, and are a treat to view in late October! Originally designed for the Museum of Modern Art in the early 1950s, Shofuso was brought to Philadelphia in 1957 and resides on the site of the first-ever Japanese-style garden in North America, built for the 1876 World's Fair. In this program you will join Sandi to learn about that history, gain a unique perspective and appreciation from a special staff member, and learn about the intricacies of traditional Japanese-style gardening, an art form dating back more than a thousand years.

As a special addition to the garden tour, the program will end with a ceremonial tea-tasting, where participants will experience the authentic Japanese Tea House on-site. This program takes place at Shofuso.

Wednesday, October 21
1:00 – 3:30 pm

Members: $45 | Non-members: $50

David Culp, Gardener, Author, Lecturer, and Designer

Meet at historic Brandywine Cottage in Downingtown, PA, for a personal tour of David Culp’s famous layered garden. Brandywine Cottage is known for its vibrant displays of color throughout the year, including in fall. Fall at Brandywine Cottage features a transition to a jewel-like blend of wildflowers, as well as other fall-blooming plants like asters, colchicums, and sumac. The gardens are also known for their pumpkins, gourds, acorns, seeds, and berries, adding seasonal accents to the fall display.

David Culp is Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Cavano’s Perennials. He is also the creator of the gardens at Brandywine Cottage in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, which are listed in the Smithsonian Institution/Archives of American Gardens. The gardens have been featured on television and numerous magazine publications. David is the principle of David L. Culp Designs, owner of the Galanthus nursery, Brandywine Snowdrops, and the developer of the Brandywine Hybrid strain of hellebores. David has been lecturing about gardens nationwide for over 25 years, and teaches herbaceous perennials at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

David is the author of The Layered Garden (Timber Press), which won a Gold Medal from the Garden Writers Association (GardenComm) for Best Overall Book of the Year. His second book, A Year at Brandywine Cottage: Six Seasons of Beauty, Bounty and Blooms (Timber Press), takes us further, detailing how more than 30 years creating this sensational year-round garden provides an abundance of joy, both indoors and out, whether it’s choosing plants for twelve months of interest, weaving edibles into the mix, or bringing the bounty indoors with simple arrangements and homegrown recipes. 

The address and driving directions will be emailed to all participants upon registration.

Thursday, October 22
10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Members: $40 | Non-members: $45

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

Located in Hillsborough, NJ, Duke Farms was one of the first sites designated by New Jersey Audubon as an Important Bird Area (IBA). Featuring restored wetlands and grasslands, the park provides vital habitat for over 330 bird species and hosts thousands of raptors during fall migration. The property contains approximately 1,100 acres of grasslands and agricultural lands, 950 acres of woodlands, 400 acres of flood plain habitat, two miles along the Raritan River, and 72 acres of open water spread across nine lakes. This amazing mix of habitat types provides an oasis for birds in a highly developed region of New Jersey. Extensive native meadows and grasslands at Duke Farms support impressive numbers of state-threatened grasshopper sparrows, Savannah sparrows and bobolinks. 

Meet Sharon at the Orientation Center at Duke Farms. Bring lunch, and your binoculars!

Friday, October 23
9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Members: $50 | Non-members: $55

Please go to our Birding section to register for this course

Sharon Meeker, Experienced Birder and Trip Leader

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Delaware Bay, is nearly 16,000 acres in size and includes lots of great birding habitat. There are pristine tidal salt marshes, freshwater impoundments, croplands, and woodlands. Unquestionably Delaware’s single best-known birding site, Bombay Hook justifies its fame with exceptional birding throughout the year. We will watch for shorebird migration southward and may also see bald eagles that are known to nest at the refuge. Bring binoculars! 

Meet at the Bombay Hook Visitor Center, 2591 Whitehall Neck Rd, Smyrna, DE 19977.

Thursday, November 5
9:30 am – 1:00 pm

Members: $50 | Non-members: $55

Please go to our Birding section to register for this course

Thomas Mrazik, Horticulturist and Owner of Goodly Gardens, Worcester PA

Enjoy an interactive autumn visit to an award-winning home garden, highlighting a naturalistic, meadow-style design with mostly ornamental grasses and wildflowers. In fall, a meadow-style garden becomes austere, absent of vibrant petal colors and growth. Such a garden is stripped down to its essential components of maturing, dying and dead plants. Leaves lose their primary color and have fallen. Petals disappear. Plant stems shift and tilt. Colors become blended with tan, brown or black.

Yet there is good news at this time - a late season naturalistic-style garden reveals uniquely beautiful ornaments, exposing stark, strong forms, interesting seed heads, soft colors, and various airy forms. They all create swaths of impressions, hazy silhouettes, and sentinel skeletons, unavoidably inviting a curious gardener’s eye and discovery!

Thom has curated this garden to have four-season interest over the course of many years. Come enjoy the skeletons and silhouettes and leave full of inspiration for your own winter landscapes!

This course has been submitted for 1.5 LA CES CEUs, and is an approved elective in the Certificate in Ecological Horticulture program.

Saturday, November 14
2:00 – 3:30 pm

Members: $30 | Non-members: $35