Through inspiring and entertaining storytelling, our winter lecture series showcases the voices of edible native plants and ecological landscaping influencers. Each speaker shares their expertise and connection to the plants, places, and purpose behind conserving native plant communities, soil health, and the wildlife these wildscapes attract. These programs take place online. $25 per lecture or
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Many people have heard an owl, but few have ever seen one. Mt. Cuba’s varied landscapes and topography provide the ideal habitats for three of Delaware’s native owl species – the barred, great horned, and Eastern screech – and winter is the best time to spot them roosting in our trees. Owls are nocturnal so
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Join Leah Brooks as she highlights a variety of native perennials that offer late season color, texture, and visual interest. From asters to ferns to sedges, you will be inspired to create your own beautiful and ecologically vibrant fall garden. This class is rain or shine. Dress for the weather. This program takes place in
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Turn your trash to treasure with home-scale composting. Transform everyday kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich treasure (compost) that makes plants flourish. Learn the key elements of creating compost at home, what materials can be safely composted, and how to keep the compost bin from smelling. Storage bin options will be discussed and demonstrated. This program takes
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Reducing the American lawn is beneficial for everyone. We can add more native plants, reduce flooding in our watersheds, attract pollinators, and bring balance to our ecosystems. Dive into some example projects where lawns have been replaced by native plant solutions. With a focus on a variety of site conditions such as sunny slopes, low
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Harvesting seeds is a cost-efficient and exciting way to increase the number of plants in your garden. Learn the best techniques for collecting and storing seeds produced by our native trees, shrubs, and perennials. Following a brief lecture, participants will head out to the gardens for some hands-on seed collecting. Take home a diverse array
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Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs! From willow and viburnum, to hawthorn and more, discover beautiful woody plants that give the most bang for your buck in terms of wildlife value! A garden walk to view the plants is included. This program takes place in person at Mt. Cuba Center on
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Think of what gardening would be like without the world of weeds. Learn how to identify the most common annual and perennial lawn and garden weeds using leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds. The fall section covers species that should be removed before winter, making next year’s garden more maintenance free. Ecologically friendly methods of managing
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Address neighborhood expectations about tidiness, property values, and aesthetics without giving up the goal of gardening with nature in mind. Devise a plan for planting and maintaining the most visible or prominent areas of your yard. Kathy Elliot will discuss “cues for care” that just may convince the whole neighborhood you are on to something.
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Explore water-wise gardening through several ecological practices – rain gardens, rain barrels, riparian buffers, and xeriscaping. Leave with a plant list of water-wise native plant species to add to your garden that will not only reduce water usage but provide aesthetic and wildlife value as well. This program takes place in person at Mt. Cuba
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