Gardening

Botanizing is basically bird watching but with plants: The practice of going out to see cool, beautiful, and exciting native plants in their wild habitats. Spending time botanizing in parks, natural areas, and even roadsides, is not just fun, it is a great way to appreciate and celebrate the beauty of the natural world and can even make you a better gardener. Gather tips on how to get started botanizing both at home and when traveling, and how you can take lessons from natural plant communities and bring them back to your home garden. Join live to participate in our online learning

Gardens can quickly get away from us in the summertime, with elevated temperatures and rainfall causing many plants to grow in leaps and bounds. Learn and discuss approaches to early-summer maintenance to help you stay ahead of challenges experienced in the throes of the growing season, from simple techniques, like managing the size of those oft-flopping tall perennials with a simple “Chelsea Chop,” to more complex management strategies. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Sunday, April 26, 2026. About the Instructor: Olivia is a designer at GreenWeaver Landscapes, a design-build company providing ecological landscape design, construction, and

Learn how to incorporate resilient native species into your garden. Discuss the merits of native plants and how they have adapted to their local habitats, including soil type, sun and shade patterns, moisture levels, and more. By planting the right plant in the right place, it should thrive with little extra care. This class includes a tour with instructor Nancy Bell, through the Mt. Cuba gardens noting sun and shade patterns and discussing insights and advice for selecting resilient native species to incorporate into your space. Class is rain or shine. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Friday,

Extend the celebration of Arbor Day and join us for a fresh, practical introduction to caring for the trees in your own backyard. This new class reexamines what homeowners truly need to know— the fundamentals of tree care topics designed to address the real-world scenarios homeowners encounter but often feel underprepared to manage. Starting with a basic tree and site inspection, common problems with structure and health will be examined, and options for solving them will be presented. From understanding the significance of the observations made to knowing when to call a professional, this class equips homeowners with the confidence

Take next steps with an exclusive opportunity to work alongside one of the landscape designers involved in Mt. Cuba’s Master Plan and Glade Entrance Garden. This immersive, hands-on workshop explores the craft of landscape design and how to create unforgettable outdoor spaces in collaboration with the plants you love. Through quick, creative exercises, you’ll learn to analyze inspiring garden spaces and understand how your emotional response connects to plant selection, spacing, and seasonality. You’ll practice reading a site—its physical qualities, its opportunities, and the aesthetic or habitat goals you want it to achieve—and then translate those insights into measured drawings

Join Kathleen Elliot and other Mt. Cuba experts as they share design ideas and techniques behind our signature native plant displays.  Discover how stunning and sustainable a container garden can be when it’s designed with native plants. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll create your own one-of-a-kind, vibrant container that supports local ecosystems while adding season-long beauty to your home. You will be guided through design principles, plant selection, and care tips tailored to Mid-Atlantic conditions. Bring your favorite gardening gloves and leave with a professionally inspired container full of life, color, and purpose. Plants and container included. This program takes place in-person

Discover how to craft a resilient native plant palette, in alignment with the ecological clues of your land. Explore a practical template to guide the process of crafting a community of native plants that will bring ease to the wonkiness of wildlife habitat design. Leave feeling empowered to take on your next lawn to lush habitat project. This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Saturday, May 9, 2026. About the Instructor: Elyse Jurgen, owner of Waxwing EcoWorks Co., rebuilds ecological literacy and biodiversity through hands-on ecological gardening experiences for all ages. She is CBLP Certified, Ecological/Permaculture Certified Designer,

Note: This class takes place off-site. What if your garden could be a thriving habitat for wildlife while also becoming healthier and more vibrant? This class is designed for homeowners who want to create a beautiful landscape that grows in harmony with nature. Learn how to garden using ecological principles that provide the essential elements of habitat: food, water, and shelter. Then discover how to design these principles into a thought garden design that reflects your personal style and functions as an ecological oasis right outside your door. A major focus of the class is “right plant, right place.” Too often, gardeners grab plants that look appealing at the nursery and plant them anywhere, only to be disappointed when they struggle. Understanding a plant’s preferences for light, soil, and moisture requirements is

Learn about the important identifying features of our local fungi and discover some of the crucial roles they play in our ecosystems. Discuss what you can do to preserve fungal diversity in your area through community science and land stewardship. After an informative session on ecology of fungi, instructor Sam Bucciarelli will guide students on exploration of Mt. Cuba’s natural areas. This is a unique opportunity to scout and learn about the fungal diversity on trails not accessible to the public. Be prepared for a lengthy hike through hilly (sometimes steep) and uneven terrain. Dress for the weather and bring a