Flourish at the Garden Through an Array of Exciting Adult Education Classes This Fall
August 31, 2023Discover a world of enriching experiences at Desert Botanical Garden’s new adult education classes, designed to deepen your connection with nature and expand your cultural horizons. Starting August 25, an array of diverse classes will be on sale at dbg.org
This season marks the debut of the Read Between the Spines Author Series, where visitors can dig into bestselling books through an informal and entertaining meet and greet with the authors. The series will kick off with New York Times Bestselling Author, Historian, Designer, Teacher and Speaker Kathryn Aalto as we dive into her book “The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood.”
WELLNESS
Herbalism in the Garden
Oct. 1 | 9-11 a.m. | Members $51.95, General Admission $64.95
Enjoy a morning in Steele Herb Garden learning how to make your own herbal remedies. Learn how to find quality herbs and how to use them to create teas, tinctures and topicals, focusing on four herbs that are easy to grow and maintain. Instructed by Catherina Roger.
Sound Meditation
Oct. 1, 15, 29 Nov. 19, 26 Dec. 17 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Members $23.95, General Admission $29.95 | Package Deal: Receive a $20 discount when you register for all 6 classes Members $123.95 | General Admission $159.95
Take a deep breath, and let the powerful sounds of singing bowls, gongs and other instruments take you on a journey of relaxation and meditation. Participants will be seated or laying down for the entirety of the indoor class and are encouraged to bring a mat. All levels welcome. Instructed by experienced sound practitioners.
Yoga al atardecer
Oct. 12, 19, 26 Nov. 2, 9, 16 | 5-6 p.m. | Members $23.95 General Admission $29.95 Package Deal: Receive a $20 discount when you register for all 6 classes Members $123.95 General Admission $159.95 | All Levels Sunset Yoga (Oct. 12 and Nov. 2, 16) El estudio de yoga local, Metta Yoga, te invita a relajarte al final del día. Despídete del sol y fluye mediante diferentes asanas bajo la suave luz del atardecer. Esta es una clase para todos los niveles. Los invitamos a traer sus propias esterillas/tapetes de yoga.
Oct. 19: Yoga Nidra
After settling into a comfortable restorative position, our Metta Yoga instructor will guide you into a deep meditation. Yoga Nidra is sometimes called a yogic sleep in a state of conscious mind. Leave calm, rested and rejuvenated. This is an All-levels class. Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats. We recommend bringing blankets and/or a towel.
Oct. 26: 5 Elements Yoga Flow
In this class, led by local yoga studio Metta Yoga, we will explore the intersection of the five great elements – vayu (air), agni (fire), prithvi (earth), jal (water), and akasha (space). Through the blending of breath and asana, we embrace air as we practice upon the stability of the earth. The practice will lead you in a celebration of our life-giving breath and the space around us. This is an All-levels yoga class. Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats.
Nov. 9: Yoga Therapy
This mellow class is a blend of restorative and Yin yoga, where participants ease into postures for longer periods of time, with some mild movement, strengthening and a focus on relaxing seated or supine postures. Deeply held poses can release tension and stiffness in your back, hips, shoulders and legs. Instructed by Metta Yoga, focus on alignment and healing breathwork to aid in the release of stress and tension. This is an All-levels class. Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats. We recommend bringing blankets and/or a towel.
Yoga Walk
Oct. 15, 29 | 8:30-9:30 a.m. | Members $23.95 General Admission $29.95
Combine yoga with an athletic walk through the Garden. To enjoy the beauty that is all around, you will be led through yoga postures and meditation, before returning to the next leg of your walk. This is an All-levels class, led by local yoga studio Metta Yoga.
Forest Bathing
Nov. 19 and Dec. 10 | 9-11:30 a.m. | Members $33.95 General Admission $39.95
Nature therapy is based on the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, meaning forest bathing. On this slow meander through the Garden, bathe your senses in the sights, sounds, smells and touches of nature. Guided by certified Forest Therapy Guide Judy Karnia, learn how to be more present in nature. Suitable for all fitness levels.
Create Your Own Mini Herbal Spa
Dec. 3 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Members $51.95 General Admission $64.95
Learn how Sonoran Desert herbs can help you de-stress and promote self-care. Enjoy a hands-on class and unwind as you create your own eye serum, sugar scrub, lip balm, steam facial and salve as well as three ways to relieve muscle tension. Instructed by Catherina Roger.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Butterfly Photography
Oct. 4 | 7-9 a.m. | Members $51.95 General Admission $64.95
Colorful butterflies in the Fall Butterfly exhibit can be challenging to capture. Learn how to photograph these fast-moving subjects using a DSLR camera on Manual Mode. Practice using “burst mode” while photographing water splashes and other fast-moving subjects, then apply that to butterflies. Photographer Ryan Parra covers shutter speed, aperture, ISO and other camera settings. Participants have exclusive access to the Fall Butterfly exhibit and need a DSLR camera and at least a 200mm long lens.
Wildlife Photography (Smartphone)
Oct. 14 | 9-11 a.m. | Members $51.95 General Admission $64.95
Hummingbirds, lizards, squirrels and other wildlife around the Garden often only give us a few seconds to photograph. Learn how to capture these fast-moving subjects using just your smartphone. Practice using “burst mode” while photographing water splashes and other fast-moving subjects, then apply that to wildlife. Photographer Ryan Parra will cover camera settings for fast-moving subjects that you may not have even realized you have on your phone. Students need a smartphone.
Night Photography (Smartphone)
Nov. 28 & Dec. 5 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Members $51.95 General Admission $64.95
Prepare to photograph Las Noches de las Luminarias. Learn how to create long exposures of unique light sources using a smartphone. Students will experiment with different phone settings and light painting to capture the landscape. Students need a smartphone.
ART
Butterflies in Watercolor
Oct. 1 | 12-2 p.m. | Members $51.95 General Admission $64.95
Celebrate the opening of the Fall Butterfly exhibit by learning how to paint butterflies found in the Sonoran Desert. Enjoy an introduction to painting using the wet-on-wet technique and then apply what you learn to butterfly outlines provided. No drawing or painting skills required. All art supplies included. Participants are welcome to explore the Butterfly Exhibit before class and take photos for inspiration.
Read Between the Spines Author Series
Oct. 11, 12 | Oct. 11: 5:30-7:30 p.m., October 12: 9-11 a.m. | Members $23.95 General Admission $29.95
Dig into bestselling books with the author themselves. Join an informal and entertaining meet and greet with the authors. Kick off the series with New York Times Bestselling Author, Historian, Designer, Teacher, and Speaker Kathryn Aalto as we dive into her book “The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood.”
Read Between the Spines Writing Workshop
Oct. 11 | 7 a.m. – noon |Members $51.95 General Admission $64.95
Join Kathryn Aalto New York Times Bestselling Author for a writing workshop at the Garden to explore the essential elements of narrative nonfiction. Gain experience in the different stages of the writing process and learn how to translate your research, fieldwork and mind-mapping into a captivating literary piece. Garden admission is included with purchase.
Desert Plants, Blue Skies & Redrock: Plein Air Watercolor
Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 & 10 | 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Members $51.95 General Admission $64.95 | Package Deal: Receive a $20 discount when you register for all 3 classes: Members $135.95 General Admission – $165.95
Improve your painting skills and see the natural world in a new way amongst the whispering mesquites, solitary saguaros and sweeping blue skies of Desert Botanical Garden. Explore the elements and principles of design readily found in the desert’s plants and land—line, shape, contrast, repetition and pattern—while focusing on the watercolor techniques of washes, wet in wet, hard lines, soft lines and glazing. We will paint plein air landscape and still-life from different shaded patios and trails in the Garden. Instructed by Christin Quissell. Garden admission is included with purchase.
Desert Flora Embroidery
Nov. 9 |5:30-7:30 p.m. | Members $51.95 General Admission $64.95
Learn how to create an embroidered scene inspired by desert flora using a variety of stitches. Leave with your own fiber art creation and the knowledge and skills to keep creating your own unique pieces. Instructed by Amy Guerrero of Sunshine Craft Co. All skill levels are welcome. All art supplies included.
Floral Design: Seasonal Botanical Inspiration
Nov. 16 and Dec. 14 | 5-7 p.m. | Members $94.95 General Admission $114.95
Design seasonal cut floral arrangements with Dr. Morgan Anderson to acquire technique and refined artistry within botanical design. Each class session, students will receive a recipe of seasonal botanical ingredients in which Dr. Anderson will examine their unique histories, native habitat and current horticultural practices. Each student will design an arrangement to take home. Florals and a vase will be provided, but students are welcome to bring their own vase.
Botanical Candles
Oct. 28, Nov. 18 and Dec. 9 | 2-4 p.m. | Members $61.95 General Admission $74.95
Enjoy an interactive candle-making experience at the Garden. Explore the benefits of paraffin-free soy wax, talk about candle care, then dive into the properties of fragrance and essential oils to create a custom scent blend before mixing and hand-pouring your candle with dried botanicals cut from the Garden. Instructed by Tristen Barker. Garden admission is included with purchase.
Celebrate Strange Garden |Oct. 29
Choose from a variety of autumn inspired scents, fall botanicals or spooky Halloween-themed jars.
Celebrate Autumn | Nov. 19
Choose from a variety of autumn inspired scents and fall botanicals to create a custom candle to keep or to give as a gift.
Celebrate Winter | Dec. 10
Choose from a variety of holiday/winter inspired scents and botanicals to create a custom candle to keep or to give as a gift.
LANDSCAPE AND GARDENING
Home Landscape Design Series | Wednesdays, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | 10% discount Package Deal: Home Landscape Design Basics I & II: Members $129.95 General Admission $147.95
Home Landscape Design Basics I: Members $71.95 | General Admission– $81.95
Home Landscape Design Basics II: Members $71.95 | General Admission – $81.95
For four weeks with one class each week, the Home Landscape Design series covers the basics of designing residential landscapes that are attractive, comfortable, functional, sustainable and appropriate for the Sonoran Desert. The instructor will walk participants through each phase of design and assign relevant exercises, from planning through design. Class participants can use their own gardens for these exercises, whether they are creating a new landscape or renovating an existing one. Instructed by landscape architect Liza Blank.
October 4 & 11: Home Landscape Design Basics I
This class guides you through a basic design process that will help students develop a plan to create a landscape that suits their style and needs while exploring different plant material and hardscape options. Home Landscape Design Basics I is a prerequisite for Home Landscape
Design Basics II
Oct. 18 & 25: Home Landscape Design Basics II
This class builds on Home Landscape Design Basics I and will further develop your landscape plan through a studio format. This class focuses on the installation process and understanding the appropriate sequence when installing the design. Home Landscape Design Basics I is a prerequisite for this class.
Plant Sale Pop-Up Classes: Container Gardening with Native Plants
Thursday, Oct. 19; Friday, Oct. 20; Saturday, Oct. 21; Sunday, Oct. 22 | 9-10 a.m., 10-11 a.m. (Also 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Thursday and Sunday) | Members $23.95 General Admission $29.95
Oct. 19: Plant a Pollinator Container
Even in a small space, you can attract pollinators with the right native plants. Learn how to plant for pollinators with our Plant and Insect Ecology Program Manager, Natalie Melkonoff. Plant your own small container of milkweed to attract butterflies at home. For a more in-depth class on planting for pollinators in containers, join Natalie on November 8 as part of our Native Plant Container Gardening Series.
Oct. 20: Plant an Herb Container
Even in a small space, you can attract pollinators with the right native plants. Learn how to plant a pollinator container with our Plant and Insect Ecology Program Manager, Natalie Melkonoff. Learn which plants to place together and how to care for your plants throughout late fall and winter. Plant your own pollinator container perfect for a patio.
Oct. 21 & 22: Plant a Succulent Container
Succulents are relatively easy to grow, but it requires some skill to keep them growing successfully. Join Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society expert Mary Osmond to learn how to plant native Sonoran Desert succulents in containers, which succulents to plant together, and how to care for your plants throughout late fall and winter. Plant your own succulent container perfect for a patio.
Native Plant Container Gardening Series
Nov. 1, 8, 15 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Members $33.95 General Admission $39.95
10% discount Package Deal: Members $91.95 General Admission $107.95
Nov. 1: Plant a Succulent Container
Succulents are relatively easy to grow, but it requires some skill to keep them growing successfully. Join Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society expert Mary Osmond to learn how to plant native Sonoran Desert succulents in containers, which succulents to plant together, and how to care for your plants throughout late fall and winter. Plant your own succulent container perfect for a patio.
Nov. 8: Plant a Pollinator Container
Even in a small space, you can attract pollinators with the right native plants. Learn how to plant a pollinator container with our Plant and Insect Ecology Program Manager, Natalie Melkonoff. Learn which plants to place together and how to care for your plants throughout late fall and winter. Plant your own pollinator container perfect for a patio.
Nov. 15: Plant an Herb Container
Learn how to plant useful Sonoran Desert Herbs in a container for any space. Local herb expert Pam Perry will cover an introduction to a dozen Sonoran Desert herbs suitable for containers and how to care for herbs in containers with the right soil, watering, and location. Plant your own herb container perfect for a patio.
Marigolds: A Flower to Celebrate Life
Nov. 5 | 10-11 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Members $23.95 General Admission $29.95
Vibrant orange and yellow marigolds, or cempasúchil, celebrate life during Día de Muertos. Learn how to grow and care for these powerful plants, from selecting the right soil to how to plant marigolds in containers. Participants will propagate their own marigold plant from a cutting to take home along with instructions to care for these beautiful blooms. Instructed by Angelica Elliott. After the class, enjoy the rest of the Día de Muertos festivities at the Garden! Garden admission is included with purchase.
Holiday House Plants
Dec. 7 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Member $51.95 General Admission $64.95 Learn how to grow and care for seasonal houseplants with gardening expert Carol Stuttard. Get into the festive spirit by planting your own houseplant and decorating a container to bring some seasonal botanical cheer to your home.
COOKING
A Taste of Guelaguetza
Oct. 3 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Member – $61.95 General Admission $74.95
Celebrate Guelaguetza at the Garden with a demonstration and tasting of Oaxacan cuisine with local restaurant Las 15 Salsas Restaurant Oaxaqueño. After a Mezcal toast, learn how to make regional foods including tortillas and salsa, guacamole with grasshoppers, black mole and green mole. Garden admission is included with class purchase.
Learning Pura Sabrosura from Colombia
Oct. 24 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Member – $61.95 General Admission $74.95
Join Colombian chef Angelica Urrego to learn to cook some traditional dishes of Colombia, using “Pura Sabrosura” Pure Flavors of her home country.
SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION
Save the Saguaros
Nov. 14 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Members Free General Admission Free
Join the Garden’s New World Succulents Specialist Dr. Tania Hernandez to learn how you can be a part of the Saguaro Census, documenting saguaros around Phoenix so scientists can better understand how to protect them. Learn how to use iNaturalist, a free smartphone app and website, to participate in the Saguaro Census. There will also be a walk and talk to see some giant saguaros in the Garden and learn about saguaro health with Dr. Hernandez.
A Geologic Narrative of Arizona
Wednesday, Nov. 29 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. |Member $23.95 General Admission $29.95
The complex landscapes of Arizona are geologically quite young, but they reveal rocks and fossils that record a history of almost two billion years. Explore the geology of Arizona and the origins of the Grand Canyon, the red rocks of Sedona, Mogollon Rim and the low deserts. Instructed by Steven Semken.
