Landscape Design Fundamentals

May 10, 2022 - July 31, 2022

Landscape Architect and Visual Artist Preston Montague teaches this fundamentals class that introduces participants to design principles, site assessment and planning, among other topics. Gain a better understanding of what comes into play in creating …

Yoga in Nature

Recurring Event (See All)

Gentle, relaxing yoga stretches outside in the fresh air. Connect with the beauty of nature while releasing tension and building flexibility, balance, and inner calm. This in-person class takes place at the Arboretum in partial …

Meditative Morning: Birding Walk in the Arboretum Forest

June 7, 2022 @ 8:30 am - 10:30 am

The Blue Ridge Mountains are a beautiful place to be any time of year. This walk, scheduled the first Tuesday of every month for our quiet Meditative Morning at the Arboretum, takes you to some …

Meditative Morning: Centering Practice in the Arboretum Gardens

June 7, 2022 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am

Meditate in place and with a sense of place with this new, free monthly meditation in the Arboretum gardens. Suzanne Martin leads this experience of quieting the body, mind and spirt with focused awareness to …

Intro to Herbalism: The Romance of Plants

June 7, 2022 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Let’s dive into Appalachian medicinal plants! Dr. Michelle Bouton will orient us toward the therapeutic uses of medicinal plants based on their tastes: bitter taste drains, sweet taste nourishes, sour taste astringes, etc. Nothing drives …

Re-Visioning Your Home Landscape

Recurring Event (See All)

The process of transforming a landscape into a sustainable, ecologically-sound garden that you love is a rewarding aspect of being a gardener.  Understanding plants and their inter-relationships is key to creating a landscape that’s a …

Summer Plants of Interest

June 10, 2022 - August 12, 2022

For gardeners, every season has its purpose and beauty. Summer is a perfect time to notice plants that are at the peak of growth, flower or fruit. Fragrance is a welcome characteristic of many summer …

Nature & Nurture: The Voorhees Family Artistic Legacy Gallery Talk with the Artists

June 10, 2022 @ 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Join us for a Gallery Talk with artists whose works in a variety of media are featured in our summer art exhibit currently on display in the Baker Visitor Center. Numerous pieces showcase some of …

Silent Hike & Forest Qigong

June 12, 2022 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Let’s enjoy a quiet, mindful stroll through the woods together. A silent hike takes us to scenic treasures on the arboretum property where we will do a restorative qigong practice. Qigong is a series of …

Seeing Beauty: A Contemplative Photography Awe Walk

June 12, 2022 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Strolling with an eye toward the wonders around you during an otherwise ordinary walk could have significant benefits for your mental health. An interesting new psychological study contends that people who take a fresh look …

Summer Plants of Interest Garden Walk

June 14, 2022 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Join Clara Curtis, the Arboretum’s Senior Director for Mission Delivery, in this walk through the summer landscape. With decades of design and horticulture oversight at the Arboretum, Clara is our walking institutional memory for how …

All About Corvids

June 15, 2022 @ 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

What a difference one letter makes! Take a closer look at Corvids, the highly intelligent and inquisitive family of birds that includes over 120 species, including crows, ravens, magpies and blue jays. Birding expert Aaron …

Walking Meditation & Qigong

Recurring Event (See All)

Experience the deep peace and simple joy of slow walking meditation in the Plants of Promise Garden at the Arboretum. Each walking meditation practice begins with a series of very gentle Qigong movements. Qigong is …

Loving Where You Live: Field to Forest

June 18, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Leave any parcel of land in the Blue Ridge undisturbed for long enough and a forest will spontaneously generate. Learn the stages of forest succession following a path of natural transition from field to forest …

Summer Flora Identification – Online Version

Recurring Event (See All)

Learn to identify native mountain flora using a non-technical keying system, while studying the characteristics of plant families, the basics of plant community and the natural and the cultural history of the flora of the …

Summer Flora Identification – Field Version

Recurring Event (See All)

In this entirely field-based class led by Naturalist Scott Dean, you will learn to identify native mountain flora on the trail, training your eyes and using a non-technical dichotomous keying system. Study the characteristics of …

Birding in the Balsams

June 22, 2022 @ 7:30 am - 2:00 pm

Explore the higher elevations of the Southern Appalachians and look for some of the area’s most exciting birds. Expert guide Aaron Steed will help you look for the many species of warblers, vireos, and hard-to-identify …

The Romance of Plants: A Heart-Centered Approach to Making Herbal Medicines

Recurring Event (See All)

Taught by herbalist Michelle Bouton, this herbal intensive onsite at the Arboretum encourages us to remember the excitement and mystery of getting to know a plant. Move beyond the field guide for a heart-centered approach …

The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted’s Original Design Intents for the Biltmore Estate

June 23, 2022 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Biltmore’s Horticulture Director Parker Andes brings the estate’s vast garden spaces and forests down to scale, highlighting some of Frederick Law Olmsted’s original design ideas that Biltmore still strives to maintain. Andes offers considerations for contemporary application in …

Loving Where You Live: A Geology, Hydrology Walk with Naturalist Steve Yurkovich

June 24, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 am

A mountain stream beside a wooded path often leads to contemplation. On this walk along Bent Creek, we reflect on the landscape of the valley we are in, molded over time by running water, earth …

Loving Where You Live: Summer Woodland Walk with Scott Dean

June 25, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Join Naturalist Scott Dean for an immersive nature walk along the trails of the Arboretum forest to explore the natural world as it thrives in summer. Flowers and trees are blooming and critters are out …

Tai Chi Ten Form

Recurring Event (See All)

This elegant short form introduces the signature movements of Tai Chi Chuan in a simplified and compact sequence. A wonderful practice for beginners, participants will learn the basic principles of each movement as well as …

Yoga in Nature

Recurring Event (See All)

Gentle, relaxing yoga stretches outside in the fresh air. Connect with the beauty of nature while releasing tension and building flexibility, balance, and inner calm. This in-person class takes place at the Arboretum in partial …

Venomous Snakes of the Carolinas

June 30, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Learn to separate fact from fiction abut the various species of venomous snakes found in North and South Carolina. What to do when encountering venomous snakes in the wild and administering first aid for snakebites …