Upcoming Events
Botany by Family: The Key to See
Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, NC
Learning to notice plant family patterns can greatly aid in demystifying the “green wall” of plant species around us. Hundreds of thousands of species of flowering plants are known to global science, and these species have been grouped into over 400 flowering plant families. By learning the top 30 plant families growing around you, you will begin to recognize plants everywhere you go. After an indoor presentation on the major plant families common to the Southeastern US, reinforce your plant identification skills on a walk in the Gardens to observe family patterns in leaf, flower and fruit types. Discuss edibility, medicinality, craft, wildlife support and landscape beauty as you gain a more holistic understanding of the major plants comprising Southern US flora and their potential ecological and ethnobotanical applications.
Accessibility: This will be a small group program that takes place partially seated indoors and partially outdoors traveling on a combination of paved and unpaved paths with some uneven surfaces and moderate inclines.
Register at the link below
https://gardens.duke.edu/learn/adult-programs/
Fee: Variable Pricing
Winter Botany and Wild Tea
Weaverville, NC
When the lush greens and bright blooms of summer fade away, a quieter world of wonder remains. Join ethnobotanist and longtime Firefly instructor & beloved friend Marc Williams for an immersive workshop and garden walk exploring the art of winter plant identification and wild foraging.
Together, we’ll learn to recognize the subtle signatures of plants during their dormant phase—tracing patterns in bark, buds and form that reveal who’s who beneath the winter hush. Marc will guide participants in deepening their botanical literacy and relationship with local ecology, blending scientific insight with ethnobotanical wisdom and practical foraging knowledge.
As we walk the garden and surrounding landscape, we’ll:
- Practice identifying plants without their usual flowers, fruits, or leaves
- Discuss off-season plant characteristics and traditional uses
- Explore key resources for continuing your studies
- Share wild-foraged tea and connection to close the afternoon
Winter botany is a lesser-known, yet vital skill that invites us to see the natural world with new eyes. By learning to read the land in its quiet season, we strengthen our awareness, resilience, connection and capacity to live sustainably within our ecosystems—all year long
Location is a plant sanctuary located in Weaverville, NC and not generally open to the public. Directions will be given upon registration.
Fee: $25 - 65