Open your eyes to the fascinating world of plants in ways you never considered as you dive deep into botanical topics and scientific exploration—during your lunch hour! This free virtual lunch and learn series uncovers the science behind plant form and function while highlighting significant local efforts to advance and conserve our botanical heritage.

This session is Part 1 of Plant Ecology: a subdiscipline of ecology that studies the distribution and abundance of plants, the effects of environmental factors upon the abundance of plants, and the interactions among plants and between plants and other organisms. To attend, all you have to do is join the Google Meet by 12pm on May 3.

To see the full schedule, meet the instructor, access the Botany Bistro archive and sign up for reminder emails, click on Learn More below.

Presenter: Mary Dudley, CGC Ecology Education Manager
Cost: Free!

What was once known as THE Plant Sale is now…GrowFest! It’s no longer just a sale—it's a full-out festival.

• We’ll still have favorites like the Green Flea, the bake sale, kids’ activities, volunteer opportunities and plenty of plants. (Think herbs, new veggie starts alongside old favorites, native ephemerals and shade plants and pollinator-friendly native pollinator plants—the kinds of plants you hear us talk about in our classes and year-round programming.)

• We’re integrating popular elements from the Fall Native Plant Festival, like food trucks, free educational sessions, live music and a place to leave your plants while you hang out on our beautiful spring-clad grounds.

• We’re even adding a few new things, like bagged compost and a smoothie bike.

• And we’re bringing back the fun vibe everyone misses from the old TPS to throw one big party!

In reimagining what our spring event can be, we believe we’re getting back to our Plant Sale roots to once again embody the original spirit of the event as well as our mission: a way to build community around gardening, education and environmental stewardship.

Have you checked out our Green Learning Station recently? We have rooftop gardens, a compost demonstration area, rainwater catchment systems and an indoor green wall, just to name a few of our current projects!

Join us for an informative, informal tour and have your sustainability questions answered by Mary Dudley, our Ecology Education Manager. These free tours are held biweekly on Tuesdays from 11am to noon, no registration required. See our calendar for additional dates.

Questions? Call (513) 221-0981 or email Mary Dudley: mdudley@civicgardencenter.org.

Learn to make your own Kimchi! During this hands-on workshop, you'll watch a demonstration of the initial Kimchi preparation, then season and package some to take home. You'll leave with the knowledge to make your own Kimchi.

Meet Your Instructor: My name is Keys Kim. I’m originally from South Korea. I have a master's degree in elementary education, but retired after 20 years of teaching. I've been living in America for more than 10 years now. Growing up in South Korea, I watched my grandmother, my mom, my aunt, and my mom's friends all making Kimchi from the time I was a very young child. Kimjang event day was my favorite day. Because right after making Kimchi together, we ate fresh Kimchi wrapping with oysters or boiled pork. Kimjang is the cultural event of making Kimchi in large quantities for the winter. In Korea, everyone makes Kimchi at home. I learned how to do it while I was there, but after I moved to America, it became especially important for me to make my own Kimchi. I learned to perfect making Kimchi and how to make Kimchi from lots of different ingredients. Now I’m a master of making Kimchi and a Kimchi evangelist.

Cost: $35 / $30 for active CGC volunteers

This class is sold out, but you can join the waitlist!

Do you have limited space to garden in but still want to support pollinators and wildlife? Or maybe you'd like to incorporate beneficial planters into your garden but aren't sure where to start?

In this beginner-friendly, hands-on workshop, you'll learn about and assemble your own pollinator-friendly annual planter. We'll explore growing in containers, the growing medium to choose, how to water and fertilizer your planter and which annual flowering plants to grow in order to attract pollinators and wildlife. You'll leave with your own small planter filled with 3-4 flowers that you planted yourself. You'll also have a broad knowledge of which annual flowers attract pollinators and how to care for them—and you'll feel confident that you can participate in environmental actions even on a small or limited scale!

A few things to note:

• Be prepared to get slightly dirty or wet!

• You're welcome to bring your own small planter (10-12") or one will be provided for you.

• A selection of annuals will be available for you to choose from.

• Plants will require full or partial sun.

• Kids are welcome to come work on the planter with a caregiver.

Instructor: Julie Dennewitz, CGC Horticulturist

Cost: $55 (includes a planter and 3-4 small annual plants)

Nurturing the Mind programs are comfortable, dementia-friendly gatherings that allow people living with dementia and their care partners to socialize and engage in activities in a safe, welcoming environment.

The power of plants connects us and helps us maintain healthy, thriving lives. Join the Civic Garden Center to explore new worlds of plants while you relate to the familiarity of the sights and sounds of a beautiful historic garden. Each session will include a slideshow of plants found around the planet, followed by an interactive hands-on horticultural activity.

Free and welcoming to all. Presented in partnership with the Episcopal Retirement Services Center for Memory Support and Inclusion. See our calendar for additional dates.

Reserve your spots by contacting Shannon Braun: sbraun@erslife.org or (513) 979-2302.

Kickstart your week with a trip to the garden and engage in seasonally relevant activities with the Lil’ Sprouts in your life! This free drop-in series offers our youngest gardeners and nature lovers an opportunity to learn more about the natural world. Learners of all levels are welcome to join in and further their knowledge of plants.

This class is sold out. To hear about future classes, please sign up for our waitlist.

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With the passage of Issue 2 this past November, home gardeners can now try their hand at growing Cannabis sativa. Since this crop can require a significant investment on the part of the grower, it's important to learn best practices before starting out.

This course will cover the botany of Cannabis sativa, the process of how to successfully grow it either indoors or outside and some tips from our expert instructors. You'll walk away with a list of supplies and an understanding of next steps to take should you choose to embark on a new adventure and grow Cannabis sativa at home.

Please note:

• Some of the legalities of growing this crop have not been finalized and it is the responsibility of each participant to research and follow all regulations according to the law.

• The Civic Garden Center and its staff does not provide any legal advice, and all inquiries will be directed to local and state legislatures.

• Participants in this class must be at least 21 years old.

Instructors: Mary Dudley and Stephanie Fransen
Cost: $15 / $10 for active CGC volunteers

Open your eyes to the fascinating world of plants in ways you never considered as you dive deep into botanical topics and scientific exploration—during your lunch hour! This free virtual lunch and learn series uncovers the science behind plant form and function while highlighting significant local efforts to advance and conserve our botanical heritage.

This session is Part 2 of Plant Ecology: a subdiscipline of ecology that studies the distribution and abundance of plants, the effects of environmental factors upon the abundance of plants, and the interactions among plants and between plants and other organisms. To attend, all you have to do is join the Google Meet by 12pm on May 17.

To see the full schedule, meet the instructor, access the Botany Bistro archive and sign up for reminder emails, click on Learn More below.

Presenter: Mary Dudley, CGC Ecology Education Manager
Cost: Free!

Help us install our new food forest!

It can be hard to imagine alternative methods of food production when we're used to molding our environment for maximum output. But people have been feeding themselves with the plants growing naturally around them since long before modern agriculture became the law of the land. Our native plants bear edible fruits, nuts, leaves, and roots just like our favorite garden veggies.

Sweet, juicy pawpaws and persimmons. Rich hickory nuts and walnuts. Garlicky ramps. Tender morel mushrooms. These plants and many others were cultivated by Ohio’s original inhabitants in expansive but intentionally managed woodlands. These massive food forests nurtured not only their human farmers, but the birds, insects, and mammals that share our environment. By reviving this style of wild gardening, we can restore native ecologies and rediscover the unique edible plants indigenous to our region.

At the CGC, we’ve drawn up plans for our own Native Food Forest, highlighting both well-known favorites and a few forgotten delicacies that were once essential parts of the American food system. Our Food Forest will be located just below our traditional Vegetable Garden and up the hill from our Butterfly Garden, bridging the gap between the cultivated and the wild.

We’re calling on our community of volunteers to help us prepare the space and install the plants that will one day feed both visitors to our park and our local wildlife! Join us in creating this unique new garden and learn more about native plant gardening and the edible native plants that may be living in your own backyard.

Want to join us? Make sure you’re registered as a CGC volunteer, then…

Have you checked out our Green Learning Station recently? We have rooftop gardens, a compost demonstration area, rainwater catchment systems and an indoor green wall, just to name a few of our current projects!

Join us for an informative, informal tour and have your sustainability questions answered by Mary Dudley, our Ecology Education Manager. These free tours are held biweekly on Tuesdays from 11am to noon, no registration required. See our calendar for additional dates.

Questions? Call (513) 221-0981 or email Mary Dudley: mdudley@civicgardencenter.org.

Come learn about the basics of backyard composting with Hamilton County R3Source! If you’re new to the composting world, this will be an excellent opportunity to learn about the basics. Although this seminar is geared towards beginners, this will also be a great opportunity to refresh your composting skills.

Participants will receive a copy of the Backyard Composting booklet and a kitchen scraps collector. See the event flyer here.

Instructor: Hamilton County R3Source

Cost: Free!

Questions? Visit HamiltonCountyR3Source.org or call (513) 946-7736. If you can’t make this date, you can see other options here.

Why do some ornamental plants become invasive...and what can we do about it? Many gardeners today enjoy planting new species and cultivars into their landscape, especially if novel or unusual in some way. Many of these species are non-natives, introduced from other areas of the world and selected for traits such as color, bloom time, hardiness and growth form. However, some of these ornamental plants can become invasive over time, self-seeding in gardens and nearby natural areas.

In this presentation, we'll discuss why such plants “turn to the dark side,” what gardeners can do to help prevent that from happening and useful alternative plants that are now available.

COST: $15 / free for active CGC volunteers and Parks Conservation Stewards

PRESENTER: Theresa Cully is a Professor of Plant Ecology at the University of Cincinnati. Her research focuses on the mechanisms and genetics of plant invasions, especially for species of ornamental and horticultural use (as she is also an avid gardener). She is a board member of the Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN), a founding co-organizer of Public Gardens as Sentinels of Plant Invasion (PGSIP) in North America, and a past president of the Ohio Invasive Species Council (OIPC) where she chairs its invasive plant assessment committee. Theresa also serves on the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Invasive Plant Advisory Committee which assists in the commercial regulation of invasive species in Ohio.

Nurturing the Mind programs are comfortable, dementia-friendly gatherings that allow people living with dementia and their care partners to socialize and engage in activities in a safe, welcoming environment.

The power of plants connects us and helps us maintain healthy, thriving lives. Join the Civic Garden Center to explore new worlds of plants while you relate to the familiarity of the sights and sounds of a beautiful historic garden. Each session will include a slideshow of plants found around the planet, followed by an interactive hands-on horticultural activity.

Free and welcoming to all. Presented in partnership with the Episcopal Retirement Services Center for Memory Support and Inclusion. See our calendar for additional dates.

Reserve your spots by contacting Shannon Braun: sbraun@erslife.org or (513) 979-2302.

Ready to take your mushroom growing to the next level? From spore to store, learn in-depth cultivation skills and techniques that are applicable to a wide array of fungi. We'll discuss topics like agar and culture work, spawn production, and fruiting substrate.

This class is ideal for those who have some basic mushroom growing experience and are looking to take their skills to the next level. It is not intended for those who are just starting out with mushroom cultivation.

COST: $40

PRESENTER: Rich Life Farm & Fungi is a self-taught family-owned farm passionately cultivating gourmet mushrooms year round using organic practices in the greater Cincinnati area. Since 2020 Rich Life Farm has been consistently producing high quality mushrooms for local restaurants, specialty grocery stores and direct to consumer at Farmers markets.

Come de-stress, laugh, smile, and enjoy the pure silliness and fun of Goat Yoga!

The cutest and friendliest farm babies in town are ready to play and snuggle with you. In this gentle, beginner-friendly session, you'll learn the basics of stress reduction through yogic breathing and postures while small baby or Nigerian Dwarf goats run about, climb on you, snuggle and bring laughter spontaneously in the moment as only goats can do! We'll spend 45 minutes doing Goat Yoga, then you'll spend 15 minutes petting the goats and taking photos with them.

This event is suitable for ages 10 and up. A standard Liability Waiver is required to participate and must be signed by a parent for minors.

Farmer Rob has been teaching yoga for over 20 years. The goats are from Good Green Earth Farm, an educational farm that brings farm animals to schools and daycare centers all around the Cincinnati and Dayton regions.

Cost: $25

The unpredictable weather patterns in our region can make gardening very challenging, especially in regards to inconsistent rainfall. Recent garden seasons have been plagued by drought followed by downpour. Knowing how to capture and store rainwater gives gardeners vital access to a resource necessary for thriving plants. It also enables us to slow the flow of stormwater from the impervious surfaces in our neighborhoods into our municipal stormwater management system, thus reducing the amount of untreated sewage that overflows into our natural waterways.

This workshop will cover the basics of rainwater harvesting and management. You'll learn how to capture and store rainwater for future use and the basics of building a rain garden. Weather permitting, we'll walk around Green Learning Station and discuss the CGC's rainwater collection systems.

Instructor: Mary Dudley, CGC Ecology Education Manager
Cost: $15 / $10 for active CGC volunteers

Nurturing the Mind programs are comfortable, dementia-friendly gatherings that allow people living with dementia and their care partners to socialize and engage in activities in a safe, welcoming environment.

The power of plants connects us and helps us maintain healthy, thriving lives. Join the Civic Garden Center to explore new worlds of plants while you relate to the familiarity of the sights and sounds of a beautiful historic garden. Each session will include a slideshow of plants found around the planet, followed by an interactive hands-on horticultural activity.

Free and welcoming to all. Presented in partnership with the Episcopal Retirement Services Center for Memory Support and Inclusion. See our calendar for additional dates.

Reserve your spots by contacting Shannon Braun: sbraun@erslife.org or (513) 979-2302.

This class is sold out. To hear about future classes, please sign up for our waitlist.

—

With the passage of Issue 2 this past November, home gardeners can now try their hand at growing Cannabis sativa. Since this crop can require a significant investment on the part of the grower, it's important to learn best practices before starting out.

This course will cover the botany of Cannabis sativa, the process of how to successfully grow it either indoors or outside and some tips from our expert instructors. You'll walk away with a list of supplies and an understanding of next steps to take should you choose to embark on a new adventure and grow Cannabis sativa at home.

Please note:

• Some of the legalities of growing this crop have not been finalized and it is the responsibility of each participant to research and follow all regulations according to the law.

• The Civic Garden Center and its staff does not provide any legal advice, and all inquiries will be directed to local and state legislatures.

• Participants in this class must be at least 21 years old.

Instructors: Mary Dudley and Stephanie Fransen
Cost: $15 / $10 for active CGC volunteers

Nurturing the Mind programs are comfortable, dementia-friendly gatherings that allow people living with dementia and their care partners to socialize and engage in activities in a safe, welcoming environment.

The power of plants connects us and helps us maintain healthy, thriving lives. Join the Civic Garden Center to explore new worlds of plants while you relate to the familiarity of the sights and sounds of a beautiful historic garden. Each session will include a slideshow of plants found around the planet, followed by an interactive hands-on horticultural activity.

Free and welcoming to all. Presented in partnership with the Episcopal Retirement Services Center for Memory Support and Inclusion. See our calendar for additional dates.

Reserve your spots by contacting Shannon Braun: sbraun@erslife.org or (513) 979-2302.

Nurturing the Mind programs are comfortable, dementia-friendly gatherings that allow people living with dementia and their care partners to socialize and engage in activities in a safe, welcoming environment.

The power of plants connects us and helps us maintain healthy, thriving lives. Join the Civic Garden Center to explore new worlds of plants while you relate to the familiarity of the sights and sounds of a beautiful historic garden. Each session will include a slideshow of plants found around the planet, followed by an interactive hands-on horticultural activity.

Free and welcoming to all. Presented in partnership with the Episcopal Retirement Services Center for Memory Support and Inclusion. See our calendar for additional dates.

Reserve your spots by contacting Shannon Braun: sbraun@erslife.org or (513) 979-2302.

Nurturing the Mind programs are comfortable, dementia-friendly gatherings that allow people living with dementia and their care partners to socialize and engage in activities in a safe, welcoming environment.

The power of plants connects us and helps us maintain healthy, thriving lives. Join the Civic Garden Center to explore new worlds of plants while you relate to the familiarity of the sights and sounds of a beautiful historic garden. Each session will include a slideshow of plants found around the planet, followed by an interactive hands-on horticultural activity.

Free and welcoming to all. Presented in partnership with the Episcopal Retirement Services Center for Memory Support and Inclusion. See our calendar for additional dates.

Reserve your spots by contacting Shannon Braun: sbraun@erslife.org or (513) 979-2302.