Help us get ready to put on an awesome Fall Native Plant Festival!

Did you know that the CGC is host to seven different types of composting systems? Take a walk with us to learn about the different methods of composting we have and how you can incorporate composting into your life! You’ll see Earth Cubes, vermicompost, bokashi, Johnson-Su bioreactors, a three-bin system, a tumbler and a top-loading composter.

COST: Free!

Help us get ready to put on an awesome Fall Native Plant Festival!

Help us pull off an awesome Fall Native Plant Festival!

Are you a native plant novice? Expert? Somewhere in between? Join us for the Fall Native Plant Festival! Whether you don’t know what a native plant is or have been growing them for years, this free, multi-vendor celebration of all things native plants is for you. We’ll have the “who’s who” of Cincinnati-area native plant growers as well as vendors, educational sessions, food trucks, a beer garden, live music, kids’ activities and more.

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 for children ages 3 to 8 and their caregivers offers our youngest gardeners and nature lovers an opportunity to learn more about the natural world. We hold Lil' Sprouts on the second and fourth Monday of each month.

COST: Free!

There’s always a table reserved for you at the Botany Bistro! Here you can munch on bite-sized botany as you savor the science of plants. In 2025, Season 2 of this free, virtual botanical banquet focuses on 24 different plant families, exploring their unique characteristics and ways they have adapted through time. This session is all about the Cucurbitaceae family.

COST: Free!

Are you a fan of playing card or board games with new and old friends in one of the most beautiful gardens in the city? Then come to Game Night at the CGC! Whether's Catan, Euchre, Happy Salmon or something else, you're bound to find a game that piques your curiosity. The rules are simple: Bring Your Own Game (BYOG) and Bring Your Own Snacks (BYOS; no alcoholic beverages, please).

COST: Free, but please consider donating!

Join CGC Urban Agriculture Coordinator Kymisha Montgomery for a garden-to-plate event in the Melrose Medicinal Garden! We will harvest from the garden and discuss different vegetables and herbs, including their health benefits. A cooking demonstration will be provided.

COST: FREE with code HUB2025!

Help us maintain our beautiful Hauck Botanic Garden home!

Join us as we work to restore Walnut Woods, a 10-acre forest located in Evanston. This workday will focus on invasive removal, trail maintenance and prairie clean-up.

Wander around on a guided tour in the Northgate Community Garden, learning about practices from gardeners from Africa and Peru. Explore cultural crops they're familiar with and ways to successfully grow crops that may have always piqued our curiosity.

COST: FREE with code HUB2025!

Prepare for the autumn equinox and balance the shorter day length with a poured candle of your own design! Enjoy the scents of the garden all year long with a simple candle recipe. You'll learn the basics of how to craft poured candles and make a small candle to take home.

INSTRUCTOR: Mary Dudley (CGC Director or Education)

COST: $35

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 Director of Education.

COST: Free!

The Hauck Arboretum may just be Cincinnati’s best kept botanical secret! A stroll along the pathways of this historic public garden reveals new surprises on each visit. Join us for an informal walk around Hauck Botanic Garden and discover the history of the park and the plants growing within it.

COST: Free!

Join CGC Urban Agriculture Coordinator Kymisha Montgomery for a garden-to-plate event in the Mt. Airy Community Garden! We will harvest from the garden and discuss different vegetables and herbs, including their health benefits. A cooking demonstration will be provided.

COST: FREE with code HUB2025!

Help us maintain our beautiful Hauck Botanic Garden home!

The CHPL Bird Nerds and the Civic Garden Center invite you to come discover why birdwatching is the ideal activity to combine with the practice of mindfulness! Free and open to the public; no registration required.

We’ll be weeding and doing some general garden maintenance.

Join CGC Urban Agriculture Coordinator Kymisha Montgomery for a garden-to-plate event in the Concord Community Garden! We will harvest from the garden and discuss different vegetables and herbs, including their health benefits. A cooking demonstration will be provided.

COST: FREE with code HUB2025!

Help us put on a live music in the garden event!

The Civic Garden Center has teamed up with College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) graduates Romel Sims (Trumpet, Chicago-based) and Colin Palmieri (Saxophone, Cincinnati-based) to produce an elevated musical experience that enchants the senses and takes guests on an interconnected journey through nature and sound. Garden-inspired non-alcoholic beverages will be served. Dress in your garden best for this unique adventure amidst the CGC's urban oasis!

COST: $35

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 for children ages 3 to 8 and their caregivers offers our youngest gardeners and nature lovers an opportunity to learn more about the natural world. We hold Lil' Sprouts on the second and fourth Monday of each month.

COST: Free!

Learn how to build powerful, nutrient-packed smoothies using fruits, vegetables, herbs and immune-boosting teas with Cofi Higgins of By Cofi. You'll learn about pairing flavor and function, edible garnishes and the wellness benefits of herbs and teas, then make and taste smoothies and even build a custom pack of ingredients to take home.

INSTRUCTOR: Cofi

COST: $35

There’s always a table reserved for you at the Botany Bistro! Here you can munch on bite-sized botany as you savor the science of plants. In 2025, Season 2 of this free, virtual botanical banquet focuses on 24 different plant families, exploring their unique characteristics and ways they have adapted through time. This session is all about the Rafflesiaceae family.

COST: Free!

Help us maintain our beautiful Hauck Botanic Garden home!

Peak growing season may be coming to an end, but a gardener is busy year round (and so is Mother Nature). In this class, we'll discuss how to transition the garden into the cooler months. Learn what you can do to prepare for winter (like constructing a hoop house) and how to set your garden up for a successful season next year.

COST: FREE with code HUB2025!

Are you struggling to manage invasive plants on your property Ideal for those with three acres or less to manage, this class will walk you through each step in the restoration process, from properly identifying the plants to developing a long-term management plan. You'll receive a small-scale land management plan outline to help guide your efforts following the class.

INSTRUCTOR: Sam Settlemyre, CGC Conservation Program Manager

COST: $20

You’ve heard you should compost…now it’s time to learn how! This beginner-friendly class will cover the basics of outdoor composting, vermicompost and bokashi. You'll also learn what a healthy compost pile requires to be productive and ways to troubleshoot common issues.

INSTRUCTOR: Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)

COST: $20 / $10 for active CGC volunteers

Learn calm your mind and body with evidenced-based, nature-focused practices that reduce stress and anxiety, create better health, foster more joy and creativity and help us come closer to the reciprocity we have with nature.

INSTRUCTOR: Cathy Sacco

COST: $20

​Fall is here and the garden is bursting with edible treasures! Let’s find the roots, nuts and berries that can add local flavor and nourishment to our harvest feasts.

INSTRUCTOR: Howie Zuefle

COST: $20

As the climate changes, gardeners will need to embrace new strategies and practices. Fortunately, there are plenty of plants that have evolved to withstand even the toughest drought conditions. With thick leaves, deep taproots and heat-beating adaptations, these native plants have what it takes to survive our new normal. Learn all about how you can garden to benefit local wildlife and create beauty in your yard when the rest of the neighborhood is looking tired and crispy.

INSTRUCTOR: Julie Dennewitz, CGC Horticulturist

COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers

In our Kraut class, you will learn fermenting basics and walk away with your very own crafted sauerkraut. In this hands-on workshop, Gary will teach you proper cutting, brining, seasoning and fermenting white you make a quart of kraut to take home and watch bubble up. Pickled Pig will provide all supplies.

INSTRUCTOR: Gary Lebyman, owner of The Pickled Pig

COST: This class is part of our three-part Slow Food Cincinnati Series.

• From September 3 to September 30: Get all three workshops for $125 (a $25 savings)!

• Starting on October 1: Discounted series pricing will no longer be available, and any remaining places in each class will be available for purchase individually at $50 each.

If you want to be more involved in conservation efforts but don't know where to start, this class will give you the basics. Together, we’ll discuss ecology and the importance of ongoing efforts at the Civic Garden Center, conduct a basic ecological survey using our gardens and practice a simple biodiversity exercise using trees and vegetation sampling. You'll dip your toe into field skills like species identification and data collection and learn about how you can play a part in conservation efforts. No prior experience required.If you want to be more involved in conservation efforts but don't know where to start, this class will give you the basics. Together, we’ll discuss ecology and the importance of ongoing efforts at the Civic Garden Center, conduct a basic ecological survey using our gardens and practice a simple biodiversity exercise using trees and vegetation sampling. You'll dip your toe into field skills like species identification and data collection and learn about how you can play a part in conservation efforts. No prior experience required.

INSTRUCTOR: Luis Aguilar-Dwyer, CGC Environmental Education Specialist

COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers

Join us as we work to restore Walnut Woods, a 10-acre forest located in Evanston. This workday will focus on adding native plants and trees to the park.

This class celebrates the beauty of our community gardens before the fall season takes them over. Prior to the class, the CGC will collect and preserve blooms from local sources for use during the class as a way to honor the work and care of our community gardeners.

After an introduction to the CGC’s community gardens, we'll learn about the ecological and agricultural value of flowers and biodiversity. You’ll gain insight into the history and uses of pressed flowers in both art and academia—including how they’re collected, pressed, labeled, scanned and mounted. A live demonstration will show how to handle delicate specimens, including dissection techniques for bulbous flowers, and then you’ll be provided with pressed flowers and supplies to design your own unique pressed-flower layout to take home.

INSTRUCTORS: Luis Aguilar-Dwyer (CGC Environmental Education Specialist) and Kymisha Montgomery (CGC Urban Agriculture Coordinator)

COST: $35 / $30 for active CGC volunteer

In this interactive class, we’ll create seasonal jams using ingredients like pomegranates, cinnamon and other warming spices that feel both festive and nourishing. You'll learn approachable jam-making techniques, safe storage tips and creative ways to use jams beyond toast. You'll leave with recipes, inspiration and a jar of jam to take home, feeling festive, confident and ready to share the joy of homemade jams with your loved ones! All ingredients will be provided.

INSTRUCTOR: Cofi

COST: $35

Come learn how to grow native plants from seed to seedling. We'll discuss seed collection, stratification, germination and transplanting as well as different seed starting methods using common household items. You'll even get to sow your own seeds to take home!

INSTRUCTOR: Sam Settlemyre, CGC Conservation Program Manager

COST: $35

Gardening tools are made to last, but they require proper care and maintenance. In this hands-on workshop you’ll get an overview of all the various tools you may encounter in the garden, how to use them and how to keep them clean and sharp.

Bring your own trusty tools from home or practice with the ones provided. You’ll leave feeling confident in garden tool care and ready to save money by making your tools last a lifetime.

INSTRUCTOR: Julie Dennewitz, CGC Horticulturist

COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers

Join us as we work to restore Walnut Woods, a 10-acre forest located in Evanston. This workday will focus on caging and maintaining trees as well as continuing to remove invasives.

Discover the art and science of winemaking in this engaging workshop! Together we’ll explore Cincinnati’s rich winemaking history, learn about native grape varieties, and craft personalized wine recipes to ferment at home. You’ll participate in a guided tasting, and we’ll also introduce basic chemistry concepts related to wine, such as fermentation and balancing acidity. You'll leave with one pint of ingredients necessary for at-home fermentation. Participants must be 21 or older. All materials will be provided, with optional supplies available for purchase afterward.

INSTRUCTOR: Luis Aguilar-Dwyer, CGC Environmental Education Specialist

COST: This class is part of our three-part Slow Food Cincinnati Series.

• From September 3 to September 30: Get all three workshops for $125 (a $25 savings)!

• Starting on October 1: Discounted series pricing will no longer be available, and any remaining places in each class will be available for purchase individually at $50 each.

Join us as we work to restore Walnut Woods, a 10-acre forest located in Evanston. This workday will focus on tackling invasives, including those pesky invasive vines.

In this demonstration-based class, you'll learn how to make and use ricotta and paneer cheese at home. We'll also explore some of the culture and history of ricotta cheese. Each attendee will get to taste the ricotta and will go home with instructions and a cheese template.

INSTRUCTOR: Eduardo Rodriguez, owner of My Artisano Foods

COST: This class is part of our three-part Slow Food Cincinnati Series.

• From September 3 to September 30: Get all three workshops for $125 (a $25 savings)!

• Starting on October 1: Discounted series pricing will no longer be available, and any remaining places in each class will be available for purchase individually at $50 each.