Do you have a teen that loves to draw and paint? Then join us for this two day teen workshop where students will cover the basics of botanical drawing and botanical watercolors with instructor Samantha Peters. Students will learn drawing skills that can be applied to any subject and complete a botanical drawing and watercolor of a subject of their choosing. On Day 1 students will learn basic observational drawing skills, with an emphasis on correct proportion. Students will learn basics of perspective, contour drawing, value, continuous tone, lighting, and shade to create form. On Day 2 students will learn basic watercolor techniques, including creating flat and graded washes, dry brushing, and basic color theory. 

Instructor Samantha Peters is a science illustrator based in Dallas, Texas. She received her B.S. in Biology with an emphasis in Neurobiology from the University of Texas at Austin and attended the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, leaving once she realized illustrating her study guides was more fun than actually studying them. Afterwards, while living in New York City, she discovered a love of botanical art through classes at the New York Botanical Garden, and decided to pursue science illustration full time, attending the graduate program in Science Illustration at California State University, Monterey Bay. Samantha currently works in the graphics department at the Dallas Zoo and is the President of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Texas Group. Member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and the American Society of Botanical Artists. 

This class will take place at BRIT.

Please Note: This is a two day class that will take place on two consecutive Saturdays.
Day One - 6/16/2018
Day Two - 6/23/2018. 

Online registration for this class has closed. Walk up registration will be available starting at 9am on Saturday, 6/16.

$150 members/$175 non-members

Required Materials:

• Paints
  Look for professional grade watercolors. Winsor Newton and Daniel Smith are good brands. I prefer tubes, but half pan kits are very good.
  Basic/Primary Palette: Lemon or Winsor yellow, Cadmium yellow medium, scarlet lake, quinacridone rose, French ultramarine, Prussian blue, burnt sienna, neutral tint. 
  Also useful: sap green, quinacridone gold, quinacridone magenta
  You can also purchase a pocket set with 12 or 24 half-pans — look for something with at least two yellows, two reds, and two blues, and buy what you can afford.
• Brushes
  Round watercolor brushes with good points. Size 0 and 6 are good sizes, but this depends on your preference. Windsor Newton, Daniel Smith, Sceptre Gold, and Princeton are good brands. Look for a sable or synthetic/sable blend with a good point.
• Mixing palette
  White porcelain plates are available for a few dollars at Target. You can also use plastic palettes with multiple wells – look for one with a lid.
• Plastic tubs for water - empty cream cheese or butter tubs work well!
• Viva brand paper towels
• Saral graphite transfer paper
• Tracing paper
• Pencils: 2H, H, HB, and 2B graphite pencils, or lead with holder.
• Handheld sharpener
• Kneaded eraser
• White vinyl eraser (Magic Rub or similar)
• Small ruler (clear ones are great!)
• Drafting tape
• Drawing Paper: Strathmore 400 series Drawing paper or Stonehenge brand smooth drawing paper.
• Watercolor paper: HOT PRESS 140 lb or higher — look for Fabriano or Arches brand. (A good paper that works for both drawing and watercolor is Fabriano Studio 140lb Hot Press!)

Bella Goes to Camp is a special opportunity for children to spend the week exploring and learning about plants: what makes a plant, how they grow, and why they’re important.

BRIT Members: $90 | Non-BRIT Members: $110 
Monday—Thursday: 9—11:30 a.m.  
June 11—14 | June 18—21

Join Master Gardener Pat Higgins as she demonstrates how to preserve our wonderful local, seasonal fruit by making strawberry jelly. In this demonstration class, Pat will share her recipes as she cooks, mashes and fills the jars with delicious homemade jelly. She will also cover the basics of water-bath canning. You can help stir if you want! 

Instructor Pat Higgins has been a Master Gardener since 2005 after retiring from Bass Enterprises Production Co.  Besides gardening she enjoys painting and cross stitch.  She is active in the Education program with Tarrant County Master Gardeners and Lead Propagator at the TCMGA Community/Demonstration Garden greenhouse.

Please note: This class will take place in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden Kitchen.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Little B.I.T.s spend the week thinking, exploring, and using their senses like scientists as they investigate all things trees including their unique properties and importance in nature.  

BRIT Members: $200 | Non-BRIT Members: $250
Monday—Thursday: 9 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
June 25—28 | July 9—12

In My Plants, My Place children explore and discover wetland ecosystems, the role plants and humans play in this kind of habitat, and the benefits they bring to our lives.

BRIT Members: $200 | Non-BRIT Members: $250
Monday—Thursday: 9 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
June 25—28 | July 9—12

Little B.I.T.s spend the week thinking, exploring, and using their senses like scientists as they investigate all things trees including their unique properties and importance in nature.  

BRIT Members: $200 | Non-BRIT Members: $250
Monday—Thursday: 9 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
June 25—28 | July 9—12

In My Plants, My Place children explore and discover wetland ecosystems, the role plants and humans play in this kind of habitat, and the benefits they bring to our lives.

BRIT Members: $200 | Non-BRIT Members: $250
Monday—Thursday: 9 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
June 25—28 | July 9—12

Is "tenting" not for you? How about "glamping" in a classic, vintage-style teardrop camper?! Learn about trailer selection, safety procedures, operation, equipment, camping options, and group and individual activities. Hands-on trailer experience will inspire you to leave your worries at home and head for The Great Outdoors!

Join us for this special presentation by GROW volunteer and outdoorswoman, Diane Pierce. While part of the presentation will be indoors (and in air conditioning), there will also be an outdoor component and a viewing of Diane's own teardrop trailer. 

Join Chef Charles Youts as he inspires you to use fresh herbs in your cooking to make meals more delicious as well as more healthful. Recipes for Healthy Ranch Dip with fresh vegetables, Cream of Herb Soup, Seared Chicken with Citrus Herb Compound Butter, and Creamy Herb Polenta will be shared as he demonstrates the techniques used to make these delicious concoctions. Stirring will be encouraged!

Instructor Charles Youts is Executive Chef at the Classic Café in Roanoake and also teaches classes to help others develop their culinary skills, whether they want to improve their own skills or go into the professional culinary world. He mentors students at Byron Nelson High School's Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality and teaches at Colleyville's Market Street and Southlake's William-Sonoma. While eating at Classic Cafe you may enjoy perusing the Chef's Pantry Garden where many of the vegetables are grown that make their way to your plate!

This class will be held in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Kitchen

$20 members/$25 non-members

This full day workshop is designed to provide an introduction to oil painting materials and techniques with an emphasis on color mixing. Participants will paint still lifes and botanical specimens from the BRIT collection from direct observation and can complete at least one work. We will discuss tips for working cleanly and safely with oil paint at home, as well. This course is well suited for someone with no oil painting experience, but who has some experience with drawing or watercolor. If you have painted in oils before but would like a refresher and new inspiration from BRIT’s collection, this is also the class for you. Please bring a brown bag lunch and snack, and be prepared for a fun day of painting!

Instructor Devon Nowlin is a Fort Worth native who holds a BFA from the University of North Texas (2004) and an MFA from Texas Christian University (2011). Recent exhibitions include "Casual Luxury Complex" at Artspace 111, "Don't Deny Your Heart" at Stephen F. Austin State University, and "Cult of Personality" at David Shelton Gallery, Houston. Nowlin has taught at TCU, The Modern, and the Rachofsky Warehouse and is currently the Assistant Registrar at the Amon Carter Museum. Nowlin is a co-founding member of the Fort Worth-based art collective HOMECOMING! Committee, whose exhibitions include "Friskt kopplat, halfen brunnet" (Quickly connected, half burned) for the 2013 Texas Biennial and "Post Communique" at the Dallas Museum of Art. Her public works include "Trailing the Trinity," commissioned by Fort Worth Public Art for the Clearfork Main Street Bridge and the "Look Book Fort Worth" photographic series for the Westbend development on University Drive

Required Materials:

I teach the use of a “limited pallet.” You will see that there are no greens, purples or blacks on this primary list; we will learn to mix them from this limited color selection. 37ml tubes are sufficient but you may benefit from buying a 200ml tube of white.

• Cadmium Red (or Hue)
• Alizarin Crimson
• Thalo Blue
• French Ultramarine Blue
• Lemon Yellow (or Hue)
• Cadmium Yellow (or Hue)
• 37 ml or 200ml Titanium White

In addition to paint, you should bring:

• 1 small glass jar with lid
• 3 small thin rags (old t-shirts are great)
• Pencil and eraser
• 2 primed canvases, 11 x 14 to 16 x 20 inch size is suggested

Brushes, painting mediums, and paper palettes will be provided, and during the course we will discuss other useful supplies for continuing your painting practice at home.

This class will be held at BRIT.

$85 members/$95 non-members

Do you have a teen who loves to draw and paint? Then join us for this two day teen workshop where students will cover the basics of botanical drawing and botanical watercolors with instructor Samantha Peters. Students will learn drawing skills that can be applied to any subject and complete a botanical drawing and watercolor of a subject of their choosing. On Day 1 students will learn basic observational drawing skills, with an emphasis on correct proportion. Students will learn basics of perspective, contour drawing, value, continuous tone, lighting, and shade to create form. On Day 2 students will learn basic watercolor techniques, including creating flat and graded washes, dry brushing, and basic color theory. 

Instructor Samantha Peters is a science illustrator based in Dallas, Texas. She received her B.S. in Biology with an emphasis in Neurobiology from the University of Texas at Austin and attended the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, leaving once she realized illustrating her study guides was more fun than actually studying them. Afterwards, while living in New York City, she discovered a love of botanical art through classes at the New York Botanical Garden, and decided to pursue science illustration full time, attending the graduate program in Science Illustration at California State University, Monterey Bay. Samantha currently works in the graphics department at the Dallas Zoo and is the President of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Texas Group. Member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and the American Society of Botanical Artists. 

This class will take place at BRIT.

Please Note: This is a two day class that will take place on two consecutive Saturdays.
Day One - 7/28/2018
Day Two - 8/04/2018. 

$150 members/$175 non-members

Required Materials:

• Paints 
  Look for professional grade watercolors. Winsor Newton and Daniel Smith are good brands. I prefer tubes, but half pan kits are very good. 
  Basic/Primary Palette: Lemon or Winsor yellow, Cadmium yellow medium, scarlet lake, quinacridone rose, French ultramarine, Prussian blue, burnt sienna, neutral tint.  
  Also useful: sap green, quinacridone gold, quinacridone magenta 
  You can also purchase a pocket set with 12 or 24 half-pans — look for something with at least two yellows, two reds, and two blues, and buy what you can afford.
• Brushes 
  Round watercolor brushes with good points. Size 0 and 6 are good sizes, but this depends on your preference. Windsor Newton, Daniel Smith, Sceptre Gold, and Princeton are good brands. Look for a sable or synthetic/sable blend with a good point.
• Mixing palette 
  White porcelain plates are available for a few dollars at Target. You can also use plastic palettes with multiple wells – look for one with a lid.
• Plastic tubs for water - empty cream cheese or butter tubs work well!
• Viva brand paper towels
• Saral graphite transfer paper
• Tracing paper
• Pencils: 2H, H, HB, and 2B graphite pencils, or lead with holder.
• Handheld sharpener
• Kneaded eraser
• White vinyl eraser (Magic Rub or similar)
• Small ruler (clear ones are great!)
• Drafting tape
• Drawing Paper: Strathmore 400 series Drawing paper or Stonehenge brand smooth drawing paper.
• Watercolor paper: HOT PRESS 140 lb or higher — look for Fabriano or Arches brand. (A good paper that works for both drawing and watercolor is Fabriano Studio 140lb Hot Press!)

Join Steve Chaney as he demonstrates making salsa in your own kitchen.  As he cooks, Steve will provide recipes and describe the different types and flavors of salsa found in the various regions of the Southwest. He will share how these flavors are achieved by using fresh and local herbs, vegetables and seasonings. 

Instructor Steve Chaney is originally from a small town in Southern Oklahoma where he learned to love the garden from a very young age.  After receiving two BS degrees from Oklahoma State University in Landscape Architecture and Marketing, he owned and operated a design/building firm for over ten years before joining the Extension family and acquiring his Master’s Degree in Agricultural Education.  He first served as a CEA in Wichita County and, after four years, continued his service to the community as a CEA in Tarrant County, where he still continues to make a significant impact. His experience and expertise have helped to make the Tarrant County Home Horticulture programs recognized as “tops in the state”.  

This class will be held in the FWBG Kitchen.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Ready to grow your own food but wish you knew more? Then this is the class for you! Successful Vegetable Gardening, taught by Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic of Barking Cat Farm, will cover a range of topics to help the beginning vegetable gardener be successful growing their own food organically. Apply your new found knowledge to your fall garden or get a jump on your 2019 garden.

Instructors Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic, owners of Barking Cat Farm, focus on growing high quality crops in an organic and sustainable manner. Brix testing is done regularly to monitor the nutritional quality of the produce and compost and compost teas are applied to the soil to ensure that soil biology is constantly improving. Both Laurie & Kim have their Permaculture Design Certificate from Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Design Course. Both have studied under Dr. Elaine Ingham and are working towards becoming Certified Soil Life Consultants. They offer permaculture design and soil biology consulting services to other growers and gardeners.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$30 members/$35 non-members.

Registration opens soon!

Join us for this three hour, hands on class as we learn how to harvest, press, and use botanical applique to preserve plant material. This process is not only fun, it can be used to create unique cards, gifts, journals and more! Students will create and take home two botanical applique cards.

Instructor Alisa Banks is a visual artist whose work centers on issues concerning identity. Her work, which often references traditional crafts, incorporates fibers, plants, and other found materials.  Alisa’s work has been exhibited in venues in the U.S., Canada, England, and Laos, and is housed in several private and public collections, including the U.S. Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Museum, and the New York Public Library. Alisa received her BS from Oklahoma State University and her MFA from Texas Woman’s University. She lives in Dallas, TX.

Please Note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$40 members/$45 non-members

Are you new to gardening? Did you know that Texas is the perfect location for fall and winter gardening? Are you tired of paying for a clamshell of 'fresh' lettuce or other greens? Then why not grow your own salad bowl right at home? In this class we will discuss how to raise lettuce and other greens at home. Enjoy the convenience of walking out your back door and harvesting your own greens rather than making yet another trip to the grocery store.

Instructor Joyce Fethke-Block, a native Minnesotan, was raised on a family farm in the southern part of the state where she learned to love all aspects of gardening. After deciding that a career in the restaurant business wasn’t for her, she returned to school at the University of Minnesota and majored in Horticulture. She moved to Texas several years ago, married a native Texan, and along the way became a Master Gardener, a member of Texas Nursery and Landscape Professionals, and earned her Bachelor’s degree in, what else, Horticulture. Joyce has worked at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as the curator for the Rainforest Conservatory & Christmas Coordinator for almost 4 years. She and her husband live in Alvarado, TX. According to Joyce, Texas is a whole other country when it comes to gardening!

Please note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Join Master Gardeners in this hands-on class as they discuss how to create an attractive and sustainable miniature garden. With step-by-step instructions and practical tips, you will design and create your own miniature garden during the class and take it home with you. All plants and other materials are included. Just bring yourself!

Instructor Hester Schwarzer is a native East Texan. She grew up with a mother who loved and grew flowers, vegetables and fruit and taking the Master Gardener classes the year after retiring from a teaching career has given her the opportunity to return to her roots. Miniature gardens have fascinated her since playing in the soil making roads, designing tiny buildings and finding small plants to populate her landscapes. Instructor Kay Sekio is a native of Japan. She received a Ph.D. in Public Administration from UTA and is currently working as a trilingual linguist. She became a Master Gardner in 2003 and a Plant Propagation Specialist in 2013. Garden craft including miniature gardens is one of her specialties. As the 4th generation of Bonsai-loving family, she was interested in moss and was certified as a moss craft (Kokedama) instructor in 2016 in Japan after completing a special training session.

Please note: This class will be held at the FWBG

$20 members/$25 non-members

Registration opens soon!

Take a walk around the BRIT campus with Dr. Grace Bascopé, BRIT Resident Research Associate and Medical and Environmental Anthropologist, to learn about which and how plants were used by the First Peoples of the North Central Texas area. She will also discuss archaeological research carried out right around BRIT. Dr. Bascopé will  show you the First Peoples Demonstration Garden and discuss how Native Americans and others optimize water conservation in their gardens in this dry region.

Instructor Grace is a Medical and Environmental Anthropologist who has spent most of her professional career working in the Maya regions of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. However, because she comes from North Central Texas, and because she wants the story of the Prairie to begin with the coming of Native Americans rather than the cowboy, she has also spent some time studying plant uses here before European contact.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Intrigued by the phrase 'Food Forest'? Are you wondering what one is? Or how to build one? In this class, we will be discussing the basics of building a Food Forest for the North Texas area. Instructor Jason Ramsey will be explaining what a Food Forest is, and discussing its needs, how to design a Food Forest, and how to maintain the system. He will also be touching on several techniques that will make the most of any property or backyard. 

Instructor Jason Ramsey of Perma-Scape Landscape Design and Management, a consultancy firm dedicated to regenerative agriculture practices and the Permaculture philosophy. Jason received his Permaculture certification in February of 2014 through Permaculture Denton. Jason has been a practitioner of Permaculture since 2008.

Please Note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Join us for this two day watercolor master class with sought after instructor Soon Y. Warren and learn how to create a floral image with watercolor in a step by step process. Students will work from a reference photo provided by Warren and will have homework prior to the first day of the workshop. Following a painting demonstration, workshop participants will do their own painting in order to fully understand the process. While concentrating on technique, the concept of color theory, composition, and color values will be incorporated into the workshop. While painting workshop participants will learn:
• Glazing and washing techniques to create a luminous under painting
• How to utilize light and dark values in order to capture the sparkle of sbuject
• How to approach a painting
• How to incorporate the concept of color theory and color relationships into a painting
• Discussion and critiques will take place during workshop session
• To make the most of instructional time, prepare the drawing before the workshop.

Instructor Soon Y. Warren was born in South Korea and immigrated to the United States in 1987. Since she began painting full time in 1998, she has had many exhibitions and earned numerous awards. She is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society (NWS), the Southern Watercolor Society (SW), the Society of Watercolor Artists (SWA) and the Texas Watercolor Society (TWS)–Purple Sage Brush Society. She is one of the featured artists in Splash 8: Watercolor Discoveries and Splash 10: Passionate Brushstrokes. Soon Y. is the author of two books:  Vibrant Flowers in Watercolor and Painting Vibrant Watercolors.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

This is a two day class that will take place on Saturday, 9/15, from 10am - 3pm and Sunday, 9/16, from 10am - 3pm.

$200 members/$250 non-members

The key to having nutrient dense food is having a healthy functioning soil food web in your garden. This course will give you a good foundation in understanding how to use biology in your organic gardening to grow tasty, healthy, nutritious food. Pair this class with the hands-on 'Soil Biology for Gardeners' for a deeper dive into this fascinating subject.

Instructors Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic, owners of Barking Cat Farm, focus on growing high quality crops in an organic and sustainable manner. Brix testing is done regularly to monitor the nutritional quality of the produce and compost and compost teas are applied to the soil to ensure that soil biology is constantly improving. Both Laurie & Kim have their Permaculture Design Certificate from Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Design Course. Both have studied under Dr. Elaine Ingham and are working towards becoming Certified Soil Life Consultants. They offer permaculture design and soil biology consulting services to other growers and gardeners.

Please Note: This class will take place at BRIT 

$30 members/$35 non-members

This workshop will provide an introduction to the world of grasses that are found in the prairies, savannas, and woodlands of North Texas. The focus will be on field identification of grasses by their distinguishing physical characteristics. It will include an overview of basic terminology related to the parts of the grass plant, a brief discussion of taxonomic classification, discussion of the significance of various grass species, their potential values, and the ecosystem services they provide. 

Instructor Dan Caudle is a native West Texan with a special interest in the native grasslands of the plains and prairies and the ecological drivers, natural disturbances, and plant community dynamics that are essential to their existence. He retired in 2006 after a 40-year career as a Rangeland Management Specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service with extensive work experience throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

Caudle serves as an instructor for two natural resource management training courses conducted annually by the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma as well as serving as a director and instructor for the week-long Youth Range Workshop sponsored annually by the Society for Range Management in Junction, Texas. He is currently working with landowners and organizations in Texas and Louisiana on landscape scale projects related to restoration, remediation, and long-term management of native grasslands.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$20 members/$25 non-members

The organisms living in soil are crucial to soil health. In this hands-on class participants will work with microscopes to identify the different types of organisms that live in the soil. This class is a companion to the earlier class "What is the Soil Food Web?" and it is strongly recommended that they be taken together for a more complete understanding of the soil organisms we’ll be discussing and viewing. 

Instructors Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic, owners of Barking Cat Farm, focus on growing high quality crops in an organic and sustainable manner. Brix testing is done regularly to monitor the nutritional quality of the produce and compost and compost teas are applied to the soil to ensure that soil biology is constantly improving. Both Laurie & Kim have their Permaculture Design Certificate from Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Design Course. Both have studied under Dr. Elaine Ingham and are working towards becoming Certified Soil Life Consultants. They offer permaculture design and soil biology consulting services to other growers and gardeners.

Please Note: This class will take place at BRIT. 

$20 members/$25 non-members

It was said to be the drink of gods. Movies have been made about it, business have been built around it, and fountains often flow with it. What is this wondrous product of which we speak?  Chocolate! Join us for this two hour class and explore the fascinating history of this much loved botanical product. We will visit a real, live chocolate tree, explore the differences between dark, white, and milk chocolate and even, perhaps, learn the Mayan recipe for hot chocolate.

Instructor Joyce Fethke-Block, a native Minnesotan, was raised on a family farm in the southern part of the state where she learned to love all aspects of gardening. After deciding that a career in the restaurant business wasn’t for her, she returned to school at the University of Minnesota and majored in Horticulture. She moved to Texas several years ago, married a native Texan, and along the way became a Master Gardener, a member of Texas Nursery and Landscape Professionals, and earned her Bachelor’s degree in, what else, Horticulture. Joyce has worked at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as the curator for the Rainforest Conservatory & Christmas Coordinator for almost 4 years. She and her husband live in Alvarado, TX. According to Joyce, Texas is a whole other country when it comes to gardening!

Please note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Join Claire Alford for this class as she teaches about the different types of bulbs we plant for spring blooms. Students will then have a hands-on experience in layering tunicate bulbs in pots.  Students will take home a 12" pot with 2-3 different tunicate bulbs which will bloom at different times during the spring.

Instructor Claire Alford has been a Master Gardener for 13 years.  She leads the Plant Propagation Specialists and teaches Propagation to Master Gardeners from across Texas. She has taught at conferences on tomatoes, From Rain to Drought and the Southern Region Conference. During these years she has been learning to make her yard work easier and found that bulbs are one of the simplest perennials to grow.  

Please Note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$30 members/$35 non-members