Mediterranean Gardens Sonoran Desert Style
Sat., Oct. 2 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
Old European Mediterranean gardens are such treasures! In this first in a series of culturally-themed garden design classes, Shelly Ann Abbott, Master of Landscape Architecture, shows you how to create the cool and relaxing feel of a Mediterranean courtyard or patio in the hot and arid conditions of Tucson. Abbott discusses architectural elements such as fountains and accents as well as complimentary, water-saving plant materials that are also attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. $4 members/$8 general public Sponsored by MetroWater

Show-and-Tell Succulents
Sat., Oct. 16 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
Well-known, local horticulturist Greg Starr shares a wide a variety of succulents, including cacti, in a show-and-tell session that focuses on selection, care and maintenance. Whether it’s a potted plant or one for the landscape, some of the information to be touched upon includes exposure, water needs and hardiness. Feel free to bring a plant and ask Starr what kind of care it needs and whether or not you could plant it in your landscape. Maybe you have a potted succulent that is baffling you, bring it along and see if you can baffle the Starr! $4 members/$8 general public Sponsored by MetroWater

Sonoran Desert Wreaths
Mon. & Tue., Oct. 18 & 19 / 9am-3pm / Ed. Ctr. #1
A Tucson and Tohono Chul tradition, Ruth Hamilton’s yucca pod wreaths are synonymous with chili ristras and Indian corn when decorating for the harvest, or dressed up along with luminarias and saguaros wrapped in twinkling lights for the end-of-the-year holidays. Students in this two-day workshop will complete a yucca pod wreath, decorating it with dried desert plant materials such as devil’s claw, saguaro fruit, coyote gourds and pomegranates. Instruction and all basic wreath materials are provided. A selection of accent pieces (devil’s claw, desert spoon, pomegranates, etc.) will be available for a reasonable fee or you may provide your own. Please bring heavy duty scissors or garden pruners, glue gun (if you have one), any accent pieces you wish to incorporate and a brown bag lunch. $65 members/$80 general public

Nature Photography in the Digital Age
Tuesday, Oct. 19-Nov. 16 / 9am-12pm / Ed. Ctr. #2
If you find your digital camera difficult to understand, you’re not alone! Today’s complex digital cameras are challenging for beginners. Artist and professional photographer Robert Renfrow, MFA helps you get comfortable with digital photography in this fun and useful class. Step by step he leads participants through the basics of operating digital cameras with easy-to-understand explanations of functions such as f-stops, shutter speeds, light metering, resolution, white balance and even an introduction to the basics of composition. Taught on the grounds of the Park, this beginner-friendly class is a great opportunity to ask lots of questions and “make friends” with your digital camera. $100 members/$125 general public

Ahhh choo! Respiratory Remedies for Colds and Flu
Sat., Oct. 30 / 1-5pm / Ed. Ctr. #2
Pam Hyde-Nakai, clinical herbalist and M.Ed., has been a student of the plant world for 35 years, and a teacher of medicinal plants since 1980, founding the Sonoran Herbal Institute in 1994. In this pair of workshops, she offers valuable insights into the world of medicinal plants, including those found in the Sonoran Desert. Learn how to treat the common cold and some influenzas using local medicinal plants and gain an understanding of the respiratory system and how it functions. There’s even hands-on preparation of Southwest herbs to use as treatments for cold and flu, as well as tonics that help to strengthen the respiratory tract. All supplies and materials included. $55 members/$65 general public

Contain Yourself! Explorations in Container Gardening
Sat., Oct. 23 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
You can grow virtually anything in pots, from sculptural plants to herbs and veggies, to annuals and perennials. Explore the joys of container gardening with Lynn Hassler, co-author of Hot Pots: Container Gardening in the Arid Southwest. Topics for discussion include the pros and cons of different types of containers, plant selection, soil mixes, care and feeding, design considerations and more. $4 members/$8 general public Sponsored by MetroWater

Garden Art: Form and Function
Sat., Oct. 30 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
Garden art is a great way to express yourself in the landscape while adding both beauty and functionality. Greg Corman, sculptor and landscape designer, leads you on a virtual tour of local sculptors’ works and offers pointers on how to choose the right piece, site selection and lighting, plus much more. $4 members/$8 general public Sponsored by MetroWater

Digestive Distress: Herbal Remedies from the Sonoran Desert
Thu., Nov. 4 / 9am-1pm / Ed. Ctr. #2
The digestive system is one of the easiest to treat herbally. In this companion workshop, clinical herbalist Pam Hyde-Nakai teaches participants how the GI tract works and what to use to improve its functioning, addressing conditions such as gastritis, ulcers, dyspepsia and poor elimination. Discover the local medicinal plants that can be used for digestive distress and how to prepare them. All supplies and materials included. $55 members/$65 general public

Busy Bees in Your Garden
Sat., Nov. 20 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
Did you know that the majority of bees living and pollinating in Arizona are not honey bees, Africanized or not, but rather solitary native bees – more than 600 species in the Tucson basin alone! These little-known and often maligned creatures range in size from small, blue orchard mason bees to big, black carpenter bees. Considered keystone species in any ecosystem, they are important pollinators of desert plants and many commercial fruit, vegetable and forage crops. Bee expert Dr. Steve Buchmann and landscape designer Greg Corman discuss our harmless native bees and how to encourage them in urban gardens from the use of appropriate native plants to the construction of constructing nesting habitats from recycled materials. $8 members/$10 general public Sponsored by MetroWater

Lens and Landscape: Envisioning Your Garden through Photography
Sat., Dec. 4 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
Good garden design and photography share many of the same qualities. In both disciplines pattern, shape, texture and light influence the composition. Award-winning landscape designer and author Scott Calhoun show you how using a camera to see your garden more clearly can improve both your garden’s layout and your photographs. $4 members/$8 general public

Spanish Colonial Gardens
Sat., Dec. 11 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
When the Spanish colonized this region of the Southwest, they brought with them a distinctive style of architecture and garden design. In this second class of a series, Shelly Ann Abbott, MLA shares tips on creating a Spanish colonial garden or patio ideal for Tucson’s climate. The accent is on architectural elements, showcased by plantings that are not only striking, but water appropriate and wildlife friendly, all to create a Spanish Colonial feeling in your landscape! $4 members/$8 general public Sponsored by MetroWater

Historic Hispanic and Barrio Gardens
Sat., Jan. 8 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
The early Hispanic residents of the Southwest created amazing gardens and courtyards using plants brought from the Old World and by trading favorite plants amongst themselves. The barrio garden was a treasure hidden from public view where traditional healing and cooking herbs, small shrines and shaded family gathering spots were important elements. Historic barrio gardens and the traditional Mexican neighborhoods that supported them are all but gone now. In this last in a series of culturally-themed garden design classes, Shelly Ann Abbott, MLA shares tips for creating a Tucson-inspired barrio garden that keeps the tradition alive! Under discussion are a variety of barrio garden elements and look at a new drought tolerant plant palette that will compliment the old in order, conserve water resources and remain wildlife friendly. $4 members/$8 general public Sponsored by MetroWater

Hands-On Landscape Design: Approaches for Desert Spaces
Sat., Jan. 15 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
According to award-winning landscape designer and author Scott Calhoun, desert gardens have some pretty distinctive qualities that move beyond basic landscape design. Beginning with discussions of minimalism and sense of place, there will be exercises in “seeing” the desert, responding to architecture and shape, and even numerology and repetition. Finally, Calhoun offers tips on incorporating patios, rocks and plants into gardens as design elements. Participants are asked to bring a drawing of a house and lot with measurements for work on a conceptual plan during the class. $8 members/$10 general public
Gardening Where We Live
Sat., Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 / 9am-12pm / Ed. Ctr. #1
One aspect of the mission of Tohono Chul Park is to model living with the desert; one means of fulfilling that mission is to demonstrate sustainable gardening where we live. Gardening in Tucson is not quite like gardening anywhere else and this popular two-part class is for newcomers to Arizona and newcomers to gardening. Greg Corman and Lynn Hassler (Gardening Insights) share their Tucson gardening experiences, from designing landscapes to growing plants in what can be a difficult environment for the uninitiated. $16 members/$20 general public

For all classes and workshops, call 742-6455 x0 to register. Pre-registration is required.