Upcoming Events
You’ll find a listing of all our current classes and events below. (Prefer a calendar view? Here you go.) If something catches your eye, click on it for more information and to register. We also include a run-down of upcoming events in The Civic Gardener each month, which is a great way to stay in the loop!
Introduction to Native Plants
Native plants are the cornerstone of healthy ecosystems. Discover the simplicity of local plants and thriving, sustainable habitats while you learn the basics of why and how to embrace native plants in our local landscape. This basic overview class will focus on healthy ecosystems and highlight some of our favorite native plants.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)
COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
CGC Compost Tour
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!
Backyard Composting Seminar with Hamilton County ReSource
Join Hamilton County ReSource for a composting seminar! You’ll learn how to compost and create a valuable addition to soil with a focus on how to balance a backyard compost bin, what materials are compostable and how to overcome any composting challenges.
COST: Free
Lower Price Hill Gardens Workday
We’ll be using wheelbarrows to deliver soil shipments to home gardens located within a block of the community garden.
Spring Grove Village Community Garden Workday
We’ll be adding leaf compost to garden beds and doing some weeding.
MLK Community Garden Workday
We’ll be weeding and tilling to get the garden ready for spring planting.
Know Before You Go: Shop for Plants like a Pro
Ever wandered nursery aisles with no idea what you’re looking for? Brought home a beautiful new plant only to have it die? Worried about invasive species, cultivars and nursery jargon? Come learn how to choose the right plants, warning signs to watch for and what to ask before you make your purchase.
INSTRUCTOR: Julie Dennewitz (CGC Horticulturist)
COST: $20 / $10 for active CGC volunteers
Introduction to Plant Pressing
Plant pressing is more than just a creative hobby—it’s a way to document, appreciate and preserve the rich biodiversity that surrounds us; to connect with nature, slow down and truly observe the intricate details of plants that often go unnoticed. In this introductory workshop, you'll learn the fundamentals of plant preservation while getting hands-on experience in the field.
INSTRUCTOR: Luis Aguilar (CGC Environmental Education Specialist)
COST: $35
West McMicken Community Garden Workday
We’ll primarily be collecting, splitting and transplanting native plants.
Lil' Sprouts
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!
Native Plants for Shade
Finding native plants for the shady parts of your garden can be such a struggle. Traditional shade gardens tend to rely on exotic—and even invasive—species, and native shade plants are still so hard to find. This class will explore native plants that have evolved to thrive in shady conditions.
INSTRUCTOR: Julie Dennewitz (CGC Horticulturist)
COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
Essential Garden Herbs
Gardening with herbs lets you to freshen up your favorite recipes, cultivate natural medicines and foster ecologically sound gardening methods. This class will cover the basics of growing and using herbs for tea, cooking, medicine and cleaning. We'll taste common herbs and discuss recipes to try at home.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)
COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
The Practice of Forest Bathing
Forest Bathing is a mindful practice of bathing in the forest atmosphere for health and happiness. This beginner-friendly experience will cover a brief history of forest bathing, guided sensory invitations practiced in silence and optional sharing before closing with tea and cookies from foraged foods.
INSTRUCTOR: Ellen Foley
COST: $20
Green Learning Station Tour
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!
Hauck Arboretum Tour
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 CGC Horticulturist Julie for an informal walk around Hauck Botanic Garden and discover the history of the park and the plants growing within it.
COST: Free!
Basic Ginger & Turmeric Growing
Alongside the carrots, kale or beloved tomato varieties that you're used too, why not try something new—like ginger or turmeric? In this class, you'll learn the basics of the current practices in planting and growing these rhizomes for personal use both in containers and in the ground.
INSTRUCTOR: Kymisha Montgomery (CGC Urban Agriculture Coordinator)
COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
Homegrown Cannabis
Home gardeners can now try their hand at growing Cannabis sp. This crop can require a significant investment on the part of the grower, so it's important to learn best practices before starting out. This course will cover the botany of Cannabis sp. and the process of how to successfully grow it.
INSTRUCTORS: Stephanie Fransen (CGC Administrative & Facilities Manager) & Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)
COST: $20 / $10 for active CGC volunteers
Goat Yoga
Come de-stress, laugh, smile, and enjoy the pure silliness and fun of Goat Yoga! 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. Ages 10+
INSTRUCTOR: Farmer Rob (Good Green Earth Farm)
COST: $25
Arbor Day Party: A Celebration of Trees
The very first Arbor Day was celebrated way back in 1872. This year, we’re celebrating Arbor Day with dedications to our favorite trees in the garden. Join us outside for drinks, snacks and a brief tour to visit some of our most popular trees. Guests are invited to share short readings on trees they love or write their own tree-inspired poetry in the moment.
COST: Free!
Spring Grove Village Community Garden Workday
We’ll be clearing space for professional tree trimmers, weeding and spreading compost.
Closed
The CGC is closed in preparation for GrowFest on Saturday, May 3. There will be no Lil’ Sprouts. Instead, please join us for GrowFest, which will include plants, educational sessions, food and fun for the whole family!
CGC Compost Tour
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!
FestEVE!
Miss the old Preview Party? Want to shop GrowFest but can't come on Saturday? Just love any excuse to hang out with plant people? Join us for the first-ever FestEVE! You'll get to shop the GrowFest plant inventory early while you enjoy a spring evening in the garden. Admission includes one drink, and food will be available for purchase from local vendors.
COST: $20
GrowFest 2025
Join us for a day of celebrating all things urban agriculture and gardening! We’ve expanded our plant selection, and the day will include free educational sessions, the Green Flea, the bake sale, live music, food trucks, a beer garden, kids’ activities, volunteer opportunities and more.
Lil' Sprouts
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!
Green Learning Station Tour
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!
Hauck Arboretum Tour
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 CGC Horticulturist Julie for an informal walk around Hauck Botanic Garden and discover the history of the park and the plants growing within it.
COST: Free!
Closed for Memorial Day
Except for Lil’ Sprouts from 9-10:3am, the CGC is closed in observance of Memorial Day. We’ll see you on Tuesday!
Lil' Sprouts
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!
Closed for Juneteenth
The CGC is closed in observance of Juneteenth. We’ll see you on Friday!
Closed for the Fourth of July
The CGC is closed in observance of the Fourth of July. We’ll see you next week!
Closed for Labor Day
The CGC is closed in observance of Labor Day. We’ll see you next week!
Closed for Thanksgiving
The CGC is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. We’ll see you next week!
Volunteer Kick-Off Party
Help us kick off the best gardening season ever during this annual volunteer celebration!
Parker Woods Orchard Workday
We’ll be cutting back last year's raspberries, giving the fruit trees some fresh mulch and doing some light pruning.
CANCELED - Rewilding Forest Park Workday
Unfortunately, this workday has been canceled.
Pleasant Street Garden Workday
We’ll be spreading soil, refreshing woodchip paths and aerating the compost heap.
Backyard Chickens for Egg Production
Does having a hyper-local source of fresh eggs sound appealing? This class will cover the basics of keeping small flocks of backyard chickens for egg production. Presenters will share information about securing coops, maintaining healthy hens and handling the challenges of urban chicken tending gleaned from their own firsthand experience.
INSTRUCTORS: Dominique Ellison & Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)
COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
Nature Journaling: The Art of Noticing
Unwind and connect with nature through the relaxing and enjoyable process of documenting the natural world using sketches, poems and notes. Participants of all skill levels will learn new ways to look at the wonders of nature—truly noticing instead of simply seeing. Enjoy the opportunity to slow down as you find new ways to settle into the natural world.
INSTRUCTORS: Ellen Foley & Lisa Koepke
COST: $20
Botany Bistro To-Go: Brassicaceae Family
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 Brassicaceae family.
COST: Free!
Holloway Hope Community Garden Workday
We’ll be weeding and doing other garden maintenance.
Managing Rainwater
Knowing how to capture and store rainwater gives gardeners vital access to a necessary resource for thriving plants. Come learn the basics of managing rainwater, including building rain gardens, capturing and storing rain for future use, and plants that do well in our climate.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)
COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
Lil' Sprouts
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!
Botany Bistro LIVE!
Join us for a LIVE Botany Bistro gathering! We’ll celebrate the transition of the seasons from winter to spring, uncover the unseen production challenges of the first five episodes of our 2025 Bistro To-Go series and hold a Q&A (question and answer) session.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)
COST: Free!
Hauck Arboretum Tour
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 CGC Horticulturist Julie for an informal walk around Hauck Botanic Garden and discover the history of the park and the plants growing within it.
COST: Free!
Green Learning Station Tour
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!
Compost Basics
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 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
Compost Kids Facilitator Training
Learn to lead the stations in our Compost Kids field trip for K-6 students!
RESCHEDULED - West McMicken Community Garden Workday
We’ll primarily be collecting, splitting and transplanting native plants.
RESCHEDULED - Parker Woods Orchard Workday
We’ll be cutting back last year's raspberries, giving the fruit trees some fresh mulch and doing some light pruning.
Botany Bistro To-Go: Ranunculaceae Family
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 Ranunculaceae family.
COST: Free!
Growing Degree Days: Using Phenology to Plan Your Garden
The weather can seem unpredictable these days, but plants’ growth in the spring is easy to determine with just one simple tool: phenology, the study of how biological events are influenced by seasonal factors. In this class, you’ll learn how to track phenological events to become a garden psychic.
INSTRUCTOR: Julie Dennewitz (CGC Horticulturist)
COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
Lil' Sprouts
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!
Seed Starting
Ever wanted to start your own plants from seed—but felt overwhelmed or intimidated by the task? This class will simplify the process! You'll learn what supplies you do and don't need, best practices for achieving great germination rates and how to support healthy, strong seedlings to set you up for a successful gardening season to come.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)
COST: $20 / $10 for active CGC volunteers
CGC Compost Tour
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!
Concord Community Garden Workday
We’ll be finishing a chicken coop, building garden beds and pruning raspberry bushes.
Plant Disease & Integrated Pest Management
Come learn the principles and practices of integrated pest management and how to choose the most appropriate method of control, with emphasis on sustainable remedies and techniques. We'll also discuss how to identify plant disease and symptoms and implement basic control measures and disease management strategies.
INSTRUCTOR: Fern Gulley (School Horticulture Program Coordinator for The Ohio State University, OSU Extension Office)
COST: $20 / $10 for active CGC volunteers
Botany Bistro To-Go: Crassulaceae Family
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 Crassulaceae family.
COST: Free!
Houseplant How-To: Flowering Houseplants
Houseplants are wonderful additions to any indoor décor. Caring for them can be a bit tricky, but once you have the know-how, you can enjoy growing a diverse array of plants indoors through any season! Flowering Houseplants will cover the needs of orchids, peace lilies, cyclamen, poinsettia, kalanchoe, jasmine and begonia plants. We'll discuss additional inputs required for reliable blooms.
INSTRUCTORS: Julie Dennewitz (CGC Horticulturist) & Mary Dudley (CGC Director of Education)
COST: $20 / $15 for active CGC volunteers
Lil' Sprouts
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.