There are a variety of classes held year-round at Boerner Botanical Gardens. Classes are open to both Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens members and non-members.
For further information or to register: 414-525-5659
Tender Perennials– the Other Annuals
Paul Drobot, Perennial Landscapes
Thursday, May 1
6:30 to 8 pm • $25/$20 members
In case you’re not sure, a tender perennial is a plant that is hardy in a warmer climate than what you’re gardening in. Many of the plants purchased in Wisconsin and used as annuals are really tender perennials. Such plants include: fuchsia, lantana, Swedish Ivy, sedge, flowering
maple, marguerite daisy and the licorice plant. See how this
particular plant material can be used in the garden or in containers to add a little variety to your pallet.
Get in Gear - Tool Time with Jerry
Saturday, May 3
9 to 10:30 am • $15/$10 members
Meet Jerry Seroka, a retired Boerner
Horticulturist who knows plenty of time-tested tips and tricks to make even the toughest gardening job easy. A gardener needs the right equipment, and knowing how to care for it is the key. Jerry will demonstrate how to prepare your lawn mower for the season. Bring your hand pruners, flat spade, and sharpening stone to class to learn
and practice techniques.
Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden
Maria Karpfinger, Paradigm Shift
Thursday, May 8
6:30 – 8 pm • $15/$10 members
This is the class that will show you how to make your garden come alive by attracting butterflies. Learn how to recognize the four stages of several butterflies and ways to attract them. As an Environmental Educator, Maria Karpfinger has found that the butterfly is a wonderful way to learn about native plants.
Le Petit Potager Workshop
Trish Haudricourt, Executive Director Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens
Saturday, May 10
9 to 10:30 am • $65/$60 members
Potager is French for ornamental kitchen garden. Flowers (edible and non-edible) and herbs are planted along with the vegetables to enhance the beauty with the goal to make it look as nice as it tastes. Trish Haudricourt, an urban gardener, will show how she designs her small garden to blur the line between flowers and vegetables. To make it fun
you will make your own portable Potager!
From “Board” to “Bed”– Designing your Garden
Jim Drzewiecki – Ginkgo Leaf Studio, LLC
Thurs, May 15 and Sat, May 17
Thurs. 6:30 to 8 pm
Sat. 9 to 10:30 am
$25/$20 members
The most important step in creating an inspired outdoor landscape is to begin with a thoughtful, cohesive design. Let landscape designer Jim Drzewiecki show you how to create that vision by incorporating color, texture, form and other basic design principles. Then learn how to transform the paper design into your new outdoor oasis including
how to select the best plants for your location. Installation tips and how to develop a maintenance plan for your landscape are also covered.
Those Hot Patio Tropicals
Heidi Hornung, Shady Lane Greenhouses
Thursday, May 22
6:30 to 8 pm • $15/$10 members
Colorful tropical plants add an exotic touch to your home. Which plants will give the fewest maintenance headaches? Learn how to gauge growth sizes and care for your tropical plants over winter. Bring all your tropical questions to Heidi.
Berries and Brambles for the Beginner
Dr. Patti Nagai, Racine County UW-Extension
Thursday, May 29
6:30 to 8 pm • $15/$10 members
Rich, red ripe raspberries and fresh, juicy strawberries can be just out your back door with a little know how. Already have a raspberry or blackberry patch, but you want to keep it in berry, berry good shape? Dr. Patti Nagai will bring you the basics on growing and caring for your berry garden.
The Secret of the Bloom Master
Rob Green, Stano Landscaping, Inc.
Saturday, May 31
9 to 10:30 am • $65/$60 members
Why waste the sides of your container? Or, even the space
below? The Bloom Master Hanging Basket™ provides more flowers using the same amount of soil as used in conventional hanging baskets. Short on space? The Bloom Master Hanging Basket™ takes gardening to a new level. Rob Green will let you in on the professional’s secret…see how easy it is to achieve more volume using this “holey”
planter. Bloom Master Basket and plants provided.
Watergardening 101
Drew Nelson, Reinders Inc.
Thursday, June 5
6:30 to 8 pm • $15/$10 members
Adding water to outside spaces enhances the atmosphere and also adds character to the landscape. This can be done as simply as adding an overflowing urn or vessel to building an elaborate pond complete with fish, plantings, and outdoor lights. This class covers the basic principles of designing and constructing small decorative water features, pondless
waterfalls, and ponds.
Everyday Fabulous Flowers & Foliages
Michael Gaffney, Milwaukee School of Flower Design
Saturday, June 7
9 to 10:30 am • $65/$60 members
Learn how to arrange fabulous flowers and flamboyant foliage in a fun and informative atmosphere. This floral design class taught by seasoned designer Michael Gaffney will have you transforming any flower into a work of art. Amazing results will come from understanding design principles using different flower varieties. Michael Gaffney has recently designed for companies such as Lalique and Waterford at stores such as Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue in Chicago. Materials provided.
An Introduction to Bee Keeping and Helping Our Pollinators
Harris Byers, UWEX Milwaukee
County Urban Agriculture Program
Linda Reynolds, UWEX Milwaukee
County Urban Agriculture Program
Thursday, June 12
6:30 to 8 pm • $15/$10 members
Beekeeping is a fantastic hobby.
The rewards are delicious! A piece of dripping, fresh honeycomb may be the best natural candy ever! This class is intended to give you some basic understanding of what is involved in keeping bees. Beekeeping is important as approximately 80% of all pollination is accomplished by
honey bees. How we can help our native pollinators?
Book Release and Signing Event
Roy Diblik
Know Maintenance™ Gardening
Tuesday, June 17- 6:30 pm
$35 (book included)
For reservations call 414-525-5675.
Diblik is co-owner of Northwind Perennial Farm in Lake
Geneva and has propagated prairie plants and completed
full scale prairie restorations since the late 1970s.
The Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens are privilegedto host this book release event for our friend and plants
man extraordinaire, Roy Diblik, and appreciate Roy’s
continued support of our mission.
Roy Diblik’s concept of Know Maintenance Gardening was developedin response to what he calls “hope-to-God gardening”: Throw a plant in the ground and hope to God it grows. And because there’s no such thing as a “no-maintenance” garden, Roy set out to design a way to combine sustainability, beauty and practicality — with proven results. Through years of study, experimentation, observation and hands-on knowledge, Roy has
invented an easy-to-follow, fool-proof approach to creating beautiful, healthy, low-maintenance gardens that will be the pride of any neighborhood. Illustrations by Elizabeth Dunham, a watercolor artist and senior technician
at Knight Hollow Nursery in Middleton, WI.
Garden Accoutrements- Leaf Casting
Lynn Laufenberg, Idle Hours Floral and Interior Design
Saturday, June 21
9 to 11 am • $45/$40 members
Working in concrete to produce unique garden art creations isn’thard at all. There is no need to be hesitant about trying this increasingly popular project. Participants will learn how to produce different size and style casting using rhubarb and hosta leaves. It is a great way to show off the leaf’s beautiful shape. Materials provided.
Plein Air Painting- Watercolors
Nancy Newcomb, TREES Studio
Saturdays: July 12, 19, 26 and
August 2 (series)
9 am to Noon • $150/$140 members
From the French word plein —open air — this style of painting is produced outdoors in natural light. Lake Geneva artist Nancy Newcomb will provide lecture and technique demonstrations for plein air painting.Each session (weather permitting) will take place in the tranquil and majestic setting of Boerner Botanical Gardens. A supply list will be sent upon
enrollment for the program. Supplies are not included.
Care and Maintenance of the Perennial Garden
Nancy Benninghouse, Firefly Garden Design, LLC
Thursday, July 17
6:30 to 8 pm • $15/$10 members
There are many spectacular flowering performers for the sultry summer season. Learn how to use these and many other perennials in your landscape through basic design concepts and plant selection. The program will inform you about monthly blooming schedules and growing requirements to make this year’s garden your best ever. Be sure
to ask Nancy, a veteran landscape architect, all your questions.
Photography Workshop - Summer Blooms
Creative Images Photo Club
Saturday, July 19
8 to 9:30 am • $20/$15 members
This workshop will offer tips on taking better pictures of flowers and explore the techniques of macro photography. Then, the workshop heads out into the Gardens so that participants can practice what theyhave learned. Come join the photo club members who are familiar withtaking pictures in the Trial, Rose, Perennial, Herb, Shade and Annual
Gardens. All participants are invited to the Photo Club meeting after the class.
Garden Accoutrements- Hypertufa Containers
Lynn Laufenberg, Idle Hours Floral and Interior Designs
Saturday, July 26
9 to 11 am • $65/$60 members
Hypertufa planters are a wonderful way to bring the look of stone into your garden, without the weight. These molded planters look likestone troughs. Hypertufa is also easy to make; although it can be messy, it’s also a lot of fun! This workshop will cover making naturalistic containers from a mixture of vermiculite, peat, and Portland cement. You will create a 10” x 18” x 9” rectangular container in the
English trough style for use in your garden.
Vinyasa Yoga in the Gardens
Barbara Mesropian, PUSH Functional Fitness Studio
Saturday, August 2, 9, 16, 23
9 to 10 am • $45/$40 members
Join us in the Gardens for a relaxing, natural experience. This
flowing yoga style adapts to each students’ individual needs. Each class opens with breath work, warming poses and includes balancing, strengthening and core postures. Attention is focused on form and hands-on modifications are offered. Previous yoga experience is not required.
Not the Same Old Same Old – New, Better Trees
and Shrubs for the Residential Garden
Dave Wanninger, Beaver Creek Nursery
Saturday, September 6
10 to 11:30 am • $25/$20 members
Sometimes it seems that every landscape has the same old shrubs and ornamental trees. This Fall, plant shrubs and trees that have colorful leaves, long lasting fall color, and colorful fruit. You may be surprised at some of the improved varieties of plants that you already use. Dave will also cover proper plant siting and cultural considerations.
Illuminating Your Landscape
Daniel Norris, Stano Landscaping, Inc.
Thursday, September 11
6:30 to 8 pm • $15/$10 members
Lighting plays an important role in creating an outdoor environment. The trend towards creating beautiful, functional outdoor living spaces means finding lighting options that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing. Fortunately, homeowners have more choices for outdoor
lighting than ever before. Daniel will explain the various options of light fixtures and applications. He will also cue you in on the lingo of outdoor lighting.
Stop and Smell the Herbs and Roses!
Saturday, September 13
10 am to 4 pm • FREE with Admission
At this special event attend a talk on fragrant herbs for cosmetics, perfumes and potpourris. Learn about general rose care and organic rose growing. Taste and learn about edible flowers. See demonstrations on rose and herb drying. Create floral arrangements with herbs and roses.
Fall Containers
Lynn Goldstein, Creative Landscape Design
Thursday, September 18
6:30 to 8 pm • $65/$60 members
Does your porch need more colorful and long-lasting plants? Let Lynn Goldstein teach you how to choose best plants for our changeable weather. You will create spectacular displays that will last throughout the Fall. All materials provided.
IKEBANA Floral Design
Plant a Summertime Container
with Heidi Hornung, Shady Lane Greenhouses
One-Stroke Painting with Trina Eve, certified
One-Stroke instructor
