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It still feels like the height of summer, but fall is just around the corner, and that means the Community Education program is rolling out a new slate of classes, workshops and events.
“We’ve got a mix of long-time favorites and completely new experiences,” says Community Education Manager Crissa Nugen. “I think almost everyone will find something they want to explore.”
Health and Wellness
If you’re seeking to improve your health, a great place to start is Gentle Yoga. By popular demand, this class will be offered once a week starting in September. Move and stretch with beloved instructor Edwina Taylor every Wednesday morning between 9 and 10 am.
Parents of young children who struggle to find time to hit the gym will have an opportunity to get moving with their child in the new Stroller Strides in the Garden class, taught by Sarah Morford and Becca Graham. Join us with your stroller-aged children to explore hidden corners of the garden and build community through engagement with the outdoors, movement and connection. Each Stroller Strides class will comprise a warm-up, 50 minutes of cardio (walking or jogging), strength and core movements and stretching and cool-down. Two classes will be offered in September, on Sept. 8 and 22, to assess interest and plan for the rest of the fall.
Good health involves the mind as well as the body. Find Yourself Through Nature Wellness will help guests find sources of strength through nature, come closer to who they really are and access inner guidance. The series will be taught by Dr. Frank Lawliss, a psychologist, researcher, counselor and innovator in the field of behavioral medicine. Three sessions will be offered, and the dates will be confirmed soon—check the FWBG | BRIT calendar over the coming weeks for details.
Botanical Arts
A new exhibit will open in Sept. 9 at the Madeline R. Samples Gallery: Texas Botanicals in Warp and Weft. The Fort Worth Weavers Guild will display handwoven art created by Texas fiber artists using or inspired by native Texas botanicals. An opening reception will be held Sept. 9. After visiting the exhibit, plan to attend a demonstration class on Oct. 29, where skilled weavers will introduce the basics of their craft. You might discover an entirely new art form you want to explore!
Other classes this fall will help you create horticultural jewelry, design beautiful floral centerpieces and photograph butterflies during the annual monarch butterfly migration. Visual artists are invited to the monthly Drawing the Garden series as well as an all-day acrylics workshop with popular instructor Zan Savage. In the Bountiful Blooms Acrylics Workshop, students will learn techniques for working with acrylics and leave at the end of the day with a completed painting.
One particularly exciting class this fall is Holiday Lights Photography. The course will teach you how to successfully photograph lights at night. Visitors to the inaugural Lightscape will be able to apply these skills immediately to create winter wonderland masterpieces. The date for this course will be announced soon.
Botany, Nature and Horticulture
Home gardeners will continue to learn skills and strategies through the AgriLife Wellness in the Garden series, offered the last Wednesday of the month in Sept., Oct. and Nov. The September workshop will help you plan a fall garden with specific advice on what, when and how to plant.
Those seeking an in-depth introduction to the science of botany will learn from FWBG | BRIT’s in-house experts at Fall Botany School over five sessions in September and October. The Research department continues to host its free, online Lunchtime Lecture Series the first Tuesday of every month. This is an opportunity to learn about advances in the science of botany from the scientists making these discoveries.
Sunflower enthusiasts have an opportunity to learn about these remarkable flowers from the person who literally wrote the book on the subject: Richard Spellenberg, author of The Sunflower Family: A Guide to the Family Asteraceae in the Contiguous United States, published by BRIT Press. As well as presenting an illustrated workshop on on Asteraceae identification, Spellenberg will take guests on a walk around the Garden to find and identify plants in the Asteraceae family.
But Wait, There’s More
This is only a survey of all the courses and workshops that will be offered this fall. Check the monthly email calendar and visit the online events calendar for details, and sign up soon—space in many programs is limited. It’s going to be a great fall at FWBG | BRIT.
