Glass Mosaic Tile: Nocturnal Nature

Mon., May 19 | 6 – 9 p.m.

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
$40 members | $45 nonmembers | $20 material fee 

This three-hour class will allow you to explore color and composition as you decorate a frame with colorful pre-broken glass and tile selection. This special themed edition of Mosaic Tile will include optional templates of nocturnal animals, nighttime landscapes, and plenty of beautiful dark glass to choose from. Celebrate Phipps' summer theme of Night Life with your own night scene brought to life, or get creative with a free style composition. Mix and match pieces to see which best fit together as Debbie from Songbird Artistry teaches you how to make your own Mosaic tile for your garden or home. You will also learn how to grout your tile in class. Grouting supplies will be available to take home to be used later if you desire.

Gothic Floral Arrangement

Wed., May 21 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park 
$30 members | $35 nonmembers | $60 material fee 

In this class we will teach you how to create a dramatic, moody floral arrangement inspired by the aesthetics of the gothic era. Using dark rich colors such as deep reds, purples, blacks and blues mixed with unique foliage we will construct a table piece sure to create a sense of mystery and opulence.

Due to natural variation and flower availability, final pieces will vary and may not match image provided. Registration will end May 12

Sights Beyond Our Eyes: A UV Walk After Dark at Phipps

Tues., May 27 | 8:30 – 10 p.m.

Phipps Welcome Center
$20 members | $25 nonmembers

When darkness falls, it becomes the perfect time to explore a part of our world we can’t typically see. Utilizing ultraviolet flashlights, a new frequency brings out colors in flowers, lichen, and other organisms. Learn why this spectrum changes perspectives between humans and different species and discover these phenomena with your own eyes. Join us at Phipps after hours for an immersive, guided walk through the unseen world of UV. This is a walk after sundown with limited visibility, so please bring a small flashlight to help you as needed. Please wear appropriate walking shoes. This is not an ADA-accessible program.

Moon and Moonlight Photography

Tues., June 3 on Zoom | 6:30 – 7 p.m.
Sat., June 7 at Phipps Garden Center | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. 

$38 members | $43 nonmembers

Learn how to take photos of the moon and of the moonlight landscape. Use a camera phone or a digital camera. Don will discuss the use of tripods and other tools that can help one achieve beautiful photos in low light. The online class session will cover these tool and techniques for achieving captivating images of the moon. The in person session will give you the opportunity to try your hand at moonlight photography with supported help.

Blending Teas for Herbal Relaxation

Thurs., June 5 | 6 – 7:30 p.m. 

Botany Hall Teaching Kitchen at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
$45 members | $50 nonmembers

Learn to make your own sleep tea blend with herbalist Therese “Trez” Robbins of Heart Beet. In this class we will explore herbs that support relaxation of the nervous system, taste test a number of popular relaxing herbs such as tisanes, and make our own custom tea blends that participants can take home and enjoy. We will cover 6 herbs in this class, including favorites such as chamomile & lemon balm, and perhaps find new favorites such as linden or passionflower. We will go over where and how these plants grow, use our senses to discover and discuss their main properties, and go over a short introduction to formulating a tea blend. You’ll make 1-2 custom blends to take and enjoy at home.

This class is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free friendly.

Movie Night Snacks

Wed., June 11 | 6 – 7:30 p.m. 

Live webinar on Zoom
$75 members | $85 nonmembers

Get ready to elevate your movie night with homemade snacks that are as fun to make as they are to eat! In this interactive online cooking class, you’ll learn how to craft a variety of delicious treats perfect for any movie night. On the menu we have homemade fruit gummy snacks, packed with natural flavors and just the right amount of chew, perfectly seasoned stovetop popcorn, and customizable loaded nachos, layering bold flavors and fresh toppings for the ultimate shareable snack. To top it all off, you’ll mix up a fancy movie mocktail, the perfect sip to enjoy with your homemade feast.

In this virtual class you shop your own groceries. A recipe with substitutions will be provided.

How to Digitally Capture Your Garden Night Life

Wed., July 9 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Live webinar on Zoom 
$25 members | $30 nonmembers 

The garden from dusk to dawn is full of life that you may never have seen! Learn how to capture lowlight images and videos of the wildlife in your garden and backyard as well as nighttime sounds such as cicadas and frogs. We’ll explore many easy to learn techniques using cameras, smartphones, trail cams, and ultraviolet flashlights to capture the unseen wildlife around your home and to share it with others. A fun class for both kids and grown-ups with no previous experience necessary.

Full Moon Dinner at the Chef's Table

Thurs., July 10 | 6 – 8 p.m. 

Botany Hall Teaching Kitchen at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
$100 members | $110 nonmembers

Get ready to elevate your movie night with homemade

Join us in Botany Hall Kitchen for another plant-forward Candle Lit Dinner at the Chefs Table with Executive Chef Mike Godlewski from EYV Restaurant in Pittsburgh’s North Side. EYV, which means 'eat your vegetables' opened in 2023 and has raised the bar in plant-based cuisine in the Pittsburgh region. This demonstration-style class offers a unique opportunity to explore the diverse and delicious possibilities of cooking with vegetables as the star of the plate. Sit back, relax and savor this season's bounty prepared live by Chef Mike! Menu details to come. Dinner will be served with wine. Must be 21+ to register.

This class is vegetarian and vegan friendly and gluten free adaptable by request. Must be 21+ to register.

Native Gardening for Moths

Mon., July 21 | 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Live webinar on Zoom 
$20 members | $25 nonmembers 

Of all the insects that visit our gardens and their flowers, the Order Lepidoptera is probably the most alluring. But gardeners likely only notice a tiny chunk of the vast diversity in this group, which includes butterflies and moths. While butterflies constitute only a tiny percentage of the Lepidoptera, these showy day-fliers steal the limelight as they are easy to observe. Mountains of literature on butterflies and how to garden for them exist, but their largely nocturnal counterparts the moths get short shrift. In North America, moth species far outnumber those of butterflies. Many of our native plants co-evolved with moths and are especially alluring to these fascinating creatures of the night. Having lots of moths about really amps up the ecological productivity of your property, as their caterpillars are an incredibly important part of the food chain, especially for birds. This talk will delve into the fascinating world of nocturnal pollination, and the beautiful plants that drive moth-rich ecological webs.

Creating a Moon Garden

Tues., July 29 | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Live webinar on Zoom 
$25 members | $30 nonmembers 

Learn to combine flowers, scents, and garden accessories to create an atmosphere of calm and beauty in the garden. Learn which flowers bloom in the evening releasing fragrant scents to attract nighttime pollinators and those with white blooms that glow in the moonlight. Plus get some tips on effective yet unobtrusive modern outdoor lighting.

Nocturnal Creatures Night Walk

Thurs., July 31 | 8 – 9:30 p.m. 

Center for Sustainable Landscapes Classroom
$20 members | $25 nonmembers

Some of the coolest creatures around are only awake at night! Join us for an evening of learning about some of our nocturnal neighbors and their nighttime adaptations, and then come with us on a quest through Schenley Park to find bats, owls, insects, and more! Make sure you dress for the weather and walking. If the walk is to be rescheduled due to dangerous weather conditions, registrants will be contacted by 5 p.m. on the day before the walk.