Garden Walks                                                           back to top

Join Olbrich staff for fun and informative garden walks. Please dress appropriately for the weather. Walks occur rain or shine, and will be cancelled only in the event of dangerous lightning. All walks begin in the Visitor Center Lobby. Advanced registration required.

Behind-the-Scenes Holiday Greenhouse Tour

What would be more festive than a guided tour and stroll through the warm and green paradise of Olbrich's tropical greenhouses, full of exotic tropical plants, beautiful orchids, and hundreds of poinsettias? Join Conservatory Plant and Wildlife Assistant Cindy Cary for an informative, stunning, behind-the-scenes visit to the greenhouses. Bring your camera and questions! Meet in the Lobby.

Saturday, November 16, 1-2:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 7

Cost:  $15/$12 member | Course Number:  31-03

Join fellow garden enthusiasts and book lovers as we discuss fiction and non-fiction books about plants, gardens, nature, and the environment. The Olbrich Gardens Book Club is a book discussion group hosted by Olbrich's Schumacher Library staff where readers come together to discuss a book and share in the reading experience. The discussions are free and open to the public. Participants will need to read the selected book prior to the discussion.

Books are not supplied, but a copy will be available in the Schumacher Library for check-out.

Members of the Olbrich Botanical Society enjoy lending privileges. To become a member, visit www.olbirch.org/membership or call (608)246-4724.

For adults and youth (ages 16 and up). Space is limited; register early.

Book: The Brother Gardeners by Andrea Wulf

Sunday, November 17, 1:30-3:30 pm

Registration Deadline: November 7

Cost:  FREE | Course Number: 11-43

Yogalates

CLASS CANCELLED

Yogalates is a fusion between traditional flowing yoga poses and more contemporary core strengthening Pilates exercises. This15-week class will help you increase overall flexibility and strengthen your core! Use this class to help improve your posture and feel better in everyday activities. Instructor Katie Michel, AAAI yoga certified, will help lead you to feeling great overall! Bring your own yoga or pilates mat, water bottle, and wear comfortable clothing. This class is held indoors/outdoors, weather permitting. Meet in the Lobby. For adults and youth (ages 8 and up); each attendee pays the registration fee. Space is limited; register early.

Wednesdays, September 4 - December 18, 5:30-6:30 pm (No class on November 27)

Registration Deadline:  August 28

Cost:  $210 per person | Course Number:  21-02

Tai Chi Meditation
Tai Chi and Chi Kung are wellness practices that originated hundreds of years ago in China and are widely recommended by healthcare providers around the world for their health benefits and positive impact on daily living. Incorporating exercise and movement, meditation and stillness, music and silence, this class offers a variety of Tai Chi and Chi Kung practices for artful integration of body, mind, breath, and spirit. Appropriate for adults of all ages, Tai Chi and Chi Kung movements are typically done standing but may be adapted for seated practices as well as other kinds of limitations. Jody Curley, MA, Certified Heart Rhythm Meditation Instructor and Tai Chi Chuan teacher, will lead you during the 6-week class.  Register for one or both classes as a series. Wear comfortable clothing and footwear that facilitates movement and balance. Space is limited; register early.

Mondays, October 21 - November 25, 6-7 pm

Registration Deadline:  October 14

Cost:  $60 per person | Course Number:  21-56

Gladdening Herbs for Winter Blues
In the Middle Ages, a certain herb was known as "the gladdening herb" because it lifted one's spirits and strengthened the heart in the dark of winter. Join herbalist Kathleen Wildwood, founder and director of Wildwood Institute in Madison, as she discusses this unique herb and other safe, effective herbal remedies for the winter blues. She will offer a refreshing holistic view of winter depression and present seven surprising ways that scientists have discovered to naturally raise serotonin. Herbal preparations will be available for you to taste, smell, and enjoy! For adults and youth (ages 15 and up); each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Tuesday, December 3, 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 26

Cost:  $18/$15 member | Course Number:  11-54

Yoga
This is a participative experiential class for gardeners, nature enthusiasts, and yoga students. Comfortable, loose fitting clothing and a portable mat are recommended; bring a water bottle. Instructor Jonathan A. Garber, RMT, is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher. Check with the instructor concerning holiday weeks. This class is held outdoors and indoors, depending on weather. Meet in the Lobby.

ON-GOING
Mondays, 5:30-6:45 pm, Check with instructor concerning holiday weeks.
Thursdays, 7:30-8:45 am, Check with instructor concerning holiday weeks.
Registration: Walk-In
Cost: $12/session or 9 sessions for $80

Garden Silks:

Making Silk Scarves with Botanical Dyes

Create beautifully dyed silk scarves using common fall garden plants, as well as grocery store finds such as blueberries and tea leaves. Shelley Ryan, host of Public Television's The Wisconsin Gardener, will guide you through an easy technique that you can confidently repeat at home. This process is simple, but completed scarves take four weeks. You will practice all the steps - starting with dyeing, and then learn to finish the scarf that Ryan started two weeks prior. You will go home with four dyed scarves - one that Ryan started for you, and three that you start on your own. They will be ready in two and four weeks respectively. All materials included. For adults and youth (ages 14 and up); each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Sunday, October 20, 1:30-3:30 pm

CLASS CANCELLED

Registration Deadline:  October 10

Cost:  $70 per person | Course Number: 21-46

or

Sunday, November 17, 1:30-3:30 pm

CLASS CANCELLED

Registration Deadline:  November 7

Cost:  $70 per person | Course Number: 21-47

Permaculture Gardening Techniques

Premaculture is a philosophy and practice of gardening and landscape management that focuses on mimicking the structures and interrelationships found in the natural world. It emphasizes improving soil and optimizing water use, while incorporating food plants such as fruits, nuts, and perennial vegetables. Join Madison Area Permaculture Guild Founder Kate Heiber-Cobb and learn how to incorporate sustainable permaculture practices into your urban or suburban landscape. Discussion about plant guilds, composting, water holding and capturing, pollinators and beneficial insects, sheet mulching, and more is included.

Thursday, November 7, 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  October 31

Cost:  $15/$12 member | Course Number: 11-37

Pastel Interpretations

CLASS FILLED

Soft pastel is a very adaptable medium and is perfect for learning different painting techniques. In this workshop you will do three or four different interpretations from the same nature-based photograph. Each work in your series will be quite unlike the others! You will be using different papers and styles of application, learning which styles and techniques work best for you. This repeatable workshop by instructor Kay Brathol-Hostvet is for beginner to advanced levels. Beginners to the soft pastel medium should have reasonably good drawing skills. A supply list will be sent to you; all papers provided. Bring a bag lunch. For adults and mature teens; each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Saturday, November 9, 9:30 am-4:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  October 31

Cost:  $91/$73 member | Course Number: 21-59

Ornamental Winter Container

The growing season isn't the only time for decorative containers. Late fall still provides colorful plant materials that can be arranged for container splendor in the fall and winter. Olbrich's Director of Horticulture Jeff Epping and Horticulturist Samara Eisner will teach you what materials to collect and how to create stunning arrangements to enjoy throughout these seasons. You will create one ornamental winter container using plant materials from Olbrich's gardens to take home. All plant materials and supplies provided, including an outdoor display container. Limited space; register early.

Tuesday, November 12, 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 5

Cost:  $71/$57 member | Course Number: 21-32

Permaculture Systems on Your Property

Join Madison Area Permaculture Guild Founder Kate Heiber-Cobb and discover the basics of permaculture systems design and how to apply it in your own backyard. She will discuss observation skills, waste to food and medicine production, pollinator habitat, and much more. This class will help you develop a sustainable and self-sufficient ecosystem in your yard. A complete list of resources available to help you will be provided and books will be available for you to browse during the class. Bring drawing/sketch paper, pencil, and eraser for working on your property's vision/plan with guidance from the instructor. Limited space; register early.

Thursday, November 14, 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 7

Cost:  $15/$12 member | Course Number: 11-46

Holiday Lights

The garden can come alive with holiday lights and other features that will create a winter wonderland in your own backyard. Rotary Botanical Gardens has had a Holiday Lights Show for the past 16 years featuring over 300,000 lights and many displays. Come learn some of the fun tips and ideas for accenting the home landscape from Mark Dwyer of Rotary Botanical Gardens, and see some of the past successes and features utilized at Rotary Botanical Gardens. Many of the "do's and don'ts" will be mentioned too!

Wednesday, November 20, 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 13

Cost:  $15/$12 member | Course Number: 11-48

Introduction to HOme Cheese Making

CLASS FILLED

Join herbalist Linda Conroy for this fun day of cheese making. Learn how simple it is to make cheese in your own kitchen. We will create and sample several simple cheeses that can be cultivated at home. We will make cultured butter, feta cheese, mozzarella, and several varieties of soft cheese and fermented milk products. You can build on this introduction to create many varieties of cheese. You will go home with some of the cheese we make and culture to get started. A light lunch of salad, cheese, bread, and butter that we make in class will be provided. Bring your own drink, plate, and utensils. For adults and children (8 years and up) with an adult; each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Saturday, November 23, 10 am-4 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 14

Cost:  $98/$78 member | Course Number: 21-03

Hands-on Traditional Broom Making: A lost Art

Join broom maker John Holzwart for this afternoon of fun and function. You will learn to make one round or one flat hearth broom (your choice). Handles of various woods have been gathered and cured for you to use, and all materials are provided. Discussion about decorative items will be included. No open-toed shoes allowed. Bring a sharp knife and scissors. Limited space; register early.

Saturday, November 23, 1-5 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 14

Cost:  $58/$46 member | Course Number: 21-30

Evergreen Holiday Wreaths with Natural Materials

Evergreen holiday wreaths smell wonderful and add charm to your winter decorating scheme. Join Olbrich Horticulturists Samantha Peckham and Samara Eisner to learn how to decorate your own unique wreath with natural materials from Olbrich's gardens. Fresh evergreen wreath and all plant materials and supplies provided to make one holiday wreath for your home or as a gift. Limited space; register early.

Wednesday, December 4, 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 27

Cost:  $71/$57 member | Course Number: 21-35

Permaculture and Water

Join Madison Area Permaculture Guild Founder Kate Heiber-Cobb and learn how to construct swales and berms, rain gardens, and other water catchment devices in your landscape. These holding methodologies help our community deal with water issues and can be used for growing plants. She will discuss why you want to hold water where it falls, how this practice relates to healthy soil, how it refills our aquifers, and much more. Bring drawing/sketch paper, pencil, and eraser for beginning to create a plan for your landscape with guidance from the instructor. Limited space; register early.

Thursday, December 5, 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 27

Cost:  $15/$12 member | Course Number: 11-57

Herbal Gift Making: Hands-on, Interactive, and Fun!

CLASS FILLED

Join herbalist Linda Conroy for this fun, hand-on class. You will make approximately 10 herbal gift items that you can give to your friends, family, or keep for yourself. The classroom will be set up in stations and you will rotate through, making a different item at each station. Everyone will make lip balm, body spray, felted soap, herbal condiments, herbal salts for foot and bath, lotion bar, dream pillow, herbal tea blend, and much more! Learn about the variety of herbs offered and select herbs that resonate with you. All supplies provided; decorative packaging provided as well! For adults and children (ages 8 and up) with an adult; each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Saturday, December 14, 1-5 pm

Registration Deadline:  December 5

Cost:  $68/$55 member | Course Number: 21-53

Yogalates

CLASS CANCELLED

Yogalates is a fusion between traditional flowing yoga poses and more contemporary core strengthening Pilates exercises. This15-week class will help you increase overall flexibility and strengthen your core! Use this class to help improve your posture and feel better in everyday activities. Instructor Katie Michel, AAAI yoga certified, will help lead you to feeling great overall! Bring your own yoga or pilates mat, water bottle, and wear comfortable clothing. This class is held indoors/outdoors, weather permitting. Meet in the Lobby. For adults and youth (ages 8 and up); each attendee pays the registration fee. Space is limited; register early.

Wednesdays, September 4 - December 18, 5:30-6:30 pm (No class on November 27)

Registration Deadline:  August 28

Cost:  $210 per person | Course Number:  21-02

Garden Silks:

Making Silk Scarves with Botanical Dyes

Create beautifully dyed silk scarves using common fall garden plants, as well as grocery store finds such as blueberries and tea leaves. Shelley Ryan, host of Public Television's The Wisconsin Gardener, will guide you through an easy technique that you can confidently repeat at home. This process is simple, but completed scarves take four weeks. You will practice all the steps - starting with dyeing, and then learn to finish the scarf that Ryan started two weeks prior. You will go home with four dyed scarves - one that Ryan started for you, and three that you start on your own. They will be ready in two and four weeks respectively. All materials included. For adults and youth (ages 14 and up); each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Sunday, October 20, 1:30-3:30 pm

CLASS CANCELLED

Registration Deadline:  October 10

Cost:  $70 per person | Course Number: 21-46

or

Sunday, November 17, 1:30-3:30 pm

CLASS CANCELLED

Registration Deadline:  November 7

Cost:  $70 per person | Course Number: 21-47

Pastel Interpretations

CLASS FILLED

Soft pastel is a very adaptable medium and is perfect for learning different painting techniques. In this workshop you will do three or four different interpretations from the same nature-based photograph. Each work in your series will be quite unlike the others! You will be using different papers and styles of application, learning which styles and techniques work best for you. This repeatable workshop by instructor Kay Brathol-Hostvet is for beginner to advanced levels. Beginners to the soft pastel medium should have reasonably good drawing skills. A supply list will be sent to you; all papers provided. Bring a bag lunch. For adults and mature teens; each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Saturday, November 9, 9:30 am-4:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  October 31

Cost:  $91/$73 member | Course Number: 21-59

Introduction to HOme Cheese Making

CLASS FILLED

Join herbalist Linda Conroy for this fun day of cheese making. Learn how simple it is to make cheese in your own kitchen. We will create and sample several simple cheeses that can be cultivated at home. We will make cultured butter, feta cheese, mozzarella, and several varieties of soft cheese and fermented milk products. You can build on this introduction to create many varieties of cheese. You will go home with some of the cheese we make and culture to get started. A light lunch of salad, cheese, bread, and butter that we make in class will be provided. Bring your own drink, plate, and utensils. For adults and children (8 years and up) with an adult; each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Saturday, November 23, 10 am-4 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 14

Cost:  $98/$78 member | Course Number: 21-03

Gladdening Herbs for Winter Blues
In the Middle Ages, a certain herb was known as "the gladdening herb" because it lifted one's spirits and strengthened the heart in the dark of winter. Join herbalist Kathleen Wildwood, founder and director of Wildwood Institute in Madison, as she discusses this unique herb and other safe, effective herbal remedies for the winter blues. She will offer a refreshing holistic view of winter depression and present seven surprising ways that scientists have discovered to naturally raise serotonin. Herbal preparations will be available for you to taste, smell, and enjoy! For adults and youth (ages 15 and up); each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Tuesday, December 3, 6:30-8:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  November 26

Cost:  $18/$15 member | Course Number:  11-54

Herbal Gift Making: Hands-on, Interactive, and Fun!

CLASS FILLED

Join herbalist Linda Conroy for this fun, hand-on class. You will make approximately 10 herbal gift items that you can give to your friends, family, or keep for yourself. The classroom will be set up in stations and you will rotate through, making a different item at each station. Everyone will make lip balm, body spray, felted soap, herbal condiments, herbal salts for foot and bath, lotion bar, dream pillow, herbal tea blend, and much more! Learn about the variety of herbs offered and select herbs that resonate with you. All supplies provided; decorative packaging provided as well! For adults and children (ages 8 and up) with an adult; each attendee pays the registration fee. Limited space; register early.

Saturday, December 14, 1-5 pm

Registration Deadline:  December 5

Cost:  $68/$55 member | Course Number: 21-53

Toddler Story & Stroll: 

December Delights

Learn and play with your youngster in this fun, hands-on series based on Olbrich's Holiday Express Train and Flower Show and the Bolz Conservatory's Plants of the Dinosaur Age exhibition. Classes include a story, a walk through the Bolz Conservatory, and theme-related activities designed for you and your preschooler to spend quality time together. Sign up for one class or the entire series. Ages 2-4 with an adult. Space is limited; register early. *Classes do NOT include admission into Olbrich's Holiday Express Train and Flower Show.

Dinosaurs

CLASS FILLED

Tuesday, December 3, 10-11 am

Registration Deadline:  November 26

Cost:  $9/$7 member | Course Number: 51-26

or

Saturday, December 7, 10-11 am

Registration Deadline:  November 27

Cost:  $9/$7 member | Course Number: 51-27

Trains

CLASS FILLED

Tuesday, December 10, 10-11 am

Registration Deadline:  December 3

Cost:  $9/$7 member | Course Number: 51-28

or

Saturday, December 14, 10-11 am

CLASS FILLED

Registration Deadline:  December 5

Cost:  $9/$7 member | Course Number: 51-29

Candyland

CLASS FILLED

Tuesday, December 17, 10-11 am

Registration Deadline:  December 10

Cost:  $9/$7 member | Course Number: 51-30

or

Saturday, December 21, 10-11 am

Registration Deadline:  December 12

Cost:  $9/$7 member | Course Number: 51-31

I Wonder...? Series

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott Medal for distinguished picture books, Olbrich is continuing this series of nighttime classes that combines literature and science to explore the natural world. This series of three classes is based on award winning or honor books. Classes include a story, a walk through the outdoor gardens or Bolz Conservatory, and a theme-related science exploration. Dress for the weather. Sign up for one class or the entire series. Grades K-3 with an adult. Space is limited; register early.

What is a Rainforest?

Friday, December 13, 6:30-7:30 pm

Registration Deadline:  December 5

Cost:  $10/$8 member | Course Number: 61-24

Morning in the Rainforest

Join us in this behind-the-scenes class and help us prepare the Bolz Conservatory and its animals for another busy day. Work side-by-side with staff as you feed the birds and fish. Learn about the animals and how to care for their environment. Class takes place before the Bolz Conservatory opens. Meet in the Lobby. Limited space, register early. Grades 1-5 with an adult.

Saturday, November 9, 8:30-9:30 am

Registration Deadline:  October 31

Cost:  $11/$9 member | Course Number: 61-14

The Curious World of carnivorous Plants

There are few plants more spooky or fascinating than carnivorous plants! Most people have heard of Venus Flytraps, however, there are many others including several species that grow in Wisconsin. Instructor Teresa Golembiewski of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Department of Biological Sciences will share the mysteries of these fascinating plants through living examples, and she will explain how and where these dynamic plants grow in the wild. Each child will also create a Venus Flytrap puppet to take home. A stroll through the Bolz Conservatory to see Olbrich's carnivorous plants is included. Limited space; register early. Grades K-4 with an adult.

Saturday, November 16, 10-11:30 am

Registration Deadline:  November 7

Cost:  $12/$10 member | Course Number: 61-10

Plants of the Dinosaur Age Exhibit

November 2, 2013 - March 2, 2014

Monday - Saturday, 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 10 am-5 pm

What would plant-eating dinosaurs have eaten when they roamed the earth 225 to 65 million years ago? Their plant diet was very diverse and many of the plant species they consumed during the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods in which they lived are still alive today. Some of these plant species have changed significantly over time, while others have changed very little since the days when they coexisted with the dinosaurs. Discover some of these Mesozoic Era plants, and see other prehistoric plant species up close in the Bolz Conservatory, including figs, breadfruit, ferns, palms, and cycads. Also, learn about some of the plant-eating dinosaurs that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.

Admission:

General Public - $2 (free Wed. & Sat. 10 am-12 pm)

Children 5 & under - free

Olbrich Botanical Society Members - free

Madison Herb Society 31st Annual Herb Faire

Saturday, November 2, 9 am-3 pm

Join the Madison Herb Society in the 31st Annual Herb Faire held at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Browse through displays of herbal foods, books, and other products for sale and listen to popular herb speakers. Join in the fun during various demonstrations and participate in the hands-on activities. Admission is free. For more information visit www.madisonherbsociety.org.