Arbor Evenings

Arbor Evenings 2026June 10 – September 17, 2026Baker Event LawnSip and stroll through the gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! Arbor Evenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays June 10 through......More

Arbor Evenings 2026June 10 – September 17, 2026Baker Event LawnSip and stroll through the gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! Arbor Evenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays June 10 through September 17, 2026 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.             **Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.** There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from Arbor Evenings help support The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission. 5:30 – 8:30:Laurel Canyon East (Folk, Rock)Silly Willies: Specialty Hot DogsScheduled performances are subject to change.View upcoming dates here. Support for this event series is generously provided by:

Baker Event Lawn

Building Living Soil

Building Living Soilwith Everest Holmes Friday, August 7  |  1 – 2:30 pm BREG – Soil Health Core REGISTER HERE Join this informative and hands-on session to learn about how to build soil biology in your area and what makes up a soil ecosystem. During the class, you will......More

Building Living Soilwith Everest Holmes Friday, August 7  |  1 – 2:30 pm BREG – Soil Health Core REGISTER HERE Join this informative and hands-on session to learn about how to build soil biology in your area and what makes up a soil ecosystem. During the class, you will look at images of real living soil samples and learn how to interpret what you see on the slide. Everest will also discuss soil as a living ecosystem and what the soil food web is made of. The hands-on portion will include some demonstrations about aggregate stability and infiltration of rainwater. Everest Holmes is a soil health educator, farmsteader, and product developer focused on the native biology that drives fertile, resilient growing systems. His work centers on practical, observation-based soil diagnostics paired with hands-on demonstrations. He helps students use their senses to connect with soil, structure, nutrient cycling, water dynamics and plant performance. Everest regularly teaches and develops programming on soil ecology, compost systems, and regenerative practices, with a special emphasis on making the soil food web visible through live microscopy. Everest is the Co‑founder of GROZOME and serves as Head of Product Development. He holds a B.A. in Outdoor Leadership, is a Certified Permaculture Designer, and a Certified Soil Food Web Lab Tech. Based in Swannanoa, North Carolina, Everest has practiced organic land management on 10 acre homestead for the past 14 years, as well as managed and consulted on many other farming operations, bringing real-world, field-tested experience into every class. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.See all of our classes open for registration here!

Guided Trail Walk

Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and thr......More

Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more. Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.. Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather. There is no pre-registration walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center. Walks are FREE however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free. Know Before You GoGuided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.

Arbor Evenings

Arbor Evenings 2026June 10 – September 17, 2026Baker Event LawnSip and stroll through the gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! Arbor Evenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays June 10 through......More

Arbor Evenings 2026June 10 – September 17, 2026Baker Event LawnSip and stroll through the gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! Arbor Evenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays June 10 through September 17, 2026 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.           **Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.** There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from Arbor Evenings help support The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission. 5:30 – 8:30: Wabi Sabi (Acoustic instrumental Celtic & Jazz)Arbor Eatery: Hot Dogs – Carolina Slaw – Chili or Vegan Hot Dogs – potato saladTheme: Hospitality Appreciation EveningScheduled performances are subject to change.View upcoming dates here. Support for this event series is generously provided by:

Baker Event Lawn

Book Talk: I Have This Thing for Flowers

Book Talk: I Have This Thing for Flowerswith Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn in conversation with Tess Fontaine Thursday, August 13  |  5:30 – 7 pm REGISTER HERE A story of love, marriage, and flowers from beloved writer and gardening enthusiast Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn. Six month......More

Book Talk: I Have This Thing for Flowerswith Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn in conversation with Tess Fontaine Thursday, August 13  |  5:30 – 7 pm REGISTER HERE A story of love, marriage, and flowers from beloved writer and gardening enthusiast Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn. Six months before her wedding, Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn’s fiancé broke off their engagement. Stunned, reeling, and newly uninsured, Alysia married her friend Sarah in an arrangement that secured them both free health insurance. They moved in together in the midst of the pandemic, and with time and while tending a garden, their marriage of convenience grew into a marriage of love. In science, art, and mythology, we cannot help but to see flowers as metaphors for the fleeting nature of youth, vitality, and love. It’s easy to casually admire something beautiful, but it takes a discerning eye to appreciate the effort that went into nourishing and tending to that beauty. In both gardening and relationships, one cannot expect to fill your garden with flowers if you are unwilling—or unable—to put in the work they need to thrive. In I Have This Thing For Flowers, Sawchyn does just that, likening the many flowers she has grown in her gardens to a range of relationships and moments of her life, reflecting on topics from motherhood to perfumery to scientific illustration. Cataloguing many of the great romances and loves of her life like an herbarium of flowers preserved from the garden, Sawchyn examines the kinds of love that can’t be explained. Alysia will be joined by fellow author Tess Fontaine for an in-conversation program. Malaprops will be selling books during the event and book signing will take place after the talk concludes. Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn teaches in the Creative Writing Program at Bucknell University. Formerly the editor in chief of The Rumpus, she has received fellowships from The Kenyon Review and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Their first essay collection, A Fish Growing Lungs, was a finalist for The Believer Book Awards. Tessa Fontaine is the author of THE ELECTRIC WOMAN: A MEMOIR IN DEATH-DEFYING ACTS (FSG 2018), a New York Times Editors’ Choice Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick, and best book of the year by Southern Living, Refinery29, Amazon Editors’, and The New York Post.  THE RED GROVE (FSG 2024), her debut novel, was named a best book by Amazon Editors’ and People Magazine and was longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Other writing can be found in Outside, The New York Times, Glamour, People, and more. Raised outside San Francisco, Tessa has taught in jails and prisons, community centers, and currently teaches in Warren Wilson’s MFA program. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her daughter, goofy dog and sassy cat. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.See all of our classes open for registration here!

Arbor Evenings

Arbor Evenings 2026June 10 – September 17, 2026Baker Event LawnSip and stroll through the gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! Arbor Evenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays June 10 through......More

Arbor Evenings 2026June 10 – September 17, 2026Baker Event LawnSip and stroll through the gardens in the glow of the golden hour, all while listening to live music from a variety of local and regional artists! Arbor Evenings runs Wednesdays and Thursdays June 10 through September 17, 2026 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.         **Please note: Outside alcohol is prohibited on the campus of The North Carolina Arboretum.** There is no additional cost to attend ArborEvenings beyond our standard parking fee. As always, Arboretum Society members and their accompanying guests can enter for FREE (guests must be in member vehicles to receive free entry). Proceeds from Arbor Evenings help support The North Carolina Arboretum Society and further advance the Arboretum’s mission. 5:30 – 8:30: Raphael Graves Duo (Award winning WNC vocalist Rapheal & guest perform acoustic folk, and rock.)Arbor Eatery: Hot Dogs – Carolina Slaw – Chili or Vegan Hot Dogs – potato saladScheduled performances are subject to change.View upcoming dates here. Support for this event series is generously provided by:

Baker Event Lawn

Intro to Butterfly ID

Intro to Butterfly IDwith Erin Canter Friday, August 14  |  10 – 11:30am BRN – Elective | BREG – Elective REGISTER HERE A walking exploration of butterflies, including how to use field guides and what characteristics to look for to ID. Will also include plant ID for pla......More

Intro to Butterfly IDwith Erin Canter Friday, August 14  |  10 – 11:30am BRN – Elective | BREG – Elective REGISTER HERE A walking exploration of butterflies, including how to use field guides and what characteristics to look for to ID. Will also include plant ID for plant species required for some of our favorite native butterfly species, and how to attract species to your own gardens. Special notes on monarch migration and natural history included if applicable (based on season/presence). This program will take place outside and will follow easy trails and paved walkways. Dress for the weather and prepare to be outside for the entire program time. Erin Canter is a Southern Appalachian Naturalist who specializes in southeastern ecology. She worked as the Manager of Science Literacy and Research at a nonprofit education center in the Great Smoky Mountains, working with all ages to explore their bioregion through science and hands on exploration, before moving to this side of the mountains in early 2024. She now works at American Conservation Experience here in WNC, helping young people begin their conservation careers through applied conservation projects in the region. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.See all of our classes open for registration here!

Mosaic Mirror Workshop

 Mosaic Mirror Workshopwith Linda Panulla Friday, August 14  |  12 – 4pm REGISTER HERE All levels welcome! Learn basic mosaic techniques  and create a piece of art to embellish your home.  Instructor will provide 12″ substrate with an 8″ mirror.  Students will decorate ......More

 Mosaic Mirror Workshopwith Linda Panulla Friday, August 14  |  12 – 4pm REGISTER HERE All levels welcome! Learn basic mosaic techniques  and create a piece of art to embellish your home.  Instructor will provide 12″ substrate with an 8″ mirror.  Students will decorate the 2″ border with glass, tile and other embellishments.  All materials, tools, adhesives, physical handouts provided.  Students may also bring jewelry, special items to add to their mirror. Linda Pannullo is a local mosaic artist that uses both traditional and contemporary for my art. Her work ranges from the whimsical to fine art, from eclectic materials to the traditional stained glass and 3D sculptures. She loves to teach and currently instructs at the John C Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, Olive’s Porch, the Purple Crayon and Trackside Studios in Asheville. She is very fond of FUNctional Art and love bringing new folks into the mosaic world. One of her biggest honors is to be the 1st mosaic artist to exhibit at the NC Arboretum and have a permanent mosaic installation, Nature’s Throne there. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.See all of our classes open for registration here!

Naturalist Walk and Talk - Parasites

Naturalist Walk and Talk – Parasiteswith Shane Myers Friday, August 14 |  1 – 3pm BRN – Elective REGISTER HERE Walk around the Arboretum with our staff naturalists and talk about what we see around us. We might see plants and animals, and evidence of them going about th......More

Naturalist Walk and Talk – Parasiteswith Shane Myers Friday, August 14 |  1 – 3pm BRN – Elective REGISTER HERE Walk around the Arboretum with our staff naturalists and talk about what we see around us. We might see plants and animals, and evidence of them going about their lives in our backyard. Topics will be based on what we see and experience and whatever questions that come up, so every class has the potential to be quite different. This month we will focus on the gall-forming organisms and parasitic organisms of the Arboretum. This program will take place outside and will follow easy trails and paved walkways. Dress for the weather and prepare to be outside for the entire program time. Shane Myers’ interest in nature began as a child with a love of dinosaurs. This quickly grew to include fossils, insects, and reptiles, and learning from the notes his grandparents kept of the birds that came to their feeders in Toledo, Ohio.  He has a Bachelors of Science in Wildlife Biology and did most of his undergraduate work on dragonflies and damselflies. He’s assisted in outreach and education for plant conservation groups, Odonata Groups, and various bird groups. Shane currently works for the Adult Education department at the NC Arboretum. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.See all of our classes open for registration here!

Guided Trail Walk

Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and thr......More

Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more. Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.. Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather. There is no pre-registration walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center. Walks are FREE however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free. Know Before You GoGuided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.

Forest Bathing Retreat: CommuniTEA Amongst the Trees

Forest Bathing Retreat: CommuniTEA Amongst the Treeswith Asheville Wellness Tours Saturday, August 15  |  10am – 1pm REGISTER HERE Loneliness is an epidemic according to a recent report by the U.S. Surgeon General. However, we have a wondrous and simple solution: nature......More

Forest Bathing Retreat: CommuniTEA Amongst the Treeswith Asheville Wellness Tours Saturday, August 15  |  10am – 1pm REGISTER HERE Loneliness is an epidemic according to a recent report by the U.S. Surgeon General. However, we have a wondrous and simple solution: nature connection! If you’re in search of community and/or you really like tea and the great outdoors, join us for this immersive morning retreat focused on fostering kinship with like-minded people and the more-than-human world. Your guide, Kelly Bruce, will lead you on a relational journey through the bountiful summer forest, weaving mindfulness, breathwork, forest bathing and nature therapy together for a restorative morning on some of the trails less traveled at the North Carolina Arboretum. We’ll celebrate the experience in community, enjoying a special wild-foraged tea ceremony and snacks. Bring an open mind and an open heart. All are welcome. Presented through Adult & Continuing Education Programs in collaboration with Asheville Wellness Tours. Kelly Bruce is a writer, forest therapy guide and nature connection mentor based in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Her mission is to help others deepen their connection with nature, community and Self. Kelly is an Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Certified Guide and Certification Consultant. She is Wilderness First Aid and CPR certified by the American Red Cross. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.See all of our classes open for registration here!

Ink Drawing for Beginners: Fungi

Ink Drawing for Beginners: Fungiwith Dayna Walton Saturday, August 15  |  12 – 4pm REGISTER HERE Join Dayna Walton of Solstice Handmade for a drawing workshop to dive into drawing fungi with pen and ink. We will cover some foundational techniques using both a brush pen ......More

Ink Drawing for Beginners: Fungiwith Dayna Walton Saturday, August 15  |  12 – 4pm REGISTER HERE Join Dayna Walton of Solstice Handmade for a drawing workshop to dive into drawing fungi with pen and ink. We will cover some foundational techniques using both a brush pen and fine tipped pen, learning from practice exercises first. We will focus on accurately drawing the forms of different fungi families, as well as mark making techniques to capture lifelike values and textures. Then we will look to the work of Natural Science Illustrators for inspiration and apply our new skills to create a finished drawing, working from collected mushroom specimens! This class is open to any skill level, beginners are welcome All the supplies you’ll need are included. You’ll even get to take home 2 pens to continue drawing with! Dayna Walton came to love WNC through the Artist-in-Residence program of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2019. Since then, she’s been hiking and sketching and learning about ecology wherever she can. Her illustrations are her way of studying the creepy, crawly, tiny, often overlooked parts of nature. From slime molds and stoneflies, to lichens and liverworts, you’re sure to recognize some species from the Blue Ridge Mountains in her work. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.See all of our classes open for registration here!

Introduction to Appalachian Ecology

Introduction to Appalachian Ecologywith Dan Lazar Saturday, August 15  |  1 – 3pm BRN – Core  |  BREG – Core REGISTER HERE From the flood plain of the French Broad River to the summit of Mount Mitchel, we will explore the diverse ecological communities that make up the ......More

Introduction to Appalachian Ecologywith Dan Lazar Saturday, August 15  |  1 – 3pm BRN – Core  |  BREG – Core REGISTER HERE From the flood plain of the French Broad River to the summit of Mount Mitchel, we will explore the diverse ecological communities that make up the Blue Ridge Bioregion. We will learn why spruce trees are found only on the summits of our highest mountains: why the Southern Appalachians are the lungless salamander capital of the world and how deer and ants determine where trilliums grow. Part illustrated lecture and part on-site field trip, this class serves as an introduction to all Special Topics in Ecology classes offered through the Blue Ridge Naturalist Program. This program takes place in the classroom and outdoors. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather. Dan Lazar served for many years as the director of education at the Western North Carolina Nature Center, followed by several years as executive director of the Colburn Earth Science Museum. Dan has a degree in forest biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and has been an instructor in the Blue Ridge Naturalist program since 2005. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.See all of our classes open for registration here!