Holden Forests & Gardens kicks off the new year with virtual classes for nature lovers.
The spotlight session is “Garden for All Seasons: Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Hillwood,”from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 21. To reserve your spot, visit holdenarb.org/hfg-virtual-classes/. What better way to get through winter than to pause to tour one of the nation’s most beautiful gardens?
Set on 25 acres in Washington, D.C., Hillwood is the embodiment of Marjorie Merriweather Post’s grand vision. Working with the prominent landscape duo Umberto Innocenti and Richard Webel and Perry Wheeler, Post shaped a setting with a diverse and verdant array of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, offering something to see in every season. Thirteen acres of formal gardens extend from the house in a progression of outdoor rooms. Each of these spaces, meant to complement the mansion’s interior rooms, encourages an intuitive flow, from the French parterre to the rose garden onto the Friendship Walk and the Lunar Lawn—location of many of Post’s legendary parties.
Instructor: Kate Markert, Executive Director, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
Live, virtual program; $15 per member, $30 per nonmember
Additional January offerings include:
Scientist Lecture Series: Growing Black Roots – The Black Botanical Legacy
Toxic Soils & Special Plants: Serpentine Endemism in California with Tatyana Soto
Jan, 13, 7 – 8 p.m., live virtual program, FREE with reservation
California’s is home to both a majority of North America’s serpentine soil as well as a biodiversity hotspot that includes countless adaptive radiations. Serpentine rock is derived from volcanic rock that is created at the place where two of Earth’s tectonic plates collide, this rock is then eroded into serpentine soil.
Serpentine soil is extremely high in heavy metals such as nickel and iron and low in essential nutrients such as calcium and potassium. This makes serpentine soil inhospitable to plant species that have not specially evolved to tolerate these stressful conditions. However, serpentine tolerance has evolved independently multiple times in a number of plant genera. While most serpentine endemics are very poor competitors, they are able to thrive in these desolate pockets of toxic soil. These populations may have low genetic diversity due to their isolation, and current human activities may be reducing their genetic diversity even more, potentially putting them at increased risk of extinction. In this talk, Ms. Soto will present her work on the population genetics of three rare serpentine endemics; specifically a comparison between historic and contemporary genetic diversity.
Cozy, Plant-Based Comfort Food Favorites
Saturday, Jan. 16, 1-3 p.m.
Instructor: Linda Kolton, Award-winning vegan chef and cookbook author
Live, virtual program; $35 per member, $50 per nonmember
Sometimes, the best way to beat the winter blues is by slipping into a dish of something scrumptious. Comfort food helps us feel safe, cozy, and cared for–and when it’s plant-based, nourished. Soothe your senses and start the new year off right when you learn how to make these delicious dishes you’ll want to repeat all winter long. In this demonstration-style class, award-winning vegan chef and cookbook author Linda Kolton will show you how to master these classic dishes without using dairy, eggs, or animal products: Homemade Vegan Kielbasa Polish Boy, Creamiest Mac and Cheese with Shiitake Bacon, and No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars. Recipes are designed for eaters of all ages.
Invasive Plants and Horticulture Alternatives
Wednesday, Jan. 27, 6-7 p.m.
Instructors: Mary Lineberger and Sabrina Kozsey, Gardeners with Holden Forests & Gardens
Live, virtual program; $10 per member, $25 per nonmember
Get a jump start on controlling invasive plant species in your yard or neighborhood this spring by better understanding the most common invasive plant species in Northeast Ohio. This class will examine the history, plant characteristics, what makes these plants a nuisance and methods for controlling them. As a follow up to this virtual program, a companion hike will take place at the Holden Arboretum campus in July 2021 where participants will view some of our less accessible natural areas as well as the plants discussed during the presentation.
Holden Forests and Gardens is looking for instructors, contact us if you are interested in becoming an Adult Education Instructor.
About Holden Forests & Gardens
Holden Forests & Gardens is made up of two of Northeast Ohio’s most important environmental and cultural institutions — the Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Botanical Garden — whose mission is to connect people with the wonder, beauty, and value of trees and plants, to inspire action for healthy communities. For more information, visit holdenarb.org and cbgarden.org.
