Join Steve Chaney as he demonstrates making salsa in your own kitchen.  As he cooks, Steve will provide recipes and describe the different types and flavors of salsa found in the various regions of the Southwest. He will share how these flavors are achieved by using fresh and local herbs, vegetables and seasonings. 

Instructor Steve Chaney is originally from a small town in Southern Oklahoma where he learned to love the garden from a very young age.  After receiving two BS degrees from Oklahoma State University in Landscape Architecture and Marketing, he owned and operated a design/building firm for over ten years before joining the Extension family and acquiring his Master’s Degree in Agricultural Education.  He first served as a CEA in Wichita County and, after four years, continued his service to the community as a CEA in Tarrant County, where he still continues to make a significant impact. His experience and expertise have helped to make the Tarrant County Home Horticulture programs recognized as “tops in the state”.  

This class will be held in the BRIT classroom.

$20 members/$25 non-members

BRIT is pleased to welcome artists Trailer McQuilkin and Ann Ekstrom to the Madeline R. Samples Exhibit Hall for Two Views which will be in residence from August 31 – October 11, 2018.

A native of New Orleans, McQuilkin has lived and worked in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, for the past 35 years. In 1969 the artist began experimenting with methods of creating metal wildflower sculpture eventually settling on a blend of several artistic techniques. The product of this art form is unique; each sculpture is one of a kind, with its own individuality and its own beauty.

McQuilkin, who is largely self-taught, produces complex and beautiful micro-habitats. His meticulous study, and subsequent recreation, of each plant have left us a great legacy of these fragile plants and their environments, which many of us will never have the opportunity to see.

Ann Ekstrom’s paintings are a lot like looking into a drawer full of vintage bakelite and celluloid buttons, pins, baubles and beads – just magnified to a grand scale. She preserves pieces of costume jewelry, tiny toys, highly collectible forms of wearable art and other odd bits of ephemera by enlarging them on canvas, then expertly combing them for creative and unusual still lifes, giving her subjects a new life of their own.

Her highly trained eye for color, pattern, and texture is evident in her meticulously arranged paintings of small objects that beg to be examined closely. Expertly controlled, her palette, her shading technique, and understanding of light and form make even her small canvases take on a presence of their own.

Ready to grow your own food but wish you knew more? Then this is the class for you! Successful Vegetable Gardening, taught by Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic of Barking Cat Farm, will cover a range of topics to help the beginning vegetable gardener be successful growing their own food organically. Apply your new found knowledge to your fall garden or get a jump on your 2019 garden.

Instructors Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic, owners of Barking Cat Farm, focus on growing high quality crops in an organic and sustainable manner. Brix testing is done regularly to monitor the nutritional quality of the produce and compost and compost teas are applied to the soil to ensure that soil biology is constantly improving. Both Laurie & Kim have their Permaculture Design Certificate from Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Design Course. Both have studied under Dr. Elaine Ingham and are working towards becoming Certified Soil Life Consultants. They offer permaculture design and soil biology consulting services to other growers and gardeners.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$30 members/$35 non-members.

Registration opens soon!

Join us for this three hour, hands on class as we learn how to harvest, press, and use botanical applique to preserve plant material. This process is not only fun, it can be used to create unique cards, gifts, journals and more! Students will create and take home two botanical applique cards.

Instructor Alisa Banks is a visual artist whose work centers on issues concerning identity. Her work, which often references traditional crafts, incorporates fibers, plants, and other found materials.  Alisa’s work has been exhibited in venues in the U.S., Canada, England, and Laos, and is housed in several private and public collections, including the U.S. Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Museum, and the New York Public Library. Alisa received her BS from Oklahoma State University and her MFA from Texas Woman’s University. She lives in Dallas, TX.

Please Note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$40 members/$45 non-members

Are you new to gardening? Did you know that Texas is the perfect location for fall and winter gardening? Are you tired of paying for a clamshell of 'fresh' lettuce or other greens? Then why not grow your own salad bowl right at home? In this class we will discuss how to raise lettuce and other greens at home. Enjoy the convenience of walking out your back door and harvesting your own greens rather than making yet another trip to the grocery store.

Instructor Joyce Fethke-Block, a native Minnesotan, was raised on a family farm in the southern part of the state where she learned to love all aspects of gardening. After deciding that a career in the restaurant business wasn’t for her, she returned to school at the University of Minnesota and majored in Horticulture. She moved to Texas several years ago, married a native Texan, and along the way became a Master Gardener, a member of Texas Nursery and Landscape Professionals, and earned her Bachelor’s degree in, what else, Horticulture. Joyce has worked at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as the curator for the Rainforest Conservatory & Christmas Coordinator for almost 4 years. She and her husband live in Alvarado, TX. According to Joyce, Texas is a whole other country when it comes to gardening!

Please note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Take a walk around the BRIT campus with Dr. Grace Bascopé, BRIT Resident Research Associate and Medical and Environmental Anthropologist, to learn about which and how plants were used by the First Peoples of the North Central Texas area. She will also discuss archaeological research carried out right around BRIT. Dr. Bascopé will  show you the First Peoples Demonstration Garden and discuss how Native Americans and others optimize water conservation in their gardens in this dry region.

Instructor Grace is a Medical and Environmental Anthropologist who has spent most of her professional career working in the Maya regions of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. However, because she comes from North Central Texas, and because she wants the story of the Prairie to begin with the coming of Native Americans rather than the cowboy, she has also spent some time studying plant uses here before European contact.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Intrigued by the phrase 'Food Forest'? Are you wondering what one is? Or how to build one? In this class, we will be discussing the basics of building a Food Forest for the North Texas area. Instructor Jason Ramsey will be explaining what a Food Forest is, and discussing its needs, how to design a Food Forest, and how to maintain the system. He will also be touching on several techniques that will make the most of any property or backyard. 

Instructor Jason Ramsey of Perma-Scape Landscape Design and Management, a consultancy firm dedicated to regenerative agriculture practices and the Permaculture philosophy. Jason received his Permaculture certification in February of 2014 through Permaculture Denton. Jason has been a practitioner of Permaculture since 2008.

Please Note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Although the calendar and the temperature might argue with you, Fall Gallery Night marks the arrival of Fall in Fort Worth so mark your calendar and plan to join us at BRIT on Saturday, September 8 from 4pm – 9pm.

Two Views: Botanical sculpture by Trailer McQuilkin, Botanical paintings by Ann Ekstrom will be in the Madeline R. Samples Exhibit Hall and Symbosis by Erika Duque will be in the Welcome Center Gallery.

BRIT will also be hosting two pop-up events, a pop-up exhibit by the Fort Worth Art Collective and a pop-up artisan market featuring the work of a variety of talented local craftspeople. For more information, please contact Laura Venhaus.

Join us for this two day watercolor master class with sought after instructor Soon Y. Warren and learn how to create a floral image with watercolor in a step by step process. Students will work from a reference photo provided by Warren and will have homework prior to the first day of the workshop. Following a painting demonstration, workshop participants will do their own painting in order to fully understand the process. While concentrating on technique, the concept of color theory, composition, and color values will be incorporated into the workshop. While painting workshop participants will learn:
• Glazing and washing techniques to create a luminous under painting
• How to utilize light and dark values in order to capture the sparkle of sbuject
• How to approach a painting
• How to incorporate the concept of color theory and color relationships into a painting
• Discussion and critiques will take place during workshop session
• To make the most of instructional time, prepare the drawing before the workshop.

Instructor Soon Y. Warren was born in South Korea and immigrated to the United States in 1987. Since she began painting full time in 1998, she has had many exhibitions and earned numerous awards. She is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society (NWS), the Southern Watercolor Society (SW), the Society of Watercolor Artists (SWA) and the Texas Watercolor Society (TWS)–Purple Sage Brush Society. She is one of the featured artists in Splash 8: Watercolor Discoveries and Splash 10: Passionate Brushstrokes. Soon Y. is the author of two books:  Vibrant Flowers in Watercolor and Painting Vibrant Watercolors.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

This is a two day class that will take place on Saturday, 9/15, from 10am - 3pm and Sunday, 9/16, from 10am - 3pm.

$200 members/$250 non-members

Join Trip Smith for a tour of the Orchid Collection in the Conservation Greenhouse at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Explore the distribution and nomenclature of orchids including the significant adaptations, pollination, reproductive methods, cultivation and germination requirements.Trip will guide you through choosing and successfully growing orchids in your home.

Instructor Trip Smith is a graduate of Texas A&M with Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Horticulture. As the Curator of the Botanic Garden Orchid Collection he has increased the collection tremendously. Trip has been with the Botanic Garden in charge of the Conservation Greenhouse for 10 years.

Please note: This class will be held at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Students in this day long workshop will create a landscape based on reality, memory and or imagination with an emphasis on Fort Worth’s surrounding nature and landscape. We will begin with a very brief history of landscape paintings and painters and will learn several painting techniques using acrylic paint and/or watercolors. Students will also learn the basics of balance and composition and how to translate a photograph into a painting whilst embracing your own personal style and imagination. The instructor will provide images of landscapes of nature from the surrounding area (Brit’s prairie), but students may bring their own photos for inspiration or reference.

Instructor Erika Duque is a painter who lives and works in Fort Worth, TX. She is originally from Flushing, Queens, NY. Duque received her BFA at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is currently an MFA candidate at TCU in painting and graduates in May of 2018. http://www.erikaduque.com
 

Bring a sack lunch and join Trip Smith to learn all about bees and how to set up your own hives. He will give you an introduction to bee keeping including the history of bee keeping, why we need bees, and challenges to bees keeping in general. He will also demonstrate how to set up and managing a hive including where to get bees, establishing the colony/hive, harvesting honey and rules and regulations concerning bees in general.  You will leave with a jar of honey from the bees in the Botanic Garden!

Instructor Trip Smith is a Horticulturist with a BS (1971) and MA (1977) degrees in horticulture from Texas A&M University. He has been a bee keeper since the early 80s. He is working to establish an apiary at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and has been with the Garden as the Conservation Curator since 2008.

Please note: This class will be held at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden

$30 members/$35 non-members

The key to having nutrient dense food is having a healthy functioning soil food web in your garden. This course will give you a good foundation in understanding how to use biology in your organic gardening to grow tasty, healthy, nutritious food. Pair this class with the hands-on 'Soil Biology for Gardeners' for a deeper dive into this fascinating subject.

Instructors Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic, owners of Barking Cat Farm, focus on growing high quality crops in an organic and sustainable manner. Brix testing is done regularly to monitor the nutritional quality of the produce and compost and compost teas are applied to the soil to ensure that soil biology is constantly improving. Both Laurie & Kim have their Permaculture Design Certificate from Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Design Course. Both have studied under Dr. Elaine Ingham and are working towards becoming Certified Soil Life Consultants. They offer permaculture design and soil biology consulting services to other growers and gardeners.

Please Note: This class will take place at BRIT 

$30 members/$35 non-members

This workshop will provide an introduction to the world of grasses that are found in the prairies, savannas, and woodlands of North Texas. The focus will be on field identification of grasses by their distinguishing physical characteristics. It will include an overview of basic terminology related to the parts of the grass plant, a brief discussion of taxonomic classification, discussion of the significance of various grass species, their potential values, and the ecosystem services they provide. 

Instructor Dan Caudle is a native West Texan with a special interest in the native grasslands of the plains and prairies and the ecological drivers, natural disturbances, and plant community dynamics that are essential to their existence. He retired in 2006 after a 40-year career as a Rangeland Management Specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service with extensive work experience throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

Caudle serves as an instructor for two natural resource management training courses conducted annually by the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma as well as serving as a director and instructor for the week-long Youth Range Workshop sponsored annually by the Society for Range Management in Junction, Texas. He is currently working with landowners and organizations in Texas and Louisiana on landscape scale projects related to restoration, remediation, and long-term management of native grasslands.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$20 members/$25 non-members

The organisms living in soil are crucial to soil health. In this hands-on class participants will work with microscopes to identify the different types of organisms that live in the soil. This class is a companion to the earlier class "What is the Soil Food Web?" and it is strongly recommended that they be taken together for a more complete understanding of the soil organisms we’ll be discussing and viewing. 

Instructors Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic, owners of Barking Cat Farm, focus on growing high quality crops in an organic and sustainable manner. Brix testing is done regularly to monitor the nutritional quality of the produce and compost and compost teas are applied to the soil to ensure that soil biology is constantly improving. Both Laurie & Kim have their Permaculture Design Certificate from Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Design Course. Both have studied under Dr. Elaine Ingham and are working towards becoming Certified Soil Life Consultants. They offer permaculture design and soil biology consulting services to other growers and gardeners.

Please Note: This class will take place at BRIT. 

$20 members/$25 non-members

It was said to be the drink of gods. Movies have been made about it, business have been built around it, and fountains often flow with it. What is this wondrous product of which we speak?  Chocolate! Join us for this two hour class and explore the fascinating history of this much loved botanical product. We will visit a real, live chocolate tree, explore the differences between dark, white, and milk chocolate and even, perhaps, learn the Mayan recipe for hot chocolate.

Instructor Joyce Fethke-Block, a native Minnesotan, was raised on a family farm in the southern part of the state where she learned to love all aspects of gardening. After deciding that a career in the restaurant business wasn’t for her, she returned to school at the University of Minnesota and majored in Horticulture. She moved to Texas several years ago, married a native Texan, and along the way became a Master Gardener, a member of Texas Nursery and Landscape Professionals, and earned her Bachelor’s degree in, what else, Horticulture. Joyce has worked at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as the curator for the Rainforest Conservatory & Christmas Coordinator for almost 4 years. She and her husband live in Alvarado, TX. According to Joyce, Texas is a whole other country when it comes to gardening!

Please note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Join Claire Alford for this class as she teaches about the different types of bulbs we plant for spring blooms. Students will then have a hands-on experience in layering tunicate bulbs in pots.  Students will take home a 12" pot with 2-3 different tunicate bulbs which will bloom at different times during the spring.

Instructor Claire Alford has been a Master Gardener for 13 years.  She leads the Plant Propagation Specialists and teaches Propagation to Master Gardeners from across Texas. She has taught at conferences on tomatoes, From Rain to Drought and the Southern Region Conference. During these years she has been learning to make her yard work easier and found that bulbs are one of the simplest perennials to grow.  

Please Note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$30 members/$35 non-members

Join Begonia experts in creating your own terrarium using begonias from the nationally recognized Begonia Species Collection.  You will learn the method of creating and caring for a miniature tropical habitat for rare and exotic species and hybrids.  You will take home your glass terrarium for instant color.

Instructor Bobbie Price is a 20 year volunteer in the nationally recognized Begonia Species Bank along with Don Miller who has spent his life searching for new species and conserving rare begonias. Debbie Garrett, the staff curator for the collection, studied horticulture at the University of North Texas.  Her love for begonias centers on the conservation of the species. 

Please note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$30 members/$35 non-members

Honorary Hosts Sasha and Ed Bass, Ramona and Lee Bass, Laura and Greg Bird, Stephanie and Billy Brentlinger, Event Chair Grant James, and Executive Director Edward Schneider invite you to join us at the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel for an evening of inspiration. Our International Award of Excellence in Conservation recipient, Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, is a pioneer in the areas of ocean exploration, ocean conservation, and women in science. Come hear Dr. Earle speak about her daring undersea adventures and why, after decades of observing over-fishing and increasing environmental damage, our oceans need to be protected now.

The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel is partnering with BRIT to provide guests with a reduced rate of $189 per night for reservations made for the event by September 25th. Call (800) 433-5677 and ask for the BRIT Gala special event rate.

For more information, contact Sara Richardson srichardson@brit.org 817.332.2748.

Join instructor Barbara Baker as she shares her tips, tricks and ideas to achieve that special look for your home during the holidays. Take home a wreath for your front door and a fresh flower arrangement for your dining table. All flowers and other materials are included.

Barbara Baker is former President of Fort Worth Garden Club and Texas Garden Clubs.  She incorporates English gardening ideas from her travels into her own garden. Barbara has taught flower arranging as a National Garden Club Flower Show Judge and Instructor from Oregon to New Hampshire. 

Please note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$40 members/$45 non-members

Join Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic of Barking Cat Farm for this hands-on seed starting workshop that will be taught in the FW Botanic Garden greenhouse. Tuition covers a variety of seeds and planting materials. You’ll go home with an understanding of seed starting and seeded pots that can become the foundation for your home garden.

Instructors Kim Martin and Laurie Bostic, owners of Barking Cat Farm, focus on growing high quality crops in an organic and sustainable manner. Brix testing is done regularly to monitor the nutritional quality of the produce and compost and compost teas are applied to the soil to ensure that soil biology is constantly improving. Both Laurie & Kim have their Permaculture Design Certificate from Geoff Lawton’s Permaculture Design Course. Both have studied under Dr. Elaine Ingham and are working towards becoming Certified Soil Life Consultants. They offer permaculture design and soil biology consulting services to other growers and gardeners.

Please note: This class will take place at the FWBG.

$20 members/$25 non-members

Join Master Gardeners in this hands-on class as they discuss how to create an attractive and sustainable miniature garden. With step-by-step instructions and practical tips, you will design and create your own miniature garden during the class and take it home with you. All plants and other materials are included. Just bring yourself!

Instructor Hester Schwarzer is a native East Texan. She grew up with a mother who loved and grew flowers, vegetables and fruit and taking the Master Gardener classes the year after retiring from a teaching career has given her the opportunity to return to her roots. Miniature gardens have fascinated her since playing in the soil making roads, designing tiny buildings and finding small plants to populate her landscapes. Instructor Kay Sekio is a native of Japan. She received a Ph.D. in Public Administration from UTA and is currently working as a trilingual linguist. She became a Master Gardner in 2003 and a Plant Propagation Specialist in 2013. Garden craft including miniature gardens is one of her specialties. As the 4th generation of Bonsai-loving family, she was interested in moss and was certified as a moss craft (Kokedama) instructor in 2016 in Japan after completing a special training session.

Please note: This class will be held at the FWBG

$20 members/$25 non-members

Registration opens soon!

Join us for this three hour class and take the first steps in applying Permaculture design to your property. The class will cover Zones and Sectors, Climate and Topographical Effect, Soil Building, Water Harvesting, System Succession, and Design. Students will learn several techniques that will help you get started designing your own yards and making the most of your space. 

Instructor Jason Ramsey of Perma-Scape Landscape Design and Management, a consultancy firm dedicated to regenerative agriculture practices and the Permaculture philosophy. Jason received his Permaculture certification in February of 2014 through Permaculture Denton. Jason has been a practitioner of Permaculture since 2008.

Please note: This class will take place at BRIT.

$30 members/$35 non-members

Join instructor Judy Ratzlaff as she shares her love of Japanese flower arranging using the Ikebana technique of Moribana.  she will supply the flowers, kenzan (frog), and other supplies.  You will need to bring a shallow container for your arrangement.  You may also bring flowers with long stems from your own garden.  Not only will you leave with an Ikebana arrangement but with instructions to create your own at home.

Instructor Judy Ratzlaff was trained in Ikebana in Japan where she lived for many years. She is a Sogetsu school teacher and also studied Ohara school. As 2nd VP on the International Board of Ikebana, headquartered in Tokyo, from 1995-1998 she oversaw 174 Chapters in 60 countries. She was one of only 2 foreigners on the board. She was 1st VP of the Nagoya Chapter in 1991. Judy represented and co-hosted Ikebana International at the American Embassy for a tea and tour and co-chaired the Tokyo Founding Chapters Christmas Fundraiser for three years. She attended 4 International Conferences in Tokyo over 20 years, the Sixth Asian Conference in Manila, Philippines and the North American Conference in Ottawa while an officer. Judy was also 1 of 2 representatives from the North American Conference at the International Conference in Yokohama.

Please note: This class will be held at the FWBG.

$40 members/$45 non-members

A lecture from our newest BRIT Research Botanist. Expected start date July 2018. Topic to be decided.

Join us for this exciting hands-on class in the principles and basics of floral design including color, balance, proportion, scale, and rhythm with Fort Worth Botanic Garden employee, Agnes Slociak Knasiak.  Dr. Slociak Knasiak will share the history of floral arrangements along with the containers, tools and mechanics of designs. Each student will take home the design on which they work along with a 4” potted fern that Agnes propagated to use in future flower designs.

Instructor Agnieszka Slociak Knasiak, has degrees from two universities in Europe including a PhD in Horticulture. During her doctoral study in Wroclaw, Poland she took special classes for “The Art of Floral Design.” She creates the flower designs each year for the Japanese Garden Festivals and designs arrangements for special events in the Botanic Garden such as birthday parties, anniversaries, funerals, holidays tables, etc. She is currently a Greenhouse Attendant for the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

Please note: This class will be held at the FWBG. 

$40 members/$45 non-members