Treat yourself to a daylong retreat at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden! Celebrate the first days of Fall and gather at the Garden for a day of mindfulness and nature immersion. You can expect guided yoga practice, meditation and journaling, mindful walks, and opportunities to connect with oneself, with nature, and with others. This retreat is suitable for all levels of experience and ability. Space is limited to allow for an intimate group experience.

Members $105 | Nonmembers $125

About the Instructor

Alicia Broudy has been practicing and teaching yoga for over a decade. She completed teacher training in 2015, along with several continuing education courses in vinyasa yoga sequencing and anatomy. In recent years, hiking has become an extension of her personal yoga practice. She finds healing and restoration outdoors, and completed a 10-day Mindful Outdoor Guide training at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. As a Mindful Outdoor Guide, she weaves together yoga, grounding exercises, and meditation for a fully immersive sensory experience.

Lunch and admission to the Garden are included in ticket pricing. This program is suitable for adults, or children age 16-18 accompanied by adults. Please be sure you have signed in to receive member registration discount.

Breathe in the freshness and beauty of the Garden, and breathe out stress and tension. When you practice Tai Chi Qigong at the Garden, you awaken your senses to the natural world around you and feel rejuvenated in the presence of its harmony and vibrancy. Tai Chi Qigong is a practice of moving meditation involving simple movement patterns, rhythms and stillness. It quiets the mind, opens the heart and restores balance. Slow down, listen to, and nurture your body by finding your center, natural flow and resilience.

Members $20 | Nonmembers $25  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Gurney Bolster is a certified instructor of Tai Chi and Qigong and the founder of Tai Chi for Health Pittsburgh. She has taught in the Pittsburgh area since 2010. Read more about Tai Chi for Health Pittsburgh >

No experience or equipment necessary. Please wear flat, comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for weather conditions. This program will be held outside, weather permitting, and may be moved indoors in the case of inclement weather.

Join us and experience nature’s power to soothe, refresh, and open your heart. The Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing in English) is a slow, sensory-based walk in the woods, during which we focus on the sights, sounds, smells, feels and tastes of nature. This is neither a naturalist exploration nor a fitness trek; this walk is about soaking in the health benefits of spending relaxed time in nature. It’s also about tending and mending our relationships with nature, ourselves, and others. There are no requirements – just come as you are.

Members $35 | Nonmembers $45  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Doug Jones received his certification as a Forest Therapy Guide in 2020 from the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs (ANFT). Prior to beginning his Forest Therapy practice, he worked as an independent psychologist in Sewickley, Pennsylvania and at Sewickley Academy for over 30 years. In retirement, his goal is to guide walks as a way of staying in service to others and nature. The encounters that occur during a Forest Therapy walk provide participants with the opportunity to recollect and embody their sense of being at home in nature and with themselves. The ANFT motto is: “The forest is the therapist, the guide opens the doors.”

Program suitable for adults (18+) and children age 16 years and older, if accompanied by an adult.

The annual migration of North America’s monarch butterfly is a unique and amazing phenomenon. Join us at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden to learn about the monarch life cycle, their habitats and behaviors, and see some for yourself! Activities will include a tour of the Margaret Lawrence Simon Dogwood Meadow and Hillside Pollinator Garden. 

Location

There will be activities set up at the Margaret Lawrence Simon Dogwood Meadow and docents will be available in Hillside Pollinator Garden to answer your pollinator questions!

About Autumn in the Garden

Every Sunday in October, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden will be hosting drop-in programs and activities centered around a different garden-related theme. Autumn in the Garden is included with regular daily admission, which is always free for members. To join and receive all member benefits, click here.

Thank you to EQT for supporting Autumn in the Garden

Connecting with nature is essential to child development, sparking creativity and imagination – and autumn is the season to explore the great changes in nature. Join a Pittsburgh Botanic Garden educator to head outdoors in search of adventure. Examine a different theme each week, from leaves turning their glorious colors to birds heading south for the winter. Each visit will include time in the Garden’s different habitats, a story reading and time for free play.

It may seem counterintuitive, but you need to plant your spring-blooming bulbs in the fall for the spectacular display you want in spring. Join us as Education & Exhibits Director, Dr. Mark Miller, takes a deeper look at geophytes (bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes) that delight the eyes after a hard winter spell. Interesting characters that you may not be familiar with will be detailed, as well as the ones that are more resistant to deer and other marauding critters. Each attendee will take home a selection of Mark’s favorites. In addition, many of the bulbs covered in the lecture will be available for sale.

Members $20 | Nonmembers $25  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Dr. Mark Miller is the Education & Exhibits Director at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. He earned his Ph.D. in Environment & Natural Resources at The Ohio State University and has over 40 years experience working as a landscape designer, tree crop specialist, educator, and director at botanical institutions and associations around the country.

Join Doug Oster from Gardening with Doug, and Dr. Mark Miller, Education & Exhibits Director, for a walk through the gardens and woodlands of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden to view and learn about plants with excellent fall color! There will be copious amounts of witty banter and plant-nerdy conversations. The tour will be followed by a delicious lunch featuring fresh, seasonal produce.

Also – it’s garlic planting time! Doug Oster will discuss the plant known as the “stinking rose.”

Members $45  |  Nonmembers $55

About the Instructor

Doug Oster is a writer, radio and television host, and Emmy-winning producer. He currently hosts The Organic Gardener Radio Show every Sunday morning at 7am on KDKA Radio, and writes feature articles for Pittsburgh Earth Day’s Green Voice e-newsletter.

Dr. Mark Miller is the Education & Exhibits Director at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. He earned his Ph.D. in Environment & Natural Resources at The Ohio State University and has over 40 years experience working as a landscape designer, tree crop specialist, educator, and director at botanical institutions and associations around the country.

Please be sure you have signed in to receive member registration discount.

Have you ever wanted your own custom field guide that has the information you need organized in a way that makes sense to you? Well, this is the workshop for you! Join Tess Wilson, Nature Engagement Manager for Audubon Mid-Atlantic, for a fun creation of a DIY “nature zine” and take the first steps to creating our own personal field guides.

Members $10  |  Nonmembers $15

About the Instructor

Tess Wilson is the Network Engagement Manager for Audubon Mid-Atlantic. She loves talking loudly about digital literacy, equitable access, and citizen science.

This program is suitable for adults and children. Children should be accompanied by an adult (18+). Please be sure you have signed in to receive member registration discount.

Join us and experience nature’s power to soothe, refresh, and open your heart. The Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing in English) is a slow, sensory-based walk in the woods, during which we focus on the sights, sounds, smells, feels and tastes of nature. This is neither a naturalist exploration nor a fitness trek; this walk is about soaking in the health benefits of spending relaxed time in nature. It’s also about tending and mending our relationships with nature, ourselves, and others. There are no requirements – just come as you are.

Members $35 | Nonmembers $45  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Doug Jones received his certification as a Forest Therapy Guide in 2020 from the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs (ANFT). Prior to beginning his Forest Therapy practice, he worked as an independent psychologist in Sewickley, Pennsylvania and at Sewickley Academy for over 30 years. In retirement, his goal is to guide walks as a way of staying in service to others and nature. The encounters that occur during a Forest Therapy walk provide participants with the opportunity to recollect and embody their sense of being at home in nature and with themselves. The ANFT motto is: “The forest is the therapist, the guide opens the doors.”

Program suitable for adults (18+) and children age 16 years and older, if accompanied by an adult.

Improve flexibility, strength, and mind-body connection with certified instructors from Yoga H’Om. Pittsburgh Botanic Garden’s peaceful garden and woodland spaces provide an excellent environment to focus and immerse yourself in this practice. Yoga is mostly held at the Lotus Pond, but may move to Weisbrod Learning Pavilion or Peirce Education Rooms based on weather conditions.

Members $15 | Nonmembers $20

About the Instructors

Yoga H’Om has been providing classic Hatha yoga to students of all abilities in the Western suburbs of Pittsburgh since 2002. In their classes, you will be respected and allowed to grow at your own pace. You will also be encouraged and challenged to go beyond your perceived limitations and discover your true inner self and potential.

Please bring your own yoga mat for this session. Yoga at the Garden is suitable for adults, or youth ages 16+ if accompanied by an adult. This class is open to beginners or participants of all levels of yoga experience.

Lie under the vibrant maple trees for a cozy autumn sound nap! A sound nap is a musical experience where you can lie down and relax completely. Gentle music will transport you to the corners of your imagination, causing the sense of time to completely fade away. In this 40-minute sound nap, entitled Color Moods, music paints the ears of the listeners with yellow notes of the Celtic harp, purple strokes of the glockenspiel and orange beats of drums.

Members $35 | Nonmembers $45  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Katalin La Favre is a classically trained percussionist on a non-traditional path, throwing her creative energy into building innovative, captivating experiences. Interested in interdisciplinary and experimental projects, she was drawn to France and awarded a Fulbright Grant to study with percussionist Jean Geoffroy in 2021. Katalin remained in France for 9 years, working in collaboration with actors, dancers, musicians and more. In 2018, she co-created her first sound nap with rock singer Sarah Metais Chastanier. She has since performed sound naps at various festivals and events, and has now created 5 different sound nap compositions. Katalin now lives in Ohio and is sharing these musical experiences with American audiences. Learn more on katalinlafavre.com > 

Program suitable for adults (18+) and children age 16 years and older, if accompanied by an adult.

Connecting with nature is essential to child development, sparking creativity and imagination – and autumn is the season to explore the great changes in nature. Join a Pittsburgh Botanic Garden educator to head outdoors in search of adventure. Examine a different theme each week, from leaves turning their glorious colors to birds heading south for the winter. Each visit will include time in the Garden’s different habitats, a story reading and time for free play.

Are you tired of your landscape looking sparse in December, January and February? It doesn’t have to be that way! Winter is just as legitimate (and beautiful) a season for the garden as the other three. Join Pittsburgh Botanic Garden’s Education & Exhibits Director, Dr. Mark Miller, as he delves into the plants and features that shine in the colder months. Techniques to provide more winter interest with the plants you already have will be examined, as well as some new tricks you may wish to try.

Members $10 | Nonmembers $15  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Dr. Mark Miller is the Education & Exhibits Director at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. He earned his Ph.D. in Environment & Natural Resources at The Ohio State University and has over 40 years experience working as a landscape designer, tree crop specialist, educator, and director at botanical institutions and associations around the country.

Connecting with nature is essential to child development, sparking creativity and imagination – and autumn is the season to explore the great changes in nature. Join a Pittsburgh Botanic Garden educator to head outdoors in search of adventure. Examine a different theme each week, from leaves turning their glorious colors to birds heading south for the winter. Each visit will include time in the Garden’s different habitats, a story reading and time for free play.

Whether you call them “Polish porcupines,” “star urchins,” or “hedgehogs,” the traditional paper ornament “jezyk” is a terrific addition to your holiday decorations. Learn all about these crafts and the traditions that inspired them from guest instructor, Ann Szilagyi. Jezyk ornaments may be displayed all year round in windows, bowls, etc. Take home your own finished ornament and make this a tradition by sharing with friends and family.

Program Fee

Members $25  |  Nonmembers $35

About the Instructor

Ann Szilagyi is retired and formerly worked as an event planner. She spends her time crafting, gardening, whitewater kayaking and enjoying time in the great outdoors. She is also involved in volunteering at her local library in West Virginia.

Program suitable for adults and children 12 years of age and older, if accompanied by an adult. This program may not be suitable for individuals with arthritis or issues with manual dexterity of the hands.

Connecting with nature is essential to child development, sparking creativity and imagination – and autumn is the season to explore the great changes in nature. Join a Pittsburgh Botanic Garden educator to head outdoors in search of adventure. Examine a different theme each week, from leaves turning their glorious colors to birds heading south for the winter. Each visit will include time in the Garden’s different habitats, a story reading and time for free play.

Calling all adult Pittsburgh Botanic Garden members and volunteers! Join us at the Garden for a book club to discuss works on the wondrous and sometimes wacky world of plants, nature and the environment. Read the book ahead of time and come ready to share your point of view. Selections will vary and discussions are sure to be lively! Mingle with fellow members, discuss interesting ideas and form new friendships.

Become A Member

Free to members and volunteers, but pre-registration is required.

November 2023 Selection:

The Story of More by Hope Jahren

From the bestselling author of Lab Girl comes a slim, urgent missive on the defining issue of our time: here is Hope Jahren on climate change, our timeless pursuit of more, and how the same human ambition that got us here can also be our salvation.

Read More & Purchase Book >

Have you ever wondered why there are so many ginkgo trees in cities? Are pigeons misunderstood? How do human habits shape urban wilderness? Learn these things and more in a workshop based on the book Unseen City by Nathanael Johnson. Join Tess Wilson, Master Naturalist and Network Engagement Manager for Audubon Mid-Atlantic in an examination of the book and journaling of our own observations!

Members $10  |  Nonmembers $15

About the Instructor

Tess Wilson is the Network Engagement Manager for Audubon Mid-Atlantic. She loves talking loudly about digital literacy, equitable access, and citizen science.

Program suitable for adults and children ages 14 years old or older, if accompanied by an adult.