Activities: Adults

Attractive and utilitarian – Tia Tumminello, from Husk Brooms, will teach you how to create your very own hens wing hand broom! Made with broom corn and nylon cord, these nifty fab-shaped brooms are great tools for cleaning large areas: desks, kitchen tables, stairs, fireplaces, or even radiators.

Broomcorn is the essential natural material for household cleaning because it’s delicate enough to catch hair and smaller debris while being strong enough to bend without breaking. Made intentionally with a long handle, these hand tools can easily be incorporated into daily use. Students will leave the workshop with one hand broom, crafted with the color cord of their choosing.

The hens wing design is a friendly style for beginners. Broom-making can be physically demanding and does require dexterity in both hands and feet. Participants should feel comfortable being barefoot or wear thin socks as it’s surprisingly easier to manipulate the foot bobbin.

Members $45 | Nonmembers $55  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Tia Tumminello is the founder of Husk Brooms in Pittsburgh, PA. She started her broom making journey in 2021 after admiring a Shaker handcrafted broom. Tia’s interest in the craft grew organically and by summer 2023, she launched Husk Brooms as a business. Her process for classes is to follow the leader style by showing students how each step goes and making the broom along with them. Classes are arranged in a circle so everyone can see the instructor and the process easily.

Program suitable for adults and children 16 years or older. Children under age 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

Celebrate Mother’s Day early with a fun tea party and floral crown creation workshop! Every participant will make their own matching floral crowns. Let the creativity flow using fresh flowers while you enjoy sips and sweets together. All flowers and materials are included.

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

Additional Child: Members $10  |  Nonmembers $20

About the Instructor

JoAnna Thomas is the Visitor Experience Coordinator at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. With a background in fine art & design, she began working as a florist in Chicago, where she managed her own floral shop. JoAnna has designed for many private events and special occasions, including her role as the principal designer for Blossom – Autumn Magic at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden.

Details

All flowers and materials are included in ticket pricing. This program is suitable for children ages 5-12, accompanied by an adult.

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.

May 2024 Selection:

The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson

“A haunting novel spanning several generations, The Seed Keeper follows a Dakota family’s struggle to preserve their way of life, and their sacrifices to protect what matters most.”

Read More & Purchase Book >

Community Acupuncture is a means to provide affordable acupuncture, in terms of both money and time. Join Kayla Simmons (MSAOM) and Jamie Schlier (MAc, LAc) for community acupuncture sessions every other Saturday at the Garden. Sessions are 30 minutes long and will take place between 10:00am – 12:00pm. Acupuncture is the insertion of fine solid filament needles into specific points of the body to treat various ailments. Now, you can experience relief and relaxation all at once at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden!

Members $30 | Nonmembers $40  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructors

Kayla Simmons is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, massage therapist, and yoga instructor who uses a blend of these modalities in each treatment. She has been working with and studying the various human body systems for the last ten years with an emphasis on understanding how to bridge the mental, emotional, and physical bodies. In 2014, she completed her 200-hour Hatha yoga training with the Himalayan Institute and then immediately began a four-year graduate program in Asheville, NC to achieve her Masters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Jamie Schlier has an undergraduate degree with a BS in Exercise Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Acupuncture from the Won Institute of Graduate Studies. Jamie’s clinical interests include women’s health, sports medicine and performance optimization, autoimmune conditions, and pain management. She blends techniques from Acupuncture Physical Medicine, Kiiko Matsumoto Style, and Worsley Five-Element Acupuncture. As an acupuncturist, Jamie emphasizes the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Acupuncture needling, gua sha, moxibustion, and cupping are all tools she uses to guide the body, mind, and spirit towards inner harmony.

Process

After a short intake, you will relax in a zero-gravity chair while experienced acupuncturists place needles in the ear, hands, or other easily accessible areas of the body. Sessions will last for 30 minutes. There will be 2-3 other sessions ongoing while you are relaxing.

Questions / Concerns

Feel free to contact Kayla Simmons beforehand with any questions or concerns at kayla@nourishandmovepgh.com or text (412) 206-9837. Read more about Nourish & Move Pittsburgh on nourishandmovepgh.com >

Please be sure to specify your appointment time and arrive at least 5 minutes early for your appointment to maintain proper scheduling. Only 1 person per 30-minute time slot, max of 3 people in the room at any time.

Spring means the return of innumerable plants emerging from winter dormancy and starting their seasonal journeys of growing, flowering and setting seed. Have you ever wondered how many of them are edible? Join author and historian, Brady Crytzer, for an exploration of the wild plants and herbs used by Native Americans and European settlers in Western Pennsylvania. After an informative lecture, we’ll venture out into the gardens and woodlands of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in search of wild edible plants.

Members $25 | Nonmembers $35  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

With seven books to his credit, Brady J. Crytzer is the winner of the 2023 Judge Robert K. Woltz History Award. A specialist in frontier history, Crytzer is a narrator and commentator on the hit cable series “Into the Wild Frontier” on NBC Peacock and “Outlaws and Lawmen” on FOX News. He has been featured on CSPAN and SiriusXM.

One of the hottest trends in public horticulture is including attractive edible plants in annual plantings. Gone are the days when your fruits and vegetables were relegated to the back forty. Join us as Education & Exhibits Director, Dr. Mark Miller, examines best practices, pretty planting combinations, choosing beautiful edibles and companion planting, among other concepts.

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.

Untangling Our Roots is a collaborative exhibition featuring the work of Peggi Habets and Lauren Braun. Join the artists for a deep dive into their artistic practice, sources of inspiration, and concepts examined throughout the exhibition. Peggi Habets and Lauren Braun’s exhibition features paintings, mixed-media collages, mobiles, and handmade objects. Read more about Untangling Our Roots >

This is a free, member-only program. Not a member? Click here to join today and enjoy members-only programs, discounted registrations, free admission, member newsletters, discounts, and more!

About the Artists

Peggi Habets lives and works as an artist in her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Her deep love for the fluidity and spontaneity of watercolor has led her to paint and teach in the medium for over 15 years. Her figurative and cityscape paintings have been exhibited and collected internationally and she has received awards in many prestigious shows, including the National Watercolor Society and the American Watercolor Society International Juried Exhibitions. Read More

Lauren Braun is an artist, certified mindfulness facilitator and educator based in Pittsburgh, PA. She creates mixed media collages and mobiles that explore themes of play, meditation, and nature. Lauren is a teaching artist offering workshops in meditation and collage at Contemporary Craft and mobile art classes with Fine Art Miracles where she works with senior citizens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Read More

Cover photo courtesy of Nathan Shaulis / Porter Loves Photography (@porterloves)

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 the wondrous plants found here! This program’s focus will be on plants that shine in spring. 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 almost time to plant annuals, tropicals and much of your edible plants. Doug will wax lyrical about his favorite seasonal plants and produce – and will have some seeds/seedlings of lesser-known gems.

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.

Join naturalist April Claus as she introduces you to things that creep and slither at the Garden. This hands-on interactive program introduces you to the more common reptiles and amphibians of Pennsylvania. Learn how to identify frogs and toads by their call, examine touchable models and learn how to identify venomous snakes living in the area. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with live snakes, toads, turtles and salamanders! Bring your boots and be ready to get dirty in search of different habitats for “herptiles.”

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

About the Instructor

April Claus is an environmental educator and naturalist. After completing her degree at Allegheny College, she received a M.S. in Biology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she was field director of the Pennsylvania Herpetological Atlas Project. In 2000, she founded Interactive Environmental Programs to introduce Pennsylvanians to their lesser-known flora and fauna. In 2006, April received the Outstanding Environmental Educator of the Year Award by the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators (PAEE). She has been featured on WQED, received an award from the PA Environmental Council, and started several environmental science programs in schools around Pittsburgh. April currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Environmental Science and Sustainability Department at Allegheny College.

Program suitable for children ages 7 years and older. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Take a look into the future of the Garden! Pittsburgh Botanic Garden has been developing a new site master plan to guide future projects as the Garden continues to grow for years to come. The next phase of this project involves gathering feedback from members about their needs and to ensure these plans reflect the visitor’s experience. If you are interested in learning about this developing site master plan project and offering feedback, this workshop is for you.

This is a free, member-only workshop. Not a member? Click here to join today and enjoy members-only programs, discounted registrations, free admission, member newsletters, discounts, and more!

Community Acupuncture is a means to provide affordable acupuncture, in terms of both money and time. Join Kayla Simmons (MSAOM) and Jamie Schlier (MAc, LAc) for community acupuncture sessions every other Saturday at the Garden. Sessions are 30 minutes long and will take place between 10:00am – 12:00pm. Acupuncture is the insertion of fine solid filament needles into specific points of the body to treat various ailments. Now, you can experience relief and relaxation all at once at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden!

Members $30 | Nonmembers $40  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructors

Kayla Simmons is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, massage therapist, and yoga instructor who uses a blend of these modalities in each treatment. She has been working with and studying the various human body systems for the last ten years with an emphasis on understanding how to bridge the mental, emotional, and physical bodies. In 2014, she completed her 200-hour Hatha yoga training with the Himalayan Institute and then immediately began a four-year graduate program in Asheville, NC to achieve her Masters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Jamie Schlier has an undergraduate degree with a BS in Exercise Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Acupuncture from the Won Institute of Graduate Studies. Jamie’s clinical interests include women’s health, sports medicine and performance optimization, autoimmune conditions, and pain management. She blends techniques from Acupuncture Physical Medicine, Kiiko Matsumoto Style, and Worsley Five-Element Acupuncture. As an acupuncturist, Jamie emphasizes the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Acupuncture needling, gua sha, moxibustion, and cupping are all tools she uses to guide the body, mind, and spirit towards inner harmony.

Process

After a short intake, you will relax in a zero-gravity chair while experienced acupuncturists place needles in the ear, hands, or other easily accessible areas of the body. Sessions will last for 30 minutes. There will be 2-3 other sessions ongoing while you are relaxing.

Questions / Concerns

Feel free to contact Kayla Simmons beforehand with any questions or concerns at kayla@nourishandmovepgh.com or text (412) 206-9837. Read more about Nourish & Move Pittsburgh on nourishandmovepgh.com >

Please be sure to specify your appointment time and arrive at least 5 minutes early for your appointment to maintain proper scheduling. Only 1 person per 30-minute time slot, max of 3 people in the room at any time.

Community Acupuncture is a means to provide affordable acupuncture, in terms of both money and time. Join Kayla Simmons (MSAOM), Jamie Schlier (MAc, LAc) and Melody Ry (OMP) for community acupuncture sessions every other Saturday at the Garden. Sessions are 30 minutes long and will take place between 10:00am – 12:00pm. Acupuncture is the insertion of fine solid filament needles into specific points of the body to treat various ailments. Now, you can experience relief and relaxation all at once at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden!

Members $30 | Nonmembers $40  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructors

Kayla Simmons is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, massage therapist, and yoga instructor who uses a blend of these modalities in each treatment. She has been working with and studying the various human body systems for the last ten years with an emphasis on understanding how to bridge the mental, emotional, and physical bodies. In 2014, she completed her 200-hour Hatha yoga training with the Himalayan Institute and then immediately began a four-year graduate program in Asheville, NC to achieve her Masters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Jamie Schlier has an undergraduate degree with a BS in Exercise Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Acupuncture from the Won Institute of Graduate Studies. Jamie’s clinical interests include women’s health, sports medicine and performance optimization, autoimmune conditions, and pain management. She blends techniques from Acupuncture Physical Medicine, Kiiko Matsumoto Style, and Worsley Five-Element Acupuncture. As an acupuncturist, Jamie emphasizes the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Acupuncture needling, gua sha, moxibustion, and cupping are all tools she uses to guide the body, mind, and spirit towards inner harmony.

Process

After a short intake, you will relax in a zero-gravity chair while experienced acupuncturists place needles in the ear, hands, or other easily accessible areas of the body. Sessions will last for 30 minutes. There will be 2-3 other sessions ongoing while you are relaxing.

Questions / Concerns

Feel free to contact Kayla Simmons beforehand with any questions or concerns at kayla@nourishandmovepgh.com or text (412) 206-9837. Read more about Nourish & Move Pittsburgh on nourishandmovepgh.com >

Please be sure to specify your appointment time and arrive at least 5 minutes early for your appointment to maintain proper scheduling. Only 1 person per 30-minute time slot, max of 3 people in the room at any time.

Tickets

Pittsburgh Botanic Garden members may purchase member presale tickets starting Monday, April 22. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, May 1.

Members: Please sign in to receive your member presale tickets. Pittsburgh Botanic Garden members receive a $20 discount. Quantities are limited by membership level: Individual (1), Dual (2), Family & Above (4)

Meet the Musicians:

It’s National Pollinator Week! If you’re concerned about pollinators – and who shouldn’t be?! – one of the best and easiest actions you can take to assist them is to provide a space for them in your own garden. Join us as Education & Exhibits Director, Dr. Mark Miller, examines the essential elements and features that pollinators need to not only survive but thrive. Plants that grow well in western Pennsylvania and provide food, shelter and/or egg-laying for pollinators will be featured. The lecture will be followed by a plant walk in the Hillside Pollinator Garden.

Members $10  |  Nonmembers $15

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.

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

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.

July 2024 Selection:

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

A moving, beautifully written, and delicately constructed story of love, division, transcendence, history, and eco-consciousness.

Read More & Purchase Book >

Herbalism was an essential component of life on the 18th century frontier of Pennsylvania. The forest was abundant with beneficial plants and fungi, and these staples proved to have strong medicinal properties. These herbal remedies have been used for centuries, and most of their components are available in our own backyards. Join local author and historian Brady Crytzer for a course on 18th century frontier herbalism. Topics covered include common recipes, remedies, and tips for starting your own home medicinal herb garden. Take home bundles of common – and not-so-common – herbs.

Members $25 | Nonmembers $35  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Brady J. Crytzer teaches history at Robert Morris University. He is the recipient of the Donald S. Kelly and Donna J. McKee Awards for outstanding scholarship in the discipline of history. A specialist in imperialism in North America, he is the author of a number of books, including Fort Pitt: A Frontier History, Guyasata and the Fall of Indian America, and War in the Peaceable Kingdom: The Kittaning Raid of 1756. He is also the host of Dispatches: The Podcast of the Journal of the American Revolution. (Listen Here)

This program will take place rain or shine. Please dress appropriately for weather conditions.

Celebrate our local pollinators at Blossom: The Pollinator Party! Experience the sweet summer scents of our gardens and woodlands as you visit the pollinators’ favorite spaces. To add to the excitement, this year’s Blossom takes place during David Rogers’ Big Bugs + Pollinators exhibit.

Join the Flutter and lend your name to the festivities in a special way! Commit to Blossom: The Pollinator Party at the Swallowtail or sponsorship level (Hummingbird, Hive & Honey, Nibbles & Nectar, or Queen Bee) by April 12 and you will help make this year’s garden party the event everyone is buzzing about! All Swallowtail patrons and sponsors will be included on the invitation and receive special recognition during the event.

Date & Time

Thursday, July 18, 2024  |  6:00 – 10:00pm

Attire

Make a statement in your pollinator-themed, garden chic attire! This event is held outdoors and you will be walking a short distance through the Garden.

Tickets

$350  Firefly (Available April 23)

$500  Swallowtail

$5,000  Hummingbird

$10,000  Hive & Honey – Dessert

$15,000  Nibbles & Nectar – Reception

$25,000  The Queen Bee – Presenting

How will proceeds be used?

Proceeds from Blossom will provide essential support for Pittsburgh Botanic Garden to maintain plant collections, offer educational programs, and continue to serve as a valuable community asset.

Not able to attend? If you’re unable to attend, a donation may be made at checkout or contact Gretchen Ecoff to discuss ways to support the Garden.

If you have any questions about Blossom: The Pollinator Party, please email Gretchen Ecoff at gecoff@pittsburghbotanicgarden.org or call (412)444-4464 ext. 242.

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.

September 2024 Selection:

Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature and Spirit by Lyanda Lynn Haupt

Cutting-edge science supports a truth that poets, artists, mystics and earth-based cultures across the world have proclaimed over millennia: life on this planet is radically interconnected.

Read More & Purchase Book >

When the first Europeans arrived in western Pennsylvania during the 1700’s, they discovered a flourishing native culture. Living alongside peoples like the Lenni Lenape, Shawnee, and Seneca, pioneers learned how to identify native plants and transform them into powerful herbal medicine. Along with utilizing local species, Europeans brought many of their own specimens which subsequently colonized the native landscape.

Join local author and historian Brady Crytzer for a course on 18th century shared herbalism. Topics include traditional recipes, remedies, and history of these communal practices. Take home some common – and not-so-common – herbs.

Members $25 | Nonmembers $35  (Please sign in to receive member discount)

About the Instructor

Brady J. Crytzer teaches history at Robert Morris University. He is the recipient of the Donald S. Kelly and Donna J. McKee Awards for outstanding scholarship in the discipline of history. A specialist in imperialism in North America, he is the author of a number of books, including Fort Pitt: A Frontier History, Guyasata and the Fall of Indian America, and War in the Peaceable Kingdom: The Kittaning Raid of 1756. He is also the host of Dispatches: The Podcast of the Journal of the American Revolution. (Listen Here)

This program will take place rain or shine. Please dress appropriately for weather conditions.

Have you ever wished to learn about natural dyeing techniques? Join scientist and artist Sierra Weir, one of the exhibiting artists in last year’s Unearthed exhibition, as she explores dye histories and chemistry, responsible harvesting guidelines, and dye methodologies of place-based textiles.

Participants will learn from a short lecture and demonstration before getting hands-on experience dyeing their own cotton bandanas using a variety of botanical materials. Working with local and historical dyes aims to reconnect people with land, fosters essential noticing skills, and breathes life into the ancient craft of textiles. Each participant will take home their own personally designed/dyed cotton bandana. 

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

About the Instructor

Sierra Weir is an artist, scientist, and environmental educator exploring wild pigments found in historically mountainous and polluted Pittsburgh, where she was born and raised. Her art practice is heavily influenced by her studies in pigment genetics, chemistry and systematics.

With native, invasive, and waste-stream pigments, she explores the intersections of biodiversity and industrialization by foraging site-specific color pallets. She views pigments as biological and social informants who are necessary in conversations about ecological regeneration, human-land reconnection, and the buried history specific to place.

Program suitable for adults and/or children age 16 years or older if accompanied by an adult.