RSS FeedUpcoming EventsUC Berkeley Staff - Family Free Days, April 1https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243553-uc-berkeley-staff-family-free-days

In partnership with Berkeley Staff Assembly, the UC Botanical Garden is offering UC Berkeley staff Family Free Days! Show your CAL1 Staff card* and receive free entry for yourself and one adult guest, plus all your dependents under 18 years old at the UC Botanical Garden, April 1-April 14 during regular Garden hours.

 

April is the prime time to visit the UC Botanical Garden to admire blooms, unique flora, and discover more than 10,000 plants from all over the world, right in the heart of Berkeley. Feel free to bring a picnic and enjoy lunch at one of the many picnic tables or grassy lawn. Check out the Garden Shop and take a piece of the garden home with you. You can find out more about the UC Botanical Garden here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/

 

Information about parking and transportation can be found here, which includes overflow parking at the Lawrence Hall of Science: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/parkinganddirections.

 

Already a big fan of the Botanical Garden? Explore special UC Affiliate member rates here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/join.

 

The UC Botanical Garden is also a fantastic spot for work retreats or meetings, with discounted rates for internal UC Berkeley events. Visit the Rentals page here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/rentals

 

*Please note that the UC Berkeley Staff member must be present with the guest and dependents under 18 years old, to receive free entry.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243553-uc-berkeley-staff-family-free-days
Closed Tuesday, April 2https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243825-closed-tuesday

The Garden is closed today. 

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243825-closed-tuesday
iPhoneography with Yoni Mayeri, April 3https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241022-iphoneography-with-yoni-mayeri

Discover how to turn your ordinary snapshots into extraordinary photographs using the power of the device that is always with you. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to expertly capture images and edit and create photographs and artful images with your iPhone.


In this course, you will learn how to take professional-quality photographs and perform basic and advanced photo editing with your iOS device. We will use the built-in photo app to edit and enhance iPhone photos, and we will discuss tips for optimizing the features and working around the limitations of the native (built-in) camera. We will see demonstrations of several third party editing and creative applications and a variety of helpful accessories for enhancing and embellishing iPhoneography images. Time permitting we will touch on best practices for saving, organizing, sharing, and printing your images. By the end of this workshop, you will have a greater grasp on the ins and outs of iPhoneography.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241022-iphoneography-with-yoni-mayeri
UC Berkeley Staff - Family Free Days, April 3https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243555-uc-berkeley-staff-family-free-days

In partnership with Berkeley Staff Assembly, the UC Botanical Garden is offering UC Berkeley staff Family Free Days! Show your CAL1 Staff card* and receive free entry for yourself and one adult guest, plus all your dependents under 18 years old at the UC Botanical Garden, April 1-April 14 during regular Garden hours.

 

April is the prime time to visit the UC Botanical Garden to admire blooms, unique flora, and discover more than 10,000 plants from all over the world, right in the heart of Berkeley. Feel free to bring a picnic and enjoy lunch at one of the many picnic tables or grassy lawn. Check out the Garden Shop and take a piece of the garden home with you. You can find out more about the UC Botanical Garden here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/

 

Information about parking and transportation can be found here, which includes overflow parking at the Lawrence Hall of Science: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/parkinganddirections.

 

Already a big fan of the Botanical Garden? Explore special UC Affiliate member rates here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/join.

 

The UC Botanical Garden is also a fantastic spot for work retreats or meetings, with discounted rates for internal UC Berkeley events. Visit the Rentals page here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/rentals

 

*Please note that the UC Berkeley Staff member must be present with the guest and dependents under 18 years old, to receive free entry.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243555-uc-berkeley-staff-family-free-days
Sick Plant Clinic, April 6https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241305-sick-plant-clinic

The Garden’s monthly Sick Plant Clinic is here to help! Bring plant samples to the clinic to find out which diseases or pests are afflicting your plants. Entomologists and plant pathologists will diagnose and suggest effective and environmentally sensitive remedies. Please cover plants and disease samples in containers or bags before entering the Garden.

The clinic is open on the first Saturday of most months in the Conference Center. No admission required for the clinic-only.

Check in at the entrance Kiosk. Entry to the clinic is free of charge and does not include admission to the Garden. Make a reservation, or pay for admission, if you would like to stay and enjoy the Garden.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241305-sick-plant-clinic
Our Poetic Earth: A poetry workshop series in the Garden with Becky Jaffe, April 8https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243090-our-poetic-earth-a-poetry-workshop-series-in-the
Three Mondays: 4/8, 4/15 and 4/22
11 AM -12:30 PM

In this 3-part workshop, we will hone our capacity for wonder, using the tools of poetry to savor Spring’s irrepressible exuberance. We will read nature poems together, and write new poems inspired by a conspiracy of wind, soil, sun, the carbon cycle, and yearning.
Former Artist-in-Residence and published poet Becky Jaffe will lead you in playful and contemplative exercises that help you recalibrate your attunement to amazement, and share it with others through poems that are already unfurling their tendrils inside of you, looking for light. No prior experience necessary. Daydreamers welcome.

They say she’s poisonous,
toxic to the touch,
but what wouldn’t we do
to keep our own kids alive?
She didn’t invent chemical warfare any more than the so-called
“great apes” did —
fire ants and pine needles
having gotten there first —
And in the end,
poisons couldn’t save her;
it wasn’t a snake but love
that did her in.
This mother newt breathed her last memory of air
while laying worlds
of spherical eggs,
launching Life —
poisons and all —
into a future with
no antidote for love.
~Becky Jaffe
https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243090-our-poetic-earth-a-poetry-workshop-series-in-the
Photography Exhibition: Insect images by Ed Ross, April 10https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243666-photography-exhibition-insect-images-by-ed-ross

Explore the fascinating world of insects through the photography of Ed Ross.
Edward S. Ross (1915-2016) was a pioneer of close up photography. Ed received his PhD in 1941 with the Department of Entomology at UC Berkeley, where he was a teaching assist for E.O. Essig. Before finishing his degree he was offered the position of Curator of Entomology at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco in 1939, and two years later became chair of the entomology department, a position he held for 41 years. Initially Ed was interested in Histerid beetles, but soon switched to webspinners (Embiidina), a group for which little was known at the time. His studies took him around the world, particularly to the tropics where webspinners are most diverse.

During his travels Ed photographed arthropods, plants, mammals, people, and natural landscapes. His images appeared in numerous publications including National Geographic Magazine, Insects Close Up, and Insects and Plants.

In 2018, Ed’s collection of ~100,000 35mm slides were generously donated to the Essig Museum of Entomology by his wife, Sandra Miller Ross, to be digitized and made available for research, education, and outreach. Once digitized, the images will be available through CalPhotos

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243666-photography-exhibition-insect-images-by-ed-ross
UC Berkeley Staff - Family Free Days, April 10https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243554-uc-berkeley-staff-family-free-days

In partnership with Berkeley Staff Assembly, the UC Botanical Garden is offering UC Berkeley staff Family Free Days! Show your CAL1 Staff card* and receive free entry for yourself and one adult guest, plus all your dependents under 18 years old at the UC Botanical Garden, April 1-April 14 during regular Garden hours.

 

April is the prime time to visit the UC Botanical Garden to admire blooms, unique flora, and discover more than 10,000 plants from all over the world, right in the heart of Berkeley. Feel free to bring a picnic and enjoy lunch at one of the many picnic tables or grassy lawn. Check out the Garden Shop and take a piece of the garden home with you. You can find out more about the UC Botanical Garden here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/

 

Information about parking and transportation can be found here, which includes overflow parking at the Lawrence Hall of Science: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/parkinganddirections.

 

Already a big fan of the Botanical Garden? Explore special UC Affiliate member rates here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/join.

 

The UC Botanical Garden is also a fantastic spot for work retreats or meetings, with discounted rates for internal UC Berkeley events. Visit the Rentals page here: https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/rentals

 

*Please note that the UC Berkeley Staff member must be present with the guest and dependents under 18 years old, to receive free entry.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243554-uc-berkeley-staff-family-free-days
Zoom Butterfly Talk with Sarab Seth, April 11https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243163-zoom-butterfly-talk-with-sarab-seth

Join us for a virtual butterfly presentation with Sarab Seth.

Sarab will do a presentation on some of the butterflies that are found in the areas surrounding the East Bay, but not in the East Bay itself. The presentation will feature several rare butterflies, some of which are found only in a few specific locations.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243163-zoom-butterfly-talk-with-sarab-seth
Discovery Station: Newts, April 14https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243726-discovery-station-newts

Newts return! Each year, the winter rains prompt newts to migrate to the Garden’s Japanese Pool where their mating behaviors can be easily observed. The Garden is home to two newt species, Taricha torosa (California newt) and Taricha granulosa (rough-skin newt). Docents will be on hand to provide Garden visitors with an up-close look at newts and learn about the abundance of animals that live in ponds. Docents will answer questions about these amazing animals.

Discovery Stations are drop-in experiences led by Garden docents and is included with admission; no reservation required.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243726-discovery-station-newts
Our Poetic Earth: A poetry workshop series (Second Session), April 15https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243091-our-poetic-earth-a-poetry-workshop-series-second
Three Mondays: 4/8, 4/15 and 4/22
11 AM -12:30 PM

In this 3-part workshop, we will hone our capacity for wonder, using the tools of poetry to savor Spring’s irrepressible exuberance. We will read nature poems together, and write new poems inspired by a conspiracy of wind, soil, sun, the carbon cycle, and yearning.
https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243091-our-poetic-earth-a-poetry-workshop-series-second
April Butterfly Walk in the Garden, April 15https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241826-april-butterfly-walk-in-the-garden

Join our butterfly docent specialist Sally Levinson for a guided walk through the Garden in search of butterflies, as you learn about their plant relationships and amazing life cycle. Bring binoculars if you have them.

Registered children welcome. Pre-registration is required, space is limited. Groups larger than 6 people, please contact us to make separate arrangements for a private tour.

This walk follows uneven terrain, with areas of paved and unpaved trail. For accessibility inquiries, please email gardenprograms@berkeley.edu, or call 510-664-7606.

All program fees include same-day admission to the Garden, rain or shine.

The 34-acre UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley is a wonderful destination on any day of the year, but the guided butterfly walks held each month are pure magic.” -Featured in the Mercury News

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241826-april-butterfly-walk-in-the-garden
Plant Propagation Author Evening with Hilton Carter, April 16https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243656-plant-propagation-author-evening-with-hilton-carter

The UC Botanical Garden is pleased to host plant and interior stylist, best-selling author, and artist, Hilton Carter for an evening of conversation and plant propagation demos!

Join us for a wonderful evening exploration of the world of propagation and learn about Hilton Carter’s latest book, ‘The Propagation Handbook: A Guide to Propagating Houseplants

Event registration includes Botanical Garden admission before the collections close at 5:00pm. Books will be available for purchase and signing.


About the Author

Hilton Carter is a plant and interior stylist, director, and fine artist. He has a large and loyal following on Instagram (@hiltoncarter), where he shares his passion for and encyclopedic knowledge of plant care and styling. Hilton has partnered with Target on three Hilton Carter for Target collections, and released his Guide to Houseplants workshops with the Magnolia Network. A PBS-TV special, “Living Wild: Plant-spiration with Hilton Carter,” aired nationally on PBS-TV late-February through early March 2024. His previous books–all published by CICO Books–are Wild at Home (2019), Wild Interiors (2020), Wild Creations (2021), and Living Wild (2023). When not getting his hands dirty in a project, Hilton can be found cozying up in his Baltimore home with his wife, Fiona and daughter, Holland.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243656-plant-propagation-author-evening-with-hilton-carter
Integral Taiji and Qigong, April 19https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241304-integral-taiji-and-qigong

Join us for a Friday late morning Integral Taiji & Qigong class. This class focuses on embodied, psycho-spiritual, ecological, and cosmological dimensions of qigong and taiji (tai chi). We will practice standing meditation, walking meditation, the Microcosmic Orbit, Taiji Ruler, the Eight Treasures, cleansing the internal organs, embodying the elements, and more. Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of prior experience. Children are welcome if accompanied by an adult (with Garden admission). Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and bring layers for warmth and sun-protection. Space is limited; registration required.

Class will be on the Oak Knoll at the Garden. Please let us know if you have accessibility questions. While we plan to hold this event outdoors, weather may require us to move indoors. Per UC policy, masks are optional indoors.

ATTENTION MEMBERS: Get FREE Registration fee when you Sign In above. Your discount will be automatically applied at check out if properly signed-in with email address displayed. Need help? Email gardenprograms@berkeley.edu

Cancellation Policy: Notification two weeks prior to program receives full refund. If you find you cannot attend less than two weeks prior to event, you may transfer your registration to someone else by having them use your name at check-in or transfer to the next class. In the event that the Garden has to cancel a program you will be offered a full refund.

Access Coordinator: Christine Manoux, gardenprograms@berkeley.edu, 510-643-4832.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241304-integral-taiji-and-qigong
Our Poetic Earth: A poetry workshop series (Third Session), April 22https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243092-our-poetic-earth-a-poetry-workshop-series-third
hree Mondays: 4/8, 4/15 and 4/22
11 AM -12:30 PM

In this 3-part workshop, we will hone our capacity for wonder, using the tools of poetry to savor Spring’s irrepressible exuberance. We will read nature poems together, and write new poems inspired by a conspiracy of wind, soil, sun, the carbon cycle, and yearning.
https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243092-our-poetic-earth-a-poetry-workshop-series-third
Sick Plant Clinic, May 4https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241938-sick-plant-clinic

The Garden’s monthly Sick Plant Clinic is here to help! Bring plant samples to the clinic to find out which diseases or pests are afflicting your plants. Entomologists and plant pathologists will diagnose and suggest effective and environmentally sensitive remedies. Please cover plants and disease samples in containers or bags before entering the Garden.

The clinic is open on the first Saturday of most months in the Conference Center. No admission required for the clinic-only.

Check in at the entrance Kiosk. Entry to the clinic is free of charge and does not include admission to the Garden. Make a reservation, or pay for admission, if you would like to stay and enjoy the Garden.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/241938-sick-plant-clinic
Native California Foodways, May 7https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243939-native-california-foodways

The Garden is pleased to host Sara Calvosa Olson (Karuk), author of the new cookbook Chími Nu’am: Native California Foodways for the Contemporary Kitchen.” She will be bringing tastes from her cookbook to share along with stories.

(Note: This event was originally scheduled as the closing reception for the 15th Annual Plants Illustrated Exhibition: Edible California Native Plants.)

About the author

Sara Calvosa Olson is a Karuk asiktávaan (woman) and táat (mother) of two teenage sons, originally from Salyer & Hoopa in Northern California, currently living in Marin with her husband (who is also from Hoopa.) She is a Bay Area food writer and editor, who’s writing has appeared in News from Native California and Edible Shasta-Butte. Her work dwells at the intersection of storytelling, Indigenous food systems, security, sovereignty, reconnection, and recipe development. Calvosa Olson has spent many years connecting her family’s foodways with a growing community, and the recipes, techniques, and insights are designed as an accessible entry for people beginning their journey toward a decolonized diet. Chími Nu’am - “Let’s eat!”

Event details

Event registration includes general Botanical Garden admission before the collections close at 5:00pm. Doors to Julia Morgan Hall will open at 5:30pm. Book sales and light reception included.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/243939-native-california-foodways
Nature Journaling for Garden Enthusiasts with Kate Rutter, May 18https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/242682-nature-journaling-for-garden-enthusiasts-with-kate

Observe the living world with curiosity and attention, and celebrate wonder in a lyric blend of science and art with a Nature Journal!

Bring your love of gardens to a whole new level with a nature journal. Nature journaling is the act of putting pen (or pencil) to paper to observe aspects of nature with curiosity and attention. At this in-person workshop you’ll learn about establishing (or enhancing) your nature journaling practice in the beautiful environment of the UC Botanical Garden. The focus is on experiencing and visually expressing our curiosity about plants and nature, not about making detailed botanical or wildlife art. In this practice, “art” is the experience you have while you’re doing it.

After a brief orientation and warm-up learning activities you will have hands-on observation and drawing time in the Garden. Using words, pictures, and numbers you will capture the forms, shapes, and textures of the plants of your choice. You will practice foundational techniques such as basic drawing, annotation, and a variety of observations that prompt both deeper questions and a deeper connections to the plants. Kate will be available for questions and individual instruction during the Garden journaling time. The group will reconvene toward the close of the workshop to talk about our experiences and learn from each other.

Add “Kit” to purchase all needed materials for this workshop OR bring the below items with you:

  • Journal: notebook without lines
  • Notation Tools: Papermate Sharp Write #2 pencil, Tombow Fudenosuke Fine Point Black pen, Zebra Midliner Gray double-ended pen
  • Observation Tools: Pocket mirror, ruler, magnifying loupe
  • Carry-all: Apron with pockets or a caddy

All skill levels welcome; no prior experience necessary. The workshop will be held rain or shine. Come enjoy the beautiful botanical garden setting!
This program is in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/242682-nature-journaling-for-garden-enthusiasts-with-kate
Spring Bird Walk, May 29https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/242607-spring-bird-walk

Join Chris Carmichael in search of both resident and migrant birds in the Garden’s many bird friendly micro habitats. Chris will be joined by Susan Greef, Garden Member and avid birder. Beginning and experienced bird watchers are welcome. Limited to 15 participants.

This walk follows uneven terrain, with areas of paved and unpaved trail.

We suggest bringing binoculars if you have them. Wear layers in case it is a chilly morning. Walk is rain or shine, though heavy rain cancels.

 

Cancellation Policy: Notification two weeks prior to program receives full refund. If you find you cannot attend less than 2 weeks prior to event, you may transfer your registration to someone else by having them use your name at check-in. In the event that the Garden has to cancel a program you will be offered a full refund or the option to transfer to another program.

https://events.berkeley.edu/bot/event/242607-spring-bird-walk