Walks, Talks & Workshops
Master Gardeners: Caring for House Plants
Master Gardeners Talk Series: November 8 | 10:30 AM | FREE
Location: Meet at the Frances Plecker Education Center
Join us to learn how to care for your house plants and allow them to thrive throughout the coldest winters!
Registration for this free event is encouraged, but not required.
Sustainable Solutions for the Home: Greener Holidays
Greener Holidays: November 8 | 1:00 p.m. | FREE
Location: Meet at the Frances Plecker Education Center
Join us for a fun and festive program filled with creative ideas to make your holidays greener and more meaningful. Learn how to wrap gifts with reusable materials, craft eco-friendly decorations, and discover low-waste, budget-friendly ways to spread holiday cheer. From DIY gifts to sustainable traditions, this event will help you enjoy the magic of the season without the waste.
Registration for this free event is encouraged, but not required.
Gratitude Walk
Sunday, Nov. 9 | 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. | FREE
Location: Frances Plecker Education Center
Would you like to learn some helpful gratitude exercises and strategies to bring more gratitude to your life? Join Anna Finch for a fun hour of playing games, crafting and writing gratitude exercises, taking a short walk throug the Arboretum, and learning some of the science of Positive Psychology. You can develop a Gratitude Attitude for the month of November that you can share with your friends and families during the holidays!
Shenandoah Nature Journaling Club
Sunday, Sept. 14 | 1-4 PM | FREE, No registration
Pavilion in the At Home in the Woods Family Garden
This free, informal club for adults was formed in 2017 to develop a closer connection with nature, build community and a support system around sketching outdoors, introduce people to natural areas, inspire sharing of ideas and resources, and promote stewardship.
You absolutely do not have to be an experienced artist or naturalist to join us, but we welcome those who are. We are bringing like-minded people of all experience levels together to learn, share, and encourage one another.
Our September program will be an Introduction to Nature Journaling by Kelli Hertzler. We will share how the club has operated in the past and how that might look in the future (with input from the group!). Lastly, there will be time for you to journal in the Arboretum and/or connect with other journalists in the group. Please bring your journal and supplies if you have them!
While the Arboretum is hosting the September meeting, the administration of the club happens on Shenandoah Nature Journal Club's Facebook page.
Recurring Programs
Nature Reconnection:
Deepen Your Bond with the Earth
Next session: October 11 | 10-11:30 AM
Location: Ernst Tree Terrace
Evenings With Bats | Monitoring Program
1st & 3rd Fridays | Dusk | FREE
Next Meeting: 2026 dates are forthcoming
Location: Pond
Gather around the Pond and marvel at bats as they emerge for their evening hunt. The VA Master Naturalists return for their bat emergence monitoring program.
Plan to arrive 15 minutes before sunset.
Bonsai Club Meeting
1st Tuesdays | 6-8 PM | FREE
Location: Frances Plecker Education Center
Join presenters, Clark Driver and Simon Jilg for a short lecture, bonsai displays, and door prizes!
Wellness and Soundscape Programs
Martial Arts at the Arb!
By special arrangement with Blue Heron Healing Arts | Registration fee applies
Qigong/Taiji | Saturdays | 7:45 AM
Qigong/Taiji is a gentle, low-impact form of exercise that can improve muscle strength, flexibility, and balance.
Xingyi/Bagua | Tuesdays & Thursdays | 5:30 PM
Xingyi/Bagua is an 18th century Chinese martial art inspired by a form of Taoist meditative circle walking.
Registration and communications are directly with Blue Heron Healing Arts.
Shamanic Sound Healing
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Registration fee applies
Embark on a sound healing journey that will relax and de-stress you and bring your whole being back into a state of harmony on all levels; physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Connie Magee is a multi-modality massage therapist, medicine woman, Yoga Instructor, and meditation teacher.
Registration and communication are now directly with Sacred Valley Healing Arts.
Harrisonburg Songtuary
Select "RSVP Here" for times and locations.
Harrisonburg Songtuary is a community song circle that seeks to propagate co-enchanting cohorts of contemplayful singers, sponsored by the Arts Council of the Valley and the Office of Creative Propulsion.
On the Songtuary website, you may find more details and RSVP for upcoming gatherings; receive email updates, add to your calendar, or share on social media. We appreciate when you let us know you’re coming, and we hope the web RSVP is convenient for you as well!
ANNUAL EVENTS
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February April May |
June - August September October - December |
May - September | Private Greenhouse Shopping by Appointment
$50 Minimum purchase required, call (540)-568-3194 to schedule
Grounds: Free to the public
Dawn to dusk | 365 days a year
Frances Plecker Education Center:
M-F | 8 AM - 4 PM
