Do you ever look at your garden and know that it could be nicer, but you don’t know how or where to begin? Or are you a new homeowner and unsure of what kinds of plants you have or how to maintain them? It can be overwhelming. Join a passionate garden coach for practical skills and tips on where to start. A few simple things can make a big and immediate difference—and all you need is your enthusiasm, energy, and some basic tools.

Discover how fungi can transform your garden ecosystem and ways to incorporate them to help plants and trees thrive. Learn how essential symbiotic relationships support soil health and how to introduce fungi into outdoor gardens or indoor cultivations. We’ll focus on mushrooms common in New England and their ecological significance. Leave with a practical plan to use fungi to cultivate a vibrant, sustainable garden.

Gain a solid overview of the home-buying process in this information-packed workshop that will educate and prepare first-time home buyers for their entry into the real estate market. Discuss how to buy smart: how much you can afford, understanding the mortgage process and home-buying timeline, what to expect from a real estate agent, strategies for getting your offer accepted, typical first-time home buyer pitfalls to avoid, and much more.

Thinking about getting your home off fossil fuels but not sure where to start? Learn how to create a practical, cost-effective plan to electrify your home at your own pace. Explore available technologies, financial incentives, reliable information sources, anticipated changes, and factors to consider as you map out your transition to cleaner energy.

Your house tells a story. Its age and architectural style, its place in the community, and the lives of the people who have lived there all contribute to this history. Get an introduction to the methods and sources of researching your home’s history. We’ll look at property deeds and historical atlases, town directories, and annual reports. See how probate records and census listings reveal the families who lived in your house and in your neighborhood. Begin compiling research after the first class and share what you’ve uncovered in the second. Leave with ideas for next steps to finish your house’s story. Please note: Bring the address of a property you wish to investigate or choose one from the instructor’s list of examples. Most of our resources will be Arlington-specific, but the research techniques are applicable broadly.

Celebrate the beauty of spring with fabulous flowers! Learn basic flower arranging techniques and design principles at this introductory floral design workshop. With an array of beautiful blooms to choose from, you’ll go home with a sweet spring arrangement. Please note: A vase, flowers and tools will be provided, but you can always bring your own garden scissors or shears.

March is the perfect time to introduce a new plant landscape to your home. You’ll assemble your own bespoke tabletop garden and walk away with something alive, thriving, and beautiful to breathe fresh life into any room. This is a wonderful and simple way to reconnect with the natural world. Please note: We’ll provide the plants, soil, and stones as well as a container and tools to use. If you’d like, you can bring your own container, gardening gloves and snips.

Sow seeds for native plants and take home two containers ready to plant in your garden or a local community garden come spring. Many native seeds need a cold period to germinate, which naturally occurs outdoors. Using the winter-sow method, we’ll turn milk jugs into mini greenhouses to protect your seeds so they can be left outside all winter long. Our focus will be on native host and nectar plants that support native pollinators as well as the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, an initiative to increase natural habitat, boost biodiversity, and help support monarch butterfly populations. By spring, watch your seedlings sprout and thrive!

Ever dreamed of fresh eggs for breakfast and feathered friends in your backyard? Learn everything you need to raise happy, healthy chickens. Discover how to choose the right breeds, care for chicks and adult birds, protect your flock from predators, and pick the perfect coop. Bring your questions and get advice from an experienced chicken owner as you decide if you’re ready for the challenges and rewards of backyard chicken-keeping.