What is the gARTening Program?
The gARTening Program is designed to connect residents to both our UF/IFAS Extension Services and Horticulture through the use of art within gardening. The gARTening program is a program for all ages, from 4-104 years old! While gardening has physical health benefits, it also has mental health benefits. In a study published in the journal “PLOS ONE,” University of Florida scientists found that gardening activities lowered stress, anxiety and depression. “Past studies have shown that gardening can help improve the mental health of people who have existing medical conditions or challenges. Our study shows that healthy people can also experience a boost in mental wellbeing through gardening,” said Charles Guy, Principal Investigator on the study and Professor Emeritus in the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department. You can read more about the study in this blog post. Our mission in the gARTening Program is to provide our residents a fun and relaxing gardening related craft in a Zen environment.
In Orange County, 43.5% of the population are renters or apartment dwellers and these residents may not have means for traditional gardening. The gARTening program’s hands-on activities are small scale projects that allow participants to work with plants or plant material in a unique art piece that they can take home to display. While creating their own masterpiece, students gain knowledge about plants, gardening, and so much more. Check out our past projects and upcoming classes and we hope to see you at the next gARTening class!
All classes require advanced registration and are posted 4-6 weeks before the class. To Register, please visit OCExtension.Eventbrite.com.
The gARTening Series Upcoming Classes:
Garden Glam: Creating a Personalized Flower Crown
Garden Glam: Creating a Personalized Flower Crown- Unleash your creativity and immerse yourself in the enchanting world of floral artistry by learning how to create a flower crown! Whether you’re a budding florist or just looking to add a touch of nature to your style, this hands-on workshop is designed for flower enthusiasts of all levels. In this class you will learn about flower gardening and will create your own flower crown to wear with pride.
- January 26th, 2024 @ 2pm
- $15/person
Spherical Serenity: Kokedama Workshop for Zen Spaces
- Kokedama is a Japanese garden art form that uses a ball of moss to create a plant growing container. The word kokedama translates from koke meaning moss and dama meaning ball. The moss ball container can sit on a decorative platter or can be hung from a wire or string. In this class, participants learned how to create one of these unique spherical planters out of moist moss, twine, and potting soil.
- February 23rd, 2024 @ 2pm
- $20/person
Stone-Inspired Planters: A Hypertufa Workshop Experience
- Love the look of stone, but not the weight and expense? With a little time and a few supplies, you can make your own planters from hypertufa. Hypertufa is a mix of water, Portland cement, peat moss or coconut fiber, and either sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Planters made from hypertufa are porous and drain well, so they make a perfect home for succulents and rock garden plants. Join us in our garden to learn how to create a hypertufa and care for succulents! Design a hypertufa for yourself or make one for someone as a gift.
- March 23nd, 2024 (Saturday) @ 10 am
- $20/person
Love the look of stone, but not the weight and expense? With a little time and a few supplies, you can make your own planters from hypertufa. Hypertufa is a mix of water, Portland cement, peat moss or coconut fiber, and either sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Planters made from hypertufa are porous and drain well, so they make a perfect home for succulents and rock garden plants. Join us in our garden to learn how to create a hypertufa and care for succulents! Design a hypertufa for yourself or make one for someone as a gift.Botanical Impressions: Hammered Flower Art Workshop
- Pressed flowers make gorgeous decorative embellishments to all sorts of art and craft projects. Wedding cards, greeting cards, bookmarks, and even jewelry becomes even more special with those carefully and beautifully preserved and pressed blossoms. Join us for a pressed flower art class where you will learn the techniques of preserving and pressing plant material. In this class, you will make your own “unique” pressed flower art that you can take home to display with pride.
- April 19th, 2024 @ 2pm
- Design on Watercolor paper $5/person
- Design on 13.5″ x 13.5″ x 3.5″ Tote bag $15/person
Pressed flowers make gorgeous decorative embellishments to all sorts of art and craft projects. Wedding cards, greeting cards, bookmarks, and even jewelry becomes even more special with those carefully and beautifully preserved and pressed blossoms. Join us for a pressed flower art class where you will learn the techniques of preserving and pressing plant material. In this class, you will make your own “unique” pressed flower art that you can take home to display with pride.
Glass Garden Magic: Creating Your Open Terrarium Paradise
- A terrarium is a transparent glass or plastic container with soil and plants making it a miniature landscape. When a terrarium is properly planted, it can be a great source of enjoyment for years with little to no maintenance. They make great décor just about anywhere! Make one for yourself or make one for someone as a gift. In this class, you will make your own “unique” terrarium and learn about the care and maintenance. For this class you will be responsible for bringing your own container. Containers can be purchased for an additional expense. Registration will close on 5/13 for purchasing with a container.
- May 17th, 2024 @ 2pm
- $25 without container
- $35 with container
Aerial Blooms: Crafting with Air Plants Workshop
- When people use the term “air plant,” they’re usually referring to Tillandsia species. These odd-looking plants have been getting new attention recently, their rise in popularity having a lot to do with how eye-catching they are coupled with how little care they require! People have become interested in using these plants, which resemble small tufts of grass, to create unique displays in their homes. With over 500 different species of Tillandsia, it isn’t surprising that a number of them make attractive and interesting houseplants. As a bonus, some have small, but beautiful, blooms as well. In this class we will be designing cork stopper magnets and “Jellyfish” ornament.
- June 28th, 2024 @ 2pm
- $20/person
Bromeliad Brilliance: Advanced Kokedama Making
Bromeliad Brilliance: Advanced Kokedama Making- Kokedama is a Japanese garden art form that uses a ball of moss to create a plant growing container. The word kokedama translates from koke meaning moss and dama meaning ball. In this class you will learn the advanced method of creating this spherical plant with a whiffle ball, sheet moss, and bromeliad plant.
- July 26th, 2024 @ 2pm
- $30/person
Pressed Petal Art: The Art of Floral Preservation
- Pressed flowers make gorgeous decorative embellishments to all sorts of art and craft projects.
Wedding cards, greeting cards, bookmarks, and even jewelry becomes even more special with those carefully and beautifully preserved and pressed blossoms. Join us for a pressed flower art class where you watch a demonstration of various preservation methods and then create your own “unique” pressed flower art that you can take home to display with pride.
- August 23rd, 2024 @ 2pm
- $5 no frame
- $10 with frame
Gourd-geous Gardens: Creating Pumpkin-Shaped Hypertufa Planters
- Love the look of stone, but not the weight and expense? With a little time and a few supplies, you can make your own planters from hypertufa. Hypertufa is a mix of water, Portland cement, peat moss or coconut fiber, and either sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Planters made from hypertufa are porous and drain well, so they make a perfect home for succulents and rock garden plants. Join us in our garden to learn how to create a hypertufa and care for succulents! Design a hypertufa for yourself or make one for someone as a gift.
- September 20th, 2024 @ 2pm
- $15/person
Love the look of stone, but not the weight and expense? With a little time and a few supplies, you can make your own planters from hypertufa. Hypertufa is a mix of water, Portland cement, peat moss or coconut fiber, and either sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Planters made from hypertufa are porous and drain well, so they make a perfect home for succulents and rock garden plants. Join us in our garden to learn how to create a hypertufa and care for succulents! Design a hypertufa for yourself or make one for someone as a gift.Naturalistic Bird House
- TBD
- October 18th, 2024 @ 2pm
- $15/person
TBD
Glass Garden Magic: Creating Your Closed Terrarium Paradise
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A terrarium is a transparent glass or plastic container with soil and plants making it a miniature landscape. When a terrarium is properly planted, it can be a great source of enjoyment for years with little to no maintenance. They make great décor just about anywhere! Make one for yourself or make one for someone as a gift. In this class, you will make your own “unique” terrarium and learn about the care and maintenance. For this class you will be responsible for bringing your own container. Containers can be purchased for an additional expense. Registration will close on 11/11 for purchasing with a container.
- November 15th, 2024 @ 2pm
- $25 without container
- $35 with container
Are you a Master Gardener Volunteer who is interested in creating your own gARTening program in your county? Email clarissachairez@ufl.edu for resources.
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