Festival of Trees is closed Friday 12/19 due to a power outage caused by the storm. Friday ticket holders should check their email for info about their tickets. We plan to re-open Saturday 12/20 with regular hours.
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Upcoming Courses

Starting Monday January 5, 2026

26 BAC 121 A Graphite Adventure: How to Solve Botanical Drawing Problems

Virtual
$275
$325

Drawing plants isn’t always easy, especially when you’re faced with foreshortened petals, tricky tonal values, or overlapping shapes. In this four-session class, Carol Ann Morley will explore numerous ways to approach these visual problems and how to solve them with confidence. Learn how to build spatial depth and show space using techniques like atmospheric perspective.  With step-by-step guidance, you’ll gain skills to simplify what you see and conquer the curves of a curled leaf, the surface pattern of a gourd, or the layered shapes of a flower..

Length: 4 days
Dates
:  January 5, 7, 9, & 12,  2026
Time: 10 am - 4 pm ET 

Starting Wednesday January 14, 2026

26 BAC 120 Greenhouse Botanicals: Succulents & Cacti

Virtual
$200
$250

In this class with Tara Connaughton, we’ll take the artistic opportunity to study the beautiful and unique succulents and/or cacti available in our local greenhouses. Students will be guided through creating a botanical illustration of their chosen plant, with lessons focused on observation, drawing, painting process, and capturing unique characteristics these plants have - such as powdery bloom and silvery greens. We’ll learn methods for accurate color mixing, how to layer watercolor to build value, and detail in our illustrations.

Length: 3 days
Dates
:  Wednesdays,  January 14, 21, & 28, 2026
Time: 9:30 am - 1:30 pm ET 

Starting Monday January 23, 2026

26 BAC 231 On Location: The Kampong, National Tropical Botanical Garden

Florida, The Kampong NTGB
$850
$950

Join us on site at The Kampong, a National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) in Florida, for five immersive days of botanical art. Home to an extraordinary garden, where the warm, coastal climate supports an astonishing range of tropical species. Working from an open-air classroom, you’ll explore foundational drawing techniques using live plant material. Starting with simple field sketches in graphite you'll study form, structure, and growth stages. Many specimens may be flowering or fruiting—and some may display multiple stages of development at once. Using watercolor you'll bring your studies to life!

All art abilities are welcome

Length: 5 days
Dates
: Daily, January 26-30, 2026

Starting February 2, 2026

26 BAC 102 Foundations of Botanical Drawing & Painting

Hybrid OR Virtual
$385
$460

This class is our introduction series for botanical art beginners. 

In this six-week class, Sarah Roche introduces you to the traditional art and science of botanical drawing and painting. Focus includes observational skills, drawing, composition, design, and watercolor techniques. Sarah provides plenty of demonstrations, individual attention, and detailed feedback to make this a perfect beginner class.
Winter Topic: TBD.

Length: 6 Days
Dates
: Varied, starting on February 2, 2026
Time: 10 am - 1 pm ET 

Starting February 3, 2026

26 BAC 202 Techniques of Botanical Drawing & Painting

Hybrid: Virtual & the Garden at Elm Bank
$385
$460

In this six-week class, refine your drawing and watercolor techniques with Sarah Roche as you focus on achieving the accurate representation of botanical subjects. 

Winter topic: TBD.

Prerequisite: Artists enrolling in this class should have successfully completed at least two Foundations courses and have the permission of the instructor.


Length: 6 Days
Dates
: Tuesdays, February 3, 10, 17, 24 & March 3, 10, 2026 
Time: 10 am - 1 pm ET 

Starting Monday March 16, 2026

26 BAC 113 Color Mixing for Artists

Virtual
$360
$410

Get color confidence. Susan T. Fisher teaches you a system for combining colors consistently so you won't have to settle for the ones you end up with through trial and error. Lots of exercises, discussions, individual attention, and demonstrations will show you how to achieve the broadest possible spectrum. You'll get answers to many of your questions as we discuss the various properties of paint. Familiarize yourself with the codes to quality paint and choose pigments that will endure. 

Length: 5 days
Dates
: Daily, March 16 –20, 2026
Time: 10 am - 1 pm ET 


Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration

For 194 years, Massachusetts Horticultural Society has had a mission to promote the art and science of horticulture. Building on that long tradition, we offer a Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration (CBA) — bringing together fine art and scientific accuracy in an integrated course of study set in the Garden at Elm Bank. Using three levels of study – Foundations, Techniques and Accomplishments – the CBA curriculum offers a concentrated study in the traditions, techniques, history, and botany associated with classical botanical art and illustration. Anyone is welcome to enroll in courses below the Accomplishments level without entering the Certificate program, provided they meet the prerequisites for each course. Sarah Roche, an internationally respected and awarded botanical artist, is our Lead Instructor & the founder of the Certificate program in 2003.

For more information about the CBA, including an application form, contact Eileen Sprague, our Botanical Art Assistant through the form here. Note: Artists must successfully complete one Foundations course before applying for the CBA.

Contact our Botanical Art Program

 

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Get an inside look at classes in session, student artworks, and future opportunities to show & see works from the Botanical Art program!

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