Classes & Events
Classes & Events
The Arbor Gate’s frequent and wide-ranging classes, workshops, and special events provide enriching information and experiences throughout the gardening year. Our participants gain not only knowledge, but also inspiration and the incentive to get gardening! get cooking! get landscaping! get building that compost heap! get welding! and the list goes on!
Presenters range from published authors to local experts, some Arbor Gate favorites and others brand new to our audiences. Numerous authors of the books we stock are popular class and workshop presenters.
As Buckminster Fuller said, “You can never learn less, you can only learn more.”
Upcoming Classes and Events at The Arbor Gate
Spaces are limited to just 40 attendees, and advance payment is required to secure your spot. Don’t miss out—classes fill up quickly!
Cost: $10 per person (non-refundable)
Call (281) 351-8851 to reserve your spot!
Phyre Cider
Saturday, October 3, 10am
Cynthia Graham, RN, BSN, ND
This is not your local moonshine. Although it does have a mighty impact, especially during changing seasons and the beginning of school. It’s been an herbalist remedy for flu, cold and other viruses for centuries. As part of this class you will learn the base formula and how to customize each rendition to meet your needs and taste requirements.
About Your Instructor
Cynthia Graham is an RN (BSN-UT Houston), Traditional Naturopath and Certified Qigong Instructor. She is Creator/Owner of Nurse NaturalPath, a company intent on better health through holistic education and choice empowerment. Cynthia is a public speaker, educator and private consultant with an avid interest in home remedies, cultural healing practices, and mind-body disciplines. She has studied holistic techniques in places like Beijing, China; the Amazon River Basin and San Marcos, Texas.
It’s Viral!
Wednesday, October 14, 10am
Cynthia Graham, RN, BSN, ND
No, this is not about Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook or any other social media trend. That phrase years ago sometimes meant devastating news and possibly death! We’ve come a long way in knowledge but we’ve also gone full circle. The safest ways to fight infections were known by the ancients. Modern medicine has made great strides in vaccinations, drugs and surgeries. However, the consequences of some of those strides have also given us long term changes in human behavior, such as Autism (The Spectrum of Asperger’s, ADD, ADHD and more), changes to human society through fearmongering and other crucial, possibly genetic alterations. Let’s examine risk to benefit some of the plants passed down to us carrying antiviral, antimicrobial, antibacterial and antiparasitic effects without side effects or adverse reactions like disability, blindness or even death.
About Your Instructor
Cynthia Graham is an RN (BSN-UT Houston), Traditional Naturopath and Certified Qigong Instructor. She is Creator/Owner of Nurse NaturalPath, a company intent on better health through holistic education and choice empowerment. Cynthia is a public speaker, educator and private consultant with an avid interest in home remedies, cultural healing practices, and mind-body disciplines. She has studied holistic techniques in places like Beijing, China; the Amazon River Basin and San Marcos, Texas.
Winter Annuals – a World of Winter Color
Saturday, October 17, 10am
Angela Chandler, The Garden Academy
There are many colorful plants that are just too dainty to take a Gulf Coast summer, but who thrive in our semi-tropical winter climate. Join us to discuss the possibilities in making your winter garden your most colorful yet.
About Your Instructor
Angela Chandler is a lifelong hobby gardener inspired by her grandmother’s natural gardening techniques. Angela became a certified Master Gardener in 2000 and shared her knowledge by teaching in the program for a decade. Today, Angela’s operates The Garden Academy, a partner in education with The Arbor Gate, and frequently contributes to our blog and educational videos on our YouTube channel. Her goal is to share her knowledge and the insights of fellow Gulf Coast gardeners, making gardening an accessible and enjoyable journey for everyone.
Is Cancer Preventable? Can it be treated Naturally?
Tuesday, October 20, 10am
Cynthia Graham, RN, BSN, ND
Those dreaded veggies from early childhood, remember, you fed your Brussel sprouts to the family dog. Everyone ran from the room as your dog reacted with silent but deadly noxious gas. Most people remember cauliflower or broccoli covered in cheese to make them palatable. Well, now everyone is returning to cruciferous. Why? Science studies are proving what the old farmers and grandparents always knew. This group of vegetables fight cancers and so many other ailments. Other groups like citrus and berries will cover for their benefits in preventing cancer and assisting healing mind and body.
About Your Instructor
Cynthia Graham is an RN (BSN-UT Houston), Traditional Naturopath and Certified Qigong Instructor. She is Creator/Owner of Nurse NaturalPath, a company intent on better health through holistic education and choice empowerment. Cynthia is a public speaker, educator and private consultant with an avid interest in home remedies, cultural healing practices, and mind-body disciplines. She has studied holistic techniques in places like Beijing, China; the Amazon River Basin and San Marcos, Texas.
Root-a-Rose Clinic
Saturday, October 24, 10am
Gaye Hammond, Houston Rose Society
Rooting new plants from cuttings has been the traditional method of passing along plants for hundreds of years. Gaye Hammond, Past President of the Houston Rose Society, will present a hands-on clinic showing participants how they can successfully root cuttings in, among other things, a ziplock bag!
About Your Instructor
Gaye Hammond is a Master Rosarian, Past President of the Houston Rose Society, and a life member of the American Rose Society. She has presented at rose societies across the United States and written more than 300 articles for local, state, national and international magazines, newspapers and books, including serving as a special section editor for American Rose magazine. She is also the namesake of the ‘Gaye Hammond’ rose, a hardy, disease-resistant yellow landscape rose introduced at The Arbor Gate.
Fruit Guilds – The Gold Standard of Fruit Growing
Tuesday, October 27, 10am
Angela Chandler, The Garden Academy
Fruit Guilds are the next step in providing the perfect micro-environment for your fruit trees. They are a specialized system of companion planting that improves soil health in the rhizosphere of your fruit trees, reducing disease pressures and increasing nutrient management. There are added benefits to pollinators and beneficial insects, as well as some potential harvest for you along the way. And bottom line, they are just pretty to look at.
About Your Instructor
Angela Chandler is a lifelong hobby gardener inspired by her grandmother’s natural gardening techniques. Angela became a certified Master Gardener in 2000 and shared her knowledge by teaching in the program for a decade. Today, Angela’s operates The Garden Academy, a partner in education with The Arbor Gate, and frequently contributes to our blog and educational videos on our YouTube channel. Her goal is to share her knowledge and the insights of fellow Gulf Coast gardeners, making gardening an accessible and enjoyable journey for everyone.
Paperwhite Forcing for the Holidays & Fall Planted Bulbs
Tuesday, November 3, 10am
Chris Wiesinger, The Southern Bulb Company
Most bulbs sold in Texas were bred for somewhere else — and they show it by blooming once and disappearing. Chris Wiesinger, co-author of The Bulb Hunter with the late Dr. Bill Welch, has spent two decades tracking down the heirloom bulbs that actually come back year after year in Gulf Coast gardens. He’ll cover the basics of choosing, planting, and caring for true Southern perennials — which varieties naturalize here, when and how deep to plant them, and why most of the “chill your bulbs” advice doesn’t apply to us.
The second half of the talk is all about paperwhites. These are the easiest bulbs for holiday color, but timing and technique make the difference between a stiff, leggy pot and a full, fragrant display. Chris will walk through forcing in soil versus water, staggering plantings so you have blooms from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, keeping stems short and upright, and which paperwhite varieties are worth growing for both indoors and the garden. Bring your questions — and your holiday gift list.
About Your Instructor
Chris Wiesinger, founder of The Southern Bulb Company and affectionately known as “The Bulb Hunter,” has been on a lifelong journey to collect and restore forgotten heirloom bulbs to Southern gardens. His passion for bulbs and incredible stories of discovery have been featured in The New York Times, and he’s also the author of The Bulb Hunter. Chris’s classes are always inspiring, filled with fascinating horticulture knowledge, and, of course, plenty of Southern charm.
Madalene Hill – The Grande Dame of Herbs
Saturday, November 7, 10am
Henry Flowers, Glasco Landscaping
A look at the life and legacy of a lady passionate about growing, using, and sharing her love of herbs. We will also take an in-depth look at specific herbs she helped to introduce to the nursery trade – many of which are still favorites today.
About Your Instructor
Henry Flowers is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds both Bachelor and Master of Agriculture degrees in Horticulture. He is currently a horticulturist with Glasco & Co. Landscaping in Brenham, TX. He worked for the Antique Rose Emporium for 12 years and was Garden Director at the Round Top Festival Institute for 16 years, where he worked with Madalene Hill. He is a lifetime member of The Herb Society of America and was the 2009 recipient of The HSA’s Joanna McQuail Reed Award for the Artistic Use of Herbs.
Fantastic Fall Favorites
Saturday, November 7, Noon-2pm
Skip Richter, The GardenLine
FREE EVENT, OPEN TO EVERYONE, NO REGISTRATION NEEDED.
Skip will also be available to answer all your gardening questions.
Door Prizes. Giveaways.
About Your Instructor
Skip Richter is the beloved host of GardenLine Radio on Newsradio 740 KTRH and one of Texas’ most trusted gardening voices, bringing decades of horticulture experience and a friendly, down-home approach to weekend garden radio. A familiar face at The Arbor Gate, Skip is known for his practical, down-to-earth advice and genuine enthusiasm for helping Gulf Coast gardeners succeed.
Preparing for Plant Protection
Saturday, November 14, 10am
Angela Chandler, The Garden Academy
Winter on the Gulf Coast is a bit of a roller coaster ride. Beautiful, balmy days dotted by snap freezes that take a toll on our gardens. There are some very simple and inexpensive ways you can protect your garden without the need to build a greenhouse. Now is the time to prepare! We have solutions for everything from containers to trees, including our wonderful, but problematic citrus.
About Your Instructor
Angela Chandler is a lifelong hobby gardener inspired by her grandmother’s natural gardening techniques. Angela became a certified Master Gardener in 2000 and shared her knowledge by teaching in the program for a decade. Today, Angela’s operates The Garden Academy, a partner in education with The Arbor Gate, and frequently contributes to our blog and educational videos on our YouTube channel. Her goal is to share her knowledge and the insights of fellow Gulf Coast gardeners, making gardening an accessible and enjoyable journey for everyone.
Easy Parking for Classes!
Our new Treichel Road entrance and lot makes parking for classes a breeze:
1. From FM 2920, proceed to Treichel Road in either direction.
2. Turn onto Treichel Road and follow it to the large sign for the parking lot.
3. It’s an easy walk from your vehicle into the Garden Center!
