Expand Your Native Intelligence
Get to know the native plants that form the green spine of life
Want to learn which plants support which pollinators, polish up your tree-ID skills, or wade into wetlands science? You'll find these and other topics among the nearly 200 classes and field studies we offer each year. We partner with leading organizations throughout the region to offer more public programs in all New England states. Our programs integrate current research and best practices in native plant botany and conservation, sustainable landscape design, and ecological gardening.
Join us at Garden in the Woods and other locations throughout New England, including those of our partner organizations. Also check out our expanding line-up of webinars and online courses by typing "webinars" or "online" in the search field at the top of any page.
And if you live in Framingham or in surrounding towns, check out Close Looking, our art and nature experience created by our staff and the Danforth Art Museum in Framingham. Just click here to download a PDF describing activities linking works of art at the Danforth with landscapes at Garden in the Woods.
Attention, teachers in Massachusetts: At Garden in the Woods, we offer an engaging set of school programs tied to state curriculum standards!
Have questions about how to register, pay for classes, and related topics? Please see answers to frequently asked questions here.
Pile Up Professional Credits
Many of our programs qualify for continuing education units (CEUs)
The following organizations allow selected Native Plant Trust programs to qualify for CEUs in horticulture, forestry, agriculture, and related professions:
Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals (AOLCP)
- View our programs that qualify for this credit.
Continuing Forestry Education (CFE)
- View our programs that qualify for this credit.
Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist (MCH)
- View our programs that qualify for this credit.
Massachusetts Certified Landscape Professional (MCLP)
- View our programs that qualify for this credit.
*Programs receive 1/4 MCLP credit for every class hour completed.
Massachusetts Certified Arborist (MCA)
- View our programs that qualify for this credit.
Our programs may also qualify for credits with the following organizations:
Learn Online With Us!
Explore these varied ways to learn online with us
- Sign up for one of our online courses: We offer several types, including live webinars lasting an hour, longer live-virtual classes featuring the chance to interact with your instructor, and university-style, self-paced courses with multiple ways to participate. Log in or set up your online-learning account here.
- Join us for webinars on a host of topics, scheduled throughout the year: Just type "webinar" in the search field at the top of any page. And if you're browsing, you'll notice that webinars have a "W" in the course code. Enrolled in a certificate program? Take three live webinars to earn one elective certificate class .
- Start learning about the plants around you anytime with our free, online plant identification tool, Go Botany. This botanical database holds complete information on all 3,500 plant species, native and non-native, in the New England landscape. Trace your species through range maps, photos, and detailed botanical descriptions and drawings.
- Gardeners and designers, both amateur and pro: Check out our free, online Garden Plant Finder to find the right plant for your ecoregion, soil type, and other specifics of your site, as well as the desired height, color, and other characteristics.
Developing online courses takes time, expertise, and funding. Click here to support the development of more online offerings to reach learners in all corners of New England.
