In March, you can learn about seed-starting, make your own compost and learn how to use color theory for floral arrangements. And all of these classes are virtual.

There are dozens of classes to check out, online and in-person throughout the month.

Throughout the Lancaster County region, there are hands-on classes that teach things like how to make a resurrection garden and a succulent planter. There’s also a seed swap in Elizabethtown. There also are virtual classes on topics like flower arranging plus virtual talks about growing native plants and more.

The in-person events are limited to small groups and some virtual classes ship materials so don’t wait to sign up. Some of the virtual events are selling out quickly as well.

If you have any additional events or talks to share, email [email protected]

Tuesday, March 2, noon-1 p.m. Irish Country House Gardens. This online lecture from Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will explore the finest country gardens of Ireland. $35 for non-members. Register online. 

Tuesday, March 2, noon-2 p.m. Identifying Woody Plants in Winter. This virtual class from Longwood Gardens demystifies the identification process. $29. Register online.

Tuesday, March 2, noon-12:30 p.m. Virtual Winter Interest Tour. This virtual tour from Scott Arboretum will highlight spots of winter interest in the garden. Free. Live on Facebook. 

Tuesday, March 2, 7-8:15 p.m. Houseplant Master Class: What is a Hobby Greenhouse? This webinar from Penn State Ag Extension answers questions about hobby greenhouses. $5. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 3 (and Saturday, March 6), 10-11:30 a.m. Great Native Plants for Difficult Sites. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center will share plants that thrive in clay soil, deep shade, full sun and more. $29. Register online.

Wednesday, March 3, 1-2 p.m. Soil Health: Understanding, Testing and Maintaining Home Garden Soil. This virtual class from Morris Arboretum covers soil and how it can be tested and amended. $15 for nonmembers. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 3, 5-6 p.m. Seed Starting: Beginning Food Growing Series. This online lecture from Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will cover what you need to know to grow from seed. $15 for non-members. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Meadows, a virtual class from Penn State Extension is an introduction to the world of meadows. $5. Register online. 

Thursday, March 4, noon-1 p.m. Portlandia and Beyond: Gardens Nurseries, Plants and more. This virtual talk from Scott Arboretum will explore gardens and landscapes from Portland, Ore. Free. Registration is required. 

Thursday, March 4, 6:30-8 p.m. Make a Globe Terrarium planter workshop. This virtual workshop from Terrarium Therapy shows how to make a succulent planter and is a fundraiser to benefit Domestic Violence Center of Chester County. $50-60, includes materials. Register online. 

Thursday, March 4, 7 p.m. March into Spring with Flowers and Friends with Alice’s Table. Learn how to make a floral arrangement in this virtual class. $65 (includes materials). Register online. 

Friday, March 5, 11 a.m.-noon. Virtual Gentle Flow Yoga in the Garden. Join a virtual garden-themed yoga class from Scott Arboretum. Free. Register online. 

Friday, March 5, 1-2 p.m. Convert Your Lawn: Create Beautiful Gardens and Meaningful Habitat. This virtual class from Morris Arboretum shares several ways to convert a lawn. $15 for nonmembers. Register online. 

Friday, March 5 and March 6. Galanthus Gala. This virtual event includes talks about snowdrops in Pennsylvania and around the world. $29. Register online. 

Saturday, March 6, 10 a.m.-noon. Seed swap at Winters Heritage House Museum, 47 E. High St., Elizabethtown. Bring seeds to share. Label each variety. Free. 

Saturday, March 13, 10 a.m.-noon. Garden Planning workshop at Winters Heritage House Museum, 47 E. High St., Elizabethtown. Call 717-367-4672 to register. $5. 

Saturday, March 6, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Deep Forest Bathing. This is a guided deep listening meditation and mindful walk in the forest at Theodore A. Parker III Natural Area. $3 per person. Register at 717-295-2055 or online.

Saturday, March 6, 11 a.m.-noon. Nesting Wreath workshop at Ken’s Gardens, 3552 W. Newport Road, Ronks. $30, includes materials to make a wreath birds will enjoy. Register at 717-768-3922 or online. 

Saturday, March 6, 5 p.m. Spring Fever Florals with Alice’s Table. Learn how to make a floral arrangement in this virtual class. $65 (includes materials). Register online. 

Sunday, March 7, 9-11 a.m. The Living Landscape class at Horn Farm Center, 4945 Horn Road, Hallam. $15. Register online. 

(starts) Monday, March 8, 3-3:45 p.m. Introduction to Floral Design I: Certificate Workshop. This virtual course (in three sessions) from Longwood Gardens provides the foundational skills and the hands-on practice needed to spark your floral design creativity. $499 (includes materials shipped for each class). Register online.

Tuesday, March 9, 5-6 p.m. Lush Life: Tropical Plants in Temperate Climates. This online lecture from Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will show how to use tropical, subtropicals and tender perennials. $35 for non-members. Register online. 

Tuesday, March 9, 7-8 p.m. Raised Beds and Season Extension. This virtual class from Penn State Extension will teach about how to extend your growing season with raised beds. $5. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 10, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Enhancing Life in the Soil. This four-part webinar from Mt. Cuba Center will cover soil science, how to make compost and how to improve soil. $215. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 10, 6-7 p.m. Nature Hour: Made in the Shade: Gardening with Shade-Loving Natives. This online lecture from Lancaster Conservancy and Mt. Cuba Center will explore native perennials for shade gardens. Free. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 10, 6:30-8 p.m. The Importance of Bees. This virtual class from Penn State Extension will provide a primer on bees and how to attract them. $5. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 10, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Gardening by the Foot: Small Space, Big Yield. This virtual class from Penn State Extension will show how to increase yield in a small space with square foot gardening. $5. Register online. 

Thursday, March 11, 10-11 a.m. Houseplant Care and Propagation for Spring. This virtual class from Morris Arboretum shares care tips for common houseplants, with a focus on winter care, plus propagation tips. $15 for nonmembers. Register online. 

Thursday, March 11, noon-1 p.m. A Month in Japan after Hurricane Sandy. This virtual talk from Scott Arboretum will explore gardens and landscapes in four islands of Japan. Free but registration is required. 

Thursday, March 11, 6-7:30 p.m. The Art of Organic Floral Structures. This virtual course from Longwood Gardens shares secrets to creating organic structures that support and artistically embrace flowers and foliage. $29. Register online.

Thursday, March 11, 7 p.m. Make a Duckie Pond Planter in a White Distressed Box. This is a virtual class with Plant Nite. $50, includes supplies. Register online (a week in advance so supplies arrive in time). Plant Nite has more than a dozen virtual classes throughout March.

Friday, March 12, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Find the Right Floral Hue. This virtual course from Longwood Gardens helps sharpen your color and design skills, expand knowledge of color theory and find the right color blend. $200, includes flowers and foliage shipment. Register online by March 2. 

Friday, March 12, 10-11:30 a.m. (plus March 17, 5:30-7 p.m. and March 20, 10-11:30 a.m.) Shade-Loving Spring Perennials. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center shares native perennials that thrive in the shaded garden. $29. Register online. 

Friday, March 12, 7 p.m. St. Patrick’s Day Blooms with Alice’s Table. Learn how to make a St. Patrick’s Day floral arrangement in this virtual class. $65 (includes materials). Register online. Alice’s Table has more virtual classes through March. 

Saturday, March 13. GardenWise, a virtual symposium from Penn State Extension will have presentations on the benefits of bats, gardening for pollinators and more. $15. Register online. 

Saturday, March 13, 10 a.m.-noon. Smart Gardening Workshop – Create a Garden with Buzz. This virtual symposium from Penn State Extension will cover how to create a healthy ecosystem and pollinator habitat at home. $10. Register online. 

Saturday, March 13, 11 a.m.-noon. Nesting Wreath workshop at Ken’s Gardens, 2467 Old Philadelphia Pike, Smoketown. $30, includes materials to make a wreath birds will enjoy. Register at 717-392-4875 or online.

Saturday, March 13, 11 a.m.-noon. Starting Seeds Indoors at Ken’s Gardens, 3552 W. Newport Road, Ronks. Learn how to start seeds indoors. $15, includes seed tray and dome. Register at 717-768-3922 or online. 

Saturday, March 13, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The Wildflowers of Summer. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center shares native summer-blooming perennials. $25. Register online. 

Sunday, March 14, 1-3 p.m. The Language of Birds. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center shares skills to understand and use bird language on your next birdwatching journey. $29. Register online. 

Sunday, March 14, 4-5:15 p.m. Beautiful Destinations: Botanical Gardens of the World. Explore Majorelle Gardens (Marrakech) and Nezahat Botanical Gardens (Istanbul) virtually with Smithsonian Associates. $30. Register online.

Tuesday, March 16, 6:30 p.m. Succulent class at Flourish Flowers, East Earl. Learn how to grow, transplant, and overwinter succulents. $55, includes refreshments and plants and materials to make a small your own planter. Register online. 



From seed-starting and container gardening to making wreaths and arrangements, there are dozens of classes to find in March.



Wednesday, March 17, 10-11 a.m. Hellebores for Late Winter Bloom. This virtual class from Morris Arboretum covers different types of hellebores and care tips. $15 for nonmembers. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 17, 6:30-8 p.m. Beneficial Insects for Your Garden. This virtual class from Penn State Extension will teach about how to get beneficial insects to help in your garden. $5. Register online. 

Thursday, March 18, 5-7 p.m. Women’s Intro to Foraging. Learn how to forage in this women-only class at Horn Farm Center, 4945 Horn Road, Hallam. $25. Register online. 

Thursday, March 18, noon-1 p.m. Belvoir Castle: Return of a 200-year-old Garden. This online lecture from Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will cover the history of an English estate and its modern update. $35 for non-members. Register online. 

Thursday, March 18, 7-8 p.m. Seed Starting Made Simple, a virtual class from Penn State Extension will cover how to grow your own seedlings. $5. Register online. 

Friday, March 19, 10-11:30 a.m. Understanding Trilliums. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center focuses on this woodland flowering plant. $29. Register online. 

Friday, March 19, 11 a.m.-noon. Virtual Gentle Flow Yoga in the Garden. Join a virtual garden-themed yoga class from Scott Arboretum. Free. Register online. 

Friday, March 19, 1-2 p.m. Gardening for Butterflies and Their Caterpillars. This virtual class from Morris Arboretum shares how gardens can nurture butterflies. $15 for nonmembers. Register online. 

Saturday, March 20, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Waking Up Your Garden, a virtual program from Penn State Extension will cover topics including minor bulbs for spring, garden tool care and scaling up native plant gardens. $15. Register online. 

Saturday, March 20, 10 a.m.-noon. Spring pots class with Flourish Flowers. Kent Russel will show how to create spring pots, at White Gables Garden House, 4967 Homeville Road Conchranville. $62. Register online. 

Saturday, March 20, 11 a.m.-noon. Resurrection Garden workshop at Ken’s Gardens, 3552 W. Newport Road, Ronks. $15, includes materials to make a resurrection garden with pansies or violas. Register at 717-768-3922 or online.

Saturday, March 20, 11 a.m.-noon. Resurrection Garden workshop at Ken’s Gardens, 2467 Old Philadelphia Pike, Smoketown. $15, includes materials to make a resurrection garden with pansies or violas. Register at 717-392-4875 or online.

Sunday, March 21, noon-3 p.m. Redefining Houseplants: The Aesthetics, the Science, and the Self-Care. In this virtual course from Longwood Gardens, three experts share different approaches to make houseplants a bold statement in your home. $39. Register online.

Sunday, March 21, 1:30-3 p.m. Build a Bluebird Box with Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation at Central Park, 733 Williamson Road. Bring a hammer. $3 per person and $10 per box. Register online or at 717-295-2055. 

(Starts) Monday, March 22. Annuals, Perennials and Vines. In this virtual course from Longwood Gardens, learn about 45 plants that have color, texture and blooms. $179. The course is self-paced. Register online through May 3. 

(Starts) Monday, March 22. Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits and Nuts. In this virtual course from Longwood Gardens, learn about 15 vegetables, 15 herbs, 15 fruits and five nut trees. Register online through May 3. 

(Starts) Monday, March 22. Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. In this virtual course from Longwood Gardens, learn how to identify woody plants and use them in landscapes. Register online through May 3. 

Wednesday, March 24, 5-6 p.m. Beautiful, Sustainable, Abundant Flower Gardens. This online lecture from Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has advice for creating a flower garden. $35 for non-members. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 24, 6-7 p.m. Nature Hour: There and Back Again: A Migrant’s Tale. This online lecture from Lancaster Conservancy and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary focuses on the migration of birds. Free. Register online. 

Wednesday, March 24, 6:30-8 p.m. Creating a Shade Garden. This virtual class from Penn State Extension will show how to create a thriving shade garden. $5. Register online. 

Thursday, March 25, 10-11:30 a.m. (and April 1, 5:30-7 p.m.) Clean Composting. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center shares how to make compost and keep it clean and manageable, even in an apartment. $29. Register online. 

Saturday, March 27, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Spring Gardening Saturday: Eco-Gardening, Plain and Simple. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center shares how native plants support pollinators and wildlife, benefit water resources and provide beautiful spaces. $19. Register online. 

Saturday, March 27, 10 a.m.-noon. Foraging: Spring Plant Walk. This is the first foraging walk of the season at Horn Farm Center, 4945 Horn Road, Hallam. $25. Register online. 

Saturday, March 27, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (drop-in, no registration needed) Make a Fuzzy Bunny Planter at Ken’s Gardens, 3552 W. Newport Road, Ronks. $10, includes materials and plants. Appropriate for children ages 3 and older. No groups larger than four people.

Saturday, March 27, 11 a.m.-noon. Starting Seeds Indoors at Ken’s Gardens, 2467 Old Philadelphia Pike, Smoketown. Learn how to start seeds indoors. $15, includes seed tray and dome. Register at 717-392-4875 or online.

Saturday, March 27, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Spring Gardening Saturday: Great Plants for Soggy Soils. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center includes plants adapted to soggy soil. $19. Register online. 

Saturday, March 27, 1-2 p.m. Spring Gardening Saturday: Woodland Wildflowers for Home Gardens. This webinar from Mt. Cuba Center covers native plants suited for shady areas. $19. Register online. 

Saturday, March 27, 2-4 p.m. Knowing Native Plants: Signs of Spring from Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is a virtual talk about early flowering plants and how to identify shoots. $25. Register online. 

Sunday, March 28, 2-3:30 p.m. Make a Succulent Planter in a Rustic Box. This workshop from Terrarium Therapy is at Mount Gretna Craft Brewery. $45-$65, includes materials. Register online. 

Sunday, March 28, 4-5:15 p.m. Beautiful Destinations: Botanical Gardens of the World. Explore Arizona’s Boyce Thompson Arboretum and Botanical Garden virtually with Smithsonian Associates. $30. Register online.

Ongoing, Floral Design Basics. This online course with six modules from Longwood Gardens gives the foundational skills to create arrangements. $99. Register online through March 21.

Ongoing, Everything Aquatics. This online course from Longwood Gardens includes a look at the garden’s water plants and how to grow your own. Free. Register online through March 26.

Ongoing, The World of Plants: Exploring Horticulture. This online course from Longwood Gardens covers topics like evolution and diversity of plants, pruning bonsai and Longwood’s plant acquisitions. Free. Register online through March 26.

Ongoing, Everything about Orchids Essentials. This online course from Longwood Gardens includes a look at native orchid conservation and how to grow your own. $29.99. Register online.

And looking into April:

Thursday, April 1, 7-8:15 p.m. Home Composting- Natures Recycler. This virtual class from Penn State Extension will cover how to make your own compost. $5. Register online. 

Friday, April 2, 11 a.m.-noon. Virtual Gentle Flow Yoga in the Garden. Join a virtual garden-themed yoga class from Scott Arboretum. Free. Register online. 

Saturday, April 3, 11 a.m.-noon. Cold-tolerant Container Garden workshop at Ken’s Gardens, 2467 Old Philadelphia Pike, Smoketown. Make a patio planter with cold-tolerant plants. $45, includes a 13-inch container, plants and soil. Register at 717-392-4875 or online.

Tuesday, April 6, noon-12:30 p.m. Virtual Spring Ephemerals Tour. This virtual tour from Scott Arboretum will highlight spring ephemerals in the garden. Free. Live on Facebook. 

Thursday, April 8, 5:30-6:30 p.m. The Great American Landscape meets the 2021 Philadelphia Flower Show. In this online lecture from Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, designer Donald Pell will share how to create home garden designs and what’s coming up for his flower show exhibit. $35 for non-members. Register online. 

Saturday, April 10, 9 a.m. Backyard cutting garden class with Flourish Flowers in East Ear. Learn how to create a cutting garden with greens and blooms year-round. $45. Register online. 

Saturday, April 10, 10 a.m.-noon. Backyard Composting. Learn how to make your own compost at Horn Farm Center, 4945 Horn Road, Hallam. $25. Register online. 

Saturday, April 10, 11 a.m.-noon. Urban Vege Bowl workshop at Ken’s Gardens, 2467 Old Philadelphia Pike, Smoketown. Make a vegetable-filled planter that can handle the cold. $20, includes a 14-inch bowl, plants and soil. Register at 717-392-4875 or online.

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