Mobile Botanical Gardens

Nita Crandall Celebration of Life
2024-05-18 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Chicago)
When: Saturday, May 18th, from 3pm – 6pm
Where: Mobile Botanical Gardens
Family and friends will gather on the grounds of Mobile Botanical Gardens to celebrate the life of Nita Crandall, longtime MBG member, volunteer, former staff and Board member, and most importantly – a woman with a big heart and sweet spirit.
*Golf Cart shuttle will be available
*Inside and outside areas with plenty of seating
*Bring a covered dish to share (Nita loved potluck!)
*MBG will provide disposable plates, cutlery, napkins, cups, as well as Tea / Lemonade / Water & ice
*Family and friends will be invited to speak at 4pm
In lieu of flowers the Family asks that donations be made to the Nita Crandall Memorial Fund at Mobile Botanical Gardens via this link:
Donate to Nita Crandall Memorial Fund

Qi Gong / Tai Chi at MBG
2024-05-21 09:00 - 10:00
What: Spring Session IV
When: Tuesday and Friday mornings, 9am-10am
Where: Outdoor sites at Mobile Botanical Gardens
Instructor: Alla Zakharova
Cost: $56 – 8 sessions (students will receive a punch card)
More information and registration
The class setting at the Mobile Botanical Gardens is ideal for Qi Gong and Tai Chi routines, since their slow, gentle motions are patterned after movements found in nature. The selected exercises can and should be practiced independently at home and are suitable for any level of physical fitness. You will be provided with printed materials and online resources to assist you with independent practice and aid your personal growth and development in these disciplines.
About our Instructor: Alla Zakharova is a retired academic with four advanced degrees in education, linguistics, and instructional design who has been practicing Tai Chi for the last twenty years. She studied Tai Chi 24 and 42 open hand forms, fan, sword and cane routines with Louisa Martin and Mart Burrow.

Writers In Nature with Sue B. Walker
2024-05-22 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-05-29 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-06-05 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-06-12 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-06-19 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-06-26 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-07-03 10:00 - 12:00, 2024-07-17 10:00 - 12:00 and 7 more dates
What: A Writing group under direction of Sue B. Walker
When: Wednesday mornings 10am until Noon
Where: The Larkins Classroom
Members of the group meet weekly to discuss creative writings.

Spring Hill Garden Club - Regular Meeting and Lunch
2024-05-22 10:00 - 13:00
Members of the Spring Hill Garden Club meet at Mobile Botanical Gardens on a monthly basis, typically the fourth Wednesday of the month. They have a business meeting followed by a topic presentation. The assembly concludes with lunch (catered by Georgia Roussos Catering).

MarketPlace at MBG
2024-05-25 09:00 - 11:00
Great plants for your Gulf Coast Garden!
Located at the end of our primary parking lot
Open each Saturday morning through the end of May

"Learning the Art of..." Series - The Art of Drawing Technique
2024-06-14 10:00 - 13:00, 2024-06-28 10:00 - 13:00, 2024-07-05 10:00 - 13:00, 2024-07-12 10:00 - 13:00, 2024-07-19 10:00 - 13:00, 2024-07-26 10:00 - 13:00
What: A six-week course in drawing
When: Friday, June 14th – July 26th, 10am – 1pm
Where: The Larkins Classroom, Mobile Botanical Gardens
Cost: $125 MBG Members / $150 Nonmembers
Register by calling the Office at 251.342.0555
Materials List
If you have long held the desire to learn how to draw and paint then this series of classes are designed for you. And also, for those who simply wish to take their drawing skills to a higher level as we cater to the needs of the intermediate and advanced students.
During each 6-week course, each student will engage in drawing and painting plant specimens as they learn to recognize and create form by understanding the importance of structure, surface texture and light as “value”. See and feel the magic of creating “value” as your flower drawing slowly emerges and comes to life with shape, form, depth and dimension.
Derek Norman,
Instructor, Artist, Author & Educator

Keep Calm and Garden On: Gardening in the Midst of Climate Change
2024-06-22 09:00 - 15:00
Marianne Willburn, opinion columnist for the American Horticultural Society’s The American Gardener
Keep Calm and Garden On: Gardening in the Midst of Climate Change
Saturday, June 22, 2024
9:00am – 2:00pm
How can we best adapt to what is, right now, and make our gardens more resilient throughout the seasons? The day includes seminar and lunch.
Register for this single

All About the Longleaf Forest
2024-08-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Mobile Botanical Gardens, 5151 MUSEUM DR, MOBILE, AL, 36608, United States
First Friday Returns: MBG’s Longleaf Forest
Join us for the kick off of the return of our First Friday series! Captain of our Longleaf Management Committee, Andrew Saunders, will be here to deliver a spirited Powerpoint presentation about MBG’s largest collection, the Longleaf Treasure Forest, including its natural history and its restoration promise. He will also share information about a planned growing-season burn happening here soon.
The Longleaf Forest once extended along the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains from Virginia through East Texas over greater than 90 million acres and was the dominant ecosystem in the Southeast. By the mid-20th century, it covered less than 3 million acres. Today, with numerous restoration efforts underway, Longleaf covers over 5 million acres.
The Longleaf Forest is an ecological restoration success story! And MBG is proud to be a part of restoring this living ecosystem, one of the most diverse on Earth. So why would we burn this treasured forest, you ask? Join us for August’s First Friday Presentation to find out exactly why prescribed fire is for the good of the Longleaf Forest!
When: Friday, August 2, 2024 10:00am
Where: Mobile Botanical Gardens
Cost: Free for MBG members or with admission, though registration is required. Email shabel@mbgardens.org or call 251-342-0555 to register.
After this engaging First Friday Presentation, enjoy a delicious lunch ($15.00), catered by Georgia Roussous. On the menu this week is baked penne, steamed broccoli, a side caesar salad, roll and butter, sweet or unsweet tea and a chocolate trifle for dessert. Lunches are available via pre-order only. Order your lunch now

Botanical Art #2: The Art of Colored Pencil
2024-08-23 10:00 - 13:00, 2024-08-30 10:00 - 13:00 | Mobile Botanical Gardens’ Larkins Classroom, 5151 Museum Dr, Mobile, AL, 36608, United States
BOTANICAL ART #2: LEARNING “THE ART OF …” SERIES
#2. THE ART OF COLORED PENCIL

For those who simply wish to take their botanical art and drawing skills to a higher level and those who continue to explore the world of botanical art drawing with colored pencil this class is specifically designed for you!
Students will progress through sound accurate observation and the fundamentals of proportional drawing technique to an understanding of working with color and colored pencil. A step-by-step process will allow the student to more fully understand the application of color and color blending, be it colored pencil or watercolor. As the class progresses each
student will engage in drawing plant specimens as they learn to apply color to a variety of hot press papers and understand the importance of structure, surface texture and color perspective.
Botanical Art #2: Learning How to Work with Colored Pencil –
How to surprise yourself and amaze your friends!
Instructor: Derek Norman
Artist, Botanical Artist, Educator, Author & sometime Writer
Fridays 10 am – 1 pm from August 23rd – September 27th

Cost: $125 MBG Members, $150 not-yet members
Register and Pay

First class: August 23
Second class: August 30
Third class: Sept 6 meeting on Magnolia Hill
Fourth class: Sept 13
Fifth class: Sept 20
Sixth class: Sept 27

Nature Journaling for Homeschoolers
2024-09-03 09:00 - 10:30 | Mobile Botanical Gardens, 5151 MUSEUM DR, MOBILE, AL, 36608, United States
Nature Journaling Class for Homeschoolers!
“In the practice of nature journaling, you use words, pictures, and numbers to collect and record your observations, questions, connections, and explanations on the pages of a notebook. You do not need to be an artist or a naturalist to begin. These skills can be learned by anyone, and you can develop them with deliberate practice.”
-John Muir Law
Unlock the wonders of the natural world with our Nature Journaling class, specifically designed for homeschooled children aged 8-13. Over six engaging sessions, young explorers will embark on a creative journey to record and interpret the beauty of nature.
Through a variety of outdoor settings at the beautiful Mobile Botanical Gardens, students will develop their observation skills, foster a deeper connection with the environment, and cultivate their artistic expression.
With guidance from an experienced teacher, MBG Director of Education Sara Habel, students will learn various journaling techniques, including sketching, writing, and collecting natural materials. Meanwhile, they will also discover how to slow down, observe, and appreciate the intricate details of the natural world.
While combining art, science, and nature, this class encourages children to think creatively, develop their critical thinking skills, and build confidence in their abilities. Mobile Botanical Gardens’ diverse landscapes and ecosystems provide the perfect backdrop for this immersive experience.
So have your child join us on this exciting adventure, where curiosity meets creativity, and nature becomes the ultimate teacher. Let’s cultivate a new generation of nature lovers, observers, and stewards of the environment. Register your child today and watch them blossom into a skilled nature journalist!
FREE for members or with admission; registration required
Mrs. Habel will lead this class designed for homeschoolers aged 9-13 on Tuesday mornings between 9-10:30 am. Class is free for MBG members or with admission for not-yet members. But space is limited to 12 students and registration is required. See registration form at the bottom of this page. When you register, Mrs. Habel will soon email you with her suggestions for your child’s journal and drawing tools for this class.
First class: September 3, 2024
Second class: September 10, 2024
Third class: September 17, 2024
Fourth class: September 24, 2024
Fifth class: October 8, 2024
Sixth class: October 15, 2024
Join Now- become an MBG member today
