A World of Workshops

by Danny Summers

One area I am always watching as I receive many of your enews is new ideas or topics for workshops or events. Our Centers are creating some amazing events these days. I wish you would share more across The Group. We should develop a regular sharing in our Marketing eList for each of your unique events... SO PLEASE SHARE!

Here's one topic I bet you don't have on your list (except for Down to Earth)... many of you have Pumpkin Carving events... but how about:

Giant Pumpkin Growing 101

Several weeks back, I saw Down to Earth include this as one of their upcoming workshops, and Ben Polzin was the presenter. I emailed Ben to ask him if he had collected content for this, or if it was something he had done before himself. Here's his response...

"In all of my free time, lol, I do competitively grow giant pumpkins. So the talk is based on my experiences and practical ways to start growing.

Big difference between where someone should start to what we do now. We even have a greenhouse built for two of them. Sarah and Lincoln help as well. My biggest is 2061 lbs so far!"

Here's the photo of that weigh-in!
Don't stop to clean your glasses. You read that correctly... 2,061 lbs!

Some Ideas from GroupEs... You guys are creating some wonderfully creative workshops and events. Last Thursday, I sent an email to GroupEs eList asking for some of your Very Best Workshop Ideas. Here's just a few of what I received:

Jesse Jenkins, Gill Nursery- Corpus Christi, TX
"Can’t wait to hear what others are doing. We’ve had great success with workshops the past few years. Wine, snacks, good times! It definitely feels like we’re helping build community. People love it.
 
We’re hosting a flower pressing workshop tonight! This is our 3rd time doing it and it always sells out quick. We build wooden flower presses, take a ton of cuttings from our gardens and plants here in the nursery, and buy in some cut flowers.
 
We recently hosted a tea talk workshop where we had an herbalist come and discuss how to use common herbs and plants medicinally, then helped participants make their own tea blends using dried herbs/tea. This one was actually an idea from a customer.
 
Holiday wreath making is a fun one. We buy grapevine wreath frames, bring in a bunch of fresh garland, mini lights, natural dried stuff, mini ornaments, etc, and have people build their own wreaths.
 
The terrarium workshop was a hit.
 
Fall herb container planting workshop was a hit.
 
Our monthly Cenizo Garden Drawing Club is starting to catch on too. Not really a workshop, just an evening each month where artists of all skill levels come draw plants together. My wife is a pro drawer/artist and offers a simple lesson/theme each time.
 
We just got together to brainstorm ideas for our fall event schedule this year – here are a few highlights:

• Customer farmer’s market/veggie swapping event
• Staghorn fern mounting
• Nature trivia night with prizes
• Kids’ bug house making
• Pumpkin potting around Halloween (potting plants inside hollowed out pumpkins)"

Gill’s Events Calendar: https://gillnursery.com/garden-talks-events/list/
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DeAnn Michel, Grimm's Gardens, Nebraska City, NE
"Our best attended events & those that get the most buzz (literally) are those centered around natural/plant-based home remedies, native plants, foraging & bee keeping-- basically anything that supports sustainability & food security.

It's a crazy world out there, our patrons are looking for the peace of knowing the "how to".

Grimm's Website: https://www.grimmsgardens.com
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Debbie Pell, , Lindley's Nursery & Garden Center, New Smyrna Beach, FL
"Being in Florida we have a lot of outdoor showers, spas and hot tubs. Here's a fresh idea for a workshop "Dreamy" Outdoor Shower Gardens. This could also include spas, hot tubs and ideas for bathroom gardening. Lindley's is experiencing an uptick in the Gen Z demographic buying plants for their bathrooms.   Next up Gen Alpha!"

https://www.lindleysgardencenter.com
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Dave Penland, Reems Creek Nursery, Weaverville, NC
"Gardens That Please Both People AND Pollinators
Pollinator gardens sometimes get a bad rap for being “too messy” or “unattractive.” This class explores landscaping tricks that will satisfy even the strictest Homeowners Association guidelines while limiting lawns, creating connected habitat, welcoming a wide variety of pollinators, and persuading neighbors to join in the fun. For anyone considering becoming a Certified Pollinator Advocate through Bee City USA / Asheville Botanical Garden, this is the class that Amy teaches for that series.

Grow an Herbal Tea Garden Workshop
What could be better than sipping on a nice hot cup of herbal tea in the winter and a refreshing herbal iced tea in summer – herbal tea you grew yourself! Both medicinal and delicious, the ancient tradition of infusing herbal leaves in boiling water continues to dominate the world as a self-care practice today. Whether in a container or in the ground, many tea herbs are easy to grow and plentiful. In this workshop, we discuss tea garden design, care, gathering, cleaning, storing, methods of drying, as well as how to use and brew your herbs."

Reems Creek Events/Workshop: https://reemscreek.com/events/
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Josh Borenstein, South Pleasantburg Nursery, Greenville, SC
"So far we've done a number of various different classes/workshops:

Seed starting workshops - sold 42 slots for $420 total.

Terrarium make and take- Unfortunately, I don't have the data for this but it filled up quickly and led to lots of sales afterwards.

Blueberry Bonanza - I taught a class on all things Blueberries, sold 46 slots for $460 total.

Prune Like a Pro - Dave did a workshop showing people how to properly prune various plants across the nursery and what tools to use and when to prune. Sold 42 slots for $417.62.

Attract birds to your yard with native plants - our landscape manager Louis taught this and I think it had the best feedback. Sold 16 slots for $320.

Sun-loving Container Garden make and take - sold 6 for $450.

Making a Splash with water plants - Beau taught this one, he's very knowledgeable about all things aquatic. Sold 10 slots for $200.

Bonsai for Beginners Make and take- This sold out within 5 hours, sold 16 slots for $1200.

We partnered up with another local wellness business and did a Rooted in Wellness: Build your own Herb garden - Held off-site and sold 22 slots for $770.

Our next class is Pollinator Gardening with Native Plants - so far 12 slots have been filled, with 13 remaining.

Upcoming Classes: More make and take container gardens, Hooray for Hydrangeas, and a class on figs, pomegranates, and other fruit trees for our zone."

South Pleasantburg News & Events: https://spnursery.com/category/news-events/
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Ken Lain, Watters Garden Center, Prescott, AZ
"Garden Class June 28 'Gardening 4 Newcomers… will have 100 students in person, with another 400 views within the week. It's not new, but it's still working and digitally streaming to FB, YouTube, and LinkedIn in the part that allows us to scale the audience."

Watters’ Event Calendar: https://wattersgardencenter.com/pages/calendar
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Amanda Chappell, Winding Stairs Garden Center, Franklin, NC
"Shade Your Stream Symposium
Our streams don't just move water — they move life. Every native plant, every pollinator, every drop matters. When we care for our creeks, we’re not just saving landscapes — we’re investing in future generations."

Shiitake and Oyster Mushroom Inoculation
"Whether you’re a home gardener, a fungi enthusiast, or a culinary adventurer, this class will equip you with the skills to grow delicious, nutrient-rich mushrooms right in your backyard. Each attendee will inoculate their own mushroom log and take it home to watch their harvest flourish."

Winding Stair Events Page: https://windingstairfarm.com/nursery/events/
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Evan Webeler, White Oak Gardens, Cincinnati, OH
"Pizza-Ready Herb Garden Workshop
Get your hands dirty and your pizza tastier! In this fun, hands-on workshop, you’ll plant five classic pizza herbs—basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and parsley—into your very own galvanized pot. By the end, you’ll have a fresh, homegrown herb garden ready to spice up your pizza nights. Perfect for anyone who loves to garden and enjoys the flavor of fresh herbs on their pizza!"

White Oak Events Page: https://www.whiteoakgardens.com/events/
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So, are these enough ideas to get you excited about creating a workshop series this summer and fall?

Do you have more to add? I know many of you (whom we have not heard from) have more Wonderful Workshop Ideas. If you are not on the list above and you have some new ideas to add, simply add them in the comment area below. You will need to sign in first.

A special Thank You to everyone above and to all of you for sharing!

Danny Summers
[email protected]
Tel: 678-909-7770
Cell: 678-761-7145

REMEMBER: Your interaction (by phone and email) with Group Service Providers such as Tim Quebedeaux, Sid Raisch, John Kennedy, Jean Seawright, and of course Danny Summers are included in your retainer!