Discover Montgomery Parks Archaeology! Plenty of hands-on activities provide a glimpse into the world of archaeology. There will be tours of Needwood Mansion, archaeological displays, and costumed interpreters. There will be music and food available for sale.

FREE SHUTTLE from Flower Hill Shopping Center
18205 Flower Hill Way
Gaithersburg, MD 20879

Starts at 9:30 am
Last shuttle from Needwood at 3:30 pm

Instructor: Tanory Ateek

With her signature curiosity and playful approach to ancient meditative practices, Tanory will guide you through a half-day of stress relieving practices, including gentle yoga; walking and seated meditation; and the meditative way of the labyrinth. Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, this retreat will provide a chance to slow down, connect to nature in new ways, and rekindle a deeper sense of peace and wonder in your life.

Instructor: Ana Ka’ahanui, certified Forest Therapy Guide

Connect with nature through a forest bathing walk among the beautiful springtime blossoms and newly leafing trees. Stroll the grounds and neighboring forest at a measured pace that allows you to notice the small miracles of nature unfolding. We’ll close the walk by enjoying hot tea and healthy snacks.

About Forest Bathing:
The Forest Agency of Japan began promoting forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, in the 1980s as a response to the stresses of urban living and long work hours. This nature-oriented mindfulness practice, which is rooted in the traditional Japanese reverence for the natural world, has since become popular all over the world, bringing joy and improved mental and physical health to millions of people. Numerous health studies have confirmed forest bathing’s benefits and doctors and nurses in our region are taking note. Many are prescribing “Nature” to their patients.

Instructor: Joan O’Rourke, Brookside Gardens volunteer

Our staff have found miniature perennial plants that are just like the grown-up ones, including tiny hosta and the smallest heuchera. Your container will have a combination of plants including grasses, creeping groundcover, and flowering selections to create a lush mix of textures and colors. The plants will reward you with beauty year after year!

*NOTE: This class will be held in the Visitor Center Auditorium located at 1800 Glenallan Avenue. No walk-ins will be accepted. Class size limited to 25 people.

Instructor: Charles Votaw

Tai Chi is an ancient, Chinese form of exercise perfect for adults seeking stress reduction while strengthening muscles, improving balance, and increasing flexibility. The Forms are repetitive patterns that emphasize slow, flowing motions and controlled movements. Classes will help beginners to learn the Forms while providing regular practitioners the guidance of an experienced instructor.

*NOTE: This class will be held in the Japanese Tea House, located in the Gude Garden. No walk-ins will be accepted. Class size limited to 25 people.

Instructor: Sherry Weber

These series of classes feature foundational yoga poses that are designed to support better breathing, walking, and space orientation. Yoga movements help build muscle, bone density and core strength while improving balance, posture, and flexibility. Mats are not included.

*NOTE: This class will be held in the Visitor Center Auditorium.

Instructor: Tanory Ateek

Enjoy yoga held in a peaceful setting under the cover of the Japanese Tea House. Designed to increase flexibility and physical strength and to cultivate mental focus, these classes are a beautiful and relaxing way to begin your weekend. Mats are not included.

Bring your little ones to this series of fun, garden-related yoga movement classes. Physical exercise and mindfulness will awaken your senses, boost your energy, and give you good garden vibes to start your day. Classes are outdoors and either moved indoors or canceled in cases of inclement weather. Bring your own mat or borrow one of ours. Adults must accompany children. Meet at South Terrace.

Join integrative therapist Tania Lanning for a guided Gude Garden walk focused on connections in nature. Through gentle movement, discussion, journaling, and meditation, you will explore over the course of the walk what it means to connect with yourself, with others, and with the natural world around you. Group will meet on the South Terrace in front of the Visitor Center. Participants will receive a small blank journal and will want to be comfortable walking and sitting on grass.

Please note that Brookside Gardens is not a mental health service provider.

Join us for an interactive story time followed by an outdoor exploration or activity for children ages 3-7. We will meet in the outdoor classroom area located in the Children’s Garden, weather permitting. Adults must accompany children. Meet in the Outdoor Classroom located in the Children’s Garden area.

Join integrative therapist Tania Lanning for a guided Aquatic and Dewey Garden walk focused on how to show ourselves self-compassion. Babies in strollers welcome! Through mindful meditation, movement, writing, and conversation, we'll consider how the natural environment invites us to be kind to ourselves even as we care for others. Group will meet on the South Terrace in front of the Visitor Center. Participants will receive a small blank journal and will want to be comfortable walking and sitting on grass.

Please note that Brookside Gardens is not a mental health service provider.

Take a garden walk with one of our instructors and explore botany, nature, and all the outdoors has to offer. Curiosity, seasonal changes, and botanical variety will guide the content of the day and the route we take through the gardens. Meet in the Visitor Center at the start of class and dress for the weather.

Celebrate Earth Month on May 5 as youth take center stage, and the celebration is specially geared towards ages 2–14. Explore the science and art of sustainability through child driven projects, plantings, and activities. Registration encouraged but not required.

Instructor: Kristin Davey, Brookside Gardens staff

Looking for ways to grow healthy food year-round? Explore scalable design strategies that add edible plants to your existing home garden, patio, or balcony! You’ll learn which perennials, shrubs, and trees will grow best in your unique landscape conditions. We’ll cover practical gardening tips ranging from planting, pruning, and harvesting to soil health and dealing with pests.

If you're a first-time homeowner looking to tackle your new garden or just interested in brushing up on your skills, you’ll benefit from this introductory gardening series. Lessons are applicable to a range of garden spaces from big to small, including typical suburban yards and postage-stamp-sized urban lots.

Instructor: Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener Magazine

Session I: Learn key terminology and concepts to navigate your existing garden and identify which plants to keep, replace or add to. Understand how annuals, perennials, evergreens, shrubs, and trees can be best utilized in the landscape. Benefit from tips on useful gardening tools, where to purchase seeds and plants, and how to navigate garden centers.

**NOTE: Please email [email protected] to register for this event. Please send the total # of people attending in your party.

Join filmmaker Cintia Cabib for a screening of her new documentary Bird Walk. Discover how a former golf course in Rockville, Maryland has become an oasis for birds and birders and explore the grassroots campaign that helped preserve the 131-acre site as a public park. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A. Learn about the Bird Community Index and the role that it plays in Montgomery Parks’ conservation efforts. Find out how you can support local bird populations through community science and gardening for wildlife in your own backyard! Link to trailer: https://birdwalkfilm.com/trailer/.

Moderator: Cintia Cabib, Documentary filmmaker

Panelists:
• Vickie Baily, Nature photographer
• Emily Huang, Vice President, Montgomery Bird Club
• Dianna Loescher, Senior Natural Resources Specialist, Montgomery Parks
• Emily Williams, Avian Ecologist

Speaker: William Cullina, author and the F. Otto Haas Executive Director, Morris Arboretum & Gardens of the University of Pennsylvania

Not all woody plants mix well with perennials for several reasons, including differing soil and fertilization needs, incompatible growth habits, or aggressive root systems. This talk explores how to seamlessly blend native shrubs and small trees with existing perennials in your landscape. Discover 30 combinations that bring texture, color, and wildlife to your garden year-round.

School is out and it’s time to play some games - join us for a full morning of boardgame fun for youth ages 11-16. Board games about the natural world have taken the hobby world by storm and are a wonderful way to explore a variety of science topics. Practice cooperation, strategy, and critical thinking skills as we learn about the real-world inspirations for these popular table-top games. Each session will feature a different game and topic, and no prior boardgame experience is required! Bring a snack for a mid-morning break and meet in the Visitor Center.

Fishing is fun for the whole family and for all abilities! We'll show you how to set up a simple bobber rig, bait your hook, and give you some tips on casting. We'll provide the bait and rigging supplies; you just need to catch the fish! We have fishing poles you can borrow, but if you have your own bring it along. Anglers of all abilities are welcome. All registrants 16 and over must have a current MD fishing license. Meet at the pontoon boat dock by the boat rentals. Registration required. Please register only those planning to fish. FOBH $11

Let's go fishin'! We'll provide poles and bait, then see what we can catch off the dock at Little Seneca Lake. Meet at the pontoon boat dock by the boat rentals. Registration required. FOBH $6

Want to watch wildlife or just enjoy a peaceful paddle? Then join us for a leisurely kayak tour of Little Seneca Lake. We could see beaver, herons, maybe even a bald eagle. We'll supply boats, paddles, and PFD's, but you can bring your own PFD (Type III or V) if you have one. And don’t forget to bring water, sunscreen, and extra shoes to change into after. You can expect to get your feet wet and your clothes a bit damp. Basic paddling experience is necessary (this is not a lesson). Meet in front of the gazebo by the pontoon boat dock and boat rental area. Registration required. FOBH $29

The native plant sale by the Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs (FOBH) is returning to in-person shopping this spring! Most of the plants are grown by our volunteer gardeners with all proceeds of the sale supporting Black Hill Discovery Center and Seed Classroom. The sale will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 4 and 5 at the Black Hill Discovery Center Parking Lot. Members get to shop early! For a plant list, how to become a member, and further details about the sale, check out the Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs website www.friendsofblackhillnature.org.

Toddlers of all abilities are invited to explore the exciting natural world in and around the Discovery Center. Families will explore at their own pace using nature play prompts that will remain out for the duration of the program. All ages are welcome but prompts and materials are geared towards children aged one to three. Registration required.

Kayaking is even more fun that it looks! Come learn how to paddle on flat water in recreational solo kayaks on Little Seneca Lake. Learn basic strokes, entries and exits, boat control, and more, taught by certified American Canoe Association instructors. We won't roll, but you'll get wet, so dress accordingly. All necessary equipment provided but if you have your own PFD (Type III or V), you can bring it along. Please wear a hat, water sandals or shoes (no flip-flops, please) and bring water and sunscreen. Expect to get your feet wet and your clothes a bit damp. You must be able to swim. Meet in front of the gazebo by the pontoon boat dock and boat rental area. Registration required.

Let’s go outside and hike to improve fitness, play in nature, and experience the great outdoors as a family. You will meet a naturalist at the meet up spot and set out on a trail that will have nature play and fun learning prompts along the way. These hikes are designed for adults with young children. Most trails are not stroller accessible, so you’ll need a backpack or carrier for younger kids and non-walkers. Please register everyone attending no later than 24 hours before the hike so we can contact you with the hike's location and other important information.

Come join us for a woodland adventure full of adventurous play, nature lessons, and wild skills. Each month we'll explore what nature has to show us and spend some time learning new wild skills. We will also have time, space, and materials for unstructured play in the woods around our campfire circle. Students will be able to self-select what they would like to focus on from the activities provided. We will meet at the campfire area by Shelter F on Parking Lot 3, in Black Hill Regional Park. FOBH $11

Toddlers of all abilities are invited to explore nature in our Urban Parks. Families will explore at their own pace using nature play prompts and materials to help you explore the exciting natural world around the urban park with your toddler. Siblings are welcome, too. Join us at 13905 Stilt St, Boyds, MD 20841.

Join us for an afternoon of beautiful harp music and the natural beauty of Black Hill all around you. No need to register; just come to the Discovery Center and enjoy.

Join a Park Naturalist and seek the many natural wonders of Wheaton Regional Park. Preschoolers and their favorite adult will have the opportunity to collect, count and sort different natural materials (pre-math), recognize shapes and patterns in nature (art) and develop social skills like sharing and cooperation. Register each child, a guardian must attend.

Who’s out and about in Wheaton Regional Park once the sun sets? Join us for an evening experience to find out! Please note that each month focuses on a different theme! Adults and children must register.

Join us as we read stories, sing songs, engage in hands-on play, and take mini-hikes meant for the littlest legs! Please note: The Little Explorers programs scheduled in the same month will have the same topic and activities. Register each child, a guardian must attend.