(CLEVELAND) September 5, 2024 – Fall is almost here, and the Cleveland Botanical Garden will be all decked out with autumn pumpkins, plant displays and plenty of colorful fall foliage. The official start of the fall season is Sunday, September 22. The Botanical Garden has fun fall activities for all ages throughout September and October including unique classes, the family-friendly Boo-tanical Bash event, specialty garden shows, and so much more. Purchase tickets at holdenfg.org.

PHOTOS – COURTESY OF HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS

FALL COLOR WATCH
Each week, the Botanical Garden will spotlight which trees are changing on the grounds and throughout Northeast Ohio and when they are showing off their fall colors. Visit holdenfg.org for Color Watch updates.

EVENTS & EXPERIENCES

CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN GETS DRESSED UP FOR FALL
Beginning Saturday, September 21, pumpkins, pansies, cabbage, cornstalks, kale, mums and so much more transform the outdoor gardens into a fall wonderland. Beautiful fall displays will be showcased throughout the indoor and outdoor gardens at the Botanical Garden. Be sure not to miss this time of year in the garden for a festive photo opportunity or simply an opportunity to experience fall flora in all its splendor.

LEAF DISCOVERY TRAIL
This autumn, appreciate the beauty of fall color by learning about leaf and tree identification at the Botanical Garden! Follow the Leaf Trail, a leaf identification activity that teaches you how to identify the trees around you, as well as 10 deciduous trees, including sugar maple, pawpaw, and river birch, marked with numbered tags on the grounds.

BOO-TANICAL BASH
Join us on Friday Oct. 18 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., for a celebration of scarecrows and skeletons at the annual Boo-tanical Bash event. Little wizards and witches will meander their way from the seasonally decorated White Oak Walk, gathering treats along the way. Ghoulish games and activities will await them on the Terrace. Your kiddos can plan to dance their hearts out to tunes provided by popular DJ Kris Koch. Registration required. Tickets are $30 per nonmember child, $25 per nonmember adult, $10 per member adult and $15 per member child.

THE WESTERN RESERVE HERB SOCIETY HERB FAIR
Join us on Saturday, October 12 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. for the 77^th Western Reserve Herb Society Herb Fair at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Check out the amazing selection of hand-crafted herbal items including herbal blends, jams and jellies, herbal teas, wreaths, pressed flower note cards, potpourri, baked goods, and our creative recycling finds. Included with admission.

HERSHEY CHILDRENS GARDEN

Discover what’s new in the Hershey Children’s Garden! The newly constructed treehouse contains the same whimsey and charm as before, with some additional features such as a rope climb and play nook beneath the stairs, as well as a new accessible pathway around the perimeter of the garden to help all children connect with nature. Visit the Hershey Children’s Garden every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday in September and October to enjoy some of our favorite fun activities, including arts & crafts, turtle time, and exploration with bugs or frogs.

• Tuesdays: Crafts at 11 a.m. and Exploration at 3 p.m.
• Saturdays: Crafts at 11 a.m. and Exploration at 3 p.m.
• Sundays: Exploration at 1 p.m. and Turtle Time at 3 p.m.

ARTWORK ON DISPLAY

EILEEN DORSEY

From September 13 through October 27, artwork by Eileen Dorsey will be on display in the Eppig Gallery. Neglect of the Urban Canopy takes you on a visual journey, where color represents the thick, lush urban canopy. As you walk by each of the works, you will notice more color being lost, watch the details loosening on the surface. Beauty can still be seen, but you start to wonder how long it will last before it is gone for good.

PLANET JOY

From September 10 through October 27, artwork by Planet Joy will be on display in Perennial Playspace. Garden of Earthly Delights invites you to smell the flowers, listen for the buzzing bees, look for our creepy crawlers, look at what we have growing underground and keep your eyes open for more. The art is meant to pull you in, share in our wonder and most of all, make you smile. Consisting of 9 artists, Planet Joy is a collaborative, working studio that encourages adults with developmental differences to explore their imagination and creativity through the arts.

SAVE THE DATE

FROST: AN ICED CAPPED GARDEN EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY KEYBANK

Year two of Northeast Ohio’s most exciting winter show, Frost at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, is just around the corner. This year, expect even more from our winter spectacular, including an expanded outdoor lighting display and glasshouse biomes decked out to reflect the winter spirit. Frost will transform our indoor and outdoor gardens, creating an immersive new world for the holiday season.

CLASSES

Botanical Painting & Drawing: On Tuesdays starting October 1 through November 5 from 2 –4:30 p.m., learn composition skills and techniques of botanical art including line, form, shading, and layering using inspiration from the natural world. This class welcomes all levels of experience and mediums. The class will be held in person at Cleveland Botanical Garden and is a seven-week series. Registration required. Cost is $150 per member and $190 per nonmember.

The Powerful Tool of Nature: Mental Health Support During Pregnancy and Postpartum: On Saturdays starting October 5 – 19 from 12:30 – 2 p.m., join Chemarra Bryant, a licensed professional clinical counselor and certified perinatal mental health professional, as she educates on the importance of mental health during the perinatal period. Studies have shown the positive effect of nature on mood and stress. This series will consist of three consecutive Saturday sessions where participants will learn and practice coping strategies, receive information on mental health resources, and engage in a nature immersion experience each week. Cost is $30 per registrant.

Light Enters the Grove: Book Release and Poetry Reading: On Sunday, October 6 from 1 – 3 p.m., join Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Wick Poetry Center in celebrating the release of Light Enters the Grove, a collection of poetry rooted in nature. With 81 poems and accompanying art, the collection reflects on the beauty and biodiversity of northeast Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park. From white-tailed deer to brown bats—from honeysuckle to bloodroot—each poem reinforces our human connections to the natural world. Poets from the collection will be onsite to read and reflect on their work. Cost is $15 per member and $20 per non-member.

The Cleveland Botanical Garden is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Botanical Garden is closed on Mondays. Admission is $20 for adults, $14 for children ages 3 – 12 and free for Holden Forests & Gardens members.