(CLEVELAND) September 10, 2026 – Autumn is almost here, and the Cleveland Botanical Garden will be decorated with autumn pumpkins, plant displays and plenty of colorful fall foliage. The official start of the fall season is Tuesday, September 22. The Botanical Garden has fun activities for all ages throughout September and October including unique classes, the iconic Boo-tanical Bash, specialty garden shows, and so much more. Purchase tickets at holdenfg.org.

PHOTOS – COURTESY OF HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS

CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN GETS DRESSED UP FOR THE SEASON 
Starting in October, 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 
Starting Tuesday, September 22, appreciate the beauty of fall color by learning about the leaves and trees at the Botanical Garden! Follow the Leaf Trail, a leaf identification activity that teaches you how to identify 10 deciduous trees, including sugar maple, pawpaw, and river birch, marked with signs on the grounds.

RENAISSANCE AT THE GARDEN

Join us on October 4 from noon – 8 p.m., for Renaissance at the Garden, back by popular demand! Stroll the gardens as live music fills the air, enjoy performances and activities inspired by the era, and shop for unique finds from local vendors. Guests are encouraged to dress in costume for a day of fun, flavor, and a touch of old-world charm. Cost: $15 per member, $25 per nonmember. Renaissance at the Garden Registration

THE WESTERN RESERVE HERB SOCIETY HERB FAIR 
Join us on October 17, for the 79th 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.   

BOO-TANICAL BASH 
On Saturday, October 24 from noon – 3 p.m., enjoy a DJ dance party, games and storytime from noon to 3 p.m., with Storytime taking place from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Families looking to add even more Halloween fun can purchase a children’s activity wristband, which includes bag decorating outside the Hershey Children’s Garden, a Trick-or-Treat Trail through the Hershey Children’s Garden and access to a craft room featuring hands-on crafts and coloring pages. Activity wristbands are $15 and required for children participating in the trick-or-treat trail and craft activities; adults and other guests do not need an additional wristband. Advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged. Boo-tanical Bash Tickets.

BOTANICAL GARDEN AFTER DARK

Join us on Saturday, October 24 from 7 pm – 10 pm, and come dressed to impress for this adults-only costume party! Guests can discover their future with tarot readings by Forest Empress, enjoy line dancing with Linedance is my Therapy, win prizes in a costume contest, and shop local vendors. Cost: $25 for members, and $30 for nonmembers. Registration required. Botanical Garden After Dark Registration.

IKEBANA INTERNATIONAL CLEVELAND CHAPTER ON DISPLAY

Witness the Ikebana art form presented by the Ikebana International Cleveland Chapter. Arrangements emphasizing movement and balance will be on display from Friday, Sept 25 through Sunday, September 27.

ART ON DISPLAY

Jules Webster – Guren Gallery

Jules Webster is a landscape painter and educator whose vibrant, garden-inspired works explore the interplay of light, color and place. She is the founder of The Art Supply Depo and co-founder of the Sylvania Plein Air Festival. Through Gardens of Eden, Webster creates impossibly perfect, “super-natural” landscapes that invite viewers to reconnect with the awe and wonder of nature. Her paintings offer an alternate reality where flowers and foliage exist in harmonious balance, providing a vibrant escape from an increasingly indoor and screen-focused world.

Tim Myrick – Orientation Theater

Artist Tim Myrick has been creating art since childhood and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Art. After more than 25 years as a creative director, Myrick returned his full attention to his art following a kidney transplant in 2022, finding renewed inspiration and purpose in his studio practice. His watercolor paintings draw on his lifelong love of nature, gardening, landscaping and bonsai, capturing the warmth, complexity and mood of the natural world. Through Immersed in Nature, Myrick invites viewers to experience nature through his unique lens and storytelling in watercolor. 

Jeff Suntala – Eppig Gallery

Greater Cleveland watercolorist and retired illustrator Jeff Suntala returned to watercolor after a 45-year career in traditional and digital art and now focuses primarily on plein air painting. His collection Cleveland Plein Air Watercolors: Paintings of the Cultural Gardens and University Circle highlights the beauty and character of Cleveland’s Cultural Gardens and University Circle, with paintings created on location and occasional studio touchups. Working directly from the landscape, Suntala captures the changing light, weather and atmosphere of each scene through the unique qualities of watercolor. His work offers an intimate, on-site perspective of some of Cleveland’s most recognizable cultural and natural spaces.

MEET THE ARTISTS: GALLERY OPENING

Join us on Friday, September 25 from 6 – 8:30 p.m. to meet the artists behind our Botanical Garden galleries. Meet the artists, enjoy live music by Kate the harpist and stroll through the gardens in their early autumn glory. Included with admission, registration required. Meet the Artists Registration.

SAVE THE DATE: TROPICAL HOLIDAY AT THE CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN

Swap winter blues for island hues at Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Tropical Holiday, presented by JPMorganChase. Beginning Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, January 3rd explore lush tropical plants, island-inspired adventures, a festive marketplace, and delightful surprises around every corner. Oh, and our gingerbread competition is going tropical!

CLASSES

• Printing with Tetra Pak: Saturday, October 3 from 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Join us for a beginner-friendly class where we will learn to make prints from Tetra Pak, a material commonly used to package broths, coconut water, alternative milks, and other shelf-stable liquids. During the class, you’ll learn the tools and tricks of etching the material and get to work on carving your own designs to print and take home. Cost: $20 per member, $25 per nonmember. Hand-Carved Botanical Stamps Registration.
• Botanical Painting & Drawing: On Tuesdays starting October 6 through November 3 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: $115 per member and $155 per nonmember. Botanical Painting & Drawing Registration.

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 $21 for adults, $15 for children ages 3 – 12 and free for Holden Forests & Gardens members.