Nothing is more enticing than a beautifully wrapped gift. As you prepare to wrap a few gifts of your own this holiday season, why not make your packages extra special by using hand-crafted wrapping paper? We’ll show you how to create one-of-a-kind wrap using natural materials such as vegetables from your kitchen, fallen leaves, twigs, or shells.

The Wildlife Tree, adorned with ornaments to feed our furry and feathered friends, is a cherished part of our holiday display. Gather the family together and create your own Wildlife Tree by making birdseed ornaments in this fun activity for all ages. How many different types of birds will your ornaments attract?

Plants are amazing. They live on every continent, are incredibly diverse, and make adaptations to their environment. Join botanical expert and Longwood educator Jeff Jabco as he shares some interesting plants from environments as diverse as the desert to the tropics and their unusual adaptations. Plant diversity is just one of the topics in our new online course: Understanding Plants that is designed to help you improve your plant ID skills through studying leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits. This course covers important “groundwork” for anyone hoping to become a better gardener.

Our Garden Railway is a favorite fall feature in our Gardens. Including four tracks and 31 locomotives, steam engines, diesel engines, and specialty engines, it is an engaging blend of horticulture, engineering, and lighthearted fun that holds a special place in the hearts of many. 

Join our Executive Chef Will Brown as he shares one of his favorite recipes from 1906 that you can easily recreate at home and add your own twist to with ingredients from your garden.

From exuberant students dressed in white lab coats in Mexico to hearing-impaired students signing through an ASL interpreter in Kentucky, learn about our innovative Virtual Field Trip program—free to K–12 schools—and experience a day in the life of our virtual educator (a recipient of the 2020 Pinnacle Award from the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration) .... and register now to bring our Gardens directly to your students.

Explore the world of plants with our new, free online learning course, The World of Plants: Exploring Horticulture. Journey the breadth of the plant kingdom, follow the evolutionary pathway to plant diversity, learn the basics of plant nomenclature and plant identification, and go behind the scenes as our horticulture experts share their passion and insight.

Learn about a favorite tree of many home landscapers: Acer palmatum (Japanese maple). Elisabeth Meyer, of North Carolina State University, shares characteristics of, and tips on how to identify, the many varieties of this amazing tree.

Discover how to identify trees in your neighborhood and have fun doing it!

Discover how vines climb, create paper vines, and even try your hand at growing your own pumpkin patch.

Test your plant knowledge! Can you identify these common perennials?

Calibrachoa is a great summer annual that you might mistake for a petunia, but it has a style and beauty all its own. This presentation by Elisabeth Meyer of NC State University, is part of Annuals, Perennials, and Vines: Identification and Use, our online course now open for registration, offered in partnership with NC State University.

How well do you know your sun-loving plants? Test yourself in this interactive quiz, which is part of our All-Purpose Annuals course.

Join Longwood Fellow Barbara Wheeler on a fascinating virtual journey through her home country of New Zealand. From the diverse topography to the interesting animal species to the fascinating plant life, discover the majesty and beauty of New Zealand.

Did you know we have more than 100 animal statues scattered throughout our Gardens? Learn about a few of our favorites, then create an animal-inspired sculpture.

How do you revitalize a landscape? Our VP of Horticulture Sharon Loving and West8 Landscape Architect Jelle Therry share some of the challenges. One thing is certain: Trees play an important role.

In this fun activity for kids, plant some grass seed on a fun form, watch it grow, then trim its hair!

Try this fun experiment to make your own plant maze.

Through video lectures, recorded presentations, discussion forums, and more, we invite you to join our free online course Everything About Orchids. Learn about our collection and how to enjoy orchids in your own home.