Learn practical management of emerging invasive weeds in the natural/ meadow landscape with expert ecologist Frank Piccininni.

Accurate weed identification is the foundation of responsible landscape management. Knowing the difference between invasive species, aggressive non-natives, and beneficial natives allows homeowners and land managers to make informed decisions for the most accurate care of their natural world. Proper identification can reduce unnecessary herbicide use, protect pollinators, and support biodiversity. In lawns, gardens, and naturalized areas, understanding the relationship between plants, their function within an ecology and why they may or may not be thriving will ultimately help promote healthier soils, stronger native plant communities, and more resilient landscapes.

FRANK PICCININNI is a biologist, environmental attorney, and lifelong advocate for ecological restoration. As Co-Founder of the Long Island Conservancy, he brings a multidisciplinary perspective to restoring functional habitat across human-impacted landscapes. Frank holds a J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law, an M.S. in Biological Sciences from Marshall University, and a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is also the founder of Spadefoot Ecosystem Solutions, where he leads nature-based restoration and green infrastructure projects, specializing in invasive species management, ecological design, and adaptive landscape solutions. A native Long Islander and father, he is deeply committed to restoring the island’s natural heritage for future generations.

The Long Island Conservancy (LIC) was established in 2021 as a grassroots organization of volunteers united by a shared vision: to strengthen conservation efforts across Long Island. Since its inception, the Conservancy has grown into a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — yet its mission remains unchanged: to plant native, remove the invasive, and conserve our lands, and in doing so, restore the local ecosystems on Long Island.

This program has been funded in part by a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Invasive Species Grant Program, through appropriations from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

AGE: Adult Audiences

WEATHER: Weather permitting

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress for being outside: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

The Landcraft Garden on the precipice of spring sports the best of both seasons, that of the waning winter landscape and the burgeoning spring landscape; all while the Landcraft Conservatory maintains its lush verdancy year round (with a few exceptions). The juxtaposition of garden and conservatory at this moment between dormancy and awakening is a rare treat, not to be missed.

It is at this seasonal edge that Landcraft Garden Foundation is pleased to welcome back Vincent A. Simeone, horticulturalist, lecturer and garden writer, who will lead guests down the garden path (literally and figuratively) of selecting and designing with trees, shrubs and perennials of outstanding seasonal merit represented at Landcraft and from his 38 years in horticulture. This will be a hybrid lecture indoors and walk in the garden outdoors. After which, Landcraft’s own Dennis Schrader will survey the best of Landcraft’s plant collection in the warmth of the Conservatory.  Participants will receive a signed copy of Simeone’s book, “Wonders of the Winter Landscape.” Light refreshments to be served.

VINCENT SIMEONE has worked in public horticulture for 38 years at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in New York where he is currently the Director. He received an AAS degree in ornamental horticulture from SUNY Farmingdale, a BS in ornamental horticulture from the University of Georgia, and a master’s degree in public administration from CW Post. Vincent studied under well-known professors Dr. Michael Dirr and Dr. Allan Armitage. Over the last 15 years, Vincent has assisted Armitage with garden tours through Southern England, Northern France, Southern Germany, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden. Vincent specializes in woody plant id, culture, use and selection of superior varieties and is an experienced lecturer, instructor, and horticultural consultant. He has spoken to many groups nationwide and has appeared on several garden shows including Martha Stewart Living and HGTV.

DENNIS SCHRADER is co-owner of Landcraft Environments, a leading wholesale greenhouse operation located in Mattituck, NY. The business currently has over 6 acres of greenhouse space producing hundreds of thousands of plants for garden centers and public gardens along the east coast. A graduated from SUNY Cobleskill NY where his majors were Environmental Design and Horticulture, Dennis’ garden design accomplishments range from penthouse gardens in Manhattan to large-scale commercial and estate landscapes on Long Island and throughout the Northeast to tropical gardens in Florida, Hawaii, California and Costa Rica. Dennis is also an accomplished writer. He has written numerous articles on gardening for national and international magazines and two books: Hot Plants for Cool Climates and Extraordinary Leaves with the photographer Stephen Green-Armitage. In 2020, Dennis and husband Bill Smith founded the Landcraft Garden Foundation, a not-for profit organization preserving the Landcraft Garden.

AGE: Adult Audiences

WEATHER: Rain or Shine

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress for being outside: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Learn how to successfully plant into and manage wild spaces with restoration expert Brittany Champey.

Meadow management on Long Island focuses on balancing ecological health with practical stewardship. Native meadows, often composed of grasses and wildflowers, provide critical habitats for birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects. Effective management includes invasive species control, soil health monitoring, and strategic planting to maintain healthy plant diversity. Thoughtful meadow care reduces runoff, supports local wildlife, and creates visually dynamic landscapes that change beautifully through the seasons while strengthening the region’s ecological resilience.

BRITTANY CHAMPEY, MS, is a Senior Project Manager at Spadefoot Design and Construction, where she manages the design and installation of ecological restoration projects across Long Island, including throughout the Long Island Sound watershed. Her work focuses on stormwater management, soil stabilization, and habitat restoration using native plant communities to improve water quality and strengthen ecological resilience.

With a background in conservation biology, Brittany moved into landscape restoration as a natural extension of her academic training and interest in land stewardship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she discovered permaculture, which helped bridge conservation theory with hands-on restoration work. She began her field-based career at Dropseed Native Landscapes, designing and installing native gardens and managing invasive species, before joining Spadefoot Design and Construction. Since spring 2023, she has served as Senior Project Manager, overseeing projects such as native habitat restorations, bioswales and rain gardens, and other nature-based stormwater installations from early planning through installation and establishment.

Brittany holds a Master of Science in Conservation Medicine from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology, with Honors, from Ithaca College.

The Long Island Conservancy (LIC) was established in 2021 as a grassroots organization of volunteers united by a shared vision: to strengthen conservation efforts across Long Island. Since its inception, the Conservancy has grown into a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — yet its mission remains unchanged: to plant native, remove the invasive, and conserve our lands, and in doing so, restore the local ecosystems on Long Island.

This program has been funded in part by a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Invasive Species Grant Program, through appropriations from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

AGE: Adult Audiences

WEATHER: Weather permitting

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress for being outside: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Diversity is at the core of Landcraft’s ethos. Whether it be vegetive, two legged, or four, Landcraft welcomes all; and in May, Landcraft is especially excited to welcome back to the garden its migrating feathered friends, the birds. Through mindful gardening practice, Landcraft, over the years, has become a proud and very special bird sanctuary with a glorious diversity of birds either passing through or nesting within its 17 acres. Join Birding Guide, Ben Bolduc, as he helps guests see and understand the calls and habits of all the birds, conspicuous and inconspicuous, making Landcraft their home.

BEN BOLDUC, a Mattituck resident and avid birder, has travelled extensively to view birds in their native habitats including the Lower Rio Grande Valley, of Texas, the boreal forest of the Adirondacks, Monhegan Island, Maine, and the Andes mountains and rainforests of Ecuador. Today, Ben leads guided walks for the North Fork Audubon Society, friends, and family, helping others discover the captivating world of birds. Ben looks forward to sharing his passion for birds and the spectacle of migration this year at Landcraft Gardens.

AGE: All Ages

WEATHER: Fair weather only. If raining, workshop will be cancelled with no rain date to follow. To confirm possible cancellation due to weather please call (631) 298-7216.

SPECIAL NOTES: Bring your own binoculars and dress appropriately for walking outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Join horticulturist Kerry Ann McLean as she guides guests through the creative process of crafting living wall gardens made of semi-epiphytic tropical plants attached to rot-resistant frames; choose from the many exotic plants Landcraft Environments, the wholesale nursery attached to the Garden, is best known for. This workshop will specifically explain how to combine plants based on their specific needs, the fundamentals of composition, the mechanics of attaching plants to a vertical surface and the long-term care and rejuvenation of these mini-ecologies. A treat for friends, family and, of course, mom. Light refreshments to be served.

KERRY ANN MCLEAN is Landcraft Garden Foundation’s former Head Gardener. Trained at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA, Kerry Ann brings to the North Fork years of experience as a grounds and estate manager, public gardener, Horticulture Specialist for W. Atlee Burpee Seed Company, plant buyer for Terrain, the garden-lifestyle brand of Urban Outfitters and Senior Horticulturist for Longwood Gardens.

AGE: Adult Audiences

WEATHER: Rain or Shine.

SPECIAL NOTES: Bring your own crafting or gardening gloves and pruners.

During this hands-on workshop, the basics of plant propagation will be covered. The importance of environmental factors such as water, temperature, and light will be discussed as well as propagation media. Vegetative propagation techniques such as cuttings, layering, division, and grafting will be highlighted during this workshop. Proper sanitation, hormone applications, troubleshooting challenges such as damping-off, poor rooting, and other issues will be covered. Come ready to get your hands dirty with a special leaf cutting exercise; participants will be able to take home their propagated plants

DR. MARK BRIDGEN is a Professor of Horticulture and Plant Breeding & Genetics at Cornell University for 24 years (2002-2026). Dr. Bridgen’s areas of expertise include plant breeding, ornamental horticulture, plant propagation, herbaceous ornamental plants, and plant tissue culture & micropropagation.  Prior to Cornell University, Mark was a Professor of Horticulture at the University of Connecticut for 18 years. Mark’s breeding research currently involves the ornamental plants Alstroemeria, Impatiens, Vitex, and several Chilean bulb species. Currently, his primary research project is breeding Impatiens plants for resistance to Impatiens Downy Mildew. Dr. Bridgen is also responsible for Cornell University’s first patents with ornamental plants, Alstroemeria ‘Mauve Majesty’ and ‘Tangerine Tango’. His newest patented plant, Alstroemeria ‘Coral Chaos’ was introduced two years ago. Mark has published more than 300 publications including the book: “Plants from Test Tubes: An Introduction to Micropropagation.” Mark has been teaching the Plant Propagation class for Cornell since 2015, and is actively involved with research on plant propagation and micropropagation. Mark’s extension and outreach activities are well known throughout New York and nationally. Mark served as Director of the Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center (LIHREC) in Riverhead, NY until 2023.

AUDIENCE: Adult

WEATHER: Rain or Shine

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the gardens to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precaution.

Part One in this introduction to cell phone photography will give you the skills to capture the initial snapshot towards making high-quality photographs you’ll be proud to share and display.

Two Part Series: The “iCamera” is designed to be intuitive enough for novices to capture snapshots, while offering the complexity required for enthusiasts to express their artistic vision. To unlock the full creative potential of your iPhone camera, it is essential to gain a deeper understanding of its capabilities, strengths, and limitations. Coupled with a solid grasp of key photographic techniques, you’ll be well on your way to a rewarding photography experience. Anthony will guide you through a range of topics, including camera setup, navigating the camera app, composition guidelines, fundamental photographic techniques, and basic photo editing tips. Many app features and photographic techniques are not exclusive to iPhones. Androids welcomed!

ANTHONY GRAZIANO is an award-winning fine art photographer, author and educator who has been capturing the beauty of the natural world through photography for more than 30 years. Anthony’s vision flows from what-is-perceived to what-is-felt and finally, to what-is-seen; his photographic approach often involves spending extended periods of time within a location to absorb its unique energy before attempting to preserve its experience in a photograph. Anthony’s creative approach succeeds in the rare capturing of a temporal place, drawing the viewer in to “experience” the beauty of the natural world – its vibrancy, its layers and light – all joining to emotionally calm the inner spirit while stimulating the sensory mind. Anthony was selected by the Andy Warhol Foundation as its Artist in Residence and has shown at numerous galleries. He is a past board member of the East End Arts Council and the Friends of Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge.

AGE: Adult Audiences

WEATHER: Weather permitting

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately for being outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the gardens to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precaution.

Join Dr. Jonathan Lehrer as he demonstrates how to take advantage of a plant’s own survival adaptations to build better garden indoors and out.

Dr. Lehrer will introduce you to the world of begonias, bromeliads, orchids, and succulents, sharing insights into their evolutionary strategies and ecological roles. In addition to basic botany, this workshop will highlight how these dynamic plants can complement your garden and indoor design projects. Be ready to explore these green wonders of evolution and take away practical ideas that will transform your living spaces.

DR. JONATHAN LEHRER is a favorite amongst students at Farmingdale State College, where he serves as the Ornamental Horticulture Department Chair while also teaching many of the classes in the program.

AGE: Adult Audiences

WEATHER: Rain or Shine

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately for being outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the gardens to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precaution.

Join historian Richard Wines as he tells the tale of the land that is Landcraft before it was a garden.

Follow Richard through history as he retraces the origins of the lands connected to Landcraft as they relate to the agricultural history of the North Fork. This is an oral and visual history, and book signing.

 RICHARD WINES is a historian and preservationist best known for his development (or rather protection from development) of Winds Way Farm, a passion project that he and his wife Nancy Gilbert have been working on for 30+ years. Set on 15-acres of  familial land, Winds Way Farm (a seventeenth century variant on the Wines family) is a collection of rescued and relocated historic buildings surrounded by heritage orchards, gardens, farmland, hedgerows, woods, marshes and seashore. Richard is also the author of A Farm Family on Long Island’s North Fork: The Lost World of the Hallocks and Their Sound Avenue Community, a past president of Hallockville Museum Farm, chair of Riverhead Landmarks Preservation Commission and co-chair Riverhead Farmland Preservation Committee. History is a family affair for the Wines – Richard’s mother, a great-niece to Halsey & Emilie Hallock, collected and transcribed family documents all her life; Richard wrote his first history at age 12 and has been telling the North Fork’s story ever since.

 AGE: Adults

WEATHER: Rain or Shine

SPECIAL NOTES: Lecture and Book Signing

Learn the basics of gelli plate printing with Wendy Prellwitz using acrylic paints and botanicals sourced from the Landcraft Garden to create colorful, abstracted one-of-a-kind prints.

Gelli plate printing is a great introduction to printmaking for the novice printmaker and print-curious! Using a soft reusable gelatin plate, brayers (a type of roller) and acrylic paint, textures, stencils and plant material are transferred in layers of color to printing paper. The creative process continues with the addition of colors and intentional voids layered over the plate’s paint residue to lovely effect. The possibilities are endless, and the abundance of botanicals to select from at Landcraft is staggering. Learn how to create these simple, beautiful prints under the expert tutelage of the North Fork’s own artist and printmaker, Wendy Prellwitz… and then keep producing frameable art with the plates at home.  This process also makes cards, textiles and more.  Lunch to be provided.

Each participant will receive their own set of gelli plate printing supplies to keep.

WENDY PRELLWITZ is an abstract print maker and painter inspired by water’s motion and light whose work has been described as “a connection to the infinite, unknowable beyond.” Educated at The Rhode Island School of Design and The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, she lives and works in both Cambridge, MA and Peconic, NY. She has exhibited in the New England/ New York areas and beyond for 30 years. She recently had a solo exhibit of Nocturnes at the Lenz Winery in Peconic and has been included in group shows at the Alex Ferrone Gallery, East End Arts and The North Fork Artists Collective on Long Island. This spring her works are to be included at the Brooklyn Fine Arts Print Fair and a Watercolors & Monotypes exhibit in Cambridge, MA. Wendy was awarded a fellowship from the Ballinglen Arts Foundation to paint in Ireland, a grant from the St Botolf Club in Boston to tour Rome, and the Spirit Award from Maud Morgan Arts in Cambridge for her continued service there. Wendy teaches printmaking at her Peconic studio.

AUDIENCE: Adults

WEATHER: Rain or Shine

SPECIAL NOTES: Boxed lunch to be provided. All levels of ability are welcome. Materials list to follow. Please bring what you’ll need to work comfortably outside in the garden, in sun or shade. Comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, we do not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Meet the Basket Weavers Guild of Eastern Long Island, a group of individuals preserving the art and craft of traditional basket-making on Long Island.

Basketry, the art and craft of making interwoven objects, usually containers, from pliable vegetable or animal fibers, is not only an ancient craft, but also a cross-cultural craft practiced by humans globally. Before moldable plastics were invented, weaving, braiding, coiling and knotting made everything from dwellings to clothing to ropes, dishware and containers. Modern basketry, which is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, is a creative art form as well as a responsible alternative to disposable plastic bags and plasticware – baskets of every kind are useful, beautiful, renewal, long-lasting and if need be, biodegradable. This is an Open Weave event – members of the guild will be working on their individual basket projects together. Guests are welcome to watch and ask questions.

Basket Weavers Guild of Eastern Long Island (BWGELI)’s mission is to promote and preserve the art and skill of making baskets for future generations. Members gather monthly and are generous with their knowledge. They share with each other their individual basket successes, experiment with new (sometimes very old) weaving techniques and discuss and/or demonstrate the possible uses of an assortment of basket-making materials like local vines, grasses, oak and cedar (instead of the traditional ratan). When possible, professional teachers are brought in to teach new techniques or the use of other materials. Members of the BWGELI can be found demonstrating their craft at local museums, fairs or parks throughout the year. Basket weaving instructors Tina Pearsall and Carol Losquadro have been weaving for over 25 years and are enthusiastic about sharing their passion for basketry with others who wish to learn this practical and timeless art form.

AGES: All Ages

WEATHER: weather permitting

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

While most people are familiar with or have at least seen hive beekeeping using Langstroth boxes, a stackable modular tower of hanging frames, where non-native honeybees protect their queen and store their honey, most native bees are actually solitary. They utilize less sophisticated nesting sites, usually hollowed stems and/or natural crevasse in the landscape, to rear their young and store food for the winter. Join Chris Kelly, a Cornell trained entomologist and beekeeper, as he reveals the secret lives of these lesser known but more populous bee, all while making fun and attractive bee homes to be included in your garden or yard. This is a family workshop for all ages.

CHRIS KELLY is a committed Long Island beekeeping educator. As a hobbyist and professional, he is uniquely able to address the concerns of both. The onset of colony collapse disorder highlighted the critical need to bridge historical practices with current day needs – his business, Promised Land Apiaries is focused on providing an ethical artisanal product responsibly made from start to finish. PLA’s primary drive is the health of the honeybee hive, without the intrusion of artificial supplements. What makes PLA distinctive is Chris’ personal relationships with professionals and academics in the field of apiculture. What started as a Long Island boy scout looking for his next merit badge became a lifetime of beekeeping.

AUDIENCE: All Ages.

WEATHER: Fair weather only.

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Join plant expert Jim Glover for a deep dive into what makes a perennial a powerhouse performer in the garden. Think purpose, plurality and pollinators! Plants will include native, near-native and non-native perennials.

Follow Jim Glover as he tours Landcraft Garden highlighting the strange and special plants that are specific to Glover Perennials. The Garden at Landcraft is proud to grow an extraordinary number of Jim’s plants for their many outstanding qualities which Jim will explain. Learn which plants will give you multiple seasons of interest, feed pollinators early or late into the season, or have aesthetic forms that will enhance any design.  This is a rare opportunity to hear the many merits of relatively unknown plants from a master plantsman.

Glover Perennials is a premier local (Cutchogue) wholesale nursery supplying Northeast and Mid- Atlantic Garden centers and discerning landscape design/build firms with hard-to-find, quality-grown native, near-native and non-native plants.  Jim Glover, founder and CEO of Glover Perennials, is an expert in unusual and native plants; he has spent a lifetime collecting local ecotypes on Long Island’s East End as well as selecting native and non-native plants with exceptional horticultural value.  Whether it is an ecotype of a well-known species or a non-invasive off-season bloomer, Glover Perennials prides itself on exceptionally long production cycles to guarantee the most robust plants for the landscape. Jim received a B.S. degree in Community Forestry & Horticulture from the University of Vermont. He later attended the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture and received a Master of Forest Resources degree in Urban Horticulture in 1990.

ADIENCE: Adult

WEATHER: Fair weather only. If it rains, workshop will be cancelled with no rain date to follow. To confirm possible cancellation due to weather please call (631) 298-7216.

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the gardens to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Learn basic weaving techniques while wrapping a basket over a glass flower vase with BWGELI’s Tina Pearsall and Carol Losquadro.

A perfect project for basket weaving beginners and flower arranging enthusiasts! Shaping a basket is perhaps the hardest part of building a basket for novice weavers. Using the shape of a glass vase to guide your practice will not only build confidence but also make a beautiful flower holding vessel. Bottles (typically wine) wrapped in straw or wicker are called fiaschi (or fiasco, singular). Traditional fiaschi used round-bottom hand-blown glass bottles. The basket stood the bottle upright and protected it during transport. This project will use mason jars and rattan. All tools & materials to be provided. Light refreshments and flowers also to be provided.

Basket Weavers Guild of Eastern Long Island (BWGELI)’s mission is to promote and preserve the art and skill of making baskets for future generations. Members gather monthly and are generous with their knowledge. They share with each other their individual basket successes, experiment with new (sometimes very old) weaving techniques and discuss and/or demonstrate the possible uses of an assortment of basket-making materials like local vines, grasses, oak and cedar (instead of the traditional ratan). When possible, professional teachers are brought in to teach new techniques or the use of other materials. Members of the BWGELI can be found demonstrating their craft at local museums, fairs or parks throughout the year. Basket weaving instructors Tina Pearsall and Carol Losquadro have been weaving for over 25 years and are enthusiastic about sharing their passion for basketry with others who wish to learn this practical and timeless art form.

AUDIENCE: Adults & Young Adults

WEATHER: Rain or Shine

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Join us for this family event for people of all ages to see raptors – up close!

A raptor is any carnivorous bird, usually predatory (they actively hunt other animals), typically possessing exceptional speed, sight, or strength.  These magnificent animals, also called birds of prey, are near the top of the food chain, however, that does not protect them from harm by humans directly or indirectly, either by development or environmental degradation.

Meet four rehabilitated raptors up close and personal. The group may include one or more species of owl, hawk, vulture and/or falcon. Learn how each bird was injured & then rehabilitated by the Rescue Center to become a wildlife ambassador. Handlers from Center will describe how raptors live in the wild and how humans can/should coexist with them.

The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center is Eastern Long Island’s ONLY Wildlife Hospital, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to the rescue, medical rehabilitation, and release of native wildlife on the East End of Long Island. The Center opened its doors in 2000. The Wildlife Rescue Center receives over 10,000 calls each year for information or assistance with wild animal encounters. They are open 365 days a year and are available on call 24 hours a day.

AUDIENCE: For Adults and Children of All Ages

WEATHER: Fair weather only. No rain date.

SPECIAL NOTES: Some seating provided. Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the gardens to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Explore and reproduce the wonders of the natural world in colored pencil with master Botanical Illustrator, Christiane Fashek.

Christiane Fashek began her studies of neoclassical architecture at the University of Notre Dame. She practiced in New York City, moved to London, earned a master’s in architecture and urbanism from the Architectural Association, then returned to NYC. It was while her children napped that she set about drawing objects from the natural world pulling from her draftsperson eye for detail and applying the use of magnification, microscopy and macrophotography. She is best known for “seeing” both the bold and subtle intricacies of different mosses and lichens. Spend a day with Christiane learning how to capture and celebrate the many curiosities of the natural world harvested directly from the Landcraft Garden. A master of scale, perspective, and color, participants will learn from Christiane the science, precision and artistry behind botanical still life. Drawing materials to be provided. Boxed lunch included.

CHRISTIANE FASHEK is a botanical artist specializing in lichens and plants rendered in colored pencil. She uses scale and perspective to highlight their fascinating features. Christiane is a drawing and colored pencil instructor at various botanical gardens and leads workshops and talks virtually and in person. Her work regularly appears in exhibitions and is currently on view in the New York Botanical Garden’s Fifth Triennial, Curious Allies. Follow her at christianefashekbotanicalart.com or via Instagram: @christianefashek.

AUDIENCE: Adults & young adults.

WEATHER: Rain or Shine.

SPECIAL NOTES: Please bring your own portable garden chair and sketch board to draw on. Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Join us for an immersive Create Your Own Gin Experience, hosted by Matchbook Distilling Co. in the beautiful garden at Landcraft Garden Foundation.

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to properly nose and taste spirits while delving into the science of distilling. As you enjoy cocktails, you’ll have the opportunity to blend your own proprietary botanical mix, featuring unique aromatics like Wild Magic Basil, grown at Landcraft Garden Foundation. Each participant will leave with a personalized bottle of their signature gin blend to take home and enjoy responsibly.

MATCHBOOK DISTILLING CO. is an R+D facility dedicated to production of spirits that champion agriculture, anthropology, tradition and science. Matchbook is in Greenport, NY with a tasting room operating Saturdays from 1pm – 6pm.

AUDIENCE: Adult

WEATHER: Fair weather only. If raining, workshop will be cancelled with no rain date to follow. To confirm possible cancellation due to weather please call (631) 298-7216.

SPECIAL NOTES: Each participant will receive a 750mL bottle of their own botanical blend to take home and enjoy responsibly. Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the gardens to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Beekeeper and trained entomologist Chris Kelly will teach participants how to keep and harvest honey from bees in their very own backyards.

Learn about the humble honeybee, one of many pollinators, that are necessary for the existence of life (plant and animal) on earth. Using Landcraft’s very own bee colonies and pollinator heavy gardens, Master Beekeeper and Cornell trained entomologist, Chris Kelly, will teach participants how to better understand the importance of the bee, as well as how gardeners and wildlife lovers alike can contribute to the honey bee’s prosperity in their own backyards. Kelly will demonstrate his hands on approach to beekeeping, capped off with a demonstration on harvesting honey straight from the source. Come join us for a special closeup of the honeybee – learn the basics of how, why and what we do to establish a hive – then taste for yourself the wonder of raw, unfiltered honey.

CHRIS KELLY is a committed Long Island beekeeping educator. As a hobbyist and professional, he is uniquely able to address the concerns of both. The onset of colony collapse disorder highlighted the critical need to bridge historical practices with current day needs – his business, Promised Land Apiaries (PLA) is focused on providing an ethical artisanal product responsibly made from start to finish. PLA’s primary drive is the health of the honeybee hive, without the intrusion of artificial supplements. What makes PLA distinctive is Chris’ personal relationships with professionals and academics in the field of apiculture. What started as a Long Island boy scout looking for his next merit badge became a lifetime of beekeeping.

AUDIENCE: All Ages.

WEATHER: Fair Weather Only.

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately to be outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the garden to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precautions.

Part two in this introduction to cell phone photography will dive into the behind the scenes “touch-ups” and “adjustments” of photo editing that makes “a good picture” into a work of art.

ANTHONY GRAZIANO is an award-winning fine art photographer, author and educator who has been capturing the beauty of the natural world through photography for more than 30 years. Anthony’s vision flows from what-is-perceived to what-is-felt and finally, to what-is-seen; his photographic approach often involves spending extended periods of time within a location to absorb its unique energy before attempting to preserve its experience in a photograph. Anthony’s creative approach succeeds in the rare capturing of a temporal place, drawing the viewer in to “experience” the beauty of the natural world – its vibrancy, its layers and light – all joining to emotionally calm the inner spirit while stimulating the sensory mind. Anthony was selected by the Andy Warhol Foundation as its Artist in Residence and has shown at numerous galleries. He is a past board member of the East End Arts Council and the Friends of Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge.

AGE: Adult Audiences

WEATHER: Weather permitting

SPECIAL NOTES: Please dress appropriately for being outdoors: comfortable shoes and socks, wide brimmed hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and water are recommended. To be a source of healthy insects for our birds and other insect-feeding wildlife, Landcraft does not spray the gardens to manage ticks. Please take appropriate precaution.

***REFUND POLICY:  Refunds must be requested at least 7 days before event by e-mailing info@landcraftgardenfoundation.org . Landcraft Garden Foundation Credit will be given for the full ticket price, minus $10 Eventbrite processing fee. Credit must be used within 1 year of event, and can be applied to future workshops, events, garden admission or gift shop purchases.

Arts events and workshops at Landcraft Garden Foundation are made possible by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.