This page will be updated as events are added. Come back to see what new programs we have coming up!
Unless otherwise noted in the listing, programs will start at the garden pond. Watch our social media accounts for updates or cancellations.
Most Fridays November 15 - December 20 2024
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
*Update* The remaining 2024 workdays have been cancelled. We hope you can join us for future campus natural area workdays in 2025!
Help preserve the crown jewel of MSU’s Campus Natural Areas, Baker Woodlot. Weather permitting, workdays will be most Fridays starting November 15 until December 20, 2024 (no workday on Nov. 29). Spend the afternoon helping remove trash and invasive species with Beal Botanical Garden led by Carolyn Miller. We will meet at the northwest entrance to Baker Woodlot (on Farm Ln.). Parking is available (for a fee) in the visitor lot located on the north side of Service Rd. between Farm Ln. and Bogue St. Please dress for the weather.
If you have questions, please email Carolyn at miller94@msu.edu.
December 19 2024
12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Solstice Celebrations
Join our Horticulturist/Garden Coordinator, Mackenzie Hiatt, to learn all about plants of the winter solstice.
January 9 2025
12:10 - 1:00 pm
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Dreaming of Spring
Throughout the cold of winter, humans turned to stories and the resilience of plants to help reassure themselves that spring would come again. Join Education Director Maeve Bassett to learn about the historic symbols reminding us that winter will once again end.
January 23 2025
12:10 - 1:00 pm
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Planting for the Birds
Join Jennifer Hunnell, Beal's Communications Coordinator, to learn the best layout, plantings, and practices for a flourishing garden that will attract and support our feathered friends! This free program is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
January 26 2025
Location: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Resilience and Adaptations Tour
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Register for tour
Explore the resilient relationships between plants and people in the African Diaspora. Join Angelica Bajos, Community and Sustainability Coordinator, for a botanical deep dive into Esmaa Mohamoud's fall 2024 exhibit, Complex Dreams, at the Broad Art Museum.
Resilience and Adaptations Workshop
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Register for workshop
Ready to get chat-TEA? Join Beal Botanical Garden and Kelsi Smith from the Allen Neighborhood Center for DIY tea blends and conversations about the resilience of people and plants in the African Diaspora.
Tours and dedicated workshops complement each other, but can be enjoyed independently. Registration for these free events are required.
The Black Botany series is a collaboration between Beal Botanical Garden and the Broad Art Museum exploring the relationship between plants, people, and the African Diaspora.
Image credit: Broad Art Museum
February 13 2025
12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Wednesday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Plants and Passion
Joint ethnobotanist and Beal's Education Director, Maeve Bassett, to learn about the plant stories of Valentine's day and the many 'love' plants throughout history! This free proram is virtual and will be hosted on Zoom.
February 20 2025
12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: On Zoom
The garden may be dormant, but our excitement to teach and learn isn't! Join us at noon (almost) every Thursday over the winter to learn from different staff members all about the interconnectedness of plants, people, and place!
Pixelated Plants: Flora in the Gaming World
Join Mackenzie Hiatt (Garden Coordinator) and Maeve Bassett (Education Director) in a discussion on the role and use of plants in video games. Whether they establish the setting, act as antagonist, back-up support, or motivation, plants play an important role in our physical and digital lives.
