Workshops

Giulia, is a mother, artist, and certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide. This is an invitation to grab your kid and join us for a restorative, playful series of experiences on the beautiful Arboretum grounds as nature wakes up after the winter!

Forest Therapy originated in Japan in the 80s. Today it is practiced all around the world and studies show the incredible benefits of regular, intentional time in nature, which include lower blood pressure and stress levels, relief of depressive states, and increased sense of wellbeing. 

Some important points about this experience:

• Gentle and open invitations will help you take a breath and deepen your connection to yourself, your kid, and nature.
• Spending unstructured time in nature is proven to help kids develop resilience, confidence, ability to focus, and lower their own stress levels.
• Sensory explorations will provide a gentle container to help us slow down and bring back online our five senses.

Please bring snacks and a blanket, weather appropriate clothes, and anything you and your kid might need to be warm and comfortable!

Disclaimer: This is not group therapy and Giulia is not a trained psychotherapist. The Forest is the Therapist, the Guide opens the door.

Maximum 15 adults with a child between 1 and 3 years old.

Fee: $60 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of April 16, 2026. After April 16 the fee is $70 plus HST. Registration is for all 5 sessions. 

 

Join Giulia, a mother, artist, and certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide in a series of low-key, restorative Forest Therapy events, as we witness the land waking up from winter!

It can feel hard to leave the house when sleep isn't good or your baby is fussy. These sessions are tailored to the needs of new parents or caregivers and babies, and all are welcome. 

Forest Therapy originated in Japan in the 80s. Today it is practiced all around the world and studies show the incredible benefits of regular, intentional sessions with nature, which include lower blood pressure and stress levels, relief of depressive states, and increased sense of wellbeing.

What to expect:

• Gentle, flexible invitations to inspire you and your baby to engage with the natural world and each other
• Moments of optional sharing as a group
• Breastfeeding and chestfeeding welcome
• Washroom with changing table available

Bring a blanket, baby carrier for naps and comfort, and all your baby gear and food, plus weather appropriate clothes for you and baby.

Disclaimer: This is not group therapy and Giulia is not a trained psychotherapist. The Forest is the Therapist, the Guide opens the door.

Maximum 20 adults with a child up to 1 year of age.

Fee: $50 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of April 16, 2026. After April 16 the fee is $60 plus HST. Registration is for all 5 sessions. 

 

In Southern Ontario, we are lucky to have an incredible diversity of spring wildflowers, many of which only appear for a few weeks every year. Join Christa Wise, Interpretive Naturalist at The Arboretum, for these virtual sessions to learn what spring wildflowers might be popping up near you and how to identify them. These sessions will cover the identification of common species and we will discuss their unique natural history. Perfect for anyone wanting to improve their identification skills, get a spring refresh, or are curious about the flowers that appear every spring.

Fee: $20 (plus HST) per person for the series.

 

 

It’s that time of year again, the spring wildflowers are beginning to bloom! Our flowers like the trout lily, bloodroot, and trilliums only flower for a brief window in early spring, finishing all of their above-ground activity in a few short weeks. Join Christa Wise, Interpretive Naturalist at The Arboretum, to explore the fascinating world of our small but mighty spring wildflowers!

This workshop will focus on hands-on identification of spring wildflowers found in The Arboretum through visiting sites like Victoria Woods, Wild Goose Woods, and the Nature Reserve. In the classroom, we will also go beyond the field guide to learn the intricate ecology and history of these spring-time blooms.

This workshop is perfect for those looking to get hands-on experience with identification skills. Registrants will receive a copy of our Spring Woodland Wildflower booklet.

It is recommended to bring snacks, waterbottle, and appropriate outdoor attire as a significant portion of this workshop will be spent outside in The Arboretum.

*Maximum 18 adults.

Fee: $90 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of April 23, 2026. After April 23 the fee is $100 plus HST.

 

 

Enjoy the fleeting beauty of spring’s earliest blooms and discover the unique ecology of plants that make the most of a short growing season. This guided walk will introduce participants to the fascinating strategies of spring ephemerals and the forest habitats they depend on.

This free, outdoor program is part of The Arboretum’s Summer Nature Series, generously supported by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. Programs are designed for all experience levels. Please dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear for uneven trails.

Fee: FREE (Registration required)

Are you interested in learning how to use sketching as a way to improve your plant identification skills? In this afternoon workshop Mary Anne Young will teach the basics of field botany and how to use sketching as a way to observe and record information to assist with identification. After learning techniques (both fast and slow) for capturing plant form, structure, and beauty we will practice our skills while exploring various collections and natural spaces of the Arboretum. All experience levels welcome.

Please bring the following supplies:
- a sketchbook (min. 6x9” size)
- pencils (one H, one HB, and one 2B recommended)

The art supplies are available for purchase at places such as Wyndham Art Supplies, Michaels, or Dollarama.
An example of the sketchbook:

Fee: $55 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of May 15, 2026. After May 15 the fee is $65 plus HST.

 

Join Artist Candice Leyland for an inspiring and immersive plein air watercolour class, where The Arboretum becomes your studio! Whether you're a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, this class offers a unique opportunity to capture the beauty of the outdoors with vibrant watercolours.

What to Expect:

• Expert Instruction: Learn from experienced artist who will guide you through techniques and tips for painting en plein air.
• Beautiful Locations: Explore picturesque landscapes and let the natural surroundings inspire your creativity.
• Hands-On Practice: Enjoy plenty of painting time with personalized feedback to help you improve your skills.
• All Levels Welcome: Tailored instruction to suit all skill levels, from beginners to advanced artists.

Don't miss this chance to enhance your artistic journey and connect with fellow art enthusiasts in a beautiful outdoor setting. Reserve your spot today and let your creativity flow!

Registrants must be age 14+.

Supplies:
Bring what you have that is easy to carry. Pan Watercolours are best, but we can make anything work.

• Watercolour Paints: A set of professional-grade watercolours in tubes or pans. Recommended colors include:
  • Hansa Yellow or Cadmium Yellow Light
  • Ultramarine Blue
  • Phthalo Blue
  • Cadmium Red Light
  • Alizarin Crimson
  • Viridian or Phthalo Green
  • Burnt Sienna
  • Burnt Umber
• Watercolour Brushes: A variety of brushes, such as:
  • Round brushes (#12 or 14, #6 or 8)
  • Flat brushes (#14)
• Watercolour Paper: High-quality, 140 lb. paper (9” x 12” or larger).
• Palette: A palette with a large mixing area (8x10 inches or larger).
• Water Containers: Jars with lids for clean and dirty water.
• Paper Towels or Cloths: For blotting and cleaning brushes.
• Pencil and Eraser: For sketching your composition.
• Portable Easel: (optional) A portable easel that can be adjusted for horizontal painting. An easel is not required. A board and a folding chair or a picnic blanket is a great, simple option.

Optional Supplies:

• Portable Chair: For comfort while painting.
• Hat and Sunscreen: To protect yourself from the sun.
• Bug Spray: To keep insects at bay.
• Backpack or Tote Bag: To carry all your supplies

Fee: $65 (plus HST) per person if you register before the early bird deadline of May 16, 2026. After that date the fee is $75 (plus HST) per person.

Come, brave the cold, and see the stars! Members of the Kitchener-Waterloo Royal Astronomical Society of Canada will be setting up astronomical telescopes for private viewings. Come see winter constellations like Taurus, Gemini, and Orion, as well as star clusters, nebulae, and many other curious objects in the beautiful winter Milky Way. Later, as winter melts into spring, we may even view a few distant galaxies.

Our goal is to run 2 of the following programs:
Thursday, November 27, 2025, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 22, 2026, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 26, 2026, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 26, 2026, 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 23, 2026, 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.

The weather makes stargazing very unpredictable and therefore hard to schedule. Instead of opening up registration for all of these dates and having to cancel some of them, we are instead going to have everyone who is interested sign up on a list (there is no fee to do this). To sign up on the list click on the link to register for workshops and you will find the link for the list in the list of workshops.

The morning of each of the above listed dates we will send an email out by 10:30 AM to let you know whether the instructors are going to run the program or not. Their decision will be based both on the sky and the weather (ie. if it is forecasted to be excessively cold the program will not run). The registration will open when we send the email out. Anyone can register for the program regardless of whether they are on the sign up list or not.

Fee: $19 (plus HST) per person, per session. Please note these programs are non-refundable once you register and pay for them.

 

Spring is in the air—and so are the birds! This is the perfect time to get outside and spot migrating birds as they pass through in their vibrant plumage, filling the air with song. Join us for a guided birdwatching hike through The Arboretum, where we’ll explore a variety of habitats in search of both resident and migrating species. Whether you're an experienced birder or just getting started, this hike is a great opportunity to sharpen your skills and experience the magic of spring. Binoculars will be provided.

*Maximum 20 adults. 

Fee: $12 (plus HST) per person, per day.

 

 

Step into the healing power of nature with a guided Shinrin Yoku session at the Arboretum in Guelph. Also known as “forest bathing,” Shinrin Yoku is a gentle, meditative practice that originated in Japan, inviting you to slow down, awaken your senses, and deepen your connection to the natural world. Over the course of approximately three hours, you’ll be guided through a series of mindful invitations to engage with the forest atmosphere in a way that promotes relaxation, clarity, and well-being. Whether you're new to the practice or returning for a deeper experience, this immersive journey offers a meaningful way to unwind and reconnect, with nature and with yourself. 

D'Arcy Meloche is a Registered Horticultural Therapist and certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide with over 25 years of experience helping individuals connect with nature for health and healing. Based in Guelph, Ontario, D'Arcy works as a Horticultural Therapist at Homewood Health Centre, where he supports therapeutic recovery through plant-based and outdoor programs. Eight years ago, he expanded his practice by earning qualifications in Nature and Forest Therapy, blending his deep horticultural knowledge with evidence-based techniques that invite restorative experiences in natural settings. His approach is grounded, compassionate, and rooted in decades of hands-on work with both plants and people.

Fee: $65 (plus HST) per person, per session if you register by the early bird deadline 8 days prior to the workshop (ie. May 21 / July 2 / September 18). After the early bird deadline the fee is $75 plus HST. Please note that each of the three dates are an individual workshop; they are not a series.

 

Do you love trees but can’t tell an Ash from a Walnut, a Birch from a Beech, or a Spruce from a Fir? Are you looking to connect more with the natural world around you? Join Shelley Hunt, U of Guelph course instructor and former Arboretum Director, for a virtual, interactive tree identification workshop. Over the course of 4 Zoom sessions, with hands-on challenges to complete in between, you will learn the basics of tree ID, with a focus on native Ontario species (and their look-alike non-native counterparts). You will learn about the important features to look for (e.g. leaf shape and arrangement, bark characteristics, fruits and cones), as well as the details that help us to distinguish between species in the same group (e.g. Ashes, Pines, Maples). You will practice your skills on trees that you can find in your local area, and get feedback on your ‘homework’. The fourth session will include a virtual tour of trees in The Arboretum's collections. 

Please Note: This course is only on-line. A separate in-person course is also available on September 19.
We also send recordings out after each session, so if you miss a session you can watch the recording. The recordings are available for one month after the end of the workshop.

Fee: $50 (plus HST) per person.

Explore the complex relationship between nature and literature in this guided walk. We will look at the interaction between trees and books through a scientific and cultural lens. Learn about the role trees have played in storytelling, through their role in printmaking and how humans understand themselves and tell their stories. Gain a better understanding of biological concepts in arboriculture to help you "read" a tree and see how the characters of wind, sunlight and rain act as characters in each tree's story.

Fee: $15 (plus HST) per person.

 

Ontario has dozens of native shrub species, from dogwoods to viburnums, blackberries to spicebush, and everything in between. Where to start in learning to identify them? In this workshop, spread over 4 zoom sessions, we will cover basic shrub morphology and learn the key ID features of a wide variety of these diverse woody plants. The 4th session will include a virtual tour of shrubs in the Arboretum's collections.

Fee: $50 (plus HST) per person.

Join us for our second annual Odonate Count at The Arboretum! We will spend the day out on the Arboretum grounds searching for, catching, and identifying the Dragonflies and Damselfishes (Odonates) found here. As an inventory project, we will be using iNaturalist to document our findings, so please come with an iNaturalist account and have it downloaded on your phone.

This is a free event for those interested in helping us inventory the diversity of these incredible insects that call The Arb home. While experience with Odonate identification and capture is appreciated, this event is open to everyone willing to help. To learn how to identify dragonflies and damselflies, see our Dragonfly Workshop (information will be coming soon for this).

Nets will be provided for the duration of the count.

Check out our results from our first Odonate Count in 2025: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/arboretum-odonate-count-2025

*Maximum 25 adults.

Fee: FREE

 

 

This workshop introduces participants to all the major groups of insects in Ontario with a focus on how to recognize major groups or families, with special reference to the common species one is likely to encounter in both the backyard and in the field. This is a great introductory course for educators, field researchers, and those who wish to simply become familiar with the mini-wildlife of Ontario. Registrants in attendance will receive one of our insect biodiversity sheets. Note that the majority of this workshop will be spent out of doors regardless of weather, so dress appropriately!

*Maximum 18 adults.

Fee: $94 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of July 5, 2026. After July 5 the fee is $104 plus HST.

 

 

This workshop has been designed to educate participants about butterflies and how to identify them in the wild. Topics covered include, butterfly natural history, capture techniques, field identification, tagging, migration, and creating and maintaining butterfly habitat. The workshop concludes outside catching and identifying the butterflies of The Arboretum. Registrants in attendance will receive a copy of our Butterfly biodiversity sheet.

*Maximum 18 adults.

Fee: $94 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of July 6, 2026. After July 6 the fee is $104 plus HST.

 

 

This full-day program helps participants refine their skills to identify trees in Ontario. The focus of the workshop is on learning the important identification characteristics of difficult tree groups such as the cherry, oak and walnut families as well as the easier groups such as ash and maple. The afternoon is spent outside identifying trees in the forest as well as young cultivated trees with their Eurasian counterparts in the World of Trees collection. Participants are encouraged to bring their field guides and binoculars. Each registrant that attends the workshop will receive a copy of our Tree Leaves Biodiversity Sheet.

Fee: $94.00 (plus HST) per person if you register by the early bird deadline of September 11. If you register after September 11 the fee is $104 (plus HST).

This program is offered to specifc groups. If you would like more information please contact us.
Fee: FREE!
This online series is catered to University of Guelph international students and other community members new to Canada. New to the area? Come with us to explore The Arboretum and learn about what you can find in nature throughout the winter, spring, summer, and fall!
Visit the Nature Throughout the Seasons for International Students and New Canadians Series program page to learn more and register for upcoming dates. Please note that at this time this program is being offered to a special group instead of as a public program. If you are part of a group that is interested, please contact us for further information.