Classes & Plant Walks
Carrie offers educational presentations, plant walks, and field-based learning experiences for groups interested in trees, plants, and the landscapes around them.
These programs are designed to be clear, engaging, and accessible — helping audiences of all backgrounds begin to recognize and understand the plants they encounter every day.
Whether you are just beginning or have been learning for years, these classes are designed to build both confidence and depth — helping you move from simply noticing plants to truly knowing them.
How Classes Work
Classes typically combine time indoors with time in the field.
In the classroom, students are introduced to key plant characteristics and patterns.
Outdoors, those same ideas come into focus as students learn to recognize plants in their natural setting.
Over time, what once felt unfamiliar begins to feel recognizable.
Topics commonly include:
-
Identifying trees by leaves, bark, buds, and branching patterns
-
Recognizing plant families and structural relationships
-
Learning how to use field guides effectively
-
Using clever memory tools to help identify plants
-
Observing seasonal changes in forests and natural areas (a field of study known as phenology)
-
Understanding the relationships between plants, animals, and habitats
Each class emphasizes careful observation, pattern recognition, and simple, memorable tools that make scientific names and plant relationships easier to understand.
Classes Commonly Offered
Each season reveals different clues about plants, and classes are designed to follow those changes.
Specialized Workshops
Classes designed for garden clubs, Master Gardeners, homeschool groups, and other organizations. These sessions can be tailored to the group’s interests and may include plant identification, habitat relationships, and ecological context such as pollinators and insect life.
What to
Expect
Classes are designed to be engaging, practical, and accessible. Participants are encouraged to come prepared to observe closely and spend time outdoors. Helpful items may include:
-
Field guides
-
Hand lenses, oculars, or magnifiers
-
Binoculars
-
A camera or phone for photographing plants
Carrie often has oculars, plus new and used plant ID field guides, available for purchase at her classes.
Upcoming Classes
Congaree National Park Guided Field Trip: Towering Giants in an Ancient ForestFeb 06, 2027, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PMHarry Hampton Visitor Center, 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061, USA
Selected Past Classes
Spring WildflowersApr 15, 2026, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PMVarious locations in and around Brevard, NC
Leafless Tree Identification Class SeriesFeb 05, 2026, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PMVarious locations in and around Brevard, NC
Fall Colors: Autumn Tree IdentificationSep 17, 2025, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PMVarious locations in and around Brevard, NC
Reflections from a Student
Dear Carrie,
Your tree class has been a wonderful step in deepening my awareness of the natural world. Before the class, walking in our woods felt like passing by anonymous strangers. Now it feels like entering a room of friends—each tree distinct, recognizable, and part of a larger community.
I find myself noticing details I never would have seen before: the buds on a young hickory hinting at the tree it will become, the shape of a tulip tree’s buds suggesting its future form, and the quiet relationships between trees at the forest’s edge.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and for changing the way I see trees.
Sincerely,
Karen
A Note on Learning
Learning plants takes time. It happens gradually — by returning to the same places, noticing small differences, and allowing patterns to emerge.
For many students, the most meaningful change is not just gaining knowledge, but developing a new way of seeing the landscape — one that deepens appreciation and often leads to a greater sense of care for the places they know.