Garden News & Events

Fall Garden Event Highlights

Fall brings a whole new season of adventure to America’s Garden Capital. As the Greater Philadelphia region transforms with brilliant autumn color, our gardens come alive with seasonal festivals, family activities, workshops, tours, outdoor concerts, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the crisp fall weather. Whether you’re looking for a festive weekend outing, a peaceful walk among changing leaves, or something completely unexpected, there’s always a new reason to explore.

Some events require pre-registration or additional paid admission, please check each garden’s website for complete events details.

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Children’s Music Circle with PlayIn Time Productions

Registration and payment required.

Weekly on Friday mornings, September 11 – November 13, 10:15am – 11:00am | Join PlayIn Time Productions at Stoneleigh for a weekly, interactive musical program geared toward children up to age five and their parents or caregivers.

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Yoga in the Garden

Registration and payment required.

Weekly on Sundays: September 13th – October 25th, 10:15am – 11:15am | Relax the mind and strengthen the body with an all-levels yoga class and meditation session guided by Christina Fittipoldi in the tranquil setting of Stoneleigh. The gentle pace will allow us time to linger in poses and build a deeper connection to the body using our breath. Please bring a mat, water bottle, and any props you may like to use.

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StoryTime Yoga for Families

Registration and payment required.

Thursdays: September 17th – October 8th, 10:30 am – 11:15 am | Join our partners at Heartwell Yoga for a holistic approach to both story time and yoga that honors the understanding that play is vital to a child’s development. Each class is based on a children’s book with the themes of the book being woven into playful yoga: inspired movement, stories, music, breathwork, and relaxation techniques.

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Gentle Flow Yoga 6-Week Series

Registration and payment required.

Six Saturdays, 9:15 – 10:15 am, Sept. 19 – Oct. 24 | Step onto the mat, breathe deeply, and flow through gentle outdoor yoga with instructor Christina Teofilak. Move mindfully through simple sequences, focus on alignment, and adapt each pose to your body. Feel the fresh air, listen to the sounds of nature, and release tension as you soak in the peaceful rhythm of this mindful, outdoor practice.

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Vinyasa Flow Yoga 6-Week Series

Registration and payment required.

Six Sundays, 9:15-10:15 am, Sept. 20 to Oct. 25 | Step onto your mat and energize your body and mind with instructor Lisa Fell. Move dynamically through creative sequences rooted in traditional postures, building strength, flexibility, and focus. Flow with intention, breathe deeply, and explore mobility in each pose. Adapt each posture to your body as needed, and feel your energy rise with each mindful movement in this intermediate-to-advanced outdoor practice.

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T’ai Chi & Qigong 6-Week Series

Registration and payment required.

6 Tuesdays, 9:15-10:15, Sept. 22 – Oct. 27 | Cultivate a calm mind, steady heart, and balanced body through mindful movement and breath. Explore the internal arts of T’ai Chi and Qigong while practicing movements rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, Taoist Qigong, and T’ai Chi forms. Move through gentle sequences that sometimes travel across the room and other times are performed in a small standing space. Whether you’re brand new to T’ai Chi, building your skills, or have previous experience, you’ll find a welcoming practice that meets you where you are.

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Morris Pumpkin Cottage

Included with garden admission.

October is ArBOOretum Month at the Morris! Hundreds of pumpkins are on display in the Garden and at the Morris Pumpkin Cottage. A true spectacle of orange. Selfies are a MUST!

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Scarecrow Walk & Contest

Included with garden admission.

The scarecrows are here! More than 40 scarecrows will be on display throughout the Morris beginning October 1 through Halloween. The theme is the ’70s! See scarecrows inspired by the 1770s, 1970s, or any decade ending in “70.” Be sure to vote for your favorite, which will determine the top prize winners.

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Mindful Birding

Registration and payment required.

Mindful birding combines bird watching with mindfulness techniques to develop heightened awareness and a deeper experience. During this session, we’ll use birds as our guide to help us slow and more deeply notice the world around us.

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Friday Organ Concert

Registration and payment required.

The Organ Historical Society (OHS) and Natural Lands present Friday Organ Concerts in the Main House at Stoneleigh: a natural garden. These noontime concerts feature Stoneleigh’s mighty Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ. Local organists will perform a selection of sweeping musical pieces surrounded by the elegant beauty of the Tudor-revival style home. Come for the music and stay for the beauty of the garden sure to dazzle with autumnal color.

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Watercolor in the Garden

Registration and payment required.

Join us in the garden and learn the basics of watercolor in this 3-hour seminar. Together, we will experiment with layering colors, creating texture, and building value as you find inspiration around Haverford College Arboretum.

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Fat Groundhog Week

Free

In honor of #FatBearWeek at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, The Woodlands celebrates our own version, #FatGroundhogWeek! Direct message or email us your best fat groundhog pictures and videos captured at the cemetery. We’ll host a tournament in our stories during Fat “Grass Bear” Week, which will take place from Friday, October 2, to Thursday, October 8, right when Katmai’s competition ends. Be sure to submit and vote on your favorite whistle pig!

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Building Fairy Houses (Ages 5+)

Registration and payment required.

Let your imagination run wild as we create whimsical fairy houses together! We will use a combination of found natural materials, clay, and other special bits and bobs in this magical, hands-on experience for all ages. We will start indoors and use tools to construct our bases and create some one-of-a-kind accessories for our fairies. Then join us in the enchanting Whimsical Woods to continue decorating with found natural materials!

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Mushroom Walk

Registration and payment required.

Fancy a foray for fungi? Join our partners at the Philadelphia Mycology Club for a walk-and-talk through the garden in search of marvelous mushrooms. Together, we’ll explore why fungi are essential contributors to healthy ecosystems and how to look for them responsibly. Whether you’re enchanted by mushroom ecology or interested in improving your field observation skills, this is a relaxed and supportive program with space for all levels of experience.

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Fall Bird Walk

Registration and payment required.

The diverse and growing gardens of Stoneleigh sustain a variety of migratory songbirds during fall migration. Flycatchers, orioles, thrushes, and warblers wing their way across the garden, stopping to fuel up during their journeys.

Bring a pair of binoculars and get ready for an exclusive, early morning experience looking and listening for birds in the tranquility of the garden before it is open to the visiting public.

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The Abundant Life of Dead and Dying Trees

Registration and payment required.

Most people are familiar with the innumerable benefits of living trees. But, even after their death, trees provide vital habitat, shelter, and food for wildlife. Join us as we learn how dead and dying trees still teem with life, from tiny termites to fantastic flying squirrels and everything in between. This program will begin inside with a lecture and discussion, and then move outside to explore how Stoneleigh incorporates snags and logs into the garden.

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Tree Drawing for Beginners Workshop Series

Registration and payment required.

Four Wednesdays, beginning Wednesday, October 7th, 2:00 – 5:00 PM | Join artist Henry Martin for this four-session class at Stoneleigh designed for anyone who enjoys the natural world and wants to explore it more deeply through drawing. This is a basic drawing class highlighting (but not limited to) trees.

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Wine and Wander

Registration and payment required.

Join us for an exclusive, after-hours tour featuring two of our favorite things: plants and wine. Led by Stoneleigh director Ethan Kauffman and sommelier Michele Edington, take an evening stroll through the garden and enjoy a specially curated sampling of four different natural wines. Learn about the flavor profiles and unique characteristics of each wine while exploring the spectacular beauty of Stoneleigh along the way. Register early for this sought-after event, back by popular demand.

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After Hours: New Moon

Registration and payment required.

This special members’ evening invites visitors to experience the cemetery after dark! Bring a picnic blanket, dinner, and dine under the stars. There will be fire pits and more. Free for members, $10 ticketed option for non-members.

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Yoga in the Gardens

Registration and payment required.

Don’t miss this one-hour outdoor yoga session at Andalusia, led by Trina Shumsonk of Atlas Yoga & Movement. Exercise amidst nature on a cozy mulch wood path. The class begins at 11am – please bring your own mat and a blanket for extra comfort on the ground!

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Botanical Collage Workshop with Jody Graff

Registration and payment required.

Join Radical Americana artist Jody Graff to create your own quilt collage artwork using provided natural materials like leaves and petals. A brief overview introduces other artists who use botanicals and the process of collecting and pressing botanicals. Then, the hands-on process includes sketching at small scale, cut-paper compositions at full scale, selecting leaves and petals, cutting botanicals for a selected composition, and finally gluing everything down into a finished artwork.

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The Wetland: A Unique Ecosystem Tour

Included with garden admission.

This specialty tour investigates many native plants and trees around the Morris Pond and near the Wissahickon Creek. It includes a brief history of the Wetland and describes the nature of a wetland ecosystem. Wetlands provide important resources—water, food, shelter—vital for plants, trees and wildlife that create a native abundant habitat.

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Morning Meditations

Registration and payment required.

Bring your journal and yoga mat or meditation cushion and relax into guided meditation, gentle movement, and breathwork led by Energy Guide and Therapist Asia IrgangLaden. This is a one-hour meditation and mindfulness practice held outdoors, offering a spacious, slow, supportive practice for you to tune into yourself.

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Home & Garden Tour

Registration and payment required.

Enjoy dazzling displays of native plants, stately trees, and historical landscapes by the Olmsted Brothers that have been thoughtfully reimagined into a beautiful and biodiverse haven for people and wildlife.

The spectacular Tudor Revival Main House—which is usually only open for special events—is also included in the tour, so don’t miss this opportunity for a peek inside the former home of three prominent Main Line families.

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Succulent Pumpkins Workshop

Registration and payment required.

Embrace the beauty of autumn with a unique, handcrafted succulent pumpkin! Learn about succulent care with GFS Manager of Horticulture Cat Swiderski and design your own seasonal centerpiece in this hands-on workshop. All materials provided.

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Composting for Kids (Ages 3-17)

Registration and payment required.

Get your hands dirty digging into this composting workshop to learn about the science of decomposition. Use magnifying glasses to explore the center of a compost pile, build your own kits to take home, and learn all about the food that plants need to grow healthy and strong. FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-17 WITH ONE FREE ACCOMPANYING ADULT | PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

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Plant Politics: Images, Knowledge, and Power (Virtual Lecture)

Registration and payment required.

Every picture of a plant tells a story. From botanical illustrations and herbarium specimens to illustrated manuscripts and contemporary photographs, images shape how plants are named, understood, and valued. They also reveal deeper stories about exploration, colonialism, science, and whose knowledge is preserved. Join Tracy Qiu and Catherine Seavitt for an interactive lunchtime virtual conversation that uses four images to explore how botanical knowledge is created, shared, and challenged

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Fantastic Fall Foliage

Registration and payment required.

Discover the beauty of autumnal changes starting to occur in the gardens with the GFS Horticulture staff! See the transition from summer to fall and learn the science behind these spectacular fall colors.

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Bulb Sale

Free

Spring-blooming bulbs available for sale, including alliums, tulips, crocuses, daffodils, fritillaria, imperials, hyacinth, and latifolium! Cash, Credit, Debit, Check, Apple Pay and Google Pay accepted.

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A ‘Grotesque’ Tour at Dusk: Edgar Allan Poe at Andalusia

Registration and payment required.

Famed author of macabre stories Edgar Allan Poe visited Andalusia in 1840, the year he published Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, later giving an inscribed first edition to Nicholas Biddle. This special tour begins at dusk, as guests will explore the mansion and grounds while hearing dramatically read selections from Poe’s book with commentary connecting each short story to the location where it is read.

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Tree Canopy Conference

Registration and payment required.

Philadelphia’s trees make our communities livable. They filter our air, regulate water flow, reduce carbon emissions, improve our mental health, and more. Unfortunately, our urban tree canopy faces stresses, including pests and disease, storms, residential development, and climate change. Join us for the 13th annual Tree Canopy Conference, where we’ll talk to experts about loss and restoration, including case studies demonstrating ways to put plans in place to ensure the city of the future remains green, livable, and ecologically sustainable.

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A ‘Grotesque’ Tour at Dusk: Edgar Allan Poe at Andalusia

Registration and payment required.

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Bats and Your Backyard Habitat

Registration and payment required.

As the sun goes down, the gardens truly come alive. You will get a rare opportunity to explore Mt. Cuba’s stunning landscapes under the cover of twilight and darkness. Equipped with provided flashlights and guided by Kesha, you will venture into the field to:

Expert Instruction: Scout real locations where bats are likely to roost.
The Night Trek: Spot these fascinating nocturnal creatures in action above the garden canopy.
An Acoustic Hunt: Listen to high-frequency bat calls using specialized acoustic monitors.

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Accessible Golf Cart Tour

Registration and payment required.

Designed for guests with limited mobility who otherwise might not be able to join a longer tour, these monthly Home & Garden tours on a golf cart will be an intimate 45-minute excursion led by a knowledgeable member of Stoneleigh’s staff.

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STEVE TOBIN: IN THE LIGHT Exhibition Opening Weekend

Included with garden admission.

Experience STEVE TOBIN: IN THE LIGHT, an outdoor exhibition featuring more than 50 monumental, nature-inspired sculptures throughout Tyler Arboretum’s gardens and landscapes. Opening October 16, 2026, the exhibition invites visitors to discover towering steel roots, reflective clouds, and other extraordinary works transformed by autumn color, winter stillness, spring blooms, and summer canopy. Opening weekend features guided exhibition tours, festivities, and food and drink. On view through October 2027.

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Fantastic Fall Foliage

Registration and payment required.

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Fall Fun Day at Laurel Hill

Free

Children of all ages and caregivers are invited to a family-friendly day of outdoor autumn festivities. Enjoy a cemetery scavenger hunt, mini-tours, games, prizes, story times, and fall crafts. Costumes encouraged!

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A ‘Grotesque’ Tour at Dusk: Edgar Allan Poe at Andalusia

Registration and payment required.

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Practical Magic Adult Craft Night

Registration and payment required.

Kaleidoscope: Creative Self-Care, we’ll celebrate the spooky season with a night of witchy Halloween fun! We’ll create spell jars, design our own wands, paint pumpkins, and more. Come dressed in costume or other Halloween/Fall favorites, get a glimpse of the grounds at night, walk through the historic Glen Foerd mansion (some say it may be haunted), and enjoy some Halloween hocus pocus, treats, music, and art just for the grown-ups.

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Autumn Amble: Exploring the Garden’s Fall Color

Registration and payment required.

From the purples of fall-blooming perennials to the reds of turning tupelos, the garden glows with color in the waning days of October. Join Garden Manager Patrick McGinty for a leisurely guided walk to explore and learn about the beauty and biodiversity of the autumnal garden.

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A ‘Grotesque’ Tour at Dusk: Edgar Allan Poe at Andalusia

Registration and payment required.

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Mushroom Walk

Registration and payment required.

Join us for a casual stroll around campus hunting for mushrooms! Bethany Teigen, founder of the Philadelphia Mycology Club, will lead the way, teaching participants how to properly forage for mushrooms. This class is intended for beginners and will include a general introduction to the fungal kingdom and identification information on each specimen found.

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Soul Crawl

Registration and payment required.

At these annual after-dark tours of Laurel Hill East, hear the storied lives of restless spirits from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Knowledgeable tour guides will lead visitors by flashlight down winding pathways, and the night will conclude with festive beverages around roaring fire pits.

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Fall Fun by the Fire – Pits & Pumpkins

Registration and payment required.

Delight in the playful spirit of autumn with an event that blends creativity, gardening, and seasonal fun. Participate in a pumpkin painting contest then explore how pumpkins enrich soil through a hands on composting preview led by the Mt. Cuba team. Children and adults alike will enjoy seasonal themed crafts, while haywagon rides and glowing fire pits add a cozy backdrop to the festivities. Treat yourself to s’mores, or an apple cider as you celebrate the season’s charm and learn how fall traditions can support a healthier landscape. Admission to the gardens is included with your ticket. Food and beer, wine and seasonal cocktails will be available for purchase.

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Halloween at Hagley

Included with garden admission.

Looking for a safe place to trick-or-treat this Halloween? Children are invited to come in costume and visit treat stations throughout the beautiful surroundings of Hagley’s powder yard. Halloween at Hagley features a trick-or-treat trail while supplies of candy last.

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Oaks of the Mid-Atlantic Tour

Included with garden admission.

Discover the Mid-Atlantic oaks in the Morris’s extensive collection. As noted by scientist and author Doug Tallamy, “Oaks support more forms of life than any other tree genus in North America. Every region where oaks are present has a unique profile of oaks that populate that area.” Learn how to differentiate our local oaks and explore the acorn variety of different trees.

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Artist Q&A with Jody Graff

Included with garden admission.

Join contemporary artist Jody Graff on our tennis court where her installation, A History of Andalusia, Philadelphia and America as Told Through Plants & Narrative Quilts, is on display. Visitors will be able to chat with Graff to learn more about her process and the locations throughout Andalusia where she found inspiration and collected plant specimens for her work. Jody’s work is presented as part of Radical Americana, organized in partnership with The Clay Studio.

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Fall Flower Arranging Class

Registration and payment required.

Join Andalusia’s Senior Horticulturist Stephanie Harold for a hands-on workshop where you’ll create an autumn-inspired floral arrangement using a pumpkin as your vessel. This “make it and take it” experience allows you to design your very own fall centerpiece to take home and
display.

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Home & Garden Tour

Registration and payment required.

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Herbs: From the Ground Up for Adults & Teens

Registration and payment required.

From propagation to preserving, you’ll learn the ins and outs of growing, harvesting, drying, and methods for storing these delightful and useful plants until you need them.

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Fall Foliage of Laurel Hill East Tour

Registration and payment required.

Join our Arboretum Manager, Aaron Greenberg, on a brisk autumn walk through the peak fall colors of some of the great trees of Laurel Hill East. Fall is a beautiful time to explore our tree collection! We’ll enjoy the beauty and grandeur of the fall color display, and discuss how trees change throughout the seasons and prepare for winter. Bring your walking shoes!

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Going Batty! (All Ages)

Registration and payment required.

Join us in celebrating Bat Week with a special evening educational program about the important role bats play and what you can do to support bats in your yard and neighborhood. We begin with a short presentation to learn about these incredible creatures and end with an explorational walk to see these flying night mammals in action. Open to all ages. One registration covers one adult and one child. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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Owl Prowl

Registration and payment required.

Whoooo is excited to learn about the owls of Pennsylvania? Our sylvan state is home to eight species of these majestic birds, but only three species (Great Horned, Barred, and Eastern Screech) are year-round residents. Join us on a leisurely stroll as we look and listen for owls in the garden, while also learning about their calls, nesting habits, and the unique adaptations that make them such skilled, nocturnal hunters.

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Spooky Season Nature Crafts: All About Carnivorous Plants

Included with garden admission.

Is it a plant? Is it an animal? Is it both? Or is it…a monster?! Learn all about carnivorous plants this Halloween season and make your own plant monster to come with you while you trick or treat! Kiddos and adults can come in costume!

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From Plate to Press: Print a Botanical Specimen Book

Registration and payment required.

In this unique workshop we will print historic botanical letterpress printing plates using a portable letter press. Each participant will work on their own specimen book, bound by hand using the Japanese stab-binding technique.

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Halloween Party (for Woodland Members)

Included with garden admission.

The spookiest party this side of the Schuylkill is back and better than ever! Active Members (21+) are invited to celebrate Halloween at The Woodlands on Thursday, August 29. Fun and seasonal snacks and drinks will be provided. Costumes are welcome but not required, and there will be stick-on mustaches for anyone who needs a last-minute disguise. The event is for Woodland Members only. Learn how to become a member.

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A Not-So-Silent Movie Night

Registration and payment required.

Just in time for Halloween, Natural Lands and the Organ Historical Society (OHS) present a thrilling evening of classic cinema with organ accompaniment at Stoneleigh’s Main House. To complete the movie theatre experience, guests will enjoy freshly popped popcorn, a candy bar, and beer and wine at the bar. This event is intended for adults 18 and over.

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Paranormal Investigation: Ghosts Among Our Graves

Registration and payment required.

Spend a few hours wandering with Freespirit Paranormal Investigators as the team explores Laurel Hill East in the dark. Discover their favorite hotspots and haunts. Grab a pair of comfy walking shoes and prepare for the unexpected, because the night has plans of its own.

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Tailgate Tour: A Haunting We Will Go

Registration and payment required.

Enjoy spooky tales of Halloweens past and walk in the footsteps of those who have traveled here before…and possibly still do, guided by one of our staff members. Then stop off at our tailgate in a picturesque location for lively conversation and tasty treats, including hors d’oeuvres and a selection of hard and soft beverages. Registration required; capacity limited.

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Masquerade Ball

Registration and payment required.

Step right up… and enter the grand spectacle of Glen Foerd’s Masquerade Ball. This Mischief Night, roam the estate as it comes alive with a thrilling circus of wonders. Enjoy mesmerizing performers, including gravity-defying contortionists, tarot readers, spellbinding jugglers, and fire dancers. Don your carnival masquerade finest and enjoy an open bar, delicious dinner, live music, after-hours access to the mansion, and more!