THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Join a focused, two-hour workshop at Crabtree Farms to design a home veggie garden that supports people and wildlife. With Reflection Riding staff and local nursery expertise, you’ll sketch a planting plan and learn which native perennials and vegetables thrive in the Chattanooga area.
Join a focused, two-hour workshop at Crabtree Farms to design a home veggie garden that supports people and wildlife. With Reflection Riding staff and local nursery expertise, you’ll sketch a planting plan and learn which native perennials and vegetables thrive in the Chattanooga area.
Book with Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga
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Operated by Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga · Chattanooga, Tennessee
At the edge of Chattanooga's East Side, Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga hosts a short, practical workshop for gardeners who want to make their yards work for people and wildlife. Held at Crabtree Farms (1000 E 30th Street, Chattanooga, TN) and co-hosted by Reflection Riding and Crabtree staff, the two-hour session on April 23, 2026 - 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. - marries plant science with sketchpad-ready design.
The format is straightforward and session-sized: capacity is limited to 20 people, ages 10 and up, so you get direct time with lead naturalist Hannah McLaren and nursery manager Sarah Wiatrek. Expect a hands-on primer on incorporating native perennials and vegetable beds into a single landscape that feeds your household and local pollinators. Instruction covers basic design principles, plant selection for Southeast Tennessee, and practical tips for sequencing blooms, managing soil, and keeping beneficial insects around.
What makes this event stand out is the local expertise and the setting. Crabtree Farms operates as a working nursery and demonstration space adjacent to Reflection Riding, giving visitors a chance to see real plantings and nursery stock in the scale of neighborhood yards. The workshop intentionally focuses on native species and wildlife-friendly choices - think perennial plantings that supply nectar corridors, shelter for native bees, and low-maintenance vegetables suited to urban lots. A modest plant sale follows the class, and staff remain available for questions so your sketch can become a planting plan.
The workshop also connects to regional ecology: the plant choices reflect species adapted to the Tennessee Valley and the local urban environment, teaching how to create layered habitat for pollinators, migrating birds, and soil life. For visitors, this class is both practical and civic—learning to garden here contributes to neighborhood green infrastructure and builds resilience in Chattanooga's evolving urban landscape and stewardship.
Practical details are part of the appeal: the workshop runs two hours, has a suggested $5 donation, and requires a mandatory client waiver supplied by Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga (location: 1000 E 30th Street Chattanooga, TN). Bring a notebook and measurements of the area you want to redesign; organizers recommend arriving early to settle in. The class is free to register but fills quickly because of its small group size and hands-on time with professionals.
For travelers and locals alike, this is a compact, actionable way to connect urban-lot gardening with broader conservation goals in the Chattanooga area. Whether you’re sketching a new raised bed, figuring out companion planting, or simply learning which native perennials will thrive in your yard, the workshop delivers local knowledge you can use at home. Contact Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or [email protected] with questions, and consider staying after to explore the nursery displays and nearby green spaces.
easy.
2 hours.
Light — mostly standing, short walking, and seated sketching; suitable for ages 10 and up
The class is free to register with a suggested $5 donation; donations support Crabtree Farms programs.
Register through the provided fareharbor booking link or contact Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or [email protected] for assistance.
Yes, participants should be age 10 or older; younger children may not get as much from the hands-on format.
Yes, a modest plant sale follows the workshop so you can take home starter plants recommended during the session.
Yes, a mandatory client waiver is required by Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga; details are provided upon registration.
Bring a notebook, tape measure, photos or a sketch of your yard, and questions about soil, sun exposure, and maintenance.
The workshop is co-hosted by Reflection Riding and Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga, combining naturalist-led habitat knowledge with community nursery practice.
Focus on native perennials reduces water use and supports pollinators; workshops encourage replacing turf with layered habitat to improve urban biodiversity.
Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga operates a 22-acre urban farm and community center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The farm cultivates seasonal produce, sustainable flower crops, beekeeping projects, and educational programming that connects urban residents to local food systems. Crabtree Farms offers guided group tours, volunteer opportunities, and hands-on workshops covering topics such as sourdough breadmaking, kombucha brewing, herbal remedies, fire cider making, cool-season cut flowers, and introductory beekeeping. Workshops are led by local instructors and visiting experts and often include a take-home project, such as a sourdough starter, a bottle of kombucha, or a jar of herbal preparation. The Evelyn Center is an on-site rustic-modern event venue with high beam ceilings, an open layout, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow. The venue hosts small and large private events, and rental fees support Crabtree Farms’ mission. Volunteer groups and community participants engage in stewardship projects that support farm operations while learning about composting, organic growing practices, and seasonal planting. Group tours can be tailored by age and interest and focus on gardening, local eating, and environmental stewardship. Crabtree Farms partners with educators and community organizations to expand accessibility and learning opportunities across Chattanooga. Visitors can reserve public workshops, schedule private tours, or book the Evelyn Center online or by contacting the farm directly to confirm availability and pricing.
Book with Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga