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KIDS AND GARDENS
Do Bugs Wear Shoes?
Green Growing Activities to Do With Children
— Karen Runner
Explore growing seeds and easy fun planting techniques to do with children of all ages. Indoor and outdoor experiences, craft activities, seed experiments, and recipes are included in a year round gardening calendar. Start the fun anytime of year and top it off with a garden of your own. Seeds for vegetables and flowers are part of the materials. Learn about composting, poisonous plants, how to attract helpful bugs and move the harmful ones on their way. Discover how to plant in containers or raised beds.

Karen Runner owns her own company which focuses on consultation and training services for children.

PET LANDSCAPE
Pet Friendly Landscapes
— Elizabeth Bublitz
How can you prevent your dog from digging gardens and holes, escaping from the yard, killing grass, and eating your sprinklers? Discover how to work with your dog’s good and bad habits and create a beautiful and practical yard rather than giving up the dog or the yard! Author of the book, “Pawfriendly Landcapes-How to Share the Turf When Your Backyard Belongs to Barney”, discusses how to create a pet friendly yard.

Elizabeth Bublitz owns a landscaping company in Colorado which specializes in this type of landscape.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Water Conservation Through Creative Landscaping
— Michelle Cobb
It is Xeriscaping, not Zero-Scaping! Discover the seven basic fundamentals of Xeriscaping. Create a beautiful yet water conserving landscape which fulfills your needs; considers your budget; enhances your environment; and takes advantage of your soil, climate, precipitation levels and other important existing site conditions. Discover what plants to use to conserve water. With the diversity of plant foliage and flower colors and the influences of climate and seasonal changes, you have a nearly limitless range of opportunities for multi-seasonal color in your Xeriscape project.

Installing and Enjoying Water Features
— Tom Stephens
Whether your site and budget can accommodate a small container water feature or a dramatic series of falls and ponds, learn how to include the beauty and sound of moving water in your landscape project. Create a plan, chose a site, and work through construction, plant selection, and water feature maintenance.

Putting the Right Plant in the Right Place
— Tom Stephens
Discover how to select the right plant with the right texture, color, growth structure and growing requirements for your property. Learn to group them for a distinctive and finished professional appearance. Identify plants by their unique features and characteristics and learn what planting equipment and techniques professionals use for the best results.

How to Plan and Build Special Garden Features
— Tom Stephens
Learn to design “hardscape” elements, to select construction materials and the best do-it-yourself construction methods and topics that will help you achieve a professional project. Discuss the best environmentally sensitive, recycled, low maintenance and economically efficient materials. Discuss the demolition of existing elements, grading, drainage, soil preparation, surfacing and circulation systems and materials, decks, steps, walls and drainage structures as well as fences, gates, arbors, outdoor lighting and play structures.

PERENNIALS
Plant Now! Perennial Workshop
— Debbie Robie-Novotny
Learn how to plant perennial flowers; key places to plant on your site; how to shape your garden; how to prepare your soil (where to purchase tools and ground preparation); how to combine color, height, and texture in flowers; where to purchase nursery stock; planting procedures; and maintenance. Sample garden layouts and slides shown.

GREEN THUMB WORKSHOPS
Enjoy the beauty of the season strolling through the beautiful gardens of The Hudson Gardens & Event Center. These classes are taught by gardening and art professionals. You may view the gardens from 4-5 pm prior to your class session. Check in at the Gift Shop and identify yourself as an ACC class participant for that day. Additionally, meet your instructor 10 minutes prior to the class start time at the gazebo located in front of the gift shop at the main parking area. Classes are held in the Hudson Residence, a one-story home located northwest of the gazebo.

It’s Not Too Late: Plant What Grows in Colorado Now!
— Michelle Cobb
If you are a beginning gardener or novice who has experienced frustration gardening in our wonderful climate with our not so wonderful soils, this class is for you. Learn the basics of gardening in the Denver area and the skills necessary to become an enthusiastic gardener. Discuss soils, amendments, appropriate plant material (perennials, annuals, shrubs, vines, trees) both native and non native. Be prepared with materials and information to better equip you to enjoy successful gardening in the Rockies.

Create an Outdoor Living Space
— Michelle Cobb
Learn to create your own outdoor living space or back yard escape using basic design principals. Get started with a limited budget and build a room that you can relax in and also entertain in. Increase your quality of life by staying home and vacationing in your own paradise. Learn about easy to grow plants, easy to build and maintain water features and how to get started building your own outdoor living room.

Organic Gardening
— Staff
Discover the techniques of organic gardening, suitable for fruits, vegetables, trees, and plants. What does “organic” really mean? How can you have a more “green” garden without pesticides and chemicals. Get solutions on making great soil to eliminating or reducing common garden pests.

WINE IN THE HUDSON GARDENS
International Chocolate and Wine Pairing
— Julie Pech
International speaker and Colorado author Julie Pech (The Chocolate Therapist) hosts this unique pairings evening, beginning with a sampling of chocolates from five different countries. Discover how chocolate is made. Hone your chocolate connoisseur skills as you compare and contrast different flavors, nuances and textures of chocolate. Enjoy a custom chocolate and wine pairing. Four artisal wines from around world are a paired with specially selected chocolates infused with nuts, spices and berries-chosen for their ability to enhance the flavors of both the chocolate and the wine. Receive an information folder highlighting which chocolates were served and where to buy them. *Receive a “goodie” bag and bring home extra chocolates from the lavish collection offered. A copy of Julie’s book and a dark organic chocolate bar is also included.

HERBS
Herbal Cooking and Healing from Your Kitchen Cabinet
— Tammie Kingsley
Don’t know what to do with those herbs growing in your garden? Tired of all those herb jars just sitting in your kitchen cabinet? Want to spice up your life in new, healthy ways?

Put those bottles and bags of herbs to use for culinary, medicinal, and beauty purposes. Learn to creatively add medicinal and healthy benefits to your everyday meals. Sample tasty teas, yummy desserts, and delicious snacks while learning how fun and easy it is to incorporate herbs into your life! Take home information and recipes for medicinal, culinary and beauty uses of herbs as well as taking home a packet of an herbal cooking blend.

GREEN TECHNOLOGIES
Solar Energy for the Home Owner
— Wyatt Rogers
Learn to take advantage of solar technology as well as the current rebates, renewable energy credits, and federal tax credits that are among the incentives now available for eligible solar energy equipment. Net metering is available allowing solar system owners with grid connected systems to receive full value for excess energy transmitted to the utility grid. These factors offer homeowners unique opportunities for achieving savings in utility energy costs while offsetting greenhouse gas emissions produced by fossil fuel power plants.

Geothermal Energy for the Home Owner
— Wyatt Rogers
Save 30-60% over conventional heating/cooling systems! Determine if your residence can benefit from a geothermal heat system and the requirements for developing such a system. Become informed about the various financial incentives now available for geothermal and other renewable systems including utility rebates, renewable energy credits and federal tax credits.

Capture the Wind: New Energy for the Home Owner
— Wyatt Rogers
Homes, ranches, small businesses, and others can benefit from small wind turbines. These turbines are being used to provide electric service to residences in many locations. Other applications include battery charging for outbuildings, boats and recreational vehicles and water pumping. Learn how to select appropriate equipment and sites for wind turbines. Discuss new financial incentives for wind turbines and other renewable energy systems such as utility rebates, renewable energy credits and federal tax credit.

ECO Projects
— Gail Nelson
Discover the fun of going green! Each week is a new adventure as we explore ways to reuse, recycle, and reduce our carbon footprint. Make a solar oven and cook some food. Get proven recipes including cake. Stitch together a T-shirt tote, weave T-shirt rugs, and create denim organizers from old jeans. The materials list, distributed at first class, can be collected at home or on a scavenger hunt at the local Savers or Goodwill.

Gail Nelson began teaching adult continuing education classes 25 years ago. She has since taught a variety of workshops and Artist in Residence classes in many different subjects. Gail is also a children’s book illustrator, an award-winning artist, graphic designer, author, and nutrition nanny.

DECORATING
Do-it-Yourself Feng Shui
— Kathie Seedroff
What is Feng Shui? How does it work? If you move your sofa, can you win the lottery?
Come learn:

Bring a floor plan of your home or office that includes all floors and attached garages. It can be hand-drawn or an appraisal or model home floor plan; a personal item no larger than a breadbox. This can be a favorite or sentimental item or something that catches your eye as you head out the door to class. We’re going to identify its key elements and talk about how you can use it to set your intentions for change and results.

Kathie Seedroff, MAC, CPIA is a professional Feng Shui practitioner and de-clutter coach. She enjoys helping her clients get more of the life they want by moving the stuff they got.

INTERIOR DESIGN home decorating tools

Beginning Interior Design
— Sharon Breay, A.S.I.D./Staff
When you see a beautifully decorated room in a magazine, what makes it work? Why is it difficult to reproduce the same professional effect in your home? Discover and learn six design fundamentals to put into practice immediately. Sketch a room to scale in order to create the best floor plan. Discuss architectural elements, color theory, lighting, and furniture style compatibility. Work on a room in your home. Learn about today’s furniture styles and colors, accessorizing, floor planning and how to stretch your budget.