Sonnenberg's Off-Season Educational Seminars: Monthly winter classes are offered in a variety of garden-related subjects and skills. All Educational Seminars will be held at the Carriage House meeting room at the north of the property, with parking and access via Fort Hill Avenue, near the VA Medical Center complex. Day-long programs are held on Saturdays and advance registration is required. Call (585) 394-4922 to reserve your space as seating is limited.
          Feb. 27: "Principles of Garden Design" Join Sonnenberg Executive Director and lead horticulturalist David Hutchings, along with Horticulturalist Roger Van Nostrand and Cornell Cooperative of Schenectady horticulturalist Carrie Foster for 3 seminars on garden design. Hutchings will lead an approximately one-hour session on design for beds and borders and the basic fundamentals of the art. Van Nostrand will guide participants in better understanding the challenges of perennials within a garden. Foster will focus on vegetable gardening, especially as it relates to perennial beds. As with other classes, the seminar includes a hot soup lunch, and participants are invited to bring sandwiches. Reservations are $10/person or $8/members.    
         March 20: Fresh Willow Furniture Design, 9-5 at the Carriage House. 9 a.m. Large-project session, choose from Loveseat/Chair, Garden Bench, Ladderback or Sassy Chair. 1 pm session for all other smaller-scale projects such as baker's rack/potting bench, Garden Arbor and more. All sessions taught by local expert Bim Willow. Experience the delight of forming furniture from a pile of seemingly simple sticks, an historic American craft! Bring a hammer and pruning shears, all other materials will be provided. Advance Registration required due to supplies needed. A simple trellis can be built in about one hour, while a loveseat can take approximately 4.5 hours. It is permissible for a couple to work together on a project. Costs are: $210 Bent Willow Chair, $300 Loveseat, $125 Ladder Back Chair, $180 Sassy Chair, $80 Garden Bench, Baker's Racks ($225/two-shelf, $185 one-shelf), three-piece Arbor ($240), End Table/Plant Stand $45, Trellis and Sweet Peapod Trellis ($50) or call Lin for a custom quote on registration cost for another piece at 1-800-835-0379.