houseplant with shadow in winter copyright Connie Oswald Stofko

Houseplants, wildlife & more from Orleans County Master Gardeners

Here is the newest edition of Digging In, the newsletter published by Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County. Your January Garden Checklist a Garden planning Houseplants Birds and wildlife Upcoming events Second annual seed swap The Orleans Community Seed Share is hosting its annual seed swap from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Cornell Cooperative Orleans Trolley Building, 12690 Route 31 in Albion. It is free. Take home free seeds for your 2026 garden. Enjoy seed demonstrations and activities…...

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lady bug, bees on a flower, maple leaf, soil

Gardening classes in Chautauqua, Orleans & Erie counties

Cornell Cooperative Extension in three Western New York counties will hold classes for gardeners. The Chautauqua classes will be held online; the Orleans and Erie classes will be held in person. Chautauqua: Webinar series starts Jan. 27 Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Agriculture Program is offering a winter webinar series on environment and agriculture. This free series offers practical tips and fresh insights for gardeners, landowners and nature enthusiasts of all levels. Webinars will be recorded and shared with…...

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various orchids at Botanical Gardens

Come in from the cold to see orchids–day & night– at Botanical Gardens

At least we’re getting the occasional bit of sunshine, but we will continue to experience snow, biting wind and below-zero temperatures for awhile. But it’s warm inside the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens! And you can see hundreds of gorgeous orchids! The Orchid Exhibit will begin Thursday, Jan. 22 and go through to Monday, March 9 at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Daytime hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The daytime exhibit is included in…...

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poster for Garden Walk Buffalo

$1,000 prize for art on Garden Walk Buffalo poster; enter by Jan. 31

Garden Walk Buffalo, America’s largest garden tour, is looking for submissions of original artwork to promote the 2026 event. The artist chosen for the poster will receive a $1,000 honorarium. Entries are due Saturday, January 31, 2026. This is an opportunity to share your artwork with hundreds of local gardeners and tens of thousands of visitors from around the U.S. and beyond. Submission guidelines: See more information here. See past posters here. Email your entry to aclark@gardensbuffaloniagara.com. Include ART ENTRY in the subject line. If possible, zip your…...

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illustration of books and plants for horticulture classes

Ages 60+ can audit horticulture class for free at SUNY Niagara

Horticulture classes begin Jan. 20 at SUNY Niagara (previously called Niagara County Community College). Seniors who are 60 years old or older can audit a class for free. Senior Scholar registration begins Jan. 15. See details here. See Horticulture classes here. See Horticulture Cannabis classes here. For more information, contact Carolyn Stanko, program coordinator, at cstanko@niagaracc.suny.edu…....

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orchid show at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Enjoy hundreds of flowers at Orchid Show this weekend

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens and the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society will host their popular biannual Orchid Show on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8 and 9. Times are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The show will feature hundreds of exotic and award-winning orchids, expert orchid growers and sellers, as well as other orchid vendors. Exhibitors at the Orchid Show include members of the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society. You will have the opportunity to see hundreds of exotic and award-winning orchids from expert growers, and you can shop…...

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holiday party Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Garden clubs & more: party at the Gardens

Enchant your garden club members, friends, family or other group with a holiday party at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Enjoy the hundreds of poinsettias, gorgeous lights and the warm, tropical conservatory. Get 20 percent off holiday party bookings for 2025 and 2026. The offer is valid for Sunday-Friday night holiday parties when you book by Nov. 30. The Botanical Gardens can host up to 120 people for formal dining and 175 people for cocktail party style events.  Learn about…...

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illustration bats in sky

Families can learn about Creatures of the Night in Ellicottville

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Cattaraugus County will hold its first fundraising event, Creatures of the Night, from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Nannen Arboretum, 28 Parkside Drive, Ellicottville. Families can explore the fascinating world of nighttime animals and learn about the science behind them. There will be a host of activities including speakers, educational exhibits and fun photo opportunities. All proceeds from the event will support Cattaraugus Master Gardener programs in key areas, such as Seed to Supper,…...

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native geraniums at North Tonawanda Botanical Gardens.

N Tonawanda Botanical Garden to celebrate Erie Canal—& plants!

by Connie Oswald Stofko Learn about the history of the Erie Canal, tour the gardens and the shoreline restoration, buy a native plant, get answers from Master Gardeners, try kayaking for beginners and listen to music. A wide range of activities will be offered at Celebrate our Beginnings, an event to commemorate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal. It’s sponsored by the North Tonawanda Botanical Garden Organization. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at…...

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turtle topiary in Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Larger-than-life topiaries will charm adults & kids at Botanical Gardens

by Connie Oswald Stofko See charming, larger-than-life animal topiaries during Topiary Tales, the newest exhibit at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. The exhibit will open Friday, Sept. 19 and continue through Sunday, Nov. 2 at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave. Buffalo. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is free with admission. It’s a lovely exhibit for adults, and children will especially enjoy the Topiary Tales, a series of short stories that you can read…...

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