Take the mystery out of plant science with this fun, beginner-friendly New England Botanic Garden online class on February 12. Explore how plants are built, why names matter, and what’s really happening inside leaves, roots, and flowers—so you can talk about your houseplants and garden like a pro. $10 NEBG members, $12 nonmembers. Register at www.nebg.org

Instructor Alyson Prokop is a horticulturist and the Manager of Adult Education at New England Botanic Garden, bringing a strong foundation in plant research, collections management, and hands-on garden work to her role. With more than a decade of experience across botanical institutions, she specializes in developing inclusive programs that deepen public engagement with plant sciences, ecology, and biodiversity.

Before joining NEBG, Alyson worked at Royal Botanical Gardens Canada, where she supported living collections, led community programming, and coordinated workshops and tours with a focus on food security and botanical literacy. She holds a BSc in Plant Biology and pursued graduate studies in Plant Pathology at the University of Guelph.

Originally from Toronto, Canada, Alyson is also a botanical artist and printmaker whose work blends retro futurism with her lifelong love of plants