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A Closer Look at Sedges and Rushes
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New! Discover the versatility of a broad selection of Carex and other related plants for many types of garden situations, sun and shade, wet and dry, formal and informal, and everything in between. You will learn about new cultivars along with those tried-and-true varieties that provide a living mulch in the garden and other diverse applications for these underused plants. Identification, cultural information, aesthetic qualities, and landscape uses will be emphasized. Prerequisite: Botany 1 suggested. Dress for the weather. The School’s CEUs=5 hours OPC elective
2 Saturdays, May 31 & June 7, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Jill Selinger and William Moss, horticulture educators
Classroom 2, Learning Center |
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A Study of Patterned Gardens
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New! Discover the inspirations and methods of creating patterned plant and garden displays that are part of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s annual summer theme. Explore the unique patterns of polka dots, chevrons, paisley, herringbone, and diamonds in garden layouts and plant arrangements. Learn how our connection to patterns from nature has influenced horticulture displays, fashion, and art. Gain functional planting ideas, botanical terms, and horticultural applications on how to create strong planting designs. Enjoy guided walks in select gardens to learn the vision and process for "dressing" the planting beds. The School's CEUs=4 hours OPC elective
2 Saturdays, July 19 & 26, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Jason Toth, Carlos Barajas, Bridget Kiernan, and Heather Sherwood, horticulturists, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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7/19/2025 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
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Annuals and biennials have a rich tradition and an exciting future. During this course, focus on the most popular cool- and warm-season species along with a selection of the new cultivars and unusual plants, all of which are well-suited to container and in-ground gardening in the Midwest. Learn plant identification and cultural information and see examples of refined plant combinations and intriguing planting styles. PGL 1, PGL 2, GDC, and OPC requirement. Garden Walks Meet at Visitor Center
7 Tuesdays, May 13 – June 24, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and Garden Walks (Meet at Visitor Center) 6 Saturdays, May 17 – June 21, 2025, 8 – 10 a.m. |
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Best Annuals for Pollinators: Online
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New! Showy annuals can augment your pollinator-friendly gardens by providing nectar, pollen, and pizzazz. Explore the best selections for your beds, borders, and containers, and create a welcoming space for these vital pollinators. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance.
Wednesday April 23, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. |
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Sold Out
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Best Wildflowers for Home Gardens
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Some of the most beautiful, ecologically important, and easy-to-grow early bloomers are native wildflowers. Their intricacies and unique characteristics nurture our collective landscapes and provide critical sustenance early in the season for pollinators and birds. Learn about the spring wildflowers that are best suited for home gardens, easy to grow, and beautiful. A Garden walk is included. Dress for the weather. The School's CEUs=3 hours
OPC elective
Sunday May 4, 2025, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. |
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Bonsai Basics: Creating Ficus Bonsai
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New! Bonsai beginners will learn the care of Ficus and gain experience styling this commonly used tropical bonsai. Demonstration and discussion will be followed by hands-on work with your own ficus tree. You will gain the basic knowledge and skills to take your tree to the next level of design and care. Fee includes a ficus of $75 value.
2 Thursdays, May 8 & May 15, 2025, 5 – 8 p.m. Angelica Ramirez, seasonal bonsai assistant, Chicago Botanic Garden
Bonsai Studio, Grainger Center |
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Bonsai Basics: Creating Juniper Bonsai
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Bonsai beginners will learn the care of junipers and gain experience styling this commonly used bonsai evergreen. Demonstration and discussion will be followed by hands-on work with your own juniper tree. You will gain the basic knowledge and skills to take your tree to the next level of design and care. Fee includes a juniper of $75 value.
2 Tuesdays, September 30 & October 7, 2025, 5 – 8 p.m. Angelica Ramirez, seasonal bonsai assistant, Chicago Botanic Garden
Bonsai Studio, Grainger Center |
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9/30/2025 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Join us in the bonsai courtyards for a curated tour. Take an in-depth look at how some of the Garden’s finest trees are displayed and learn the fascinating stories behind them. Discover a whole new way of viewing and appreciating our unique specimens. Dress for the weather.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 5 – 7 p.m. Angelica Ramirez, seasonal bonsai assistant, Chicago Botanic Garden
Searle Courtyard, Regenstein Center |
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6/4/2025 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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There are many different types and styles of bonsai design. Learn about your tree’s “attitude,” its tension or balance, the ins and outs of negative space, and traditional versus natural styles.
Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 5 – 8 p.m. Chris Baker, curator of bonsai, Chicago Botanic Garden
Bonsai Studio, Grainger Center |
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6/18/2025 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Bonsai: Bring Your Own Tree Workshop
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Do you have a bonsai tree you’re just not sure what to do with? Bring your tree of any species for consultation with the Garden’s bonsai curator and learn new techniques for style and design in this studio-style workshop.
Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 5 – 8 p.m. Chris Baker, curator of bonsai, Chicago Botanic Garden
Bonsai Studio, Grainger Center |
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Why, botanically speaking, is a tomato a fruit? What is the difference between a fern and a moss? Dive deep into the botanic world to explore the importance of plants in our lives, scientific taxonomy and classification, plant life cycles, and the amazing diversity of the plant world. OPC, PGL 1, PGL 2, and GDC requirement
5 Mondays & 5 Wednesdays March 31 – April 30, 2025, 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Ellen Phillips, horticulture educator
Plant Science Lab, Regenstein Center
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6 Tuesdays & 4 Thursdays, June 3 – July 10, 2025, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
(no class June 19 & July 3)
Ellen Phillips, horticulture educator
Plant Science Lab, Regenstein Center
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5 Mondays & 5 Wednesdays, September 8 – October 20, 2025, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
(no class September 22 & October 1 & October 13)
Ellen Phillips, horticulture educator
Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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How do seeds germinate and develop into mature plants? How do plants move water up through their roots to their topmost branches? Explore subjects such as the plant cell; anatomy and growth of roots, stems, and leaves; photosynthesis; and the symbiotic association of plant roots with beneficial fungi and bacteria. A supply list will be sent. Prerequisite: Botany 1 PGL 2 and GDC requirement
5 Mondays & 7 Wednesdays May 14 – June 25, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (no class May 26; course starts on Wednesday) |
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Conifers and Broad-leaved Evergreens
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Discover more than 60 outstanding conifers and broad-leaved evergreens for the Midwest. Students will learn identifying characteristics, cultural requirements, and landscape uses of conifers and broad-leaved evergreens ranging from shrubby dwarfs to towering trees. Prerequisite: Botany 1 OPC, PGL 1, PGL 2, and GDC requirement
7 Tuesdays, September 16 – November 4, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (no class September 23 & October 14) & Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Also includes Garden Walks, 6 Saturdays, September 20 – November 8, 2025, 8 – 10 a.m. (no class September 27 & October 11)Mark Zampardo, Ph.D., horticulture educator
Classroom 1, Learning Center (Tuesdays) and Meet at the Visitor Center (Saturdays) |
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9/16/2025 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
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Containers at the Garden - Spring
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Take inspiration from the Garden’s spring containers and create your own with plants that can tolerate the varying spring temperatures and a full-sun to partial-shade location. Pansies, forced bulbs, and other spring treasures may be used. Dress for the weather and bring gloves if desired.
Tuesday April 15, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m. or
Tuesday April 15, 2025, 1 – 2:30 p.m. or
Tuesday April 15, 2025, 6 – 7:30 p.m. |
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Select Date/Time
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Containers at the Garden - Summer
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Take inspiration from the Garden’s summer containers and create your own warm-season, mixed container suitable for sun or partial shade. Your container may include annuals, perennials, herbs, and decorative foliage. Dress for the weather and bring gloves if desired.
Tuesday June 10, 2025, 6 – 7:30 p.m. or
Tuesday June 10, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m. or
Tuesday June 10, 2025, 1 – 2:30 p.m. |
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Select Date/Time
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Containers at the Garden - Autumn
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Get inspired by the Garden’s fall containers and create a cool-season mixed container with a variety of plants suitable for a full-sun or partial-shade location. Your container may include annuals, perennials, herbs, decorative foliage, cool-season vegetables, ornamental grasses, a decorative vine, and gourds. Dress for the weather and bring gloves if desired.
Tuesday September 16, 2025, 1 – 2:30 p.m. or
Tuesday September 16, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m. or
Tuesday September 16, 2025, 6 – 7:30 p.m. |
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Select Date/Time
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Containers at the Garden - Winter
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Be inspired by the winter containers at the Garden and learn ways to extend your own into the winter season. Then prepare a container with fresh-cut evergreen boughs and berried or brightly colored branches. Dress for the weather and bring pruners and gloves.
Tuesday December 2, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m. or
Tuesday December 2, 2025, 1 – 2:30 p.m. or
Tuesday December 2, 2025, 6 – 7:30 p.m. |
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New! Using pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets helps create a dazzling display in a garden, around an entry or on a patio, deck, or balcony. You will explore containers, potting mixes, planting techniques, and plant choice.
Saturday May 10, 2025, 10 a.m. – Noon |
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Edible Small Space Gardens
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New! Want to grow your own herbs and vegetables but short on space? Discover how to grow edible plants in various locations including patios, balconies, and containers.
Saturday June 7, 2025, 1 – 3 p.m. |
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Proper garden care in the fall helps ensure healthy plants the next spring. Learn techniques for taking care of your lawn, trees, shrubs, and perennials, including fall fertilizing, mulching, cutting back plants, and protecting plants from wind and animals. Get pointers for fall planting of woody plants and spring-flowering bulbs. Please choose either the on-site or online class attendance option. The online class will be taught via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance.
Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Tim Johnson, senior director of horticulture, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 4, Learning Center |
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8/27/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Proper garden care in the fall helps ensure healthy plants the next spring. Learn techniques for taking care of your lawn, trees, shrubs, and perennials, including fall fertilizing, mulching, cutting back plants, and protecting plants from wind and animals. Get pointers for fall planting of woody plants and spring-flowering bulbs. Please choose either the on-site or online class attendance option. The online class will be taught via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance.
Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Tim Johnson, senior director of horticulture, Chicago Botanic Garden
Online Course |
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8/27/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Fall is the best time to prepare for a healthy, lush lawn in the upcoming season. Learn the basics of lawn renovation and how to prepare your lawn for winter. Discuss and observe proper techniques for installing sod, seeding and overseeding, and aerating and fertilizing—all aimed at revitalizing your lawn. Please dress for the weather.
Saturday, August 23, 2025, 9 – 11 a.m. Tom Fritz, plant health care specialist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 6, Learning Center |
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8/23/2025 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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From Garden to Vase: Spring Flowers
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Walk the Garden and learn about plants that work well in cut arrangements. Then, inspired by our walk, create a beautiful flower display to take home and enjoy. Learn and practice basic floral design techniques. Please bring garden shears/scissors, apron, and garden gloves if desired.
Thursday April 17, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. |
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From Garden to Vase: Summer Flowers
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Walk the Garden and learn about plants that work well in cut arrangements. Then, inspired by our walk, create a beautiful flower display to take home and enjoy. Learn and practice basic floral design techniques. Bring garden shears or scissors, apron, and garden gloves if desired.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Tim Pollak, manager of plant production, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 6, Learning Center |
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7/15/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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There are 28 gardens and four natural areas within the 385 acres of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Join our horticulturists for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Garden areas they oversee. Explore plant varieties and combinations, design elements, garden features, and fun stories as you soak up a wealth of knowledge from their years of experience working in these gardens.
Monday April 28, 2025, 9 – 10 a.m. |
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Garden Tour Dwarf Conifer and Waterfall
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There are 28 gardens and four natural areas within the 385 acres of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Join our horticulturists for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Garden areas they oversee. Explore plant varieties and combinations, design elements, garden features, and fun stories as you soak up a wealth of knowledge from their years of experience working in these gardens.
Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 9 – 10 a.m. Francisco Manrique, horticulturist. Chicago Botanic Garden
Meet at Rose Garden Terrace |
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7/29/2025 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Garden Tour Education Greenhouses
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There are 28 gardens and four natural areas within the 385 acres of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Join our horticulturists for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Garden areas they oversee. Explore plant varieties and combinations, design elements, garden features, and fun stories as you soak up a wealth of knowledge from their years of experience working in these gardens.
Tuesday April 8, 2025, 9 – 10 a.m. |
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Garden Tour English Walled Garden
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There are 28 gardens and four natural areas within the 385 acres of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Join our horticulturists for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Garden areas they oversee. Explore plant varieties and combinations, design elements, garden features, and fun stories as you soak up a wealth of knowledge from their years of experience working in these gardens.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 9 – 10 a.m. Heather Sherwood, senior horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Meet at English Walled Garden |
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6/10/2025 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Garden Tour Learning Campus
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There are 28 gardens and four natural areas within the 385 acres of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Join our horticulturists for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Garden areas they oversee. Explore plant varieties and combinations, design elements, garden features, and fun stories as you soak up a wealth of knowledge from their years of experience working in these gardens.
Tuesday June 3, 2025, 9 – 10 a.m. |
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6/3/2025 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Garden Tour Sensory Garden
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There are 28 gardens and four natural areas within the 385 acres of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Join our horticulturists for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Garden areas they oversee. Explore plant varieties and combinations, design elements, garden features, and fun stories as you soak up a wealth of knowledge from their years of experience working in these gardens.
Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 9 – 10 a.m. Bridget Kiernan, horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Buehler Enabling Garden |
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Sold Out
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Gardening Can Be Murder Book Talk with Marta McDowell Online
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New! With their deadly plants, razor-sharp shears, shady corners, and ready-made burial sites, gardens make ideal scenes for a murder mystery. Flora and horticulture have had an outsize influence on the genre. Join avid mystery reader and author Marta McDowell as she presents her latest publication, Gardening Can Be Murder. Explore the many ways in which writers from Edgar Allan Poe to Agatha Christie have found inspiration in the sinister side of gardening. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Marta McDowell, writer, gardener, and educator
Online Course |
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10/28/2025 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
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Gardening Techniques: Session A Online and On-site Hybrid
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Learn tips and techniques used by professional gardeners through a combination of lecture and hands-on activities. Acquire solid gardening skills and determine best management practices. Discover fall planting techniques, bulbs, turf care, plant wildlife protection, garden maintenance, and winterization. Thursday class sessions will be taught online via Zoom and Saturday sessions will be held at the Garden primarily outside. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance. Dress for the weather. A supply list will be sent. PGL 1, PGL 2, and GDC requirement
6 Thursdays, September 25 – October 30, 2025, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. (online) and 6 Sundays, September 28 – November 2, 2025, 10 a.m. – noon (Classroom 5)Carlos Barajas, horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Online & Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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9/25/2025 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
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Gardening Techniques: Session D
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Learn tips and techniques used by professional gardeners through a combination of lecture and hands-on activities. Acquire solid gardening skills, learn a variety of techniques, and determine best management practices in the field of horticulture. Gain applicable skills in plant selection, perennial and annual care and maintenance, pruning techniques, tool maintenance, and identification and control of common weeds. Dress for the weather. A supply list will be sent. PGL 1, PGL 2, GDC requirement
6 Saturdays, June 14 – July 26, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (no class July 5)Mark Zampardo, Ph.D., horticulture educator
Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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6/14/2025 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
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Discover the wonderful world of low-growing plants that cover the ground, providing a beautiful base layer to landscapes. You will explore plants that creep, sprawl, and spread while holding ground in place, offering food and shelter for wildlife, and providing beautiful flowers and textures. Explore the Garden on a guided walk to experience plants in person. Dress for the weather.
Friday, June 6, 2025, 9 a.m. – noon Heather Prince, horticulturist, garden writer and editor
Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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6/6/2025 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Gold Medal Plants: Online
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New! Get inspired by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Gold Medal Plants program. For more than 40 years, a committee of horticulture experts has convened to assess trees, shrubs, and perennials on various criteria including their suitability for home gardens, ease of cultivation, ready commercial availability, wildlife value, weather tolerance, and pest resistance. Learn about those selected plants that will thrive in northern Illinois. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance. The School’s CEUs=2 hours OPC elective
Thursday, September 18, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Andrew Bunting, vice president of horticulture, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Online Course |
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9/18/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Would you like to grow your own bouquets? Discover new ideas about what to plant and how to harvest and care for cut flowers. You’ll also learn simple techniques for creating beautiful arrangements.
Saturday, May 31, 2025, 1 – 3 p.m. Nina Kozial, horticulture educator
Classroom 5, Learning Center |
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5/31/2025 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Hanging Herb Basket Workshop
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New! Do you admire the fabulous hanging baskets you see at the Chicago Botanic Garden? Learn tricks of the trade including maintenance, techniques, materials, and plant ideas to use as you plant your own wire and moss basket with a variety of fragrant and useful garden herbs. All materials are included.
Thursday May 29, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m. |
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5/29/2025 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
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Hands-on Gardening: Mulching and Edging
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Improper mulching can do far more harm to plants than not mulching at all. Learn how much mulch is enough, where to spread it, and the best material to use, as well as how to edge your garden for a professional look. Please dress for the weather.
Saturday, May 31, 2025, 9 – 10:30 a.m. Carlos Barajas, horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 4, Learning Center |
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5/31/2025 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
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Hands-on Gardening: Summer Pruning
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Today’s pruning of your trees and shrubs will define how they grow for years to come. Learn which cuts to avoid, which cuts are essential, and which cuts are a matter of your personal style. Please dress for the weather and bring pruners.
Saturday, July 12, 2025, 9 – 10:30 a.m.Carlos Barajas, horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 5, Learning Center |
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7/12/2025 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
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Learn how to start and maintain your own herb garden. Many herbs that can be grown in northern Illinois will be featured, with information on how to grow and when to harvest. This horticulture-focused class includes selection, care, and maintenance of an herb garden.
Saturday, June 14, 2025, 10 a.m. – noon Sharon Yiesla, Sharon Yiesla Horticultural Services
Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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6/14/2025 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Discover ornamental qualities, identification techniques, cultural practices, and landscape uses of more than 60 herbaceous perennials for the Midwest. Plants studied will include favorites such as astilbe and hosta in addition to lesser-known plants including meadow rue and toad lily. Prerequisite: Botany 1 OPC, PGL 1, PGL 2, and GDC requirement
7 Tuesdays, July 15 – August 26, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Also includes Garden Walks Meet at Visitor Center 6 Saturdays, July 19 – August 23, 2025, 8 – 10 a.m. Jill Selinger and William Moss, horticultural educators
Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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7/15/2025 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
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Do you have areas in your garden with lots of beautiful perennials? Learn tips and tricks to spread the wealth to other garden areas by dividing perennials in the spring. Explore the basics, then head outside to put these skills into practice. Please bring gloves. Dress for the weather.
Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 10 – 11 a.m. Heather Sherwood, senior horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Design Studio, Regenstein Center |
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9/10/2025 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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Have you always wanted to know more about these beautiful, low-maintenance plants? Join us to learn about the culture of succulents, how to care for them, and even how to propagate them. Then take one home. All materials will be provided.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 6 – 7:30 p.m. Lorilin Meyer, assistant horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 4, Learning Center |
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Sold Out
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Hummingbird Container Workshop
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Join us and create a colorful container garden and attract ruby throated hummingbirds to your sunny deck, patio, or balcony. After a brief discussion about these fascinating little birds, pot up a selection of plants with tubular and bright flowers that provide nourishment for these hungry summer visitors. All materials are included.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 1 – 2:30 p.m. Jill Selinger, horticulture educator
Classroom 4, Learning Center |
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Sold Out
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Do you have hydrangeas at home but don’t know how to care for them? Learn about the most planted hydrangeas in northern Illinois and techniques on how to prune and care for them in this introductory class. A Garden walk to examine the various types of these dependable and ornamental garden gems will follow the talk.
Saturday, August 9, 2025, 9 a.m. – noon Heather Prince, horticulturist, garden writer and editor
Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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8/9/2025 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Knockout Native Plants: Online
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Great landscapes are brought to life with beautiful, high-performing plants that provide multi-season interest and simultaneously welcome wildlife into the garden. Discover a selection of native plants, including perennials, shrubs, and trees, that have strong ornamental appeal, regional adaptability, and great ecological value. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance. The School’s CEUs=2 hours OPC elective
Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Duncan Himmelman, Ph.D., college horticulture instructor
Online Course |
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9/9/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Most of us notice how gorgeous gardens are when the sun is shining, but how often do we see what they look like at night? Take an evening Garden walk to view and discuss night-blooming plants and how to add them to your own garden. You might even catch some night pollinators in action.
- Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 8:30 –10 p.m. or
- Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 8 – 9:30 p.m.
Elisabeth Aguilera, horticulturist
Meet at Visitor Center
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Select Date/Time
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Moss Hanging Basket Workshop
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New! Enjoy a unique opportunity to create a moss hanging basket at the Garden’s Production Greenhouses. Learn about plant choices, culture requirements, fertilizing, and easy-care techniques. After you plant your basket for sun or shade, our experienced team will grow it on for you in the Greenhouses. Pickup will be arranged for you to take home your basket at the end of May. You will also get a quick tour of the Greenhouses for a peek at the Garden’s summer displays. All materials included.
Thursday May 1, 2025, 6 – 9 p.m. |
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Sold Out
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Pairing Native Plants with Nonnatives
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New! Layering natives with nonnatives provides season-long interest and the generous biodiversity needed by pollinators, songbirds, and beneficial insects. Explore stunning native selections that work in traditional to natural landscapes loaded with color, movement, texture, and wildlife. Discover some native and ornamental plant combinations that coexist well due to similar growing needs. Learn about plants that are adaptable to conditions like heavier clay and wet areas. A Garden walk is included. Dress for the weather. The School’s CEUs=3 hours OPC elective
Saturday, June 21, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Elizabeth Paine, horticulture educator
Classroom 5, Learning Center |
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6/21/2025 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
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Perennial Gardening Basics: Online
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Whether you are new to gardening or seeking a higher level of success, learn the basics of selecting, planting, and caring for perennial plants. Many common perennials that are suitable for northern Illinois will be featured, with detailed information on how to grow and maintain these versatile garden plants. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance.
Thursday, July 10, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Sharon Yiesla, Sharon Yiesla Horticultural Services
Online Course |
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7/10/2025 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
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Explore the impact of insects, diseases, weeds, and wildlife through a series of in-depth Garden walks. Learn about common landscape pests, pest identification, and monitoring and management techniques. Discover site assessment, soil testing, fertilization, and understanding pesticides. You will have the opportunity to design a basic plant healthcare program. A supply list will be sent. Dress for the weather. Prerequisites: Botany 1, Plant Health 1, and Botany 2 PGL 2 and GDC requirement
6 Mondays & 6 Wednesdays, July 14 – August 20, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Rain date: August 25, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m.TBD
Plant Science Lab, Regenstein Center |
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7/14/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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The knowledge of plant propagation—the multiplication of or making more plants—is both a fascinating art and an exciting science. Come and learn how plants are reproduced, from seed germination and grafting to cutting propagation and tissue culture. The School’s CEUs=3 hours OPC elective
Thursday, May 29, 2025, 6 – 9 p.m. Mark Zampardo, Ph.D., horticulture educator
Classroom 1, Learning Center |
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5/29/2025 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
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Plants for Containers and Rooftop Garden
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Gardening on roofs and balconies is increasingly popular. Some plants struggle and others thrive. Plants may be exposed to a hot, dry, and windy environment. Come and learn which plants do best under these difficult conditions. Dress for the weather, as a Garden walk is included. The School’s CEUs=2 hours OPC elective
Thursday, June 12, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Mark Zampardo, Ph.D., horticulture educator
Linnaeus Room, Regenstein Center |
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6/12/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Pollinator Container Workshop
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Learn how to welcome pollinators to your home with a diverse array of flowering annuals that will also provide season-long color. Then prepare a warm-season mixed container suitable for a sun or partial-shade location. Dress for the weather and bring gloves if desired.
Thursday May 15, 2025, 10 – 11:30 a.m. |
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Sold Out
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Pruners Sharpening Workshop
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It's time to learn how to clean and sharpen your garden pruners. Bring your pruners to class, and we will disassemble, clean, sharpen, lubricate, and reassemble them together. You will leave with the simple step-by-step knowledge of how to care for this indispensable garden tool. All necessary materials will be provided—just bring your pruners.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 6 – 7 p.m. Lorilin Meyer, assistant horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 4, Learning Center |
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Sold Out
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Repurposed Elements in the Garden: Online
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New! Discover creative ideas for using interesting items such as non-traditional garden containers, repurposed pallets, artwork, and furniture in your garden. Learn how to successfully incorporate upcycled materials to create focal points, conversation, and reveal the personality of the gardener. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance.
Saturday May 31, 2025, 10 a.m. – Noon |
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Sold Out
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Resilient Trees in a Changing Climate: Online
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New! Explore the variety of climate-resilient tree species that can help mitigate the effects of climate change and learn about the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s tree programs. Discover recommended tree species and cultivars that provide ecological functions and are resilient to a variety of challenging conditions including urban settings, heat and humidity, poor drainage, varying temperatures, and diseases. You will learn predictive approaches and why these tools are critical to ensuring a thriving future for the urban forest and street trees. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance. The School’s CEUs=2 hours OPC elective
Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Andrew Bunting, vice president of horticulture, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Online Course |
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6/25/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Enjoy a morning walk to explore the trees at the Garden. Each month, we will visit a different section of the Garden and learn about the trees unique to that area.
Wednesday April 16, 2025, 9 – 10:30 a.m.or
Wednesday May 14, 2025, 9 – 10:30 a.m. or
Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 9 – 10:30 a.m. or
Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 9 – 10:30 a.m. or
Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
Mark Zampardo, Ph.D., horticulture educator
Meet at Visitor Center |
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Select Date/Time
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New! Shade can be challenging, but you can create an interesting garden that thrives in low light. Discover fascinating foliage and unusual flowering plants that can take that shady nook up a notch.
Saturday June 7, 2025, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. |
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6/7/2025 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
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Soil is an irreplaceable natural resource that affects plant selection and growth. Learn to maintain healthy soil; use compost, fertilizers, soilless and potting mixes, and other amendments. Discover how water cycles through a garden and affects soils and plants. Course fee includes a professionally analyzed test of your garden soil. A supply list will be sent. PGL 1, PGL 2, and GDC requirement
6 Thursdays, April 10 – May 22, 2025, 6:30 – 9 p.m. & 1 Saturday, May 3, 2025, 1 – 4 p.m. (no class May 15) |
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Sold Out
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Soil Basics, Intensive Session
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Soil is an irreplaceable natural resource that affects plant selection and growth. Learn to maintain healthy soil; use compost, fertilizers, soilless and potting mixes, and other amendments. Discover how water cycles through a garden and affects soils and plants. A supply list will be sent. PGL 1, PGL 2, and GDC requirement
3 Saturdays, September 6, 13 & 27, 2025, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (no class September 20) Ellen Phillips, horticulture educator
Classroom 4, Learning Center |
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9/6/2025 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Explore the seasonal care of deciduous, evergreen, and tropical bonsai, starting with the emergence from winter dormancy and continuing through the growing season. Topics will include soil and repotting, spring growth, and pest management.
Wednesday April 9, 2025, 5 – 8 p.m. |
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Sold Out
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Learn the basics of lawn care. Using the Garden’s holistic turf-management program as a model, explore how to cultivate a thriving lawn while lessening pesticide use. We will cover turf culture, mowing, aerating, watering, fertilizing and weeding, and insect and disease control. Please dress for the weather.
Saturday April 12, 2025, 9 – 11 a.m. |
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Sold Out
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Staghorn ferns are easy to care for and make beautiful and creative additions to your home. Mount your own staghorn fern, mimicking reindeer antlers, onto a rustic wooden board with moss and soil. Leave class with a fern ready to hang on your wall and knowledge of basic care to keep your fern happy for years to come. Please bring gloves.
Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Tim Pollak, manager of plant production, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 6, Learning Center |
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6/18/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Summer Garden Maintenance
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Perfect for all skill levels. Proper watering, fertilizing, pruning, edging, deadheading, staking, and mulching practices make the difference between a healthy, well-kept garden and a landscape that gets ahead of you. You will have a hands-on opportunity to practice what you learn, so bring along a pair of pruners. Please choose either the on-site or online class attendance option. The online class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Tim Johnson, senior director of horticulture, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 4, Learning Center |
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6/11/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Summer Garden Maintenance: Online
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Perfect for all skill levels. Proper watering, fertilizing, pruning, edging, deadheading, staking, and mulching practices make the difference between a healthy, well-kept garden and a landscape that gets ahead of you. You will have a hands-on opportunity to practice what you learn, so bring along a pair of pruners. Please choose either the on-site or online class attendance option. The online class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m. Tim Johnson, senior director of horticulture, Chicago Botanic Garden
Online Course |
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6/11/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Summer Succulent Container Workshop
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Succulent containers are trendy gardens to be enjoyed from spring through fall. Study design examples and then create your own take-home container. Learn how to care for your container, and how to extend it into the following year. Please bring gloves, an apron if desired, and pruning shears.
Thursday, June 12, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m.Tim Pollak, manager of plant production, Chicago Botanic Garden
Classroom 6, Learning Center |
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6/12/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Summer Vegetable Gardening
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Spend the evening learning about warm-season vegetables and herbs to grow in your summer garden. We will touch on soil amendments, hybrid and heirloom crop selection, direct sowing/ transplanting, intercropping, trellising, fertilizing, sustainable watering techniques, pest and disease control, and effective harvesting procedures. A Garden walk will be included.
Thursday, May 8, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m.Riley Finnegan, horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Fruit & Vegetable Garden Classroom |
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Sold Out
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Mosses, in combination with ferns, hostas, and other plants, offer a low-maintenance alternative to other ground covers and lend a patina of antiquity to a garden space to make it look established. With a 400-million-year history, moss has a place in our landscapes and in our gardens. Explore how to use a wide range of mosses to offer color, texture, and interest in gardening spaces. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance. The School's CEUs=2 hours OPC elective
Saturday, July 12, 2025, 9 – 11 a.m. Mark Dwyer, Landscape Prescriptions by MD
Online Course |
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7/12/2025 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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Transforming Lives Through Horticulture Online
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New! Acquire insight into the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s mission to advance health and well-being through horticulture, and the various programs that support this mission. Discover the Society’s work supporting community gardens, planting and caring for thousands of street trees, establishing stormwater solutions, cleaning and greening vacant land, maintaining public gardens and landscapes, and producing the iconic Philadelphia Flower Show. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance. The School’s CEUs=2 hours OPC elective
Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m.Andrew Bunting, vice president of horticulture, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Online Course |
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7/9/2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Summer is the best time to work on your tropical bonsai trees. This comprehensive workshop will cover all aspects of tropical tree care, styles, grafting, air layering, and soil types. Have your trees ready for critique, styling, and repotting, and set a course for the future of your bonsai tree.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 5 – 8 p.m. Chris Baker, curator of bonsai, Chicago Botanic Garden
Bonsai Studio, Grainger Center |
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8/6/2025 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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