for immediate release

Garden Design Expert Teaches

at Chicago Botanic Garden

Media Only:
Julie McCaffrey
(847) 835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

GLENCOE, Ill. (Feb. 12, 2009)—Scott Scarfone, ASLA, author of Professional Planting Design and principal and founder of Oasis Design Group in Baltimore, MD, will be coming to the Chicago Botanic Garden on March 12-14 to teach several garden design classes through the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Scarfone has a broad background in design and horticulture and has worked for design firms, public gardens, and landscape contractors. Below are the classes:

Power Plantings: Creating Iconic Gardens – Thursday, March 12, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Power plantings are those plants that, when placed either individually or in grouped combinations, stand out from the surrounding landscape because of their striking appearance. Their distinctive and prominent characteristics capture people’s attention. Come learn how to select the right plants and place them strategically, contrast combinations, and consider the entire landscape when planning power plantings. You'll see visual examples and discover the best techniques for creating your own power plantings. Cost is $27. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $21. For everyone.

Garden Structures and Decks: Design and Construction – Friday, March 13, 1 to 4 p.m.
Back by request! Whether they divide space, provide shelter or shade, ornament a garden, or support plants, garden structures have to be built to withstand wind, weather, and the weight of the structure plus any associated plant mass. Decks may be elevated above the ground or cantilevered from a building, providing unique vantage points; they may serve as outdoor living rooms for meditation, relaxation, and entertainment. This course will describe and illustrate basic and detailed construction techniques for footings, post and beam construction, trilliage and roofs, as well as railings for decks and pavilions. A variety of examples will be shown, followed by detailed discussions of design and construction techniques. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For professionals.

Designing the Mixed Bed – Saturday, March 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The most memorable planting beds are those that provide contrast, variety, textural differences, and color throughout the year. Their visual interest is in their ability to change season after season. Planting designs that best create this effect are those that intersperse combinations of shrubs with perennials, grasses, bulbs, and ground covers. Mixed beds must be carefully orchestrated to avoid visual dysfunction while creating visual harmony. The focus of this class is to uncover the aesthetic charm of well-designed mixed beds and to understand the foundations of design upon which they were built. Lunch is on your own. Cost is $124. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $99. For intermediate students.

Preregistration is required for all classes. For a course catalog describing programs and classes in more detail, or to register, call the School of the Chicago Botanic Garden at (847) 835-8261, or visit www.chicagobotanic.org/school.

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Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden's newsroom is online at www.chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking fees apply; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit www.chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden's Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods. The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.