Chicago Botanic Garden

for immediate release

Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden

Offers Wide Range of Spring Courses

 

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

GLENCOE, Ill. (Nov. 6, 2008)—Adult learners—from beginning to advanced gardeners, naturalists and botanical artists—can choose from more than 100 general interest courses being offered by the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden in the spring of 2009.

The Regenstein School, which was dedicated during the opening of the new Regenstein Center in September 2006, has been organized into five academic departments. In the Department of Horticulture, students are invited to discover gardening fundamentals, learn about ornamental plants and how to grow them. From basic gardening suggestions for first-time homeowners to a bachelor’s degree in horticulture, dozens of courses are supported by faculty who are experts in the field, 23 display gardens and more than two million plant specimens from around the world.

The Department of Plant Biology, Ecology and Nature Studies allows students to explore plants and plant biology in the broader context of ecosystems, habitat and conservation. Students reconnect with nature through courses that range from educational birding field trips to a master’s degree in plant science and conservation. Plant biology, ecology and nature studies courses provide biological science basics as a foundation for further study and offer students the opportunity to observe plants and animals in native environments.

Students in the Department of Garden Design train in landscape and garden design and gain insight into how these designs enrich lives. Courses offered through the School range from introductory to advanced, from site analysis and construction to garden art and history, from residential to healthcare institutions. Students learn the principles of landscape design and how design relates to their environment.

Throughout history, plants and images of plants have been woven into the arts. In the Department of Botanical Arts and Humanities, some students learn to shoot photos of winter gardens, while others discover the wonder in the pages of a 16th century book of botanical art. Still others create their own seasonal wreaths. All study the roles of plants in our creative lives and enjoy hands-on lessons in botanical art and craft.

People have always depended upon plants for their very existence: for food, fiber, clothing, shelter and medicines. Through a variety of innovative courses, students in the Department of Plant and People Interactions trace the interrelationship between plants and people, from ancient history to the present.

Students enrolled at the Glencoe location have access to the Regenstein Center and Lenhardt Library, brimming with resources, as well as two million plant specimens in the Garden’s 385-acre “living classroom,” which includes 23 display gardens, 81 acres of water, and three native habitats.

Pre-registration 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.

A listing of courses, including information on appropriate experience levels (beginner, intermediate, professional or everyone) follows. All courses are at the Glencoe location unless otherwise noted.

Department of Horticulture

· The Best New Annuals for 2009– Saturday, January 24, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. This course presents many new cultivars, along with several wonderful yet under-utilized species for both containers and in-ground plantings in sun and shade. Focus on what makes each unique and the “best,” including morphological characteristics and garden performance. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For intermediate gardeners.

· The Nature of Cemetery Trees – Thursday, January 29, 1 p.m to 3 p.m. Join us as we explore the botanical symbolism of Victorian plantings, monuments, and statuary; discuss age determination techniques for ancient cemetery trees; and describe the National Living Memorial Project. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29. For everyone.

· Guarding Your Garden – Saturday, February 7, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Join plant healthcare specialist Chris Yooning and learn how to stave off rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, meadow voles, Canada geese, and deer. Cost is $45. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $36. For everyone.

· Orchid Growing for Beginners – Two Sundays, February 8 & 15, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. This beginner’s course will put to rest the myth that all orchids are hard to grow. You will learn how to select orchids suitable for your home, as well as the basics of orchid care including light, temperature, humidity, and media requirements. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For beginners.

· Shade Perennials for Every Situation– Thursday, February 19, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Do you have dry shade, wet shade, or well-drained, dappled shade? Horticulturist Marcy Stewart-Pyziak will address all these tricky site situations and more. She will clarify the different types of shade and different levels of soil moisture. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For everyone.

· Tool Time with Sam – Wednesday, March 4, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Join tool expert Sam Darin and learn which tools are essential for the basic tool shed and how to select use and maintain them for optimum performance. Feel free to bring your pruners, flat spade, and sharpening stone to class to learn and practice techniques. Cost is $27. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $21. For everyone.

· Growing Salads Indoors – Saturday, March 14, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Learn to grow organic salad greens at home, whether you have garden space or not. Professional gardener Bill Shores, manager of Rick Bayless’ market garden, will treat participants to a “visual feast” of microgreens–delicious, nutritious, space-efficient, immature, leafy greens. The he will demonstrate how to plant the seeds in growing trays and discuss maintenance and harvesting techniques. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29. For everyone.

· Low-Maintenance Perennials for the Garden – Saturday, March 21, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Does a lower-maintenance perennial truly exist? By selecting plants that are not aggressive, varieties that are drought tolerant and those that seldom require pruning or division, you can significantly reduce your work time in the garden. Cost is $62. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $49. For everyone.

· Backstage Pass: Flowering Spring Celebrities – Sunday, March 22, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Join Tim Pollak, the Garden’s outdoor floriculturist, for a behind-the-scenes tour through the Chicago Botanic Garden’s greenhouses and nursery. Be the first to see which spring annuals will appear in the 2009 annual display beds, hanging baskets, containers, and hanging hayracks. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29. For everyone.

· Living Pansy Wreath Workshop – Wednesday, April 1, 9:30 a.m. to noon. In this class you will create a lush, colorful living wreath by planting a moss-lined wire frame with pansies and ivy. Topiary designer Karen Thomson will discuss the proper care of your new wreath, how to maintain it over the winter, and how to recondition old topiaries. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For everyone.

· Spring Hanging Basket: Pansies and Sweet Peas – Tuesday, April 7, 10 a.m. to noon. In this popular workshop, make a moss-lined hanging wire basket full of pansies and dwarf sweet peas to brighten your porch or patio early in the season. Both of these spring beauties thrive in the season’s cool weather and provide and early splash of color in your garden. Cost is $62. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $49. For everyone.

· Flower Towers – Sunday, April 14, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Join Tim Pollak, the Garden’s outdoor floriculturist, for the inside scoop on how to the Chicago Botanic Garden creates the incredible flowering columns or “towers” displayed in the Heritage Garden during autumn. Then, create your own miniature flower tower full of pansies, daisies, and other cool-season flowers. Cost is $87. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $69. For everyone.

· Topiaries for Your Garden – Wednesday, April 29, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Whether you tuck them away in your garden, decorate your countertop, or adorn your shelves with them, topiaries will add a touch of whimsy or elegance to your home and garden. Under the guidance of topiary designer Karen Thomson, you will create your own live topiary. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For everyone.

· Gorgeous Container Gardens – Wednesday, May 6, 10 a.m. to noon or 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Never planted a container before? Then this class is for you. Join landscape and container designer Beth Levy as she introduces you to basic design and maintenances techniques as you enter the world of container gardening. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29. For beginners.

· Living Flower Arrangements with Summer Bulbs – Saturday, May 9, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Join internationally recognized bulb expert Brent Heath for this hands-on workshop featuring often misunderstood and underused summer bulbs. A brief slide presentation will be followed by a discussion of many different varieties of bulbs and how they are best suited for Midwestern gardens. Brent will then demonstrate how to use the layering method of pitting a container to maximize the blooming season and how to maintain your container to keep it looking its best. You will then create your own bulb garden to take home. Cost is $99. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $79. For everyone.

· The Tropical Paradise Garden – Saturday, May 9, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Learn how to integrate spectacular summer bulb plants into your own relaxing, tropical garden getaway. You will see, with the aid of breathtaking slides, how to mix summer bulbs with annuals, perennials, ground covers, trees and shrubs to create your own ultimate patio planter, window box, living sculpture or jungle. You will also gather ideas on how to build the ultimate evening garden, including luminescent, light-colored, fragrant flowers. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29. For everyone.

· Success with Trees and Shrubs – Saturday, May 16, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Learn all you need to know about growing trees and shrubs. Glenn Grosch, experienced horticulturist and arborist, presents a practical, thorough discussion about how to be consistently successful in growing all types of woody plants (both deciduous and evergreen). Cost is $49. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $39. For everyone.

Department of Plant Biology, Ecology and Nature Studies

Plantings for Birds: A Holistic Approach – Wednesday, April 15, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Discover what birds really want from your garden. Aside from the always-useful berries and water bath, which provide direct source of sustenance, birds are also looking for very important indirect food sources and some security. A place to set up housekeeping would be nice, tool. This class will explore the requirements for these amenities. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29. For everyone.
· Local Flora: Spring – Two Mondays, May 18 & June 1 and two Wednesdays, May 20 & June 3, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. This is a course for beginning to intermediate students who are interested in learning how to identify major families of the local spring flora, focusing on wildflowers, trees, and shrubs of the oak woodland. We will emphasize plant vegetative and reproductive structures, as well as adaptations for growth, pollination, and seed dispersal. Cost is $287. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $229. For beginning and intermediate gardeners.

Department of Garden Design

· Gardening with Monet Bringing Giverny Home (E) – Thursday, February 5, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monet’s garden design and philosophy will be discussed, as well as the plant materials he sued. Lastly, we will discuss how best to incorporate Monet’s design and plant palette into a Midwestern garden. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29. For everyone.

· Power Plantings: Creating Iconic Gardens – Thursday, March 12, 7 p.m. 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. Come learn how to select the right plants and place them strategically, contrast combinations, and consider the entire landscape when planning power plantings. Cost is $27. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $27. For intermediate gardeners.

· Designing the Mixed Bed – Saturday, March 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 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 up which they were built. Cost is $124. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $99. For intermediate gardeners.

· The American Kitchen Garden – Saturday, April 25, p.m., 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This class looks at how to creat a plot that produces eye-catching and tasty produce. From salad and herb gardens to a French potager filled with vegetables and flowers to kitchen gardens featuring American heirloom vegetables, you’ll love these ideas for creating your own dramatic, productive display. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29. For beginning to intermediate gardeners.

Department of Botanical Arts and Humanities

· Renaissance Painting Techniques – Seven Tuesdays, January 13 through February 24, 9 a.m. to noon. Paint from flower cuttings as you learn to create your own paint from the yolk of an egg and pure, powdered pigments in the Renaissance fashion. Create organic paintings of natural subjects with vibrant, brilliantly colored, nature-made paint. Class fee includes a set of 16 pigments in 2-ounce jars. Cost is $349. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $279. For advanced students.

· Beginning Flower Arranging – Four Tuesdays, January 13 through February 3, 10 a.m. to noon. Join Nancy Clifton and learn the basics of flower arranging in this series of hands-on classes. The first week focuses on the basics, such as cut flower care, mechanics, wiring and many other techniques including the types of tools used when working with fresh flowers. Week two features the simple beauty of line arrangements. Cost is $237. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $128. For beginners.

· Beginning Bookbinding – Wednesday, January 14, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. In this workshop you will construct, sew, and cover a 64-page, multi-sectioned case-bound book. Fine acid-free paper and supplies will be provided; participants may bring two to four landscape-format printed pages (8.5x11 inch) they wish to include as centerfolds for the sections. Various book cloths will be available to further personalize the volume, which will be a sample and springboard to showcase skills we book artists continue to explore. Cost is $99. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $79. For beginners.
· Watercolor in the Greenhouse: Watercolor, Pencil and Brush – Eight Thursdays, January 15 through March 5, 7 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join us for a warm retreat water coloring in the Greenhouse. In this lush venue, we will create finished compositions using your choice of watercolor pencils, cakes and tubes. Both beginners and seasoned artists are welcome. Beginners will focus on exercises starting with monochromatic (one color) paintings and build up to full-color compositions, while seasoned artists will be given criticism in composition, color and materials. Cost is $374. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $299. For beginning and experienced artists.
· Fun and Fanciful Botanical Drawing – Six Saturdays, January 17 through February 21, 9 a.m. to noon. In this class, botanically inspired creative fun and entertainment are what makes for success. Flora and fauna interpretation, abunda afunda, is open to flowering imaginations. Envision flower fish, long-nosed nasturtiums, violent vines, or even singing sweet peas! Bring a sketchbook and drawing tools to the first class. Cost is $287. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $229. For experienced artists.
· Jewelry Workshop – Four Mondays, January 19 through February 9, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Inspired by the beauty of nature, you’ll have fun creating spectacular jewelry from shells, freshwater pearls, and floral designs in broken china. Professional jewelry designer Bonnie Arkin will inspire and guide you in designing your own on-of-a-kind pieces. Simple techniques of bead stringing, soldering, hole drilling, copper foiling and jewelry cleaning will be taught. Cost is $99. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $79. For everyone.
· Kitchen- and Garden-Inspired Spa Products – Thursday, January 22, 10 a.m. to noon. Everyday kitchen items enhanced with herbs, flowers and fragrance perform spa-like treatments at home. Sugar, salt, oatmeal and cornmeal sound like the ingredients for an old-fashioned breakfast, not the backbone of some amazing yet simple beauty and skin enhancements. Add fresh or dried herbs, their fragrant oils, and flowers to transform these regular kitchen materials into spa treatments worthy of the best salon-at a fraction of the cost! Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For everyone.

· The Elements of Botanical Drawing and Composition I – Six Saturdays, January 24 through February 28, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. This is an introductory class (a refresher class for some) designed to familiarize students with the basics of sound drawing technique and composition as it relates to the larger universe of botanical art. Learn to observe, understand, and draw natural forms and botanical shapes using pencil graphite techniques. Discover how to select paper and how it influences line and tone, form, shape and texture. Cost is $312. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $249. For beginner and intermediate artists.

· The Elements of Botanical Drawing and Composition II – Six Saturdays, March 7 through April 11, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. This class, designed for both intermediate and advanced students, will explore the elements of composition as it relates to botanical drawing. A sense of composition should be implicit in any botanic drawing (or painting), no matter how basic. Through ongoing botanical drawing exercises, you’ll compose drawings and paintings to create an aesthetic appeal. Cost is $312. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $249. For intermediate and advanced students.

· Frame-Loom Weaving – Ten Wednesdays, January 28 through April 1, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Examine the many possibilities of creating woven forms using a simple frame loom. Students begin by experimenting with the basic techniques of tapestry and plain weave, then explore ways of creating surface, image and text within a woven form. Advanced students will work on independent projects. Cost is $474. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $379. For everyone.

· Wedding Flowers for Beginners – Four Saturdays, February 7 through 28, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Learn how to plan and create wedding flowers. From purchasing to walking down the aisle, learn the basic terms, mechanics, and tools for planning, constructing, and designing wedding flowers in this hands-on course. You’ll create a centerpiece appropriate for a 60-inch round-seated reception table, and craft a corsage, boutonniere, and bride’s bouquet. Cost is $337. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $269. For beginners.

· Mosaic Workshop – Four Tuesdays, February 10 through March 3 or April 21 through May 12, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Discover the joy and beauty of mosaic art in the pique assiette tradition. Pique assiette, or “broken plates,” incorporates a wonderful blending of color, form and texture. This mosaic folk art can be found in many cultures and is popular today as a way to recycle a favorite piece of china or broken heirloom. A supply list is given at the first class, but you can start collecting dishes now! Cost is $99. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $79. For everyone.

· Beginning Watercolor – Six Tuesdays, February 17 through March 24, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Watercolor is a delightfully fun medium! In this class, you’ll learn a variety of watercolor techniques, including washes and how to make a range of textures on paper, plus some color theory to get you started. No prior experience is necessary. Cost is $237. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $189. For everyone.

· Flower Arranging with Store-Bought Bouquets – Wednesday, February 18, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. or Thursday, February 19, 10 a.m. to noon. Make your own professional-style arrangements using economical store-bought bouquets. You will learn how to select materials, sort by design elements, and create arrangements. Using simple design principles and fresh flowers from European-style displays in your grocery store, you will create beautiful results. Please bring pruners and a small box for your finished arrangement. All other materials are included in the fee. Cost is $62. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $49. For everyone.

· Calligraphy and Floral Illustration – Eight Mondays, February 23 through April 13, 10 a.m. to noon. Learn the art of beautiful writing and simple floral illustration, and then add a truly personal touch to holiday invitations and cards by suing this elegant art form. Beginners will start with the basics of calligraphy and floral decoration. More experienced students will be able to polish their kills and complete a project. The fee includes all materials. Cost is $212. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $169. For everyone.

· Garden Art Mosaic Workshop – Four Thursdays, March 12 through April 2, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Brighten your porch, patio, deck, yard or garden with an eye-catching mosaic conversation piece. This fun mosaic class is blooming with creativity, inspiring you to create colorful art for your garden. Mosaic the numbers for your address, a one-of-a-kind mailbox, a stepping-stone, a funky folk-art masterpiece for the garden—even a bowling ball! After teaching mosaics at the Garden for seven years, artist and designer Bonnie Arkin is bursting with exciting, motivating ideas for you to bring color and excitement to your outdoor living space. Cost is $99. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $79. For everyone.

· Historically Classic: The Story of the Terra Cotta Flowerpot – Wednesday, March 18, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Discover the history of the humble flowerpot and how this ubiquitous vessel came to be. With a focus on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century European handmade horticultural pottery, expert Benjamin Carroll will explain why certain shapes have survived the centuries. Learn why horticultural pottery greatly varies, and see traditional techniques used to make horticultural pottery. Benjamin also will have some of his hand-thrown flowerpots available for purchase. Cost is $24. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $19. For everyone.

· Landscape Watercolors – Six Tuesdays, April 21 through May 26, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. What could be a better spot to paint watercolor landscapes than the Chicago Botanic Garden? Both beginners and experienced painters are welcome. Beginners will learn various watercolor techniques, from washes to dry brush. Veterans will concentrate on composition, color, and exploring ways of combining different watercolor techniques. Above all, we will relish the luxury of painting outside in the midst of such a stunning array of landscapes. A supply list will be sent. Cost is $237. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $189. For everyone.

· Watercolor Pencil and Brush – Six Thursdays, April 23 through May 28, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Working from the ground outside and around the Garden, we will create finished compositions using your choice of watercolor pencils, cakes, and tubes. Both beginners and seasoned artists are welcome. Beginners will focus on exercises starting with monochromatic paintings and build up to full-color compositions. Seasoned artists will be given criticism in composition, color, and materials. Some prior drawing experience would be helpful. Come prepared for the weather. Cost is $287. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $229. For everyone.

· Mosaics: Beyond the Basics – Four Mondays, April 23 through May 14, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Join artist and designer Bonnie Arkin for the next level in mosaics! This class is for those students ready for more challenging projects and will focus on more intricate designs and techniques. A supply list is given at the first class. Prerequisite: Mosaic Workshop. Cost is $99. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $89. For intermediate students.

· Landscape Oil Painting – Eight Saturdays, April 25 through June 20, 9 a.m. to noon. Painting at the Garden is inspiring, creative and healthy. This course is designed for beginners and well as continuing enthusiasts, and offers a wonderful, authentic first-hand experience where nature and art meet. Come prepared for inspiration—and the weather. A supply list will be sent. Cost is $374. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $299. For everyone.

· Botanical Art: Sketch book Studies of the Spring Wildflowers – Six Saturdays, April 25 through June 6 (no class May 23), 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Drawing, sketching and painting the wildflowers of spring is the basis of this field study. Instruction will be given in capturing botanic detail and characteristics. The use of a microscope will be available for those students interested in drawing extreme detail. Students will be encouraged to use various media from pencil to pen-and-ink, colored pencil to watercolor. The workshop is designed for students of all levels and will be held at the Reed-Turner Woodland Nature Preserve—a superb location with rich ecological diversity and studio facilities in the woods. Cost is $312. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $249. For everyone.

· Observing and Photographing Nature – Four Saturdays, April 25 through May 16, 9 a.m. to noon. Photography is as much about seeing and understanding the subject of the photograph as it is about the technical side of taking the picture. This course will both explore the use of the camera and help you discover the truly wonderful images that wait to be seen and captured in any garden, along any path. Cost is $187. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $149. For everyone.

· Photography Essentials: Composition, Form, and Artistry in Your Images – Four Sundays, April 26 through May 17, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. If your pictures don’t always tell you something about what’s happening in the image, this course is for you. In it, you will learn how to control light and subject of your photos. The instructor will work with students on an individual basis to capture artistic images using the Garden as a laboratory. You will learn to think without distraction and answer the question, “What story does my photo tell?” You will also learn to distinguish between feelings and camera image as well as what constitutes artistic composition and natural form. Cost is $187. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $149. For everyone.

· Fifteen-Minute Flower Arranging Ideas – Tuesday, April 28, 10 a.m. to noon. Fresh flower arranging doesn’t have to be complicated to be beautiful. The old saying, “Keep it simple” applies to this workshop for fast yet fabulous designs. Nancy Clifton will demonstrate simple designs for everyday arrangements that range from casual to elegant. You will then create an easy arrangement of 15 roses in a mint julep cup. Please bring a floral shear or hand pruners to class and a small, tall-sided box to carry your arrangement home. All other materials are included in the fee. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For everyone.

· Garden Sculpture Workshop: The Rhythms of Stone – Tuesday through Friday, May 5-8, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Award-winning sculptor DJ Garrity leads a fascinating exploration of three dimensional form and the creative energies awakened through the ageless process of stone sculpture. Students will be guided through the process of creating their own unique garden sculpture with a hands-on approach that utilizes the human face as a template to guide students through the use of various hand tools, techniques, and procedures related to the art of stone carving. This course is designed to establish a basic understanding of the stone carving process and the three-dimensional aspects of portraiture, and to further explore the esoteric values associated with this ancient art. Cost is $720. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $599. For everyone.

Department of Plant & People Interactions

· Meditation in the Garden – Four Wednesdays, February 18 through March 11, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Scientific research shows that meditation helps normalize high blood pressure, reduce high cholesterol levels, provide relief from insomnia, and improve immune function. Meditating promotes a deep and lasting sense of peace. Experience the many benefits of meditation while surrounded by nature. Each week, explore basic meditation techniques and breathing exercises, and experience guided visualization inspired by the setting. Weather permitting, the class will move to one of the Garden’s many outdoor settings. Wear comfortable layers appropriate to the season and bring a blanket, cushion, or camp chair. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59. For everyone.

· Movement Therapy for Gardeners – Friday, April 12, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Join Steven Nakon to explore how yoga-based movement therapy can enhance your gardening experience. Our focus in this session will be preventing injuries and promoting healing with special relevance for the gardener. We will engage in gentle stretching, breath-based movement, guided relaxation, and meditation. No matter what your level of fitness, this lesson will help you develop good gardening and lifestyle practices. All are welcome. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $27. For everyone.



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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 is $15; free for members. On Tuesdays, senior citizens age 62 and older pay just $7 for parking. 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. The Garden is also breaking new ground in urban horticulture and jobs training through a 15-acre project in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago called Windy City Harvest. The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). 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.