Chicago Botanic Garden

for immediate release

Three Friends of Winter

Bonsai Silhouette Show, Family Activities and Lectures
January 27 – 29, 2012

 

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

GLENCOE, Ill. (Nov. 30, 2011) — To celebrate the winter season the Chicago Botanic Garden presents Three Friends of Winter, a silhouette bonsai show from Friday, Jan. 27, through Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. This exhibition will feature a bonsai display, an interpreted display of the three friends of winter, family activities, and lectures. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on all three days.

This popular silhouette bonsai show features deciduous trees from the Garden's priceless bonsai collection in their dormant phase, highlighting their branch structure. Each bonsai will be exhibited with an accent object such as suiseki, incense burner, statuary, or pottery on contemporary-design cottonwood benches made from trees felled within the Garden.

In Japanese tradition, the three friends of winter are pine, bamboo, and plum. Pine symbolizes endurance and longevity; bamboo symbolizes strength and flexibility; and plum symbolizes purity of character. Each of the three plants will be incorporated into a Japanese Garden (tsubo-niwa) created in Burnstein Hall, using the natural light from the skylight. An interpretive panel will explain the tradition. Visitors can also see the bare birch trees outside the windows of Burnstein Hall.

Family activities include creating scrolls inspired by the Three Friends of Winter, storytelling, and a suminagashi demonstration. The scroll activity teaches children about the symbolism of the three elements and also how scrolls are used both to tell a story and for decorative purposes. Creating scrolls using shades of black ink in the sumi-e style will also reflect the bonsai silhouette shapes.

Lectures include a suiseki lecture by Tim Priest at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, and a bonsai lecture by Ivan Watters, curator of the Garden's bonsai collection, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29.

Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden is free. Select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. For information about Garden programs and events, call (847) 835-5440, or visit www.chicagobotanic.org.

 

###

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.

Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden is free. Select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. For information about Garden programs and events, call (847) 835-5440, or visit www.chicagobotanic.org.

Interact with the Garden for this and other Garden events and programs:

###

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens and four natural areas. 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 $20 per car; 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.