for immediate release

Events Celebrate the Bounty of Fall

Opening of Plant Science Center, Harvest Festival, Bulb Bazaar and More!

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

GLENCOE, Ill. (August 31, 2009)—Fall is a time of bounty in the garden. The Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden is overflowing with produce grown using organic methods that will be sold at our Farmers’ Markets, native plants in the Dixon Prairie are loaded with seeds that will grow and bloom next year, and multitudes of people will be attending fall events to enjoy the last days of the growing season.

This fall will be particularly fruitful when the Garden fulfills its goal to open an international home for plant conservation research. With the public opening of the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center on Wednesday, September 23, visitors will be able to view plant scientists at work and understand why we need to save plants. Windows into the science labs, exhibits inside the gallery and a 16,000-square-foot green roof garden will educate visitors about the ways they can save the plants in order to save the planet. All life depends on plants and fall is an appropriate season to celebrate the bounty that plants provide us every day. Trolley service will be available on this day to pick visitors up at the Glencoe Metra station and transport them to the Visitor Center from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

To celebrate the opening of the Plant Science Center, the Chicago Botanic Garden has invited author Michael Pollan to give a lecture on Monday, September 21. Pollan’s lecture and book signing, “In Defense of Food: The Omnivore’s Solution,” will explore what the industrialization of food and agriculture has meant for our health and happiness as eaters and look at the growing national movement to renovate the food system. Lecture is from 2 to 3 p.m. and will be held at Ravinia Festival. Cost is $40. Call (847) 835-8261 to register.

On Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors will be treated to an “open house-style” viewing of the Plant Science Center including interpretive tours and family drop-in stations where children can participate in plant science-related, hands-on activities. Beginning on September 23 through October 25, a solar electric shuttle, which was generously provided by the Larry and Marilee Spatz Family, will pick up visitors at the Visitor Center and bring them to the Plant Science Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

On the main island, visitors will find many varieties of mums in the fall annual displays, including carefully-grown orange mum ball containers outside the Visitor Center; cascading anemone-like mums hanging from the Visitor Center bridge and hundreds of yellow, orange, bronze and red daisy-like mums in the Crescent Garden. The Heritage Garden will feature twelve 15-foot tall obelisks made from red daisy-like mums and yellow thistle-like mums in the garden beds. Sixty mum ball containers will be planted with three different orange mum varieties in the Esplanade. The containers in McGinley Pavilion will feature white and cream mums to create a neutral palette for corporate and private events held in the space.

Other fall annual displays include containers of two varieties of salvia on the North Stairs to the Regenstein Center and a garden of asters, feather white kale, large red cabbage and yellow spider mums in the Circle Garden.

Major fall events that celebrate the season's bounty include the Roadside Flower Sale from Sept. 11 through 13, Bulb Bazaar from Oct. 2 through 4, Harvest Festival from Oct. 3 and 4 and Fine Art of Fiber from Nov. 6 through 8. Ongoing events such as the American Flower Show Series, Garden Chef Series, Malott Japanese Garden Family Sundays, Farmers' Markets, tram tours, plant giveaways, family drop-in programs, and discovery programs continue throughout fall.

Celebrating its 10th season at the Garden, the Model Railroad Garden is a miniature United States with landscapes, landmarks and 17 garden-scale trains traversing through it all. This exhibition appeals to young and old alike with new landmarks from Philadelphia, including Independence Hall and a train on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad line chugging around the White House. Also, many new details such as the "W" sign atop Wrigley Field and the sound of Harry Caray singing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" is back. The 7,500-square-foot exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (weather permitting) from Sept. 8 through Oct. 25. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 3-12. Members receive $1 off these rates. Garden Plus members enter free on Wednesdays.

Events for Flower and Plant Lovers

Plant enthusiasts educate the public all about their favorite flowers during the American Flower Show Series, which includes fall shows: Roadside Flower Workshops on Sept. 1-4, Illinois Mycological Association Show and Sale on Sept. 6; Northeastern Illinois Rose Society Show & Sale on Sept. 6; Roadside Flower Sale on Sept. 11 through 13; Illinois Gourd Society Show & Sale on Sept. 12 and 13; Lakeshore African Violet Society Show & Sale on Sept. 19 and Sept. 20; Central States Dahlia Society Show on Sept. 26 and 27; Illinois Orchid Society Fall Show & Sale on Oct. 10 and Oct. 11; World Association of Flower Arrangers Conference on Oct. 12; Midwest Daffodil Society Bulb Sale on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18; Wisconsin-Illinois Lily Society Lily Bulb Sale on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18; and Midwest Fruit Explorers Show & Sale on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18.
Garden volunteers host the 28th anniversary Roadside Flower Sale – a one-of-a-kind display and sale of handmade, natural, dried plant and floral arrangements – in Burnstein Hall from Sept. 11 through 13. The event showcases fall bouquets, potpourri, wreaths, pressed-flower notecards, floral montages and one-of-a-kind table arrangements artfully created for the home from the Garden's specially-collected dried flowers, pods and grasses. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free dried flower-arranging workshops are offered from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily, Sept. 1 through 4. All arrangements created will be sold during the sale. Register for workshops in advance by calling (847) 835-8392.

The Great Perennial Divide Collection is held annually to add new life and to sustain more than 300 urban community gardens across Chicago. Donations are collected at the Chicago Botanic Garden on Thursday, Sept. 24. Field-dug plants, labeled and either potted in plastic pots (preferred) or bagged, and garden tools are accepted in the Garden’s parking lot 3 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Materials are distributed at various locations throughout Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 26. For more information, call (847) 835-8352.

Just in time for fall planting, the Woman’s Board of the Chicago Horticultural Society hosts its annual Bulb Bazaar on Oct. 3 and 4. The sale features more than 200 varieties of daffodils, tulips, alliums and other specialty bulbs, and a large selection of bulbs for indoor forcing. Garden horticulturists and staff offer practical tips and demonstrations on bulb selection and planting. Public hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Special members-only sale hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 2. A catalog with detailed information on the bulbs available at the sale can be obtained online in September.

Three prominent fiber artistry guilds present the Chicago area’s oldest, largest and most unique fiber art event, the Fine Art of Fiber, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 6 through 8 in the Regenstein Center. The show and sale features an exhibit of more than 150 pieces, including quilts, various types of needle art, knitting, wearable art, dolls and jewelry, plus a wide variety of items for purchase. Visitors can attend fashion shows and demonstrations. Opening night is on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Events Celebrating Fruits and Vegetables

Catch a Garden Chef Series demonstration where fresh, seasonal ingredients are transformed into delectable dishes by talented chefs at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 4. The Garden Chef Series is sponsored by Barilla.

The schedule includes:

Saturday, Sept. 12: Chris Macchia of Coco Pazzo in Chicago
Sunday, Sept. 13: Christopher Tong of My Private Chef in Chicago
Saturday, Sept. 19: Mary Ellen Diaz of First Slice Pie Café in Chicago
Sunday, Sept. 20: Chris Nugent of Les Nomades in Chicago
Saturday, Sept. 26: John Ayaleanos of Birch River Grill in Arlington Heights
Sunday, Sept. 27: Steve Nakon of Whole Journey/Northwest Yoga in Mt. Prospect
Saturday, Oct. 3: George Djurovic of August Grocery Store in Chicago
Sunday, Oct. 4: David DiGregorio of Osteria Via Stato in Chicago

Also, pick up an edible plant and growing tips during Plant Giveaways from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through October 4. Family Drop-in Activities are fun and educational and occur from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 4.

Enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor during the Harvest Festival on Oct. 3 and 4 in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden. A marketplace full of local and regional vendors will be selling a wide variety of items. Families will enjoy activities such as a straw bale maze and leaf rubbings. Learn how to preserve the harvest and more. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Garden Chef Series demonstrations occur at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

In honor of the Jewish harvest holiday, Sukkot, the Chicago North Shore Section of the National Council of Jewish Women create their annual sukkah display on view from Oct. 3 through 8. Families are invited to take part in arts and crafts activities to decorate the sukkah from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4.

Tours and Learning More

Volunteer interpreters offer information on a variety of topics through the Discovery Program. You'll find them in the Buehler Enabling, Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable, Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese and English Walled Gardens on Wednesdays through Sundays, through Oct. 4.

Sit back and relax on the Grand Tram and enjoy a narrated tour of the Garden and spectacular views of the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden and Evening Island. The Grand Tram offers drop off sites to encourage visitors to stroll through the Dixon Prairie and the Evaluation Gardens. Starting September 23, stop off to discover the new Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center as well. The Bright Encounters Tram offers an intimate look at the Garden’s main island. Fees apply. Tickets are available at the Tram Ticket Booth outside the Visitor Center. Trams run daily through Sunday, Oct. 25, weather permitting. Trams are wheelchair accessible. Call (847) 835-6895 for schedule information.

Family Fun

Folk tales and hands-on art activities bring the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden to life and teach families about Japanese arts and culture on Malott Japanese Garden Family Sundays on Sept. 20 and Oct. 4. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Celebrate Halloween in the Garden, if you dare, at HallowFest: A Garden of Good…and Evil! on Oct. 23 & 24, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., and Oct. 25 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale for Garden Plus, Director’s Circle, and President’s Circle members for $14 on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Ticket sales open up to the public (non-members and members) on Thursday, Sept. 24 and are $16. Children 2 and under are free.

See the Model Railroad Garden transformed into a spooky, but not really scary, place during Trains, Tricks & Treats on Oct. 24 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Trick-or-treat while discovering crawly creatures, a graveyard and more surprises tucked among buildings and small-scale plants.

Younger children (ages 2-4) will love being part of Little Diggers, a family program that features an interactive group period and time to try a variety of hands-on activities. Sessions are from 9 to 10 a.m. or 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on select weekdays once a month from Sept. 2009 through Dec. 2009 in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden. Adults must accompany children. Registration is required in advance.

For older children (ages 4-10), exploring nature at night can be even more exciting with Nature Nights classes from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 and Oct. 10. Preregistration is required at least one week in advance online, fax or mail only. Adults must accompany children; limit three children per adult.

Weekend Family Classes are offered from Nov. 7 through April 10, 2010 for families with children ages 4-10 to connect with each other and with nature. Classes are held on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call (847) 835-8363.

Learning for Adults

The Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden holds two symposia in fall. On Friday, October 2, experts from around the world will gather for a day-long symposium to discuss “Global Plant Conservation Science and Outreach” as part of the Janet Meakin Poor Research Symposium. On Saturday, October 3, renowned experts in nutrition, the environment, legislation, economics and rural development will gather for the daylong symposium, “Farm to Fork: An Agricultural Primer for Foodies.” Fees apply to attend these symposia. For information or to register, call (847) 835-8261.

Students enrolled in the Botanical Arts Certificate program through the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden will display their work in the Third Annual Student Botanical Arts Exhibition in the Joutras Gallery from October 2 to 18. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, October 2.

Visitors are encouraged to use the Garden’s well-stocked Lenhardt Library to research their latest gardening project, thumb through inspiring garden journals and magazines, or see a sampling of the Garden’s unique rare book collection. Members have borrowing privileges. Library hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, Tuesday until 7 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Closed holidays.

The Lenhardt Library exhibition, "Kew: 250 Years of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens," will be open this fall through Sunday, Nov. 15. Many publications (both books and journals) issued by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have made a significant impact on science over the last 250 years and will be on display in this exhibition. Ed Valauskas, curator of rare books at the Lenhardt Library, will give the library talk, "Tales from Plant Explorers: The Published Record of Kew's Expeditions Around the World" at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The winter library exhibition is "Children's Books Around the World," on display from Friday, Nov. 20 through Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010. Featuring uncommon books from Western and Eastern Europe, these books for children on nature and the plant world will delight both young and old. Stacy Stoldt will give a free library talk at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 13.

For information about caring for yard and garden, stop by the Garden’s Plant Information Service in the Visitor Center, call the phone line at (847) 835-0972 or send an email to plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners are available to answer questions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m., Sunday until Oct. 31. Beginning Nov. 1, hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Refreshment and Shopping

Stop by the Garden Café and enjoy their new menu, which uses locally-grown seasonal produce. Find fresh pizzas, paninis, crisp salads, tasty soups, sandwiches, sweet pastries and coffee from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, until 5:30 p.m. on weekends through Oct. 31. Starting Nov. 1, hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, until 4:30 p.m. on weekends. Menus from the Garden Café are available online.

Unique gifts, stationery, clothes, garden and design books and fine accessories for the home and garden are available in the Garden Shop in the Visitor Center. The shop is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, until 5:30 p.m. on weekends. Beginning Nov. 1, hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, until 4:30 p.m. on weekends. The Garden Shop also offers select merchandise for purchase online.

Those pondering a gift for birthdays, graduations, weddings or any special occasion should consider gift memberships to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Year-round benefits include free parking and discounts on classes, tram tours and shopping. Gift memberships can be purchased by calling (847) 835-8215.

Making Plans for the Holidays

The Chicago Botanic Garden will once again be transformed into a winter wonderland featuring twinkling lights and beautiful holiday horticultural displays during Wonderland Express, open Nov. 27, 2009 through Jan. 3, 2010. Outdoors, 750,000 lights beckon families to a dramatically lit Esplanade and the Regenstein Center. Inside, visitors enjoy lush displays of topiaries, poinsettias and orchids in the greenhouses, and trees and wreaths decorated by local designers and retailers. In a 10,000-square-foot magical horticultural exhibition, garden-scale trains will wind their way over bridges, under trestles, past waterfalls and through over 80 miniature versions of Chicago’s favorite landmarks. Buildings, tunnels and bridges are intricately hand crafted with natural materials, including twigs, bark, leaves, acorns and pebbles.

Wonderland Express hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily (closed at 3 p.m. Dec. 3 and Dec. 24, and all day Christmas Day). Adult tickets are $10; Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $8. Child (3-12) and Senior (62+) tickets are $8. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $6. Tuesdays through Christmas, admission to Wonderland Express is free. Tickets go on sale on Oct.14. The Chicago Botanic Garden Trolley will operate between the Glencoe Metra station and Wonderland Express. Weekends only Nov. 28 through Dec. 20 and daily from Dec. 26 through Jan. 3. Roundtrip tickets are $2; Garden members and children 5 and under ride free.

New this year will be Snowshoes at the Garden from 10 a.m. to sunset from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3, 2010. Visitors can bring their own snowshoes and travel through paths in McDonald Woods. Snowshoes will not be provided. Also new this year will be Ice Skating on the Esplanade from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily from December 2009 through January 2010, weather permitting. The ice skating rink will be created on the lawn of the Esplanade. Event fee applies. Visit our web site for news on open times for ice skating.

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

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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 24 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 $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.