Chicago Botanic Garden

for immediate release

Deck Your Halls with Wreaths, Festive Centerpieces
and More!

School of the Chicago Botanic Garden Offers Holiday-Inspired Classes

 

Media Only:
Melissa Schuler
(847) 835-6829, direct
mschuler@chicagobotanic.org


GLENCOE, Ill. (November 11, 2009) — Create a festive home this holiday season with workshops to create decorative winter containers, boxwood and eucalyptus spheres and wreaths, and holiday centerpieces. The Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden offers the following classes that will help you deck the halls, tables and doors of your home this season:


Holiday Dish Gardens – Wednesday, November 18, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Simplify your holidays with one centerpiece to adorn all of your holiday feasts! Dish gardens are miniature landscapes grown in shallow containers or living “centerpieces” to enjoy throughout the year. Learn about different containers, materials needed to assemble them and proper plant selection. Then, create your own dish garden. Tim Pollak demonstrates how to use them for seasonal color and shows you how to incorporate different themes. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59


Italian Holiday Treats– Wednesday, November 18, 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Several classic Italian recipes, suitable for holiday entertaining will be prepared and discussed. The focus will be on items requiring minimal preparation time by utilizing items that can go from the refrigerator and pantry to the table in a matter of minutes. Attendees will be able to participate in a hands-on session during the second half of the course. Cost is $37. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $29.


Bay Leaf and Herb Wreath – Thursday, November 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Bay leaves and other herbs are not only flavorful, but beautiful in wreaths, too. We will start with a preformed bay wreath and enhance it with other fresh herbs and accents to create an edible, decorative wreath to enjoy for several months. We will discuss the herbs and how to use them in special dishes for winter cooking. All materials are included in the fee. Please bring a flat, shallow box for carrying home your finished wreath, hand pruners, and gloves. Cost is $87. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $69.


Decorative Outdoor Winter Containers – Thursday, December 3, 7 to 9 p.m.

Create a spectacular outdoor container that will add winter color to your porch or patio. Seasonal plant materials such as evergreen boughs, colorful twigs, and a container will be provided for your use in assembling a colorful winter display. Please bring clippers, gloves, and a box for your project. The fee includes all materials. Cost is $112. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $89.


Eucalyptus and Boxwood Spheres – Tuesday, December 8, 10 a.m. to noon

Create two sensational spheres of fresh boxwood for your home. If you loved the decorations at the Garden’s Wonderland Express, you’ll love making these two smaller versions of one the more spectacular ornamental decorations of the event. Join Nancy Clifton for this fun and easy class and create your own boxwood spheres. You can hang them indoors or outside; they can be enhanced or left plain. These versatile, long-lasting spheres can also be the centerpieces for many other holiday arrangements. Please bring a pair of pruners. All other materials are included in the fee. Cost is $82. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $65.


Boxwood and Eucalyptus Wreath – Tuesday, December 8, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Create a long-lasting holiday wreath using our beloved boxwood and fragrant eucalyptus. The combination of boxwood and eucalyptus looks striking, smells wonderful, and dries nicely for future use. Enjoy the wreaths all winter long, refreshing with accent pieces to update the wreaths as needed. Take the sphere class in the morning, the wreath class at night, and in one day you will have just the decorations you need for the holidays. All materials are included in the fee. Bring a large shallow box to carry your finished wreath home, hand pruners, and gloves. Cost is $112. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $89.


Holiday Centerpiece – Tuesday, December 22, 9:30 a.m. to noon OR 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Join us at the Garden and create a lovely, long-lasting holiday centerpiece, using fresh-cut evergreens and seasonal flowers—ideal as a holiday centerpiece to grace your home, or to give as a special gift. Bring gloves, pruners, and a box for your finished arrangement. The fee includes all other materials. Cost is $74. Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $59.

Parking is $20; free for Garden members. For more information, or to register, call the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden at (847) 835-8261, or visit www.chicagobotanic.org/school.

 

###

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 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.