Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden

Classes by Interest

Please phone the registration service at (847) 835-8261 and press 2 after the greeting to check if your class choice has been canceled or filled. Grayslake CLC Classes can be found here.

Horticulture (Formerly Ornamental Plant Materials and Gardening):
Designed to appeal to a wide range of gardeners, these basic to advanced-level courses focus on selection, culture and care of specific plant groups.

Fall for Herbs Day at Mettawa Manor	September 4
Hydrangea and Hibiscus	October 4
Backstage Pass: The Fall Floral Celebrities	September 7
Deciduous Trees Lecture Series Thursday Garden Walks Saturday Garden Walks	September 9 – October 28 September 11 – October 23 September 13 – October 25
Flower Towers	September 10
Maples	September 13
Herbs of the Mint Family	September 24
Ferns for the Chicago Region	September 27
Smart Choices: Tips for Tree Selection	September 27
Ornamental Grasses	September 27
The Best of Fir, Pine, and Spruce	October 8
Gardening Techniques: Session A	October 11 – November 15
Spiraea for the Upper Midwest	October 11
Shrubs that Simplify and Enhance	October 14
Hydrangeas	October 18
Gourmet Soil	October 21
Evaluating Your Garden for Spring	November 1
Plant Health 1	November 4 – December 18
Introduction to Midwest Gardening	November 11 – December 9
The Fourth Season: The Garden in Winter	November 12
Urban Composting	November 15
Holiday Topiaries: Cones and Spheres	November 19
Tool Time with Sam	March 4

Bonsai Cultivation
Bonsai: Beginner — Basics and Fundamentals Bonsai: Beginner — Basics and Fundamentals	September 7 – October 12 October 19 – November 23
Bonsai: Novice — Development Techniques Bonsai: Novice — Development Techniques	September 3 – October 8 October 15 – November 19
Bonsai: Intermediate — Refinement Techniques Bonsai: Intermediate — Refinement Techniques	September 6 – October 11 October 18 – November 22
Bonsai: Advanced — Presentation Quality Efforts Bonsai: Advanced — Presentation Quality Efforts	September 7 – October 12 October 19 – November 23
Curator Tour of Bonsai Collection	September 27

Container Gardening Classes
Fall Containers at the Garden (w/terra cotta) Fall Containers at the Garden (w/liner)	September 17
Fall Containers at the Garden (w/terra cotta) Fall Containers at the Garden (w/liner)	September 18
A Gem of a Trough	October 15
Holiday Dish Gardens	November 12
Decorative Outdoor Winter Containers (Evening Session) Decorative Outdoor Winter Containters (Morning Session)	December 1 December 2
Winter Containers at the Garden (w/terra cotta) Winter Containers at the Garden (w/liner)	December 4

Weekend Gardener Series
Harvest Treasures Preserved	September 6
Fall Lawn Care for Homeowners	September 13
Fall Garden Care	September 21
Bulbs for Beginners	October 4
The Great Divide	October 18
Plant Propagation Made Easy	October 25
Basic Pruning for Homeowners	December 6
Preparing Roses for Winter	December 13

Hands-On Gardening Series Register for all five courses at once and receive a 10% discount.	GAR0143
Planting Shrubs and Perennials	September 13
Mulching and Edging	October 11
End of Season Pruning	November 22

Plant Biology, Ecology and Nature Studies:
These courses help urban residents and suburbanites reconnect to the natural world. Offerings related to the natural history of the Chicago region highlight flora and fauna in and around the Garden.

Prairie Plant Identification in the Field	September 6
Getting to Know the Natural Communities of the Chicago Botanic Garden: McDonald Woods	September 10
Botany 1 Afternoon Sessions Botany 1 Evening Sessions	September 8 – October 22
Botany 2	October 27 – December 10
Creating Eco-Gardens in Sterile Landscapes	November 8

Garden Design:
Principles of garden design; introductory and advanced courses ranging from site analysis and construction to garden art and history, relating design to environment.

Project Management	September 10 – November 5
Modern Garden History	September 15 – November 24
Designing with Ornamental Grasses: From Formal to Dramatic to Traditional	September 17, 24
Graphics	September 22 – December 1
How to Build/Improve a Successful Shade Garden	September 23
The Garden at Night	October 15
The Art of Gardening – Discovering Your Inner Designer	October 25
Gardener as Artist: Exploring Themes and Planting Schemes	November 1
Creating Eco-Gardens in Sterile Landscapes	November 8

The Weekend Designer Series Register for the series and save 10%	LDS0013
Introduction to Design Principles	October 29
Foundation Planting Design	November 5
Front Yard Design	November 12
Backyard Design	November 19
From the Drawing Board to the Border	December 3

Botanical Arts and Humanities:
The botanical arts courses encompass a wide variety of topics, from photography to calligraphy, botanical illustration, and paper making. Courses invite both academic study and creative expression. (Some classes may be listed under WORKSHOPS or COOKING.)

How to Press Flowers	September 3
Watercolor in the Greenhouse: Watercolor Pencil and Brush	September 4 – October 30
Watercolor 2	September 4 – October 16
Color Mixing for Botanical Artists	September 9 – October 21
Beginning Nature Photography	September 11 – October 30
Prairie Wildflowers in Transition	September 13 – October 18
Botanical Drawing 1	September 13 – November 8
Natural Dyes and Tapestry Weaving	September 16 – November 18
A Studio Class for Botanical Artists	September 17 – November 5
Vintage Costume Jewelry: Inspiration from the Garden	September 21
Calligraphy and Floral Illustration	September 22 – November 10
Second Annual Student Botanical Arts Exhibition	October 3 – October 19
Inspiration from Master Photographers	October 7 – October 28
Ragdale Poetry Retreat	October 7
Beginning Flower Arranging	October 7 – October 28
Pressed Flower Design	October 11
The Garden at Night: A Photographic Journey (Lecture & Book Signing)	October 15
The Garden at Night: A Photographic Evening in the Greenhouse (Class)	October 16
Pen and Ink 2	October 19 – December 7
Flower Arranging with Store-bought Bouquets (Morning Session) Flower Arranging with Store-bought Bouquets (Evening Session)	November 11

Plant and People Interactions:
These courses reveal the many interactions between plants and people that enrich our lives every day. People depend on plants for food, fiber, clothing, shelter, medicine and countless other products.

Modern Uses for Native American Medicinal Plants	October 10
The Art of Meditation (Morning Session) The Art of Meditation (Evening Session)	November 4

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

To check whether your class choice has been filled or canceled, please phone the registration service at (847) 835-8261 and press 2 after the greeting, or check the class schedule online.

Preregistration is required. You may register online, by phone, by fax or by mail. Payment at the time of registration is mandatory with check or credit card. Checks should be payable to the Chicago Botanic Garden. No purchase orders will be accepted. Registration includes lunch, break and symposium materials.

Click here to register online.

Fax registration form with payment by credit card to the Education Registrar at (847) 835-6874. Phone the registration service at (847) 835-8261 and press 1 after the greeting. Payment with credit card is required.