Chicago Botanic Garden

Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden

Classes by Interest    AddThis Feed Button

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

Ecology and Nature Studies

Garden Design

Botanical Arts & Humanities

Plant & People Interactions

Certificate Programs

Symposia and Public Lectures

Tours and
Field Trips

Green Programs

Workshops

Cooking
Classes

Professional
Programs

 

 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.