Chicago Botanic Garden

Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden

Classes by Interest    AddThis Feed Button

Summer registration for the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden is now open!

Classes are available for every interest and skill level, including beginning gardening classes, seminars, cooking classes, craft workshops, certificate programs, and bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in plant ecology, evolution, and biology, as well as applied plant conservation theory and methods. Sign up for a weekend class or start a degree program with the Chicago Botanic Garden today. Browse the schedule online or click here to download a catalog (PDF format).

Please call the registration service at (847) 835-8261 and press 2 after the greeting to check if your class choice has been canceled or filled.

 

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.

 

Deciduous Flowering Shrubs — Lecture Series
   Deciduous Flowering Shrubs — Thursday Garden Walks
   Deciduous Flowering Shrubs — Saturday Garden Walks		 March 31 – May 19
April 2 – May 14
April 4 – May 16
Living Pansy Wreath Workshop April 1
Spring Hanging Basket: Pansies and Sweet Peas April 7
Flower Towers April 14
Edible Ornamentals and Their Companions April 25
Topiaries for your Garden April 29
Tulip Tutorial May 2
Gorgeous Container Gardens (Morning session)
Gorgeous Container Gardens (Evening session)		 May 6
Living Flower Arrangements with Summer Bulbs May 9
Crabapples May 13
The Tropical Paradise Garden May 9
Success with Tree and Shrubs May 16
Viburnums May 16
Lilacs May 21
Annuals and Biennials — Lecture Series
   Annuals and Biennials — Thursday Garden Walks
   Annuals and Biennials — Saturday Garden Walks		 May 26 – July 14
May 28 – July 9
May 30 – July 11
The Potager: An Ornamental Kitchen Garden May 21
Herbal Tea Gardens: Places to Grow, Make, and Take Tea May 30
A Day in the Shade June 6
Made in the Shade 1: How to Design and Build/Improve a Shade Garden June 6
Made in the Shade 2: Perennials June 6
Fundamentals of Sustainable Gardening June 10
Gardening Techniques: Session D June 13 – July 25
Lilies for Midwestern Gardens June 13
Gardening Greener June 15
Growing Vegetables and Herbs June 16 – July 11
Roses for the Chicago Region June 20
Three-Tiered Herb Garden June 24
Herbs of the Mint Family June 27
Botany 1 June 29 – August 5
Math for Gardeners July 9, 16
Herbaceous Perennials — Lecture Series
   Herbaceous Perennials — Thursday Garden Walks
   Herbaceous Perennials — Saturday Garden Walks		 July 21 – September 1
July 23 – August 27
July 25 – August 29
Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardening with Color! July 23
The Scented Garden: A Sensory Walk and Talk July 30
All in the Family: Solanaceae August 6
The Intrinsic Value of Nurse Plants August 8
Gardening with Prairie Wildflowers August 12
Backstage Pass: Edens Wall Garden Tour August 15
An Introduction to Grasses August 20 – 29
Bonsai Cultivation  
Bonsai: Beginner — Basics and Fundamentals (Session 1)
Bonsai: Beginner — Basics and Fundamentals (Session 2)
Bonsai: Beginner — Basics and Fundamentals (Session 3)		 April 5 – May 24
July 12 – August 23
September 6 – October 11
Bonsai: Novice — Development Techniques (Session 1)
Bonsai: Novice — Development Techniques (Session 2)
Bonsai: Novice — Development Techniques (Session 3)		 April 8 – May 13
July 11 – August 22
August 29 – October 10
Bonsai: Intermediate — Refinement Techniques (Session 1)
Bonsai: Intermediate — Refinement Techniques (Session 2)
Bonsai: Intermediate — Refinement Techniques (Session 3)		 April 11 – May 23
July 8 – August 12
September 2 – October 7
Bonsai: Advanced — Presentation Quality Efforts (Session 1)
Bonsai: Advanced — Presentation Quality Efforts (Session 2)
Bonsai: Advanced — Presentation Quality Efforts (Session 3)		 April 5 – May 24
July 12 – August 23
September 6 – October 11
Curator Tour of the Bonsai Collection (Tour 1)
Curator Tour of the Bonsai Collection (Tour 2)
Curator Tour of the Bonsai Collection (Tour 3)		 July 18
August 13
September 5
Container Gardening Classes  
Spring Containers at the Garden (w/terra cotta)
Spring Containers at the Garden (w/liner)		 April 21
Summer Containers at the Garden (w/terra cotta)
Summer Containers at the Garden (w/liner)		 June 16
Summer Containers at the Garden (w/terra cotta)
Summer Containers at the Garden (w/liner)		 June 17
Fall Containers at the Garden (w/terra cotta)
Fall Containers at the Garden (w/liner)		 September 15
Winter Containers at the Garden (w/terra cotta)
Winter Containers at the Garden (w/liner)		 December 1
Weekend Gardener Series  
Growing Warm-Season Vegetables in a Small Space — FILLED May 2
Planting Techniques May 9
Summer Garden Maintenance May 31
Gardening in Containers June 20
Wild World of Weeds July 12
The ABCs of Trees July 18
Rose Basics July 25
Do-It-Yourself: Small-Engine Maintenance August 1
Mulches and Compost August 22
Hands-On Gardening Series
Register for all four courses at once and receive a 10 percent discount.		 GAR0102
Tree Planting — NO LONGER AVAILABLE May 16
Divide and Conquer Your Perennials June 13
Pruning: Correct, Shape, and Deadhead — FILLED July 18
Mulching and Edging August 15

 

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.

Spring Bird Walk
Spring Bird Walk
Spring Bird Walk		 March 21
April 25
May 23
Plantings for Birds: A Holistic Approach April 15
Observing and Photographing Nature — FILLED April 25 – May 16
Woodland Wildflower Walk — FILLED May 2
Glorious Spring Songbirds May 7, 9
Creating Eco-Gardens in Sterile Landscapes May 9
A Walk in the Wildflowers May 10
Spring Bird Walk May 23
Spring Bird Walk at Millennium Park June 5
Recognizing Sedges in the Field June 5
Butterflies and Bees July 11
Evening Prairie Walk July 16
Wild Mushrooms: A Fall Foray in the Forest September 6
Introduction to Local Dragonflies July 18
Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardening with Color! July 23
Lake and Pond Shorelines: Controlling Erosion and Enhancing Habitat August 25
Bird Walk: Early Migration August 29
Seed-Collecting Workshop September 12
Nature Preserve Botanical Walks
Register for all courses at once and receive a 10 percent discount.		 NAT0042
Ryerson Conservation Area — NO LONGER AVAILABLE May 13
Lake in the Hills Fen July 15
Illinois Beach State Park September 30

 

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.

The American Kitchen Garden — FILLED April 25
Early Garden History January 12 – March 16
Plant Health 2 January 13 – February 19
Graphics January 15 – March 19
Gardening Techniques: Session B January 17 – February 21
Garden Design Studio January 18 – March 15
Project Basics January 21 – March 11
Botany 1 (Morning Session)
Botany 1 (Evening Session)		 March 2 – April 8
Planting Design March 17 – June 9
Gardening Techniques: Session C — FILLED March 21 – April 25
Discovering Design — FILLED March 26 – May 28
Deciduous Flowering Shrubs — Lecture Series
   Deciduous Flowering Shrubs — Thursday Garden Walks
   Deciduous Flowering Shrubs — Saturday Garden Walks		 March 31 – May 19
April 2 – May 14
April 4 – May 16
Gardens That Heal: A Prescription for Wellness May 6
Annuals and Biennials — Lecture Series
   Annuals and Biennials — Thursday Garden Walks
   Annuals and Biennials — Saturday Garden Walks		 May 26 – July 14
May 28 – July 9
May 30 – July 11
Creating Eco-Gardens in Sterile Landscapes May 9
Made in the Shade 1: How to Design and Build/Improve a Shade Garden June 6
Experiencing Design June 22 – August 10
Moonlight Garden Walk
Moonlight Garden Walk		 July 7
September 3
Daniel Burnham and the Chicago Plan of 1909 July 8 – 29
Creating Colorful Combinations August 12
Bungalow Garden Design September 29
Best Food Forward: Ideas for Entrance Gardens — Session 1
Best Food Forward: Ideas for Entrance Gardens — Session 2		 October 15
October 17
Art and the Gardener November 19
Take a Fresh Look at Your Garden August 12
The Weekend Designer Series
Register for the series and save 10 percent.		 LDS0022
Introduction to Design Principles February 11
Foundation Planting Design February 18
Front Yard Design February 25
Backyard Design March 4
From the Drawing Board to the Border March 11

 

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.)

Third Annual Student Botanical Art Exhibition Registration Deadline: Aug 3
Landscape Watercolors — FILLED April 21 – May 26
Watercolor Pencil and Brush April 23 – May 28
Mosaics: Beyond the Basics — NO LONGER AVAILABLE April 23 – May 14
Observing and Photographing Nature — FILLED April 25 – May 16
Landscape Oil Painting April 25 – June 20
Botanical Art: Sketch Book Studies of the Spring Wildflowers April 25 – June 6
Photography Essentials: Composition, Form, and Artistry
in Your Images — FILLED		 April 26 – May 17
Fifteen-Minute Flower Arranging Ideas June 30 (new date)
Garden Sculpture Workshop May 5 – 8
Outdoor Sketching April 24 – May 29
Watercolor 1 May 6 – June 10
Beginning Bookbinding May 6
The Garden in Visual Art Abstraction — NO LONGER AVAILABLE May 16 – July 18
Mosaic Workshop
Mosaic Workshop		 May 19 – June 9
July 17 – 28
Chip-Carved Gourd Bowl — GOURD WORKSHOPS IN FALL May 23
Finding Nests May 30
Plein Air Landscape and Flower Painting June 2 – 30
Gourd Bowl with Pine-Needle Rim — GOURD WORKSHOPS IN FALL June 3
Watercolor Pencil and Brush June 4 – July 23
Botany for Botanical Artists June 4 – July 2
Jewelry Workshop
Jewelry Workshop		 June 4 – July 25
July 9 – 30
Introduction to Colored Pencil June 6 – July 18
The Perfect Scarf-Dyeing Workshop June 17
Watercolor 2 June 17 – July 29
Plein Air Watercolor Workshop in Lurie Garden July 6 – 27
Drawing and Painting with Mark McMahon July 11 – August 1
The Summer Landscape in Watercolor July 14 – August 18
Flower Arranging with Store-Bought Bouquets
Flower Arranging with Store-Bought Bouquets		 July 14
July 15
The Joy of Photographing Flowers July 24
Photography Workshop with Allen Rokach July 25, 26
Drawing in Color on Toned Papers — NO LONGER AVAILABLE July 24 – 26
Composition August 1 – September 5
Garden Art Mosaic Workshop August 6 – 27
Dyeing the Blues: Scarf-Dyeing Workshop August 12
Willow Workshop: Plant Stand
Willow Workshop: Garden Bench
Willow Workshop: Garden Accessories
Willow Workshop: Sassy Chair
Willow Workshop: Historical Bent Willow Chair		 August 29
Pretty in Purple: Flowers with Fruits and Vegetables in Arrangements September 2
Wet-Carved Concrete Workshop September 4 – 6
Fall Landscapes in Oil September 12 – October 31
Prairie Wildflowers in Transition September 12 – October 31
Frame-Loom Weaving September 16 – November 18
Kurtis Conservation Foundation Courses  
Avian Songs and Color at Mettawa Manor June 13
A Classic Summer Scene at Mettawa Manor June 20
Summer Containers at Mettawa Manor July 7
Bill Kurtis and the Tallgrass Legacy August 1
Winter Workshop at Mettawa Manor December 2

 

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.

Rooftop Beekeeping in Chicago: The Confluence of Culture and Nature June 6
Movement Therapy for Gardeners July 24
Meditation in the Garden July 29 – August 19
In Defense of Food: The Omnivore's Solution September 21

 

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

To check whether your class choice has been filled or canceled, please call 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. Call the registration service at (847) 835-8261 and press 1 after the greeting. Payment with credit card is required.