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Gardening Classes Chicago

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Learn the secrets to successful urban gardening in Chicago with classes on container gardening, rooftop gardening, and sustainable gardening practices.

11 classes have spots left

Soil Basics, Intensive Session

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Soil is an irreplaceable natural resource that affects plant selection and growth. Learn to maintain healthy soil; use compost, fertilizers, soilless and potting mixes, and other amendments. Discover how water cycles through a garden and affects soils and plants. A supply list will be sent.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$374

3 sessions

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Plant Propagation Techniques

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Discover the fundamental principles involved in plant propagation. Each session is scheduled at the ideal time of year to ensure success of the technique covered.  Detailed laboratory sessions will cover seed collection and growing, hardwood cutting of flowering shrubs and conifers, grafting of conifers and flowering trees, and the division and layering of perennials and flowering shrubs. 

(122) Beginner 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$312

2 sessions

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Seasonal Container Series

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Each season, you will explore the Garden grounds and discover an array of striking plants, interesting color and texture combinations, and unique container arrangements. You will create a seasonal container at each session for your sunny or partial-shade patio or porch.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$356

4 sessions

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Edible Landscapes Featuring Containers

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 3555 Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL

Transform a small space into a beautiful and functional garden. This class will show you the best practices for keeping edible and ornamental plants happy and healthy in your container garden. It includes hands-on work and an informative lecture with plenty of time for questions.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Seed Saving

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 3555 Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL

Learn the how and why of saving seeds for thrifty gardening and farming, biodiversity preservation, and food sovereignty. In this course, you will receive open-pollinated seeds to take home with you as well as information to help you feel confident saving seeds for future farm and garden seasons.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Principles of Planting Design

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Learn how to create stunning outdoor spaces by combining different planting layers. Discover plant combinations, layers, and patterns through active discussions and case studies. Prerequisites include Graphics and Principles of Garden Design.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$199

3 sessions

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Charming Bungalow Garden Design

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Bungalows and Arts and Crafts-inspired houses are typically charming smaller homes found in cities and suburbs across the country. These popular style homes are appealing because they were often designed to be in harmony with nature and outdoor living. Discover how plants, hardscape, and other elements can enhance your own bungalow garden.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Chronicle of a Vegetable Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Experience a full season of a Chicago vegetable garden with the focus on what to do, why, and when. During the session, you will follow a successful home vegetable gardener from plant selection all the way through harvest (and everything in between). Join us for a great opportunity to sharpen existing gardening skills and, perhaps, learn some new ones.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Organic Vegetable Gardening Basics

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Chicago, IL

Learn the basic techniques and tools required to grow your own vegetables. Site selection, bed and soil preparation, seed sowing, transplanting, and harvesting techniques will be covered.  You will receive a packet of seeds to grow at home.

(122) Beginner 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

The Planted Landscape

Chicago Botanic Garden

The specific planted choices and selections within a landscape and garden are informed by the site, program, context, and story. This program will outline, define, and communicate applications of planting design within comprehensive site and landscape design. The session will involve classroom discussion along with physical site landscape tours and observations of planted landscapes. The elements of site and client information, site observation,...

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Valentine's Day Dish Garden Workshop

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Celebrate Valentine’s Day by learning to create a beautiful dish garden from start to finish. After class, dress for the weather and enjoy the day with your Valentine walking around the Chicago Botanic Garden.  All materials themed with Valentine’s Day colors will be provided to create your own oasis to enjoy all year long. Please bring gloves, an apron if desired, and pruning shears. Price is for two people, and you will take home one...

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$119
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Enchanting Spring Dish Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Discover the perfect way to bring the beauty of spring to your tabletop with a captivating combination of blooming bulbs, lush ferns, and vibrant moss. Create your own enchanting miniature woodland landscapes that will evolve and blossom as the season changes, offering a delightful glimpse of spring indoors or outdoors. All materials are provided for a seamless and immersive experience.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$124
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Spring Ikebana: Japanese Floral Arranging

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Capture the graceful curve of an unfolding bud, the surprise of new leaves, or the lightness of a cloud through Ikebana -- the art of Japanese flower arranging. The instructors will demonstrate several techniques and then help you create your favorite version. All plant materials will be collected fresh from the Arboretum grounds. Each student will create an arrangement to take home. Required Materials: A kenzan and container will need to be purchased...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Taste the Trees – Winter Edible Wild Plants course

The Resiliency Institute

Amaze yourself and friends by identifying trees and shrubs by their bark and branching pattern and enjoy winter walks in the woods honing your skills.  The Winter Edible Wild Plants course, Taste the Trees, will teach you to identify about 70 of the 100 edible trees in our area using bud, leaves, branching pattern, bark and fruits.  Learn what part of the plant/tree to harvest, when to harvest it, and how to prepare it. The course will...

(2) Intermediate 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Clematis Up Close

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

A profusion of showy blossoms makes clematis the undisputed queen of the climbers and an essential vine for every garden. Recent breeding work has increased the number of useful, appealing cultivars. Many distinctive, less-commonly known small-flowered species and hybrids extend the flowering season. Learn the identification, culture, and maintenance requirements of clematis.  Note: The School’s CEUs=0.3 OPC elective

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Design and Build a Washpack

Chicago Botanic Garden

Building a great washpack on your farm site can help you increase efficiency and reduce waste while you process the bounty of a harvest.  Learn about the materials, design, and construction process for Windy City Harvest farm sites all over the city. Season after season, we improve and refine our build strategy over multiple seasons so every site has a functional washpack that also meets food safety requirements for urban agriculture.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Espalier Basics

Chicago Botanic Garden

In espalier, a woody plant is trained as a vertical trunk with horizontal branches in a single plane. This technique is both beautiful and productive, showing both the art and science of horticulture. Topics include history, contemporary applications, and tools. You will gain experience identifying fruit spurs and leaf and shoot buds, practice tying supports, and learn where to prune.  Existing pruning knowledge is necessary.  Dress...

(122) Beginner 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Orchid Dish Garden Workshop

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Orchids are great houseplants with long bloom times, and they are even more fantastic when presented as part of a miniature landscape in a shallow container. Create your own “tropical” oasis to enjoy this winter and all year long. Please bring gloves, an apron, and pruning shears. Alcohol will be served in this class; participants must be 21 years of age or older.

(122) All levels 21 and older
No upcoming schedules

Small Space Vegetable Garden Planning

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 3555 Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL

This workshop covers site analysis, vegetable garden plan components, space-saving techniques and spacing, cool- and warm-season crops, crop and variety selection, three-season and succession planning. There will be crop plan examples and a template for you to start your own crop plan. Bring a drawing of your garden space with dimensions.  

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

Summer Succulent Container Workshop

Chicago Botanic Garden @ 1000 Lake Cook Road, Chicago, IL

Succulent containers are trendy gardens to be enjoyed from spring through fall. Study design examples and then create your own take-home container. Learn how to care for your container, and how to extend it into the following year. Please bring gloves, an apron if desired, and pruning shears.

(122) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
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