Chicago Botanic Garden Classes, Chicago

Designing a garden often goes beyond deciding which plants to use and the type of function it serves. When finding inspiration for a design theme, a landscape design should complement the home architecture—whether formal, traditional, or modern—to ensure the style planned is conducive to its setting. You will explore these themes in greater depth...

Make a terrarium and use the cross-cutting concept: systems and system models to investigate dynamic ecosystems. Through Zoom-delivered lessons and home investigations, you will perform experiments with inexpensive, easy-to-make bottle terrariums as you examine interrelationships, adaptations, and cycles of matter. We will provide live plants and...

Gather ideas for incorporating local, real-world phenomena into your life-science lessons in this online workshop. Whether teaching in person or remotely, natural phenomena are key to engaging students in the science process while helping them meet standards and develop better thinking skills, and many phenomena can be found right outside our doors....

Pâte à choux is a classic French dough typically used to make éclairs. Once you master the basic dough technique, you can create a variety of treats, both sweet and savory. Learn to prepare classic vanilla cream puffs and gougères. You will need pastry bags (can be found online or at craft stores), parchment paper, and a ruler, as well as to purchase...

Watercolor is a delightfully fun medium. You will learn a variety of watercolor techniques, including washes and how to make a range of textures on paper, plus some color theory to get you started. No prior experience is necessary.  A supply list will be sent. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online...

Watercolor is a fresh, beautiful way to express the beauty of a sunset or the reflection of trees and clouds on a pond. You will learn to make expressive marks, mix colors, and apply water mindfully to achieve the sparkling, sensitive effects watercolor offers.  Prerequisite: Beginning Watercolor or similar experience.  A supply list will...

Does your child love to help out in the kitchen? Tune in online for stories, songs, and activities followed by a cooking activity. This one-hour caregiver-and-child program is designed for children ages 3 to 6. It is the perfect way to encourage children to eat their fruits and veggies and have fun, too!  A list of ingredients and supplies you...

Did you buy a new camera recently? This workshop will help you set up your camera and learn basic operations.  Please have your digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera, mirrorless camera, or advanced point-and-shoot camera on hand. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your...

Join your Garden friends for a new twist on this holiday favorite class. Participants will make, bake, and decorate their own cookies. This class will have a spice-sniffing component and participants may opt to purchase an ingredient package to be sent to you ahead of time. This 60-minute online program is for ages 4 to 10 with an adult, featuring...

This workshop introduces and reviews the landscape design process of site analysis, conceptual design, and evaluations, based on principles of balance, symmetry, proportion, scale, and unity. Through plant combinations and landscape features, you will learn about color, texture, line, form, and methods of creating garden spaces. This class will be...

Do you think you lack a green thumb? Do you have trouble keeping plants alive? Explore the captivating world of succulents. We will discuss needs and care techniques of common succulents and cactus, what succulence in plants really means, and other examples of low-maintenance arid plants. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations...

How do you take your plans from the drawing board to creating the garden without being overwhelmed by the amount of work? Learn how to develop a shopping list and timeline to phase the work over several seasons. You’ll receive some useful tips on staging the installation of your project, finding and purchasing plants, and working with landscape...

Online and On-site Hybrid Gain a working understanding of the initial phases of a landscape design project. Learn to begin and carry the project through conceptual design, including site measurements, base maps, site analysis, programming, functional use diagrams, conceptual design plans, and preliminary cost estimates.  This class will be...

Patterns are central to the NGSS and the scientific process. Through synchronous sessions and asynchronous work, investigate ways to help students make good observations. Help students identify patterns in nature and disruptions to those patterns, use patterns to ask questions about phenomena, and use them to make sense of evidence. We will explore...

Using the techniques of Pictorialism, the first movement of photography as art, create a portfolio to reveal personal expression in the beauty of nature. We will apply aesthetics of tone, soft focus, and narrative to design images. Intermediate level of Lightroom or Photoshop is required. Field trips may be included. Intermediate to advanced level....