Chicago Botanic Garden Classes, Chicago

Learn all the basics needed to start keeping bees. This includes what to expect, how to put together equipment, how to get bees in your hive, finding the queen, feeding, what to look for after the bees are installed, and seasonal chores.

Find a comfortable seat or lie down, close your eyes, and allow the frequencies of the singing bowls to support you in finding relaxation, rejuvenation, and release.  No special skills, abilities, or beliefs are required. Bring a yoga mat if you want to lie down. 

Enjoy a morning walk to explore the trees at the Garden. Each month, we will visit a different section of the Garden and learn about the trees unique to that area.

 Find a comfortable seat or lie down and gaze upon the beautiful orchid blooms that surround you. When you are ready, close your eyes and allow the frequencies of the singing bowls, woodwinds, and percussion to support you in finding release, relaxation, and rejuvenation.  Note: No special skills, abilities, or beliefs are required to...

Pique assiette, or “broken plates,” incorporates a blending of color, form, and texture. This folk art can be found in many cultures and is popular today as a way to recycle a favorite piece of china or broken heirloom. Complete a unique mosaic from shards of china, ceramic, or glass.  A supply list is given at the first class, but...

Layered with vegetables and butter, breads are the star of an Indian meal. In this cooking class, make fresh, stuffed, north Indian flatbreads, known as paratha, such as aloo (potato), gobi (cauliflower), paneer (cottage cheese), palak (spinach), and lachha (layered) paratha.  You will learn dough preparation, how to cook the bread, and suggestions...

Escape from the rigors of winter by exploring the world of tropical plants. Expand your mastery of colored pencil while working from unique tropical plant specimens. You will experience the joy of vibrant color offered by orchids, proteas, ginger, birds of paradise, or anthuriums. Composition and colored pencil technique will be evaluated each week...

Join Project Runway alumnus Justin LeBlanc as he shows examples of basic embroidery designs and tells us about his experiences at Project Runway and the couture fashion house, Alexander McQueen.  In this beginner's workshop, he will teach you techniques and tricks as you learn the basic art of embroidery for your next project!  All materials,...

Breathe deeply while moving and stretching to release tension and balance the body in a space lit by candles.  Then, settle into a restorative posture and practice yoga sleep, also known as yoga nidra, a deeply restful meditation where you are verbally led through deeper stages of consciousness that systematically integrate body, energy, and...

Discover the possibilities of cooking gluten-free with chickpeas—high in both fiber and protein.  You will learn how to incorporate the vibrant flavors of India in a variety of different gluten-free dishes including chickpea avocado salad and chickpea masala curry served with basmati rice. 

Using flash can lighten and brighten the subject, but using it incorrectly can distort the image or cause the dreaded red-eye. Learn where, when, and how to use flash indoors and outdoors. Bring your DSLR camera and an external flash, if you have one.

Sashiko is the traditional Japanese art of decorative textile mending using intricate and beautiful stitchwork. In this workshop, you will learn beginner Sashiko stitching techniques with hands-on guidance from Justin LeBlanc, a fashion designer with an appreciation for everything worn and mendable.  All materials are included.

You will create a 22- x 30-inch painting of one large orchid or a grouping of different colored orchids. With this high impact painting, you will learn how to compose, how to scale up from studies and how to use large brushes for maximum effect. You will work from both live orchids and photos.  All media welcome.  A supply list will be...

Pursue your passion for macro photography in this class that goes beyond the basics of close-up photography.  Topics will include aspect ratios, subject placement, macro focusing, and lighting techniques for maximum image sharpness. Then we will use this knowledge to photograph a different area of the Orchid Show.  For this class, these items...

Study more than 60 different deciduous flowering shrubs (and their cultivars and related species) suitable for commercial landscape and home garden use in the Chicago region. Identification, cultural information, aesthetic qualities, and landscape uses of both common and more unusual shrubs will be emphasized.  Upon completing this course, you...