Chicago Botanic Garden

Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden

Classes by Interest    AddThis Feed Button

Winter/Spring class registration for the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden is 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.

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:
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.

Growing Salads Indoors March 13
Organic Lawn Care March 13
Plant Behavior for Gardeners: What's Going On In There?
— NO LONGER AVAILABLE
March 13
Plant Behavior for Gardeners: All About Foliage and Flowers March 20
Plant Behavior for Gardeners: The Fight for Survival March 27
Plant Behavior for Gardeners: The Next Generation April 3
Arborvitae, Juniper, and Yews March 13
Gardening Techniques: Session C March 20 – April 24
Clematis Up Close March 20
Backstage Pass: Flowering Spring Celebrities March 21
Growing Ornamental Plant Materials March 23 – May 4
Let's Grow Together!NEW SESSION March 27, May 15, July 24, September 25
Hardy Bulbs — Lecture Series
   Hardy Bulbs — Thursday Walks
   Hardy Bulbs — Saturday Walks
March 30 – May 11
April 1 – May 6
April 3 – May 8
Living Pansy Wreath Workshop April 7
Flower Towers April 20
An Introduction to Mushrooms April 22, 29 and May 8
Magnolias April 24
Topiaries for your Garden April 28
The Care and Feeding of Trees April 29
What's in a Name? Beginning Latin for Gardeners May 1
Lilacs May 5
Advanced What's in a Name? May 8
Gorgeous Container Gardens (Morning Session)
Gorgeous Container Gardens (Afternoon Session)
May 12
Organic Pest Control May 15
Success with Trees and Shrubs May 15
Crabapples May 15
English Troughs May 18
Small Flowering Trees — Lecture Series
   Small Flowering Trees — Thursday Walks
   Small Flowering Trees — Saturday Walks
May 18 – July 13
May 20 – July 8
May 22 – July 10
Herbal Sconce Basket: Walk and Workshop May 26
Growing Fruit Trees and Berries June 1 – July 6
Botany 1 (Afternoon Sessions)
Botany 1 (Evening Sessions)
June 7 – July 14
All About Allium June 12
Roses for Chicagoland June 12
Recognizing Sedges in the Field June 18
Gardening Techniques: Session D June 19 – July 31
Bonsai Cultivation  
Bonsai: Beginner — Basics and Fundamentals April 11 – May 16
Bonsai: Novice — Development Techniques April 7 – May 12
Bonsai: Intermediate — Refinement Techniques April 10 – May 15
Bonsai: Advanced — Presentation Quality Efforts April 11 – May 16
Container Gardening Classes  
Spring Containers at the Garden April 22
Summer Containers at the Garden June 16
Summer Containers at the Garden June 17
Autumn Containers at the Garden September 16
Winter Containers at the Garden December 1
REGISTER FOR THE FULL SERIES  
Weekend Gardener Series  
Fruit Trees for the Beginner February 27
Brambles and Berries for the Beginner March 6
Pruning Principles March 14
Growing Vegetables is "Cool" March 20
Get Started with Perennials March 27
Spring Lawn Care for Homeowners April 3
Growing Warm-Season Vegetables in a Small Space April 24
Planting Techniques May 1
Get Started with Annuals May 8
Summer Garden Maintenance May 23
Gardening in Containers June 19
The ABCs of Trees June 26
Wild World of Weeds July 18

 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.

A Year of Wildflowers February 23
Botany 1 (Afternoon Sessions)
Botany 1 (Evening Sessions)
March 1 – April 7
Transforming Spaces into Eco-Friendly Places March 6
Botanica Magnifica: Stories of the World's Most Extraordinary Flowers and Plants March 19
Spring Bird Walk 1
Spring Bird Walk 2
Spring Bird Walk 3
April 3
May 1
May 22
Plantings for the Birds: How to Attract Them Year-Round April 22
Botanical Art: Sketchbook Studies of the Spring Wildflowers April 24 – May 29
Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois April 24, May 1
A Tale of a Secret Garden and Native Species Conservation April 25
Woodland Wildflower Walk May 1
Botanical Walk at Ryerson Woods May 5
Bird Walk at Reed-Turner Woodland Nature Preserve May 8
A Walk in the Wildflowers May 9
Botany 1 (Afternoon Sessions)
Botany 1 (Evening Sessions)
June 7 – July 14
Northwoods Conservation Service Trip June 16 – June 21

 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 Prairie School: Architecture and Landscape March 3 – April 7
Transforming Spaces into Eco-Friendly Places March 6
Garden Design Studio March 10 – May 12
The Front Lawn Challenge: Taking a New Look at an Old Space March 20
Landscaping City Parkways March 25
Project Basics March 25 – May 20
Designing with Color, Texture, and Form March 27
The American Kitchen Garden April 24
Modern Garden History April 25 – July 11
Experiencing Design April 26 – June 28
The Founding Fathers and the American Environment May 13 – 27
Beatrix Farrand: Private Gardens, Public Landscapes May 23
Chicago's Contemporary Urban Landscape Tour June 18
Moonlight Garden Walk June 24
Hands-On Gardening Series  
Divide and Conquer Your Perennials June 12
Pruning: Correct, Shape, and Deadhead July 17
Mulching and Edging August 14

 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.

Pastels: Landscapes and Flowers February 21 – March 14
Botanical Drawing 1 February 23 – April 13
Botanical Art: Drawing and Painting on Black or Colored Paper February 26 – April 2
Jewelry Workshop March 2 – 23
Color in Nature March 5 – April 9
Awaken the Artist Within You March 6
Large Organic Bowl Workshop March 7
Garden Art Mosaic Workshop March 11 – April 1
The Magical World of Floral Close-Ups March 12
Floral Close-Up Photography with Allen Rokach March 13
Beginning Silk Painting March 15
Renaissance Painting Techniques March 16 – April 27
Botanica Magnifica: Stories of the World's Most Extraordinary Flowers and Plants March 19
Watercolor 1 April 19 – May 24
Beginning Flower Arranging April 20 – May 11
Plein Air Watercolor: In the Greenhouse and Gardens April 22 – May 27
Landscape Watercolors April 22 – May 27
Painting Challenges: Berries, Buds, Leaves & White Flowers April 23 – 25
Botanical Art: Sketchbook Studies of the Spring Wildflowers April 24 – May 29
Photography Essentials: Composition, Form, and Artistry in Your Images April 25 – May 23
Photography Portfolio Workshop April 26
Drawing and Painting with Mark McMahon May 1 – 22
Willow Workshop: Plant Stand
Willow Workshop: Garden Bench
Willow Workshop: Garden Accessories
Willow Workshop: Sassy Chair
Willow Workshop: Historical Bent Willow Chair
Willow Workshop: Garden Arbor
May 1
Garden Sculpture Workshop: The Rhythms of Stone May 4 – 7
Outdoor Sketching May 7 – June 11
Environmental Art, Then and Now May 14 – June 18
Beginning Bookbinding May 25
Expressive Watercolor June 6 – July 19
Plein Air Watercolor Workshop in Lurie Garden June 7 – June 28
Botany for Botanical Artists June 10 – July 8

 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.

Movement Therapy for Gardeners — NO LONGER AVAILABLE March 5
Battle of the Zoophytes: Medieval and Renaissance Science in the Lendhardt Library March 20
Being Present in your Garden March 23
A Tale of a Secret Garden and Native Species Conservation April 25
Culinary Classes  
Cooking Thai Cuisine February 23
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegars:
The Culinary Dynamic Duo
March 25
Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois April 24 – May 1

 

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.