Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden
Classes by Interest
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.
| 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 |
| FULL SERIES (at a 10 percent discount) |
| Weekend Gardener Series | |
|---|---|
| Botany for Beginners | January 23 |
| Houseplant How-Tos | February 7 |
| Soils: Where Are Your Roots? | February 13 |
| Starting from Seed | February 20 |
| 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 |
| FULL SERIES (at a 10 percent discount) |
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.
| Botany 2 | January 11 – February 17 |
| Botany for Beginners | January 23 |
| Owl Prowl at Reed-Turner Woodland Nature Preserve | January 29 |
| 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 |
| Bird Walk at Reed-Turner Woodland Nature Preserve | May 8 |
| Botany 1 (Afternoon Sessions) Botany 1 (Evening Sessions) |
June 7 – July 14 |
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.
| Project Management | January 13 – March 3 |
| Graphics | January 14 – March 18 |
| Early Garden History | January 31 – April 11 |
| Discovering Design | February 1 – April 5 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| The Weekend Designer Series | |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Design Principles | January 20 |
| Foundation Planting Design | January 27 |
| Front Yard Design | February 3 |
| Backyard Design | February 10 |
| From the Drawing Board to the Border | February 17 |
| FULL SERIES (at a 10 percent discount) |
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.)
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.
| Meditation in the Garden | February 17 – March 10 |
| Harry Potter's Herbology: The Renaissance Science of Plants | February 20 |
| Movement Therapy for Gardeners | 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.
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