Garden Classes in Chicago, IL

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Explore the basic principles underlying successful, environmentally friendly gardening, including the structure and physiological processes of plants and their relationships to the settings in which they grow. Students learn not only what to do, but why. Topics...

Online and Onsite Hybrid Course Learn tips and techniques used by professional gardeners through a combination of lecture and hands-on activities. Acquire solid gardening skills, learn a variety of techniques, and determine best management practices in the field of horticulture. Gain applicable skills in plant selection, spring assessment and planning,...

This class will cover pruning Japanese upright maples (fan pruning), Japanese laceleaf maples (shell pruning), pruning pines (cloud pruning) and shearing masses of lower story plants. This lecture series is designed for those who work in landscape maintenance. Each lecture provides information on tools and techniques for quality pruning with better...

This is a two hour slideshow on tree pruning (not including fruit or nut trees). How to prune a tree limb will be covered, including branch collar identification and the basics of compartmentalization. Also discussed--early training of trees, included bark, double leaders, ANSI tree pruning standards, crown cleaning, crown raising, utility line clearance...

This class covers pruning and management of some of our most common ornamental vines: wisteria, common varieties of clematis, Boston ivy/Virginia creeper, honeysuckle, and trumpet vine. This lecture series is designed for those who work in landscape maintenance. Each lecture provides information on tools and techniques for quality pruning with...

This two hour slideshow covers the three main forms of mal-pruning: tree topping, inappropriate shearing of trees and shrubs, and over-thinning. Then we compare and contrast mal-pruning with bona-fide examples of pruning art: pollarding, cloud pruning, topiary, pleaching, and coppicing. The class ends on a humorous note as slides are shown of "The...

This slideshow describes the three most common forms of mal-pruning (tree topping, over-thinning of trees and shrubs, and inappropriate shearing) and how to fix trees and shrubs which have been mal-pruned. This is an advanced course and those attending should already be familiar with principles of selective pruning. Included is discussion of water-sprouts,...

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Whether in a shady corner or a sunny border, selecting the right plant combinations makes the difference between a ho-hum garden and one that gets rave reviews. Concentrating on perennials, learn to use color, texture, height, and bloom when combining plants...

Understand how the qualities of soil affect the overall productivity of plants and make sustainable gardening practices possible. Practical application of theory is stressed. Topics include soil formation, physical properties of soil, soil-water relationships, and management techniques such as irrigation, drainage, and fertilization. Basic soil sampling,...

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Perfume can be traced back thousands of years to an Ancient Egyptian tradition, beloved by Cleopatra. Discover the history of perfume and the therapeutic benefits of essential oils in this hands-on workshop. Learn scent-blending techniques and how to identify...

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Whether you have a terrace, rooftop, or tiny backyard, learn how to grow the most veggies in the space you have. Discover the best practices for successful small-space gardening from soil preparation to container selection and bed design, crop choices, and tips...

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Discover how to beat the heat this summer with botanicals. Whether it's learning which herbs to include in a homemade sun protection cream, or which teas to drink when you need to stay cool and rehydrate, this class will walk you through all the basics of summer...

Become a Plant Crime Scene Investigator (CSI)! Learn about key plant diseases and insect pests that can cause problems for favorite trees and shrubs in the landscape. Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are wonderful specimen trees in the landscape, showing off many form and color variations. Yet often stems will die back, and sometimes even large limbs...

This foundation course will give you the tools to begin to create and realize your garden and landscaping ideas. From the initial sketch to a unified garden design, this course will include the indoor-outdoor connection. The course will review the elements within the garden design typology. A review of the "softs-cape" comprising the animate (living),...

This class will take place online. Registered students will receive login instructions. Designed for students who want a user–friendly introduction to plant science, this course surveys the major groups of plants—flowering plants, conifers, ferns, and bryophytes—focusing on plant form and structure. Learn about the relationships between appearance...