This popular holiday exhibition runs from Nov. 27, 2009 through Jan. 3, 2010 and features new landmarks and fun outdoor winter activities including ice skating on the Esplanade and snowshoeing in McDonald Woods.

Held in the Regenstein Center, Wonderland Express features garden-scale trains winding their way over bridges, under trestles, past waterfalls and detailed landscapes with more than 80 miniature versions of Chicago’s favorite landmarks.

New this year is the Union Stockyards’ Old Stone Gate, President Barack Obama’s Hyde Park home and Michelle Obama’s childhood home. Interpretive signs sprinkled throughout the exhibition give fun facts about Chicago’s history and architecture.

Realistic snow falls throughout the exhibition.

Made from all-natural materials, the Old Stone Gate is crafted out of walnut shells, poppy seeds and beech bark, and is topped off with magnolia leaves, pine cone scales, and leaves from a burning bush. The Gate’s iconic cow head, situated in the center of the Gate, is made from gourd seeds, peppercorns and sycamore leaf stems.

The front of the Obama’s Hyde Park home is layered with white pine bark and catalpa beans, which gives the illusion of a brick facade. Miniature flower pots made out of burr oak caps and acorns rest upon the front steps that are fashioned out of palm stems and sea grape leaves.

The home’s front porch is constructed out of Chinese honeysuckle, eucalyptus leaves, okra seeds, and magnolia and lotus pod stems. The bricks in Michelle Obama’s childhood home are actually pine tree bark and the dormers are crafted out of redbud seed pods.

Returning this year are visitor favorites including Navy Pier, Soldier Field, Millennium Park and the Shedd Aquarium.

The experience starts outdoors, where the Garden grounds have been transformed into a grand winter wonderland of trees and shrubs, dramatically-lit with over 750,000 energy-efficient LED lights.

This year, the Garden is reusing approximately fifty-percent of the outdoor LED lights from last year which cuts down on cost and refuse.

The esplanade features a 40-foot tree, lit with multi-colored lights, surrounded by large lit spheres that appear to be ornaments fallen from the tree.

Indoors, the Regenstein Center is a magical wonderland of trains, plants and architecture. The Greenhouses are specially lit, including the palm tree trunks in the South Greenhouse, and decorated with beautiful holiday plants.

Gracing the walls of the Greenhouse Galleries are wreaths designed by area florists, shops and the Garden’s own talented horticulturists. Decking the Joutras Gallery are holiday trees decorated by local designers and a gingerbread train depot.

The Bridge Gallery features behind-the-scenes photographs of the exhibition designers, Paul Busse and Applied Imagination, Alexandria, Ky., creating the landmarks in their workshop.

The Krehbiel Gallery features an English country train platform with an old-world feel, including more trains and landmarks found on Chicago’s North Shore. A slide show chronicling the construction of the exhibition is shown in the Alsdorf Auditorium for those who don’t want to end the journey just yet.

Visitors can enjoy a light lunch, snack or dinner at the Caboose Café in Burnstein Hall or in the Garden Café. The Garden Shop features an array of extraordinary gifts, including a book on Wonderland Express, amidst the exquisite holiday décor during exhibition hours.

Ice Skating and Snowshoeing

For the first time at the Chicago Botanic Garden there will be ice skating and snowshoeing activities during Wonderland Express.

Starting Nov. 27, 2009 through Jan. 31, 2010, the Esplanade will be transformed into an ice rink (weather permitting) and visitors are encouraged to display their best ice skating moves amongst the Garden’s snowy backdrop.

Ice skating hours during Wonderland Express are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, Jan. 9 through 31, 2010 plus on Monday, Jan. 18. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 3-12. Members save $1. Visitors must bring their own skates.

If lacing up skates in not your thing, then lace up your snowshoes and take advantage of the serene McDonald Woods in winter (weather permitting) during daylight hours only.

Upon entering the Garden, visitors will be supplied with a snowshoeing route map of the Woods. There is no cost to explore McDonald Woods on snowshoes which begins on Nov. 27, 2009 through Mar. 31, 2010. Visitors must bring their own snow shoes.

Wonderland Express/Ice Skating combination tickets are available for purchase. Cost is $12.50 for adults and $9.50 for children ages 3-12. Members save $2.50.

Visit chicagobotanic.org/skate for more information and daily ice conditions.

Special Events

Other special events include Christmas Breakfast with Santa, Christmas Supper with Santa, Hot Chocolate with Mrs. Claus, and a Hanukkah Dinner.

Christmas Breakfast with Santa is from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20, and includes a buffet breakfast, visit with Santa and exhibition viewing before public hours.

Christmas Supper with Santa is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 21 and 22, and includes a buffet dinner, visit with Santa and exhibition viewing after public hours. Hot Chocolate with Mrs. Claus is at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Dec. 21 and 22 in the Linnaeus and Fairchild Rooms.

A Hanukkah Dinner will be held on Sunday, Dec. 13 at a family-friendly time of 4:30 p.m. and a more adult-friendly time of 7 p.m. and features a buffet dinner, 6 p.m. concert by the Spirit Orchestra featuring Randi Simon and Bernie Warman, and exhibition viewing after public hours.

Tickets for these special events will be available to members only from October 19 through November 5 online and onsite at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center.

Starting Nov. 6, special event tickets will be available to the general public.

Visit chicagobotanic.org/wonderland for more information, ticket pricing and to order tickets.

Family Programs

“Winter Wonders,” a family drop-in activity that is free for ticket holders, will be held in Burnstein Hall from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27, Saturday and Sunday from Nov. 28 through Dec. 5.

From Sunday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 20 activity hours are from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Monday, Dec. 21 through Sunday, Jan. 3 (closed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 24 and all day Dec. 25).

There are no activities on Dec. 13. Station-based, hands-on activities include exploring snowflakes, conifer branches and cones, making bird feeders with natural materials and more.

There will be special drop in activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays, Dec. 1, 8 and 15 for families with children ages 2-5. Children will learn about snow, animals in winter and much more through hands-on activities after visiting the Wonderland Express exhibition.

Families can explore all the different plants and plant parts needed to make gingerbread people during the Weekend Family Class, “Joyful Gingerbread,” on Saturdays, Dec. 12 and 19.

Children can take home a ginger plant, decorate cookies, and mix up a batch of gingerbread to bake at home. Classes are from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. or from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden Classroom.

Programs are designed for families with children ages 4-10. Fees per class are $20 for children; Chicago Botanic Garden members pay $17 for children.

Accompanying adults are free and required; limit of three children per adult. Parking fee is waived for program participants. Registration is required at least one week in advance and is available online or via mail.

For more information, visit chicagobotanic.org/forfamilies.

Wonderland Express hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3, 2010 (closed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 3 and 24 and all day Dec. 25).

Exhibition tickets are available for the general public on Oct. 19 onsite at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center and online at chicagobotanic.org/wonderland. Cost is $10 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+). Members pay $8 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+).

Admission to Wonderland Express on Tuesdays through Dec. 23 is free. All ticket purchases are timed for entry. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members.

Wonderland Express is sponsored by ComEd and Harris Bank. Free Tuesdays are sponsored by Grainger. Additional support has been provided by the Lake Forest Country Day School.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is particularly proud to be partnering with ComEd in the use of all energy-efficient LED lighting for Wonderland Express.

For more information on Wonderland Express, call (847) 835-5440, or visit the Garden’s Web site at chicagobotanic.org/wonderland.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.

With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members.

The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill.

Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

Wonderland Express Celebrates Its Fourth Year; Exhibition Features Replica of President Obama’s Hyde Park Home, Trains, Chicago Landmarks | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Set in and among the Garden’s 10,000-square-foot indoor winter exhibition of garden-scale trains, winter flora and over 80 iconic Chicago landmarks, this evening sets the tone for celebrating the season.

Wonderland Express is a popular holiday exhibition in the Regenstein Center and throughout the grounds of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

New landmarks added to the train exhibition this year include the Union Stockyards’ Old Stone Gate, President Barack Obama’s Hyde Park home and Michelle Obama’s childhood home.

Returning landmarks include Navy Pier, Soldier Field, Millennium Park and the Shedd Aquarium.

Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner, prepared by Calihan Catering, at 8 p.m.

Tickets begin at $375 per person. Table packages are available. Call (847) 835-6944 for tickets and information. All Aboard! benefits the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center, which will provide state-of-the-art laboratories and teaching facilities for more than 200 Ph.D. scientists, land managers, students and interns whose research is critical to fulfill the Garden’s efforts to save our planet, by saving our plants.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, IL. For more information about any of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s programs and events, call (847) 835-5440, or visit chicagobotanic.org.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr.

For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.

With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply.

Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill.

Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Woman’s Board of the Chicago Horticultural Society Presents “All Aboard! Wonderland Express” Dinner | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Christmas Supper with Santa, Christmas Breakfast with Santa and Hot Chocolate with Mrs. Claus are three events that get families into the holiday spirit. Supper with Santa and Breakfast with Santa each include a buffet meal, a visit with Santa and Wonderland Express exhibition viewing after or before public hours.

Hot Chocolate with Mrs. Claus includes hot chocolate, light snacks, storytelling with Mrs. Claus and Wonderland Express exhibition viewing. Tickets will be available to the general public starting Nov. 5 online, and on site at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center.

Tickets are on sale now for Chicago Botanic Garden members.

Christmas Supper with Santa is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, December 21 and 22. The buffet in Burnstein Hall includes entree selections of roast beef with a rosemary demi-glace and turkey galantine with gravy.

Specialty selections include green beans with red peppers and toasted almonds, Caesar salad with grilled croutons, and French baguettes with butter. Children’s selections include chicken fingers with honey mustard and barbeque dipping sauce, cheese macaroni and tater tots.

Dessert selections feature assorted holiday cookies, petite pastries including pecan and lemon bites, fruit-filled kolaches, and chocolate covered strawberries. A cash bar is available with beer and wine. Cost is $38 for adults, $32 for children (3-12), free for ages 2 and under.

Christmas Breakfast with Santa is from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20. The buffet includes freshly baked cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, and bagels served with cream cheese, butter and preserves, turkey sausage links and smoked bacon, roasted potatoes, scrambled eggs and waffles with vanilla scented strawberries, and maple syrup on the side.

Cost is $26 for adults, $20 for children (3-12), free for ages 2 and under.

Hot Chocolate with Mrs. Claus is at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 21 and 22 in the Linnaeus and Fairchild rooms. Children and their families listen to Christmas stories recited by Mrs. Claus while sipping on delicious hot chocolate and snacking on assorted holiday cookies. Cost is $15 for both adults and children (ages 3-12), free for children 2 and under.

Wonderland Express is a magical trip to a winter wonderland of twinkling lights, garden-scale trains, miniature Chicago landmarks, beautiful horticulture displays and indoor snowfall.

This popular holiday exhibition in the Regenstein Center features detailed landscapes with more than 80 miniature versions of Chicago’s favorite landmarks all made with natural materials. New this year is the Union Stockyards’ Old Stone Gate, President Barack Obama’s Hyde Park home and Michelle Obama’s childhood home.

Wonderland Express hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3, 2010 (closed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 3 and 24, and all day Dec. 25).

Exhibition tickets are available now onsite at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center and online at chicagobotanic.org/wonderland.

Cost is $10 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+). Members pay $8 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+). Admission to Wonderland Express on Tuesdays through Dec. 23 is free. All ticket purchases are timed for entry. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members.

Wonderland Express is sponsored by ComEd and Harris Bank. Free Tuesdays are sponsored by Grainger. Additional support has been provided by the Lake Forest Country Day School.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is particularly proud to be partnering with ComEd in the use of all energy-efficient LED lighting for Wonderland Express.

For more information on Wonderland Express, call 847-835-5440, or visit the Garden’s Web site at chicagobotanic.org/wonderland.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.

With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill.

Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Melissa Schuler, 847-835-6829
mschuler@chicagobotanic.org

Visit with Santa at Chicago Botanic Garden’s Wonderland Express; Holiday Exhibition Features Trains, Chicago Landmarks | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Hanukkah Dinner on Dec. 13 features a buffet dinner at 4:30 and 7 p.m., a 6 p.m. concert by the Spirit Orchestra featuring Randi Simon and Bernie Warman, and Wonderland Express exhibition viewing after public hours.

The Spirit Orchestra featuring Randi Simon and Bernie Warman will be performing an eclectic mix of Israeli, Klezmer, Chassidic, swing, Motown and contemporary music. Tickets will be available starting Nov. 5 online and onsite at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center.

Tickets are on sale now for Chicago Botanic Garden members.

The Hanukkah Dinner is offered at two times on Sunday, Dec. 13: a family-friendly time of 4:30 p.m. and a more adult-friendly time of 7 p.m. The buffet includes entree selections of seared salmon with fine herbs and a white wine sauce, slow-roasted beef brisket and a mixed-greens house salad with mustard vinaigrette.

Specialty selections include potato latkes with applesauce and Israeli couscous. Children’s selections include chicken tenders with honey mustard and barbeque dipping sauce, penne pasta with marinara sauce and fresh fruit kebobs. Dessert selections include chocolate chip mandel bread, driedel cookies and rugelah.

This is not a kosher meal, but there is a vegetarian/fish alternative. A cash bar is available with beer and wine.

Cost is $38 for adults, $32 for children (3-12), free for ages 2 and under.

Wonderland Express is a magical trip to a winter wonderland of twinkling lights, garden-scale trains, miniature Chicago landmarks, beautiful horticulture displays and indoor snowfall.

This popular holiday exhibition in the Regenstein Center features detailed landscapes with more than 80 miniature versions of Chicago’s favorite landmarks all made with natural materials. New this year is the Union Stockyards’ Old Stone Gate, President Barack Obama’s Hyde Park home and Michelle Obama’s childhood home.

Wonderland Express hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3, 2010 (closed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 3 and 24 and all day Dec. 25).

Exhibition tickets are available now onsite at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center and online at chicagobotanic.org/wonderland.

Cost is $10 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+). Members pay $8 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+).

Admission to Wonderland Express on Tuesdays through Dec. 22 is free. All ticket purchases are timed for entry. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members.

Wonderland Express is sponsored by ComEd and Harris Bank. Free Tuesdays are sponsored by Grainger. Additional support has been provided by the Lake Forest Country Day School. The Chicago Botanic Garden is particularly proud to be partnering with ComEd in the use of all energy-efficient LED lighting for Wonderland Express.

For more information on Wonderland Express and tickets to the Hanukkah Dinner, call (847) 835-5440, or visit the Garden’s Web site at chicagobotanic.org/wonderland.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.

With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill.

Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Melissa Schuler, 847-835-6829
mschuler@chicagobotanic.org

Hanukkah Dinner Held at Chicago Botanic Garden on Dec. 13; Includes Wonderland Express Exhibition Viewing | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Ice skating hours are from 10am to 7pm from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3, 2010, and from 10am to 4pm on weekends from Jan. 9 through 31 and on Monday, Jan. 18, 2010. Snowshoeing hours are from 10am to sunset from Nov. 27, 2009, through March 31, 2010. Visitors must bring their own skates and snowshoes.

The ice rink will be set up on the larger lawn of the Esplanade and will have short walls surrounding the perimeter. Skaters can practice their double-axels, arabesques, and Lutz jumps among the Garden’s wintry backdrop (weather permitting), which includes a 40-foot tree lit with multicolored LED lights.

The tree is surrounded by large lit spheres that appear to be ornaments fallen from the tree. Additionally, the trunks of the elm trees that line the Esplanade will be wrapped with white lights. Visitors are encouraged to visit www.chicagobotanic.org/skate for information on rink availability.

Also this winter, the Garden will open McDonald Woods to snowshoeing enthusiasts (weather permitting). Upon entering the Garden, visitors will be supplied with a snowshoeing route map of the Woods and directed to parking lots 3 and 4, as they are the closest to the McDonald Woods trail.

McDonald Woods is a 100-acre naturally occurring oak woodland community that is home to 400 native plant species and 100 bird species. There are two connecting trails within McDonald Woods that offer a unique opportunity for snowshoers to see and experience the beauty of an oak woodland in winter.

Be sure and look out for winter-dwelling birds including Downey Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Cedar Waxwings. There is no cost to explore McDonald Woods on snowshoes.

Both ice skating and snowshoeing activities are weather permitting. Ice skating on the Esplanade costs $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 3-12. Members save $1 per ticket. Wonderland Express/Ice Skating combination tickets are also available for purchase.

Cost is $13 for adults and $10 for children ages 3-12. Members save $2 per ticket. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. For more information visit chicagobotanic.org/calendar/winter or call 847-835-5440.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25.

Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill.

Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Melissa Schuler, 847-835-6829
mschuler@chicagobotanic.org

Chicago Botanic Garden Offers Outdoor Ice Skating and Snowshoeing Activities This Winter | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

More than 500 guests attended, raising nearly $325,000 for the Center for Teaching and Learning, which provides educational programs for teachers and youth from prekindergarten through 12th grade. Through these programs, the Garden seeks to inspire a lifelong interest in science and respect for our environment.

Event co-chairs, Guild members Laura Anderson, Lindsey Axel and Shawna Owen, greeted guests as they entered the cocktail reception and silent auction in Nichols Hall. Guests bid on more than 90 auction items in categories such as “Great Escapes,” “Date Night,” “Game On!,” “Sweet Child of Mine,” and “Happy Home and Hostess.”

After the silent auction, guests walked to a tent on the Esplanade where a live auction was held over dinner.

Domestic and international vacation packages were auctioned, including a trip to Australia entitled “Live It Up Down Under: Australia Trip of a Lifetime!;” one week in the city and the countryside in “Tally Ho-Let’s Go England!;” and a chance to throw out the first pitch at a 2010 Cubs home game in “Hey Batter Batter….Sa-wing Batta!”

Another auction item that received a lot of interest was a cocktail party for 50 people organized by Chicago’s party planning pro Claudia McLaughlin and catered by Calihan Catering.

The pavilion was dominated by giant centerpieces of pink and yellow dahlias and stunning topiaries hanging above the dance floor, all designed by Bukiety. Dinner, prepared by Calihan Catering, began with a roasted vegetable terrine with Farmer Jones vegetable sauté.

The main course was tenderloin of beef with mushroom demi-glace, local harvest haricot vert, yellow and fava beans and Ohio late harvest scallion buttermilk mash potatoes. Dessert was a Michigan raspberry lemon zabaglione and chocolate pot de crème with whipped cream and chocolate gold green garnish.

Lynne Jordan and the Shivers kept the dance floor filled through the night.

The annual Ball, attended by more than 500 of Chicago’s civic leaders, has raised more than $2.2 million to date for the Garden’s education, environmental, and children’s programs. Established in 1998, the Guild supports the Garden through service projects as well as fundraising events.

Led by co-presidents Jay Owen, Jr., Chicago, and Joe Brickman of Lake Forest, the group has more than 100 members representing a diverse group of young leaders from the Chicago area.

Support for the Harvest Ball was provided by American Airlines, Assouline, Gary Poppins, Great Western Beef, Moët & Chandon, Swirlz Cupcakes, and Veranda Magazine. For more information about the Guild or the Harvest Ball, call (847) 835-6830.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.

With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25.

Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Guild of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Annual Harvest Ball Raises $325,000 for Teaching and Learning | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The area’s oldest, largest and most unique fiber art event will be held in the Regenstein Center.

Known for its distinctive fiber art, from original quilts to wall hangings, clothing, dolls, fabrics and beadwork, the event is hosted by Illinois Quilters, Inc., North Suburban NeedleArts Guild and Weavers Guild of the North Shore.

A complimentary opening night, including early buying privileges, is held from 6:30 to 9pm on Thursday, Nov. 5.

“Fiber and plants share a history that goes back thousands of years, which makes the Garden a most appropriate setting for this show,” says Stephanie Lindemann, Manager of Flower Shows, Chicago Botanic Garden. “Plant materials were used in the construction of fabric, baskets, even shelter – and are to this day. Until the 1850s, all textiles were dyed by natural plants and materials. Today, fiber artists continue the long history of using plant materials to create woven, embellished, knitted and quilted pieces.”

Visitors can view an exhibit of more than 150 pieces, including quilts, various types of needle arts, knitting, weaving, wearable art, dolls and jewelry.

Sales boutiques offer a wide variety of items for sale, such as woven and knitted items, wearable art pieces, traditional and contemporary quilts, handmade holiday and gift items and much more.

This year’s show will feature a special exhibit from Women’s Journeys in Fiber titled, “Ten Easy Pieces: Reflection of Life.” Fashion shows, a lecture, silent auction and raffle are also included.

The show, sales boutiques and demonstrations are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day in the Regenstein Center. A lecture by Debbie Wada of Kasuri Dyeworks titled, “Japanese Textiles” will be held at 1pm on Friday.

A silent auction of unique, hand-made pieces will be held from 10am to 3pm daily. Great Wear Fashion Shows are presented at 11 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Items seen during the fashion show are available for purchase.

Admission to the Garden and to all Fine Art of Fiber events is free. Parking is $20; free for members. For more information, visit the event website at fineartoffiber.org, call (847) 835-5440, or visit the Garden’s website.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr.

For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.

With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply.

Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill.

Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

Chicago Botanic Garden Presents “Fine Art of Fiber” Event With Show, Sale, Lectures and Demonstrations Nov. 6-8 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Spooky Pooch Parade is from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. For two very special hours only, dogs are allowed in the Garden.

Cleverly costumed canines march the parade route to celebrate the season. Spectators are invited to line the parade route for a barking good time.

In addition to the parade, activities include the costume contest, judging and an awards ceremony. Costume categories include: “Best Overall Halloween Costume”; “Best Dog/Owner Look-Alike”; “Best Puppy” for dogs in people years one and under; “Best Senior” for dogs in people years 10 and older; and “Best Horticultural Interpretation.”

This year’s panel of judges include, Lee Ann Trotter, entertainment reporter for WMAQ-TV; Mike Caplan, weather anchor for WLS-TV; Susan Randstrom, garden columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times; Tim Johnson, director of horticulture for the Chicago Botanic Garden; and Sandy Wisniewski, founder and director of Animal Education and Rescue in Lake County. Emceeing this year’s parade will be Ed Curran, meteorologist for WBBM-TV.

Nonprofits and vendors from a variety of local pet supply shops will share information and sell dog-related products. The parade steps off from the Esplanade, where the activities and costume contest take place.

Dogs must be on leash at all times and leave the Garden by 3 p.m.

Registration prices are $14 in advance; $19 at the door. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members.

Parade spectators pay for parking only. Registration forms, complete with the dog-gone rules, will be available at the Information Desk at the Visitor Center, or on our website at chicagobotanic.org/dog.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.

With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply.

Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill.

Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Popular Dog Parade Moves from Winter to Fall; Chicago Botanic Garden Presents Spooky Pooch Parade Oct. 31 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

This grant is designed to preserve, protect, perpetuate and enhance nongame wildlife and native plant resources of Illinois through preservation of a satisfactory environment and an ecological balance. POC is a regional rare plant monitoring program designed to assess long-term trends in rare plants species.

Co-founded in 2000 by Susanne Masi, manager of regional floristics at the Chicago Botanic Garden, POC monitors plants in eight counties of northeastern Illinois including Cook, Lake, DuPage, McHenry, Kane, Will, Kendall and Kankakee.

It is a collaboration of trained volunteers, “citizen scientists,” working together with land managers and scientists. The data collected provides land managers with information that helps them set management goals for species within a community context and evaluate management practices.

“POC was created to meet the needs expressed in Chicago Wilderness’ Biodiversity Recovery Plan (1999) to monitor endangered and threatened species throughout the region,” said Ms. Masi. “Nothing of this scale and scope had been done before. We rely on our citizen scientists to leverage the scarce resources of public and private agencies.”

The POC program is founded on four core tenets:

• Monitor endangered, threatened, and locally rare plant species using standardized protocols.
• Assess long-term trends in rare plant populations in response to management activities and/or threats to populations.
• Train volunteers as citizen scientists to monitor rare plant populations and become conservation advocates.
• Provide information on population trends and potential threats to the populations to public and private landowners, land managers, and agencies as feedback to help determine future management practices.

Since its inception in 2000, the program has grown exponentially. POC has trained more than 450 citizen scientists; accumulated 9,281 volunteer hours; coordinated with 83 landowners; and monitored 203 endangered, threatened and rare species. The importance of POC’s citizen scientists can not be stressed enough. It is because of the dedication and perseverance of the volunteers that the program continues to thrive.

The opening of the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center will enhance the visibility of the program and help it continue to grow.

The Plant Science Center will also showcase the program as part of the multifaceted approach to plant science undertaken by Garden scientists, which includes ecology, population biology, genetics, and soil science. Additionally, the Plant Science Center’s expanded Herbarium will help POC with identifying monitored species and their associate species.

Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden is free. Select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. For more information about the Garden’s Plants of Concern program visit chicagobotanic.org/research/plant_conservation/rare_plant or call Susanne Masi at 847-835-8269.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 24 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.

With events, programs, and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill.

Visit chicagobotanic.org or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden, and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts.

Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers.

The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Melissa Schuler, 847-835-6829
mschuler@chicagobotanic.org

Chicago Botanic Garden’s “Plants of Concern” Program Receives $28,000 Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund Grant to Protect Illinois’ Rare Plants | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Engaging experts from across the country will address agricultural topics that are at the top of the news cycle, including the impact of farming on global warming, rising food costs, and the organic farm at the White House.

For those who are passionate about food, this event will broaden your view of the issues and how they intertwine to impact our lives.

Bill Kurtis, president of Kurtis Productions and founder of Tallgrass Beef, will speak on the history and geography that shaped our food systems. Ann Wright, senior agricultural policy advisor with the office of Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, will explain the impact of legislation on agricultural systems. Sandra Batie, Elton R. Smith professor of food and agricultural policy at Michigan State University, will explore the complex nature of food supply chains.

Richard Manning, award-winning environmental author and journalist, will look at our agricultural footprint in terms of energy, emissions, water and waste. Chuck Hassebrook, executive director, Center for Rural Affairs, will discuss the changes in opportunities for small farmers and rural communities. Neil Levin, nutrition education manager and product formulator at NOW Foods, will talk about nutritional differences in organic, conventional and biotech foods.

As a special treat, Gale Gand of Tru and Bruce Sherman of North Pond Restaurant will give cooking demonstrations during the program.

Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2009. The symposium will be followed by cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Rose Garden and optional tours of the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden.

Registration is $125. Chicago Botanic Garden or American Institute of Wine & Food members pay $100. Cost for half-day is $80. Chicago Botanic Garden and American Institute of Wine & Food members pay $65. Morning coffee, lunch, evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, parking and handouts are included. Final registration deadline is September 25. To register, or to request a brochure, call 847-835-8261, or visit the Garden’s Web site at chicagobotanic.org/symposia.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at (847) 835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25.

Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call (847) 835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact.

The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

American Institute of Wine & Food and the Chicago Botanic Garden Present Unique, All-Day Food Systems Symposium Oct. 3 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The rating system is based on points accumulated in six major categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. LEED standards increase initial building costs but decrease long-term operating expenses. By choosing to build this way, the Garden demonstrates its ongoing commitment to sustainable building and development practices.

The Plant Science Center is home to the Chicago Botanic Garden’s science and academic programs. The building expands the Garden’s international plant conservation science initiative, and helps to educate the public about the importance of saving the planet by saving plants. In design, construction and operation, the building reflects the Garden’s mission “to promote the enjoyment, understanding and conservation of plants and the natural world.”

The Plant Science Center provides conservation scientists with a fully functional, energy-efficient workplace that has a minimal impact on the surrounding land and lakes. Plants provide us with everything we need to live our lives — the air we breathe, the water we drink, food, clothing, medicine and shelter. Building designers made a commitment to protect these precious resources without sacrificing function, comfort or beauty.

Support for these features has been provided in part by:

• Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation
• Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
• Bureau of Energy and Recycling
• The Siragusa Foundation

LEED Features

Sustainable Sites

Site Development. The design limits impact on the land by raising the building up on 4.5-foot pillars and landscaping the surrounding area with a rainwater glen that collects and filters runoff from the building and adjacent parking areas.

Heat Island Effect. Light-colored roofing and a green roof garden (16,000 square feet) cover more than half the roof area, reducing the heat island effect.

Alternative Transportation. At least seven bicycle racks and two showers are provided for staff to commute via bicycle. Two parking spaces are for hybrid vehicle parking only and two parking spaces are for carpool/vanpool parking only. The Garden already offers a staff shuttle from local commuter rail stations.

Water Efficiency

Water-Efficient Landscaping. A rainwater glen will surround the building to collect rainwater draining from nearby parking areas and filter it within the Garden’s plant community. The green roof garden system holds rainwater to be used later by the plants. Native plants were used in landscaping, reducing the need for irrigation by half, and no potable water is used for irrigation.

Water Use Reduction. The building will use 30 percent less water through selection of plumbing fixtures (low-flow plumbing fixtures and valves).

Energy and Atmosphere

Optimal Energy Performance. Careful attention was paid to the selection of energy-efficient lighting, mechanical equipment, insulation of exterior walls and roof, windows with low-E and high-performance glass, and air-lock vestibules at all entrances. The building temperature is regulated through radiant heating and cooling built into the floor.

On-Site Renewable Energy. Two hundred eight-eight solar photovoltaic panels on the roof will provide 5 percent of the power needed to operate the building. Since the building is a laboratory, it will require a considerable amount of energy, so 5 percent represents a significant energy savings.

Materials and Resources

Construction Waste Management. Seventy-five percent of the construction waste was diverted from disposal. The erosion and sedimentation plan included silt fencing, sediment traps and basins to prevent pollution of the surrounding area.

Recycled Materials. Twenty percent recycled materials (postconsumer and half from preconsumer) were used in the building.

Regional Materials. Ten percent regionally extracted, processed and manufactured materials (within 500 mile radius) were used in the building.

Certified Wood. FSC-certified wood was used for half the value of all wood used on the project.
Materials Reuse. Trees that were removed from the building site are now seen in the planters and a wall in the library. Ground tires are seen as flooring in the open office areas. Metal shavings were fabricated into bathroom countertops.

Indoor Environmental Quality

Low-Emitting Materials. Building materials were selected to have no or low volatile organic compounds such as paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, and composite wood and agrifiber products.

Daylight and Views. Clerestory windows in the visitor gallery provide natural light in the center of the building. Clerestory windows over the offices that line the north and south sides of the building and pitched ceilings direct natural light into interior open offices.

Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan. Segregated areas were provided for hazardous chemicals or gases with containment drains and a high level of filtration. Duct-work parts were kept sealed before installation so that they would be clean and dust free when installed.

Innovation and Design Process

Green Roof Garden. Monitoring equipment will help scientists measure the green roof’s insulating effect on the building and other factors that will help them determine the best plants to grow on green roofs.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact.

The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Why Construct a LEED-Certified Building? New Building at the Chicago Botanic Garden Demonstrates Commitment to Sustainability | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Eight interpretive stations, each linked to a research laboratory or tool, will provide suggestions on changes individual people can make that will have a positive impact on protecting plants and the natural world.

Suggestions in the “Taking Action” panels include the following:

• Learn which plants are invasive; remove all that are; avoid planting any new ones.
• Encourage pollinators by gardening with plants that produce nectar and pollen, and provide food for larvae.
• Protect pollinators by limiting pesticide use.
• Encourage healthy and diverse habitats by planting native perennials, an array of flower colors, and plants that bloom in a range of seasons.
• Grow plants in clusters to provide pollinators with nectar and pollen oases.
• Garden with local, native seeds, and bank your seeds for future plantings.
• Encourage conservation to protect habitats and plants before they become endangered or extinct.
• Encourage the use of a wider range of plants.
• Learn more about the plant products you use, such as where and how they were grown.
• Add locally grown produce to your dinner table.
• Buy plant products such as foods, woods, and fibers that are grown in a way that doesn’t harm ecosystem health.
• Learn more about “community gardening” and urban agriculture.
• Get involved with tracking endangered plants or collecting seeds.
• Protect plant genetic diversity by conserving the wild place we have, and restore others to health.
• Follow directions on fertilizers carefully to avoid adding too much nitrogen and other elements to soil.
• Choose gardening and lawn-care options, such as companion planting and natural pest management, that work with natural processes.
• Support tighter emission standards for cars and factories; let your elected officials know you support legislation to reduce carbon emissions.
• Become a volunteer steward in the restoration of local natural areas.
• Advocate for the preservation and creation of more habitat as refuges and corridors where plants facing climate change can migrate.

Because all life depends on plants, the Plant Science Center hopes to engage more people in sharing responsibility for protecting the environment.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Chicago Botanic Garden Discusses Plant Conservation Benefits From Simple Changes, Sharing the Responsibility for Protecting the Environment | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The gallery in the middle of the building will be open to the public any time the Garden is open, and the exhibit that lines either side of the gallery will ensure that visitors learn fascinating things about the plant world and what they can do to help conserve it. Exhibits have been designed to stimulate knowledge of plants through play and have aspects that appeal to all ages.

Windows into each of the nine laboratories line the gallery, offering a never-before-seen peek into the work of plant scientists. Beneath the windows are benches that explore botany concepts with text panels, slider panels and models visitors can touch.

The panels relate to the research being performed in the corresponding lab and always end with a “taking action” panel that encourages people to help save plants by making small changes. Eight touch screens in front of the labs will teach scientific concepts through video game-like simulations.

Visitors will be able to manipulate an environment and see the outcome of their actions, such as creating a flower to attract pollinators or driving a tiny camera drill below the surface of the earth. They will also be able to learn about the plant conservation science staff through short video presentations.

For example, the headline on the panel in front of the Reproductive Biology Lab is “Plant Sex is Anything But ‘Garden Variety’.” In this exhibit, visitors can learn about the different parts of a flower such as the sepals, petals, pistils and stamens on a model. The text panel explains that “flowers don’t attract each other, they attract specific pollinators and advertise with their color, shape and scent.”

An interactive panel invites visitors to smell different fragrances and learn why they produce that scent. Slider panels invite visitors to guess which pollinator different flowers are trying to attract. Another panel invites visitors to pollinate a plant using an electronic stylus. The panel on what scientists are currently researching in the lab refers to it as a “fertility clinic” for plants because scientists are trying to learn why some plants are not reproducing in order to save them from extinction. The “taking action” panel asks visitors to encourage pollinators in their gardens through choosing plants that produce nectar and pollen, limiting pesticide use and providing nesting and overwintering sites for pollinators.

Visitors will also want to visit the Green Roof Garden atop the building to view the 320 plant varieties being tested and for a unique perspective of the Chicago Botanic Garden. Interpretive panels will explain the benefits of green roofs and how to create one at home. Visitors can also see the photovoltaic panels (solar panels) on the roof and learn about renewable energy.

The Plant Science Center exhibits make what is sometimes seen as a serious and dry subject (science) into a fun and inspirational journey of discovery. Plant science can save the planet and it is encouraging to see so many people willing to join in and get their hands dirty to make it happen.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Chicago Botanic Garden Exhibits Invite You to Play, Making Science an Inspirational Journey of Discovery | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Plant Science Center Gardens will provide a beautiful space to contemplate all that plants provide us in our daily lives, and drive home the need to save the plants in order to save the planet. The view from the Green Roof Garden to the Evaluation Garden and adjacent Dixon Prairie and Evening Island will also be spectacular.

The Ellis Goodman Family Foundation Green Roof Garden South will be planted with North American native plants only. The Josephine P. & John J. Louis Foundation Green Roof Garden North will be planted with a mix of plants currently accepted as good green roof plants as well as exotic and native plants that have potential for green roof use.

A total of 320 different plant taxa was selected by a team of Garden staff and the lead design firm, Oehme, van Sweden & Associates. The team looked at plants that have been successful in other green roof applications as well as regional and national native plants, but didn’t want to rule out plants that showed potential. They selected plants that are sun-loving, drought tolerant, have a shallower root system and can withstand windy conditions.

Plants will be planted while they are small in size so they to adapt to the growing conditions at an earlier growth stage. They will be watered and weeded, but no supplemental fertilizers or special winter protection will be provided. After the first two to three years, minimal maintenance will be provided.

A Unique Living Laboratory

Very few institutions conduct comparative trials of ornamental plants for landscape use, and fewer still conduct trials of plants for innovative rooftop gardening. The Green Roof Garden will allow scientists to determine which plants are best suited to growing in this extreme environment. The living laboratory will be outfitted with equipment to monitor soil moisture, wind and light levels, and temperatures inside the building and in the various layers of the plantings. Scientists will monitor plant health, aesthetics, and survivorship of plants and be able to recommend plants that are low-maintenance, absorb water and nutrients from rainfall (lessening runoff into storm sewers), and cool the building below (lessening energy use), while providing an aesthetic retreat. The trials will be among the most comprehensive rooftop plant evaluation program in the country and the results will be reported on the Garden’s website.

The planting beds will be constructed of several layers, beginning with a waterproofing layer, two layers of hard foam insulation, a root barrier fabric, a drainage tile to allow water to drain away from the roots, a filter fabric to keep the growing media from clogging the drainage holes, and growing media as the top layer. The semi-intensive media is a gravel-like soilless mix formulated specifically for roof gardens. It is lighter weight and more porous than soil, allowing water to drain quickly, thus reducing the weight load on the roof.

Energy Efficiency Part of Design

The Green Roof Garden is designed to provide insulation that will cool the building in summer and keep it warmer in winter, decrease the “urban heat island” effect (increased temperatures due to heat retention of manmade surfaces), increase the roof’s lifespan by shielding it from weather extremes, reduce stormwater runoff, remove carbon dioxide from air and pollutants from water, absorb sound and create habitat for animals such as insects and birds. The Rainwater Glen will collect water draining from nearby parking areas and the Green Roof Garden and filter it within the garden’s plant community. The Plant Science Center Gardens ensure the building has a low environmental impact from top to bottom.

The Green Roof Garden will be accessible to the public during the regular business hours the Plant Science Center is open, providing an opportunity for visitors to watch the evaluation project progress in the coming years. Interpretive materials will explain how to create a green roof garden at home and explain the evaluation process.

The Rainwater Glen differs from a typical rain garden because in the Garden’s exceedingly tight clay soils a traditional rain garden, where the water slowly percolates into the underlying soil, will not work. Instead, the Garden has intentionally built a moist-bottom swale where plants preferring consistent “wet feet” will reside. The Rainwater Glen will function like a river’s floodplain. It will hold back stormwater runoff, allowing deep-rooted native plants to facilitate absorption and help to filter impurities. The Rainwater Glen will contribute to improved water quality at the Garden and, importantly, in each of the ecosystems it will eventually flow through. The entrance to the Plant Science Center is defined by a 40-foot long gently sloping bridge over the Rainwater Glen, with benches and planters integrated into the bridge design.

Editors, please note: The Chicago Botanic Garden’s newsroom is online at chicagobotanic.org/pr. For digital images, contact Julie McCaffrey at 847-835-8213 or at jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org.

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Chicago Botanic Garden To Open Plant Science Center Gardens, Green Roof Garden and Rainwater Glen This Month | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Pepper tours, shopping for pepper products from select vendors, and special chili décor are all part of the fun. See more than 40 varieties of peppers (from ‘Ring-O-Fire’ cayenne to ‘Sweet Chocolate’ bell) growing in the garden, pick up pepper facts and tips from signs posted throughout the Garden and visit “Pepper Discovery Carts” to explore the history of peppers and the many types that can be grown in a home garden.

Family activities include making a chili pepper butter mix, playing a special game to learn where peppers and other vegetables come from and creating artwork using peppers, eggplants, and potatoes!

As part of the Garden Chef Series, Shelley Young of The Chopping Block in Chicago will give cooking demonstrations at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22. Juan Carlos Median Vazquez of Café Central in Highland Park will appear at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23.

Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden and All About Peppers Weekend is free. Select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. For information about Garden programs and events, call 847-835-5440, or visit chicagobotanic.org/chef/pepper.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Summer Heats Up at Chicago Botanic Garden’s “All About Peppers” Weekend August 22-23 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

More than a dozen vendors will offer everything bonsai related, including bonsai trees, raw nursery stock, pots, tools and supplies. Sale hours are from 9am to 5pm on all three days. Show hours are from 12noon to 5pm on Friday, and from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Free demonstrations and lectures will be held on Friday at 2pm and Saturday and Sunday at 10am and 2pm.

Seventeen workshops are presented for all levels of enthusiasts. Registration is required and materials fee varies. Visit midwestbonsai.org for more information. The schedule includes:

Friday, August 14, from 1pm. to 4pm

• “Return Service for Past Workshops” with Jim Doyle
• “Shohin Trident Maple” with Mike Hansen (all levels)
• “Japanese Black Pine” with Brian Ciskowski (advanced)

Saturday, August 15, from 9am to 12noon

• “Bring Your Own Material” with Hiroyoshi Yamaji
• “Black Hills Spruce” with Andy Smith (beginner/intermediate)
• “Japanese Larch” with Matha Meehan (beginner)
• “Brazilian Raintree” with Brussel Martin (all levels)

Saturday, August 15, from 1pm to 4pm

• “Juniperus Squarata Parsoni” with Jim Doyle (intermediate/advanced)
• “Cascade Azalea” with David Kreutz (intermediate/advanced)
• “Ficus Silicifilia” with Brian Ciskowski (beginner)
• “Shimpaku on Rock” with Frank Mihalic (all levels)

Sunday, August 16 from 9am to 12noon

• “Bring Your Own Bonsai” with Hiroyoshi Yamaji
• “Rosemary” with Frank Mihalic (all levels)
• “Roots over Rock” with Martha Meehan (beginner)
• “Chinese Elm” with Brussels Martin (all levels)

Sunday, August 16, from 1pm to 4pm

• “Children’s Workshop” with Frank Mihalic (ages 7-12)

The Mid-America Bonsai Show & Sale is part of the American Flower Show Series, a growing national horticultural program, bringing together amateur and expert gardeners and educators by offering floral exhibits and programs that focus on America’s favorite flower groups. Juried flower shows, floral displays, complementary workshops, demonstrations, lectures and plant sales occur regularly. Plant experts and plant society members are available to answer all questions.

Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden Members. For more information about any of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s programs and events, call 847-835-5440, or visit chicagobotanic.org.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the green treasures of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands. With events, programs and activities for all ages, the Garden is open every day of the year, except Dec. 25. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. Visit chicagobotanic.org, or call 847-835-5440 for seasonal hours, images of the Garden and commuter transportation information.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society. It opened to the public in 1972 and is home to the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, offering a broad array of adult classes in plant science, landscape design and gardening arts. Through the Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Garden scientists work on plant conservation, research and environmental initiatives that have global impact. The Center for Teaching and Learning brings the wonder of nature and plants to children, teens and teachers. The Garden’s Horticultural Therapy and Community Gardening programs provide nationally recognized community outreach and service programs. A program of the Chicago Botanic Garden, Windy City Harvest is an organic vegetable and plant production enterprise that provides instruction in sustainable horticulture and urban agriculture to residents of Chicago’s North Lawndale and West Side neighborhoods.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). The Chicago Botanic Garden is also host to Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., and a member of the Center for Plant Conservation. In 2006, the Chicago Botanic Garden received the Award for Garden Excellence, given yearly by the APGA and Horticulture magazine to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices and has shown a commitment to supporting and demonstrating best gardening practices.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie McCaffrey, 847-835-8213
jmccaffrey@chicagobotanic.org

Chicago Botanic Garden Hosts Mid-America Bonsai Show and Sale August 14-16 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.