Illinois

Please see the events, club meetings, and other Illinois garden and nature related places to visit listed below.

Illinois Events:

February 6 - April 8:  Glencoe.  Treewhispers, Chicago Botanic Garden, www.chicagobotanic.org/exhibitions/index.php

February 6 - May 21:  Glencoe.  Nature-themed story time and activities Monday mornings in the Lenhardt Library, Chicago Botanic Garden, www.chicagobotanic.org/familyprograms/index.php

February 6 - 29:  Lisle.  Cross-County Ski & Snowshoe Rental, daily when there is four inches or more of snow on the ground, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 6 - 29:  Lisle.  Search for gnomes in The Children's Garden, daily, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 6 - 29:  Lisle.  Chocolate Exhibit highlighting the growing, harvesting, and production process of chocolate and its relationship to trees.  Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 6 - September 2:  Lisle.  Vanishing Acts: Trees Under Threat Exhibit, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 7 - September 1:  Lisle.  Jens Jensen: Landscapes for People, Tuesday - Saturday, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 8, 15:  Chicago.  Tropical Treat Night, Garfield Park Conservatory, http://garfieldconservatory.org/families.htm

February 8 - March 30:  Lisle.  Gather for story time and afterwards make a craft and then head out on the grounds for an adventure walk, Wednesdays & Fridays, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 10 - 12:  Mt Vernon.  Midwestern Herb and Garden Show, Time Square Mall, www.midwesternherbandgardenshow.com

February 11 - March 31:  Chicago.  Weekend Family Fun: Discover the Power of Plants!  Saturdays & Sundays, www.garfield-conservatory.org

February 11 - March 31:  Chicago.  Family Make & Take Activity - make something unique to take home while learning about plants.  Saturdays & Sundays, www.garfield-conservatory.org

February 11, March 3:  Lisle.  Nature Discovery Night Hike, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 12, 19, 26:  Lisle.  Tabletop Tour: Animals in Winter, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 15:  Lisle.  Lunch & Learn: The Role of Plant Exploration in a Changing World, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

February 17 - March 4:  Peoria.  Garish Garden Show, Luthy Botanical Garden, www.peoriaparks.org

February 17 - 20:  Statewide.  Great Backyard Bird Count, www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

February 18:  Campton Hills.  Native Plant Seminar, Garfield Farm Museum, www.garfieldfarm.org

February 18:  Glencoe.  Hot Chocolate and the cacao tree, Chicago Botanic Garden, www.chicagobotanic.org/familyprograms/index.php

February 18:  Lisle.  The Botany of Chocolate, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org 

February 18, 20:  Lisle.  Family Owl Adventure, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org 

February 18, March 17:  Lisle.  Winter Bird Walks, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org 

February 22:  Park Forest.  Native Landscaping 101, Dining on the Green, 349 Main Street, free, RSVP rschillo@fieldmuseum.org by 2/17.

February 25:  Chicago.  Kitchen Sink Composting - Indoor Worm Bins for Your Kitchen, Garfield Park Conservatory, www.garfieldconservatory.org/growing_and_green_living.htm

February 25:  Glencoe.  Deserts & Dinosaurs, Chicago Botanic Garden, www.chicagobotanic.org/familyprograms/index.php

February 29 - April 25:  Chicago.  Wild Wednesdays, last Wednesday of every month, Garfield Park Conservatory, www.garfieldconservatory.org/families.htm

February 29:  Lisle.  Lunch & Learn: Behind-the-Scenes of Vanishing Acts Exhibit, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

March 1 - June 1:  Statewide.  Get your camera ready and keep an eye out for nesting birds, www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration

March 1 - September 30:  Statewide.  Register to become a Citizen Scientist from Project BudBurst, http://neoninc.org/budburst/

March 3:  Glencoe.  Japanese Dry Gardens, Chicago Botanic Garden, www.chicagobotanic.org/familyprograms/index.php

March 4, 11, 18, 25:  Lisle.  Tabletop Tour: Maples, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org/calendar/

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Illinois Club Meetings:

Chicago.  The Chicago Bonsai Club Meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of the month, January through October, 6:30-8pm, Garfield Park Conservatory, Susan Babyk at 773-235-9479, suskazoo@hotmail.com, www.garfieldconservatory.org/growing_and_green_living.htm

Flossmoor.  The South Suburban Garden Club meets the first Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm, at the Flossmoor Community Church, 2218 Hutchison Rd.  Contact Sharon Nudo at 708-672-7046, sharonnudo@comcast.net for further information.

Lisle.  The Morton Arboretum Photographic Society meets the 2nd Monday of the month (September thru May, except holidays), 7-9 pm, Thornhill Education Center, www.mortonarb.org

Lisle.  The Nature Artists' Guild meets six times a year at 7 pm on the first Thursday of every other month: Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec at the Thornhill Education Center, Morton Arboretum, www.mortonarb.org

Oak Lawn.  The Oak Lawn Garden Club normally meets the 4th Thursday of the month (with several exceptions) from 9:30 am-noon at the Oak View Community Center, 4625 W 110th St.  Visit www.oaklawngardenclub.org for more information about the Club.

Peoria Hts.  The Central Illinois Herpetological Society holds public meetings on the 1st Thursday of every month at Forest Park Nature Center, 7 pm.  Come share or learn about the fascinating world of amphibians and reptiles.  5809 Forest Park Dr, 309-686-3360, www.peoriaparks.org/forest-park-nature-center

Peoria Hts.  Peoria Audubon holds public meetings and presentations in the Forest Park Nature Center on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from September through May, 7 pm.  Everyone is welcome.  5809 Forest Park Dr, www.peoriaparks.org/forest-park-nature-center, www.peoriaaudubon.org

Peoria Hts.  The local chapter of the Sierra Club, America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, holds public meetings at the Forest Park Nature Center, 5809 Forest Park Dr, on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from September through May.  7 pm, www.peoriaparks.org/forest-park-nature-center

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More garden and nature related events and activities for children and adults can be found at these places to visit in Illinois:

Arcola
 Rockome Gardens
125 N County Rd 425 E
217-268-4106
www.rockome.com
Bloomington
 Miller Park Zoo
1020 S Morris Ave
309-434-2250
www.cityblm.org/parks/Miller-Park-Zoo/about-the-zoo.htm

Brookfield
 Brookfield Zoo
8400 31st St
708-688-8000, 800-201-0784
www.brookfieldzoo.org
Chicago
 Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N Central Park Ave
312-746-5100
www.garfield-conservatory.org
Chicago
 John G Shedd Aquarium
1200 S Lake Shore Dr
312-939-2438
www.sheddaquarium.org/

Chicago
 Lincoln Park Conservatory
2391 N Stockton Dr
312-742-7736
www.chicagoparkdistrict.com
Chicago
 Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N Clark St
312-742-2000
www.lpzoo.com
Chicago
 Lurie Garden
Millennium Park
201 E Randolph St
312-742-1168
www.luriegarden.org
Chicago
 Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N Cannon Dr
773-755-5100
www.chias.org/
Cook County
 Lake Katherine Nature Center
On Route 83,
between Harlem and Illinois Route 7
http://pages.ripco.net/~jwn/katherine.html

Glencoe
 Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Rd
847-835-5440
www.chicagobotanic.org

Hanna City
 Wildlife Prairie State Park
3826 N Taylor Rd
309-676-0998
www.wildlifeprairiestatepark.org/

Lisle
 Morton Arboretum
4100 Illinois Rte 53
630-968-0074
www.mortonarb.org
Lombard
 Lilacia Park
Lombard Park District
150 S Park Ave
630-620-5700
www.villageoflombard.org/index.aspx?NID=218
Monticello
 Robert Allerton Park & Conference Center
515 Old Timber Rd
University of Illinois
217-333-3287
www.allerton.uiuc.edu/
Oak Park
 Oak Park Conservatory
615 Garfield St
708-386-4700
www.oakparkparks.com/parks/pf_18.htm

Peoria
 Luthy Botanical Garden
2218 N Prospect
309-686-3362
www.peoriaparks.org/general-information-about-luthy-botanical-garden

Peoria Heights
 Forest Park Nature Center
5809 Forest Park Dr
309-686-3360
www.peoriaparks.org/forest-park-nature-center
Petersburg
 Starhill Forest Arboretum
12000 Boy Scout Trail
217-632-3685
www.starhillforest.com
Rockford
 Anderson Japanese Gardens
318 Spring Creek Rd
815-229-9390
www.andersongardens.org/

Rockford
 Klehm Arboretum
2715 S Main St
815-965-8146
www.klehm.org

Rock Island
 Quad City Botanical Center
2525 Fourth Ave
309-794-0991
www.qcgardens.com/

South Holland
 Sand Ridge Nature Center
15890 Paxton Ave
708-868-0606
http://fpdcc.com/nature-centers/sand-ridge-nature-center

Springfield
 Washington Park Botanical Garden
1740 W Fayette Ave
217-753-6228
www.springfieldparks.org/facilities/botanical/

Streator
 Weber House and Garden
1503 N Baker St
815-672-8327
www.weberhouseandgarden.com

Wheaton
 Cantigny Botanical Gardens
1S151 Winfield Rd
630-668-5161
www.cantigny.org
Please contact us three weeks in advance to have your Illinois garden/nature related events posted here.

This page is updated weekly.

Revised:  February 06, 2012