Chicago Botanic Garden
Classes in Los Angeles
The Chicago Botanic Garden is a world-renowned living museum and conservation science center that offers multiple unique nature courses spread throughout 26 gardens and four natural areas on 385 acres.
15 classes with availability
Painting the Natural World
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Step into the world of watercolor and learn to capture the beauty of the natural world in this online course offered by the Chicago Botanic Garden. You'll paint plants and landscapes from the comfort of home while building techniques for achieving sparkling, sensitive watercolor effects. Some prior watercolor or comparable medium experience is recommended.
Nov 4th
1–3:30pm CT
Meets 6 Times
$349
10 Seats Left
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Wed. Nov 4th, 1–3:30pm CT
(15 hours over 6 sessions)
Beginning Watercolor: Online
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Tap into your creativity and learn how to paint sparkling, luminous watercolors in the Chicago Botanic Garden's virtual botanical art class. You'll explore brush technique, color mixing, and wash control from the comfort of home. No prior experience needed.
Nov 3rd
1–3:30pm CT
Meets 6 Times
$349
10 Seats Left
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Tue. Nov 3rd, 1–3:30pm CT
(15 hours over 6 sessions)
Brushstrokes and Beyond
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Explore the expressive possibilities of watercolor, pen, and colored pencil in this multimedia art class. Build on watercolor fundamentals while learning to enhance your work with dynamic line work and layered color. Ideal for artists looking to expand their techniques and add new dimension to their paintings. Some prior watercolor experience recommended.
Nov 4th
9:30am–12pm CT
Meets 6 Times
$349
10 Seats Left
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Wed. Nov 4th, 9:30am–12pm CT
(15 hours over 6 sessions)
The Landscape in Pastel
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
You will use the versatile and workable medium of pastel to paint powerful, evocative landscapes. Learn pastel fundamentals and how to combine and edit photographs to create original compositions emphasizing lighting, strong shapes, and values. All levels are welcome. A supply list will be sent. Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing 1. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days...
Nov 8th
9:30am–12:30pm CT
Meets 5 Times
$412
10 Seats Left
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Sun. Nov 8th, 9:30am–12:30pm CT
(15 hours over 5 sessions)
The Inner Landscape
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Explore nature through the lens of abstract expressionism in this intermediate-to-advanced online photography workshop. Drawing inspiration from artists like Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, and Mark Rothko, you’ll experiment with expressive techniques on a digital canvas. DSLR or mirrorless cameras required. Taught via Zoom; registration and login instructions are provided in advance.
Oct 28th
10am–12:30pm CT
Meets 7 Times
$499
10 Seats Left
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Wed. Oct 28th, 10am–12:30pm CT
(17 hours & 30 minutes over 7 sessions)
Vivid Watercolors from Black and White Photos
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Explore the creative possibilities of watercolor by painting from black-and-white reference photos. Learn to strengthen your understanding of light, middle, and dark values while making independent color choices that bring your artistic vision to life. This approach encourages greater confidence with color and composition while revealing the powerful role value plays in creating depth and impact. A supply list will be provided.
Nov 12th
6–9pm CT
Meets 4 Times
$362
10 Seats Left
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Thu. Nov 12th, 6–9pm CT
(12 hours over 4 sessions)
Plan Next Year's Vegetable Garden
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Get a head start on next year’s vegetable and herb garden with practical planning tips for a productive growing season. Learn about soil preparation and testing, garden layouts, heirloom and modern varieties, and when and how to plant for a steady, flavorful harvest. This online class will help you build a thoughtful garden plan with confidence.
Wed. Oct 28th, 6:30–8:30pm CT
(2 hours)
Intro to Calligraphy
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Elevate your event stationery with elegant, hand-lettered designs as you explore the art of Chancery Cursive. This beginner-friendly session guides you through essential techniques for crafting beautiful envelopes, place cards, and decorative quotes. Learn practical layout skills while building a strong foundation in classic italic lettering. Perfect for newcomers and those looking to refresh their style.
Nov 3rd
9:30am–12pm CT
Meets 3 Times
$187
10 Seats Left
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Tue. Nov 3rd, 9:30am–12pm CT
(7 hours & 30 minutes over 3 sessions)
Native Plants for Year-Round Interest
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Create a beautiful, resilient landscape with native trees, shrubs, and perennials that provide year-round color, texture, and ecological benefits. This online class will help you choose the right plants for your environment, whether you're redesigning an existing garden or starting a new one from scratch. Gain practical inspiration for building a vibrant, sustainable outdoor space that supports local wildlife and thrives through every season.
Thu. Nov 12th, 6–8pm CT
(2 hours)
The Art of Papercutting
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Discover the rich global traditions of decorative papercutting as you learn to transform simple sheets into intricate works of art. Guided by expert instruction, you’ll explore techniques for crafting delicate designs inspired by botanical forms. Develop confidence with precision cutting tools while creating pieces that celebrate both culture and craftsmanship. Perfect for beginners and enthusiasts alike.
Dec 1st
9:30am–12pm CT
Meets 3 Times
$187
10 Seats Left
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Tue. Dec 1st, 9:30am–12pm CT
(7 hours & 30 minutes over 3 sessions)
Wintering Bees in Cold Climates
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school - Virtually Online
Discover essential techniques for successfully overwintering bees in cold climates. Join our expert-led course and learn how to care for your bee colony throughout the year. Choose from on-site or online attendance options.
Sun. Nov 8th, 10am–12pm CT
(2 hours)
Conifers: Form, Texture, and Impact
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Discover the versatility of conifers and learn how their diverse forms, colors, and textures can elevate any garden. Explore how to use conifers as accents, screens, focal points, and complementary elements in mixed borders while making thoughtful plant selections for lasting visual interest. Gain practical design inspiration to create a more beautiful and intentional landscape.
Tue. Dec 1st, 6:30–8:30pm CT
(2 hours)
Growing Salad Greens Indoors
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Discover the secrets to growing fresh salad greens all year round with the Chicago Botanic Garden's engaging online class. Learn about the essential tools, crop varieties, and techniques for successful indoor gardening. Don't miss out on this virtual green thumb experience!
Mon. Nov 16th, 6–7pm CT
(1 hour)
Maximizing Texture in the Garden
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Discover the secrets to creating visually stunning gardens with the Chicago Botanic Garden's online class on maximizing plant texture. Uncover the art of combining plants with different textures to create captivating compositions that will transform your garden into a work of art. Join us for this virtual experience and learn from the experts in the comfort of your own home.
Tue. Nov 17th, 6:30–8:30pm CT
(2 hours)
Native Evergreens
Chicago Botanic Garden See all classes by this school @ Online via Zoom
Discover the beauty and diversity of native evergreens in our online class. Learn to identify broad-leaf and needle-leaf evergreens, their cultural requirements, and how to use them in various garden settings. Enhance your landscape with year-round structure and ecological benefits for native fauna.
Dec 3rd
6–7:30pm CT
Meets 2 Times
$82
10 Seats Left
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Thu. Dec 3rd, 6–7:30pm CT
(3 hours over 2 sessions)
Reviews of Chicago Botanic Garden
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Demonstration Baking: Challah Making and Shaping
Excellent class from a knowledgeable baker. Exceeded my expectation as I'm hard of hearing and she wore a device so I was able to hear the demonstration. Pick up some good information for different challah shapes. -
Demonstration Baking: Challah Making and Shaping
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Spring Containers at the Garden
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Embroidery Basics: Onsite
The instructor was great. Good pace. -
Painting the Natural World
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Needle-Felted Halloween Friend
This is the second time I’ve taken a class with this instructor. She provides plenty of materials to fit everyone’s tastes and preferences and is positive, supportive and respectful in how she leads the group in learning new skills. The only reason that I have not given 5 stars is because she can be a little too soft spoken making it hard to hear everything she is saying. Otherwise, very fun, and her classes attract fun folks to spend a few hours with creating felted treasures. -
Beginning Digital Photography
Exceptional! The instructor was inspiring and being in the Chicago Botanic Gardens was inspiring and a perfect setting to hone my photo skills. I highly recommend this course and I will be taking the intermediate. -
iPhone Photography
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Spring Containers at the Garden
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Painting the Natural World
Judith was great! Can’t do next session, but will be back! M -
Wet-Felted Rose Workshop
Enjoyed learning the art of wet felting. Will definitely sign up for another class. -
Introduction to Houseplant Care
I loved the class, I learned a lot of things because I am a new learner in this subject, but I needed more time to take more notes -
Fiber Arts: Winter Bird Ornament
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iPhone Photography
I definitely learned from this class, although it was a bit disorganized. The instructor covered how to use the editing tools within the Camera app on the iPhone as well as an app called Snapseed. He also recommended a variety of other editing apps. He showed us examples of photos he had edited. The class was listed as 6 PM - 8:30 PM and actually was 6:30-8:30 PM. For the first class, I waited on Zoom from 6 PM wondering what was going on. The instructor would benefit from a planned curriculum. He seemed to meandered through tools and his own photos with a lot of repetition. -
Hands-on Baking: Cake Decorating
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Hydrangeas for the Home Garden: Online
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Creating a Garden Sanctuary: Online
Helpful. Good intro but not what I expected. -
Needle-Felted Pumpkin
The course was fun! Well organized, clear instructions and positive feedback. I love the pumpkin I made. My only criticism is that there is insufficient handicap parking at the learning center. In my opinion, all of the spaces right at the learning center should be reserved for handicapped people. -
Forest Bathing Experience
Loved this class! -
Elements of the Garden: Patios
It was a good class. I learned a lot. The instructor was quite informative and obviously an expert in this field of study.
