Spring Flower Display
Saturday, January 21 through mid-March
Hours: All Conservatory Hours
Where: Horticulture Hall
Cost: Free!

Although the Show House is not available to host our annual Spring Flower Show, a beautiful spring bouquet will be on display in Horticulture Hall starting January 21st. Enjoy azaleas and camellias long before they are blooming outside in Chicago. The show will run through mid-March.

Live Music in the Conservatory
Miscellaneous Dates
Cost: Free
 
Enjoy live music among living plants at the Conservatory this autumn and through spring! This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Wednesday February 8, 3 pm – 7:30 pm
Sandy Lucas, children’s music as part of Tropical Treat Nights

Saturday February 11, 1 pm – 3 pm
Copacabana Duo, Brazilian and Caribbean beats

Wednesday February 15, 3 pm – 7:30 pm
Sandy Lucas, children’s music as part of Tropical Treat Nights

Saturday March 17, 1 pm – 3 pm
Roger Weaver, gospel, jazz and R&B

Saturday May 26, 1 pm – 3 pm
Good Evening, specializing in “midnight broken glass love songs”

Tropical Treat Nights
Wednesday, February 8 and Wednesday, February 15
Hours: 3 pm - 7:30 pm
Where: Throughout the Conservatory
Cost: Free – just drop by!

Enjoy a tasty treat while learning about the “sweet plants” of the Conservatory. Fact and flavor stations will be staffed by educators throughout the Conservatory, featuring chocolate, chicle, vanilla, cinnamon, chewing gum, banana and more. Come taste your way through our tropical paradise!

Additional activities include:

•	Interactive Tropical Tunes served up to you by Sandy Lucas, a favorite in the world of children’s music. For these special February Wednesday evening events, join Sandy and friends for an interactive sing-n-dance-n-jam along concert in Horticulture Hall.
•	Hands-on activities, including homemade paper ukuleles, tissue paper leis, Valentine’s day cards and more. (Activities subject to change)
•	Soil Digging Station and “Sweet Read” Book Nook in the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden
•	A special chocolate-tasting lounge, free to members and $5 for visitors. Find the lounge in the Community Room from 3pm to 7:30pm. The following sweet activities will be available: self-guided chocolate “taste test” quest, self-serve hot cocoa bar, candy-themed board games, drawing to win a sweet-themed gift basket, a special gift to take home, and a free coat check.
•	Sweet Talks at the Conservatory Series: In conjunction with Tropical Treat Nights, we are excited to present unique talks highlighting the botany, chemistry and cultural history of some of our sweetest plants. Pre-Registration online is highly encouraged to reserve your spot. The $5 suggested donation per talk will be collected at the door (these talks are free for GPCA Members).
	The Chemistry of Chocolate: A Chicago Story Wednesday, February 8 Hours: 6 pm to 7:30 pm here: Jensen Room Cost: $5 nonmembers; FREE to GPCA members!   You may have traveled through the north Loop recently, and thrilled at the smell of brownies wafting through your city; that lovely aroma was Blommer Chocolate Company’s factory in action. Come to this unique hands-on workshop where you will learn from a “chocolate insider” how botanical beans are turned into the creamy “food of the gods” we love so much. Workshop is presented by Melissa Tisoncik, R&D Specialist with Blommer Chocolate Company. Participation is limited- pre-registration is highly encouraged.   Register Online for the “Chemistry of Chocolate” today!   The Journey of a Sweet Leaf: In Search of Plant Originated Sweeteners Wednesday, February 15 Hours: 6 pm - 7:30 pm Where: Jensen Room Cost: $5 nonmembers; FREE to GPCA members! Presenter: Djaja Doel Soejarto, Ph. D. Professor of Pharmacognosy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago and Research Associate, Department of Botany, Field Museum, Chicago, IL   A plant taxonomist and economic botanist by training, Dr. D. Doel Soejarto ("Doel") is best known for his more than 40 years of plant exploration work, covering more than 20 countries. In the early 1980's, Dr. Soejarto traveled to Paraguay and a number of Latin American countries to carry out field surveys and interviews on sweet-tasting plants. One particular plant became the focus of his research, Stevia rebaudiana, a sugar substitute also known as sweet leaf or sugar leaf. Come get a glimpse into the way scientists discover the commercial benefits and uses of tropical plants. Soejarto's collaborative research in the search for sweeteners of plant origin was most active from 1980 through 2002, and still continues to the present. For the past 13 years, his major research interest lies in the discovery of new bioactive compounds from plants as potential candidates for pharmaceutical development, in a multidisciplinary setting, using both ethno botany- and biodiversity-guided approaches in the process. He is author or co-author of more than 250 scientific papers, book chapters, and three books.   Register Online for “The Journey of a Sweet Leaf” today!

From Bean to Bar:
The Science, History & Culture of Chocolate
Saturday, February 11
Hours: 10 am – Noon
Where: Jensen Room
Cost: $20 nonmembers; $15 GPCA members and approved volunteers

Join us for a tantalizing adventure that will surely have you looking at our favorite tropical treat – chocolate - with fresh eyes and taste buds! Participants will taste their way through the natural and cultural history of the cacao plant, and discover how we get from the fruit of a tropical tree to the tasty treat we all love. Impress your valentine with your new knowledge of chocolate or better yet, sign up together! Please note that refunds for this class cannot be issued after Friday, January 27th.

Register Online for "From Bean to Bar" today!

Fleurotica 2012
Friday, March 23
Hours: 6:30 pm – 11 pm
Where: Venue One at 1044 W. Randolph
Cost: $225 VIP / $175 General Seating
         ($150 Pre-Sale on General Seating through February 14th)

The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance will hold its fourth annual FLEUROTICA runway fashion show, featuring designs made of plants and flowers. This fundraiser will be held at Venue One on Randolph this year, and feature a live auction, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Please visit the Fleurotica website for information!

General Seating Tickets

Pre-Sale General Seating Ticket Pre-Sale through Tuesday, February 14th – only $150 each! Includes a seat at the fashion show, pre- and post-show parties with cocktails & hors d’oeuvres, coat check and valet parking.

VIP Tickets

VIP Tickets are $225 and include all General Admission benefits, plus an upgrade to prestige seating at the fashion show, a premium swag bag and more!

	General Seating Tickets Pre-Sale
	VIP Tickets

20th Annual Green & Growing Fair An Urban Gardening Festival, sponsored by Chicagoland’s GreenNet Coalition
Saturday, April 28
Hours: 11 am – 4 pm
Where: Throughout the Conservatory
Cost: Free Admission

Kick off the growing season with the 20th Annual Green & Growing Fair at the Garfield Park Conservatory. The fair, sponsored by GreenNet, Chicago’s Community Gardening Network, plunges into spring by hosting a variety of stations and activities to get your rusty green thumb up and running.
 

"A Weekend in the Path of Flowers" -
An Ephemeral Exhibition of Japanese Flower Arranging
Saturday, May 5, 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday, May 6, 9 am - 4 pm
Where: Community Room
Cost: Free!

The Ikenobo School of Japanese flower arranging is the oldest of more than 2,000 schools currently in existence. Established as the Rokkakudo Temple in Kyoto, Japan over 1,000 years ago, it is celebrating its 550th year of written study. Since it is the first school, Ikenobo is considered to be the origin of all ikebana (flower arranging) and is based on the simple philosophy that "The life of a flower is very short." The school maintains a wordwide presence through local chapters whose members study and pursue "kado," the path of flowers.

The Chicago Chapter in the Midwest has been studying and teaching this art form for over 50 years. This exhibition at the Garfield Park Conservatory will show examples of the various forms of ikebana taught by the Ikenobo School.

Inspired by Nature Photo Exhibit    
Daily
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily
Where: Community Room
Cost: Free! Just drop by!

Formerly at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, the photo exhibit accompanying Julia Bachrach and Jo Ann Nathan’s book Inspired by Nature: The Garfield Park Conservatory and Chicago’s West Side is now at the Conservatory! This exhibit includes photographs, drawings and maps highlighting the history of the Garfield Park Conservatory and the West Side in honor of the Conservatory’s Centennial year. The book Inspired by Nature: The Garfield Park Conservatory and Chicago’s West Side is available for purchase in the Gift Shop. 

Please note: Because the Community Room is often rented to outside organizations, please contact the front desk of the Conservatory at 312-746-5100 before your visit to make sure the exhibit will be open to the public while you are here. 
 

Cancelled/Closed Shows AND EVENTS

Sweet Saturdays
CANCELLED

We are sorry to announce that due to the hail damage and room closures at the Conservatory, Sweet Saturdays is cancelled in 2012. Please visit us for Tropical Treat Nights on February 8th and 15th (listed above) to learn about sweet treats grown in the Conservatory.