Holiday open house at Platt Hill Nursery
Holidays
• Holiday Open House, Nov. 12-14, Platt Hill Nursery, both locations, 222 W. Lake St., Bloomingdale and 2400 Randall Road, Carpentersville. Includes workshops, refreshments, entertainment. Hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Nov. 12; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 13; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 14. (630) 529-9394, or (847) 428-6767.
• Pictures with Santa, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, and Sunday, Nov. 14, Knupper Nursery, 1801 N. Rand Road, Palatine. Bring the camera for a free photo opportunity. (847) 359-1080.
• Christmas Festival of Fun, Saturday, Nov. 20, Knupper Nursery. Free Santa hats for everyone. Santa available for free pictures from noon to 3 p.m. Live reindeer on hand to feed from 1 to 3 p.m. Characters from Berkshire Ballet Theatre's “The Nutcracker,” including a ballerina, angel, toy soldier and Sugar Plum Fairy, on hand from 1 to 3 p.m. Berkshire Ballet is performing “The Nutcracker” at the Raue Center in Crystal Lake in December. Knupper, 1801 N. Rand Road, Palatine. (847) 359-1080.
Seminars, workshops
• Winter Container Garden Workshop, 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, and Monday, Nov. 22, Knupper Nursery, 1801 N. Rand Road, Palatine. Materials provided. Fee $45, due at time of pre-registration. Bring gloves, pruners. (847) 359-1080.
Sales
• Annual Fair Trade International Gift Festival, Nov. 17-20, hosted by Ten Thousand Villages fair-trade store in Glen Ellyn at the home of Norm and Sharon Ewert, 401 N. Scott, Wheaton. Sale of pottery, jewelry, decorations, home decor and 300 heirloom-quality handknotted Oriental rugs made by fair-trade artisans in Pakistan. This year, the sale takes on new meaning as many of the artisans who made the rugs were forced to break down their looms and evacuate their homes because of the recent devastating flood in Pakistan. Sale hours are noon-8 p.m. Nov. 17, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 18-19 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 20.
Tours, walks
• Geneva Christmas Walk & House Tour, Dec. 3-4. Five decorated houses on a self-guided tour from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. Advance tickets are $28 and include a holiday tea at Congreational Church in Geneva. Pre-order tickets by calling the Geneva Chamber at (630) 232-6060. Purchase at Geneva Chamber of Commerce, 8 S. Third Street, online at www.genevachamber.com/christmaswalk.html or at 15 businesses around town. The Christmas walk includes the arrival of Santa Lucia in a horse-drawn carriage and Santa Claus on the courthouse lawn on Friday, Dec. 3.
Morton Arboretum
The following events are scheduled to take place at the Morton Arboretum, on Route 53 at I-88 in Lisle. For more details including admission rates, see mortonarb.org.
• “Winterize Your Landscape,” 2-3 p.m. Nov. 11 and 18. New ideas and answers all your winter gardening questions from an Arboretum expert. Costs $6 (discounts available for Arboretum members). Meets inside and outside. Visitor's Center.
• “Nature Artists Guild Holiday Show,” noon-5 p.m. Nov. 13-14. Guild artists display their natural history art and demonstrate a variety of techniques. Thornhill Education Center.
Garden clubs
• Pottawatomie Garden Club presented its 2010 Landscape Commendation Award to Delnor Glen Senior Living of St. Charles. Each year the Pottawatomie Garden Club honors commercial establishments for their contribution to beautifying the city and township.
• Tri Village Garden Club: Nov. 17: Ron Zick of Wild Birds Unlimited. Meetings held third Wednesday of the month at Poplar Creek Public Library, 1405 S. Park Ave., Streamwood. Annual dues $15. Call (630) 830-0118 or visit trivillagegardenclub.org.
Flea markets, antique shows
• Wolff's Indoor Flea Market, 1775 N. Rand Road, Palatine, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $1, 50 cents for seniors and children ages 6 to 12. Call (847) 524-9590 or visit wolffs.com.
• Grayslake Antique Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, at Grayslake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. Admission $6; free parking. zurkopromotions.com.