Landscape design sampler at Aurora's The Growing Place
Shows, seminars
•"Make a Trough Class," 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 30. Make a hypertufa (lightweight concrete) trough of about 14-by-20 inches. Cost $35. The Growing Place, 1000 Montgomery Road, Aurora. (630) 820-8088 or thegrowingplace.com.
•"Landscape Design Sampler," 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, and Saturday, Feb. 13. Three designers review front yard plans and offer suggestions on plant selections and placement. Cost: Free. Send picture of the front of your home with dimensions for possible topic of discussion by Jan. 28 and be entered in a drawing for free home design consultation. The Growing Place, 1000 Montgomery Road, Aurora. (630) 820-8088 or thegrowingplace.com.
•"Plant a Succulent Container Garden," 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, and Saturday, Feb. 27. Cost: Materials only. The Growing Place, 1000 Montgomery Road, Aurora. (630) 820-8088 or thegrowingplace.com.
Shows
•Chicagoland Home and Energy Expo, March 13-14. More than 150 home improvement booths, plus the Daily Herald House Walk. Special events include a healthy cooking show, home theater displays, ask-an-expert booths, moonwalks, crafts and games. Renaissance Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg. To reserve space as a vendor, call (630) 469-4611. For other details, visit myhomeshow.com.
•Spring Flower Show, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 20. Celebrate the arrival of spring with more than 30 exhibitors, product demonstrations and free educational seminars. Knupper Nursery, 1801 N. Rand Road, Palatine. (847) 369-1080.
Chicago Botanic Garden
•Winter Farmers' Market, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3. E-mail farmersmarket@chicagobotanic.org for more information about the market, or to be come a vendor. Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. (847) 835-5440 or chicagobotanic.org.
Garden clubs
•Garden Club of Inverness: The club meets January through May and September through November on the third Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at All Saints Lutheran Church, 630 S. Quentin Road, Palatine. Call Beth at (847) 934-7929.
• South Barrington Garden Club: Jan. 7: "Backyard Birds and Bird Feeding," by David Brooks. Feb. 4: "Tips for the Lazy Gardener," by Cindy Tyley. The club meets on the first Thursday morning of month. Membership $25 for residents; $35 for nonresidents. Call Anita at (847) 277-7151.
Flea markets, antique shows
•Wolff's Indoor Flea Market, 1775 N. Rand Road, Palatine (old Menard's store), 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.
•Antique Market, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20, at DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester, Wheaton. Continues the third Saturday of the month through December 2010. Admission $5; zurkopromotions.com.
•Antique & Collectible Market, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3. DuPage Expo Center, 4050 E. Main St., St. Charles. zurkopromotions.com.
•Johnson's Log Home & Timber Frame Show and The Rustic Living Expo, 2-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10. Furniture, accessories, log and timber frame manufacturers and dealers. Admission $12, under age 19 free. DuPage Expo Center, 4050 E. Main St., St. Charles. longhomeshows.com and dupageexpo.com.