Home & garden calendar, Feb. 8-14
Send events for this calendar to homes@dailyherald.com with “calendar listing” in the subject line. Deadline is two weeks prior to the event.
Upcoming
Central States Dahlia Society: 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, at Elk Grove Village Township Office, 600 Landmeier Road. Doors open at 1 p.m. In “Propagation Methods,” learn about propagating tubers for the season: waking up and potting tubers, making cuttings, and potting up plants to be ready for the plant sale and the season. Visit centralstatesdahliasociety.com.
Mount Prospect Garden Club: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Mount Prospect Village Hall’s Farley Room, 50 S. Emerson St. Kim Hartmann will talk about “Best New Plant Varieties for 2026.” The meeting begins with social time, followed by the 10 a.m. business meeting and 11 a.m. speaker. Guests are welcome. Visit gcmp.weebly.com.
Geneva Garden Club: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Stephen R. Persinger Recreation Center, 3507 Kaneville Road in Geneva. Cindy Tyley of Carriage House Garden Design will present “Succulents.” The program starts at noon following lunch. Guests are welcome. Visit genevagardenclub.com/general-meetings/.
Gardens, Et Cetera of Wheaton: 12:30-2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Gary United Methodist Church, 224 N. Main St., Wheaton. “Natural Areas Restoration” will be presented by Forest Preserve District of DuPage. All are welcome. Call Kathryn at (630) 408-5487.
Rolling Meadows Garden Club: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Rolling Meadows Community Center, 3705 Pheasant Drive. Deb Graham of The Midwest Fruit Explorers Society shows how it’s possible to grow a broad variety of fruits even in Zone 5. There are many varieties of small or dwarf trees that provide flavorful fruits and can fit modest spaces. The MidFex Society will help you grow, graft, propagate and swap superior fruiting plants. All are welcome. Visit rollingmeadowsgardenclub.com for more details.
Schaumburg Community Garden Club: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Monique Inglot will share her experiences working at the Spring Valley Heritage Garden and explore how preserving the legacy of an 1800s working farm connects with the gardening practices of today. She is the supervisor of farm programs at Spring Valley Nature Center and a lover of photography and animals. The business meeting starts promptly at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m. Visit schaumburggardenclub.org or facebook.com/schaumburggardenclub/.
Des Plaines Garden Club: 9:45 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, in the Glen Senior Center, 52 E. Northwest Hwy., Des Plaines. The program starts at 10 a.m. with Marc Lyon, an experienced garden coach, on “Growing Terrific Tomatoes.” Nothing compares to the freshness and flavor of a home-grown tomato. He will show how to successfully grow your own crop in your backyard or container garden. The business meeting starts at 11 a.m., followed by raffle and snacks. Bring a sack lunch and coffee cup, as coffee and dessert are provided. Visit desplainesilgardenclub.com or facebook.com/DesPlainesGardenClub/.
Garden Club of Downers Grove: 12:15-3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, at American Legion Post 80, 4000 Saratoga, Downers Grove. Ken Benson, a landscape architect and host of the show “Landscaping with Ken Benson” from 1992-2000, presents “Houseplants, Our Friends.” It starts at 12:15 p.m. for refreshments followed by the club's general meeting then the presentation at 1:45 p.m. Visit gardenclubofdownersgrove.net or facebook.com/gardenclubdownersgrove.
Bloomingdale Garden Club: 6:15-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Cornerstone Faith Community Church, 118 First St., Bloomingdale. It will be the annual business meeting, including a review of 2025 activities, upcoming events for 2026 (including the popular flower & plant sale in May), and a discussion about the club’s charitable donations. The club will also be making lanyards for name badges at meetings. Social time begins at 6:15 p.m., announcements at 6:45 p.m., and meeting at 7 p.m. Visit bloomingdalegardenclub.org.
Batavia Plain Dirt Gardeners: 6:45 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. The guest will be Karly Tumminello, the director/curator of the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum at Benedictine University in Lisle, where she also teaches nature writing. Learn how to record your observations of nature through a journal or field notebook. Look at the key features of nature journals, various techniques of descriptive writing, how to incorporate visual elements, and basic sketching. . All are welcome. Visit bataviaplaindirtgardeners.org or facebook.com/BataviaPlainDirtGardeners/.
Wild Ones: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, on YouTube Live. In “Easy Ways We Can Help Heal Earth in the Suburban and Urban Landscape,” learn how small shifts in how we care for trees, soil, and land can restore life, reduce effort, and create healthier suburban and urban landscapes in this free webinar with Basil Camu. Drawing on two decades of hands-on experience through Leaf & Limb, Camu shows how working with natural systems instead of against them can help heal land, reduce maintenance, and create healthier, more resilient landscapes. Register: wildones.org.
Garden Club of Inverness: 10:15-11:45 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at All Saints Lutheran Church, 639 S. Quentin Road, Palatine. Dan Pilguy, owner and operator of Arlington Crest Farms, is entering his 10th year of business in Palatine. He last visited the club in 2019. He will share his trials and tribulations over the past decade as a suburban farmer. He will share what he has learned, including best practices as a grower, how he has developed his business to meet the needs of local consumers, and his hopes for future endeavors to make a lasting impact in the community. Free. Visit gardenclubofinverness.com.
Lombard Garden Club: 12:30-3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at the Lombard Community Center, 433 E. St. Charles Road. In “Bee an Advocate for Nature,” Bruce Blake, a pollinator garden specialist with the DuPage Monarch Project, will talk about the decline in monarch butterfly and native bee populations. Many other insects and pollinators have lost habitat and food sources. This in turn affects birds, amphibians and other animals that depend on them for food. Learn how you can be an important part in helping the natural world thrive. All are welcome; no charge. Visit lombardgardenclub.org.
Arlington Heights Garden Club: 6:30-8:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, at St. Simon’s Episcopal Church, 717 W. Kirchoff Road, Arlington Heights. In “Warblers Unveiled, Discover the True Songbirds of Summer,” Alyse Cohen Burman will explore the diverse species of warblers, their unique habitats and the critical role they play in our ecosystems. Learn about these small songbirds known for their beautiful colors and melodies. Social time at 6:30 p.m. with meeting and program at 7 p.m. Guests welcome. Visit facebook.com/AHGardenClub.
Grayslake Greenery Garden Club: 6:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at State Bank of the Lakes, 50 Commerce Drive, Grayslake. Presenters Mary Zorc, an Extension Master Gardener and the lead for the “Ask A Master Gardener” booth at the Grayslake Farmers Market, or Robin Martin, a newly certified Master Gardener and a strong advocate for the Gardening in Comfort approach. “Gardening in Comfort” involves using adaptive tools, equipment and techniques to best fit the needs of the gardener. Anyone, at any age, can garden with greater ease, preventing injury and reducing stress on the body. Included in the presentation will be a display of adaptive tools. Bring the tools you use to share your success with the group. Visit grayslakegardenclub.org.
Antique Apple Tree Grafting Seminar: 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at Garfield Farm Museum, off Garfield Road, Campton Hills. Learn how to grow your own antique apple trees at 37th annual event. For $40, participants will learn traditional apple grafting techniques and take home three grafts of heirloom varieties to plant in the spring. Reservations are required by calling (630) 584-8485 or emailing info@garfieldfarm.org.
Plant sales
Organic Seedlings Sale: First Congregational United Church of Christ in Elmhurst is now taking order for its 12th annual sale. Preorders for certified organic vegetable, herb and annual flower seedlings will be taken through Feb. 28. New this year, order bags of organic mushroom compost and potting mix too. For information on ordering your seedlings, visit elmhurstucc.org/store. Seedlings will be available for pick up at the Green Garden Fair from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 9, at the church, 235 S. Kenilworth.
Garden shows
Orchid Show 2026: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through March 22 at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Rewind to the 1960s and ’70s at the “Orchid Show: Feelin’ Groovy” where 10,000 vibrant orchids are the hottest thing since bell bottoms. Floor-to-ceiling sunbeams made of cascading orchids light up the room in living color. Lose yourself in a 10-foot lava lamp aglow with colorful blooms, then hit the road as a flower-filled Volkswagen Beetle carries you through a Route 66 daydream. $9-$16. Visit chicagobotanic.org/orchid. Photographers' hours ($30) are 8:15-9:45 a.m. and 4:15-5:45 p.m. Tuesdays; pre-show ticketed access for photographers; capacity is limited.
Orchids after Hours: 5-8 p.m. Thursdays, March 12 and 19; Fridays, Feb. 13 to March 14; and Saturdays, Feb. 14 and 28, and March 14, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Mingle with the blooms and enjoy a vibrant night out at Orchids After Hours, featuring cocktails and light bites for purchase. Separate ticket required; members cannot use free Orchid Show tickets for this event. $16-$25. Visit chicagobotanic.org/orchid.
Orchids after Hours Silent Disco: 5-8 p.m. Saturdays, Feb. 21 and March 21, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Age 21 or older can mingle with the blooms and enjoy a vibrant night out at Orchids After Hours, featuring cocktails and light bites for purchase. Separate ticket required; members cannot use free Orchid Show tickets for this event. $25. Visit chicagobotanic.org/orchid.
Illinois Orchid Society’s 74th Spring Show and Sale: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. See hundreds of rare and unique orchids from the private collections of the top growers in four states compete in 130 competition classes in the longest-running amateur orchid exhibition in the Chicago area. The show is free, included in Chicago Botanic Garden admission and parking. Shop for orchid plants and supplies from our network of commercial growers and collectors. Reserve your timed entry to the Chicago Botanic Garden in advance. Visit chicagobotanic.org/orchid.
Workshops
Organic Vegetable Gardening Basics: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, on Zoom with Chicago Botanic Garden. Chicago Botanic Garden horticulturist Riley Finnegan-Carrion will discuss the basic techniques and tools needed to grow your own vegetables. Explore how to choose the perfect site, prepare your soil, sow seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest your bounty. $32. Register: chicagobotanic.org.
Pruning Principles: 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, in the Learning Center at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Tim Johnson, Chicago Botanic Garden’s senior director of horticulture, will show how using the correct technique for pruning is key to maintaining healthy plants. Learn the principles of pruning, including proper tool use, techniques for pruning trees and shrubs, and the best time to prune both evergreen and deciduous plants. Discover a variety of pruning tools for maximum efficiency and plant health. $40. Register: chicagobotanic.org.
Assessing Soil Health for Ornamental Landscapes: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in Morton Arboretum’s Thornhill Education Center, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. If you’ve noticed a decline in your ornamental landscape’s vegetation, poor soil could be the cause. In this hands-on workshop with green industry outreach coordinator Michelle Catania, learn about the plant-soil relationships of healthy ornamental landscapes, the basics of soil properties, and the importance of soil sampling. $42 or $49. Register: mortonarb.org.
Building Healthy Soils: 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in Morton Arboretum’s Thornhill Education Center, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Learn about properties of healthy soils and how they impact your landscape. In this hands-on workshop with green industry outreach coordinator Michelle Catania, learn how to assess soils and learn the functions that help support all kinds of healthy plants. Whether you grow vegetables, flowers, trees, or shrubs, this workshop will introduce you to a deeper understanding of garden soil, and give you tips and techniques for creating healthy soils in your yard. $32 or $39. Register: mortonarb.org.
Introduction to Houseplant Care: 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, on Zoom with Chicago Botanic Garden. New! Learn to think like a horticulturist with Sarah Nolimal, Chicago Botanic Garden’s senior horticulturist, as you explore indoor plant care, including basic requirements and treatment plans. Expand your knowledge of topics like environmental factors, plant selection, healthcare, and seasonal maintenance. Bring your questions and get expert guidance on keeping your plants thriving year-round. $25. Register: chicagobotanic.org.
Gardening for Hummingbirds: 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, on Zoom with Chicago Botanic Garden. Make your yard a haven for ruby-throated hummingbirds with a great selection of native plants that provide food sources and nesting sites from spring to fall. Led by Duncan Himmelman, Ph.D., college horticulture instructor. $65. Register: chicagobotanic.org.
Dappled Delights, Adding Color to Shade Gardens: 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, in the Regenstein Center Plant Science Lab at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. New! Shady spaces do not have to be dull. While spring ephemerals provide early interest, many fade quickly, leaving gaps in the garden. Explore a wide variety of plants — both foliage and flowers — that keep shade gardens vibrant well into summer and fall. Chicago Botanic Garden plant curator Jacob Burns will show how to combine textures, colors, and bloom times for continuous appeal, plus offer tips on selecting plants that thrive in low light. Whether you are working under mature trees or in the shadow of a building, discover creative ways to transform dim areas into colorful, layered landscapes. $32. Register: chicagobotanic.org.