Home & garden calendar, March 10-21

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

Rolling Meadows Garden Club: 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at the Rolling Meadows Community Center, 3705 Pheasant Drive. In “Nifty Plants for Shady Sites,” Heather Prince, horticulturist educator at The Morton Arboretum and Chicago Botanic Garden, will explore the colors and textures of special shade loving plant varieties for dry shade, moist shade, part shade, and dense shade. All are welcome. Visit rollingmeadowsgardenclub.com for more details.

Tri-Village Garden Club: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at Streamwood Fire Station 31, 1204 S. Park Ave., Streamwood. Katherine Mueller will speak on “Monarchs in the Spring.” She is a member of the Schaumburg Monarch Initiative, an organization that encourages the planting of milkweed and other native plants and establishing a butterfly garden. The meeting is open to all. Visit acebook.com/TriVillageGardenClub/.

Schaumburg Community Garden Club: 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Jack Pizzo of Pizzo Habitat Restoration will discuss the benefits of establishing and planting native plants to support ecosystem health and vitality. He specializes in the successful restoration of natural areas and the cultivation of deep-rooted, native plants. Just in time for the spring sale, Pizzo will answer any questions you have about plants and best practices for a beautiful yard. 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, March 12, in the GENCenter, 52 E. Northwest Hwy., Des Plaines. The program starts at 10 a.m. In “Gardening As We Age,” garden club member Karen Pacey will talk about the benefits of raised gardens and planters, and suggest plants that will do well in both. And Mary Peglow will share some useful tips and a few chair yoga exercises to practice before heading out to garden. The business meeting starts at 11 a.m., followed by raffle and snacks. Bring a sack lunch and coffee cup; coffee and dessert are provided. Visit desplainesilgardenclub.com or facebook.com/DesPlainesGardenClub/.

Garden Club of Downers Grove: 12:15-3 p.m. Monday, March 16, at American Legion Post 80, 4000 Saratoga, Downers Grove. Dolly Swibes Foster, a horticulturist and certified arborist, presents “Long Blooming Perennial Garden.” 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.

Mount Prospect Garden Club: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, at Mount Prospect Police Station, 911 E. Kensington Road. Due to the District IX annual meeting and luncheon on March 10 in Palatine, this month’s meeting is on the third Tuesday. Rolfe Jaremus will talk about “Soil — Can You Dig It.” 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.

Bloomingdale Garden Club: 6:15-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, at Cornerstone Faith Community Church, 118 First St., Bloomingdale. The club’s own Master Gardener, Gail Sanders, will show how to plant and maintain container gardens so that they can become attractive season long additions to the home landscape. It will include recipes for container displays and guidelines for plant selection. 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, March 17, at the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. Environmental educator and biologist Lizzy Small will speak on “From Soil to Songbirds: The Science Behind Native Plant Success” She will discuss how native plants support pollinators, birds, and soil health. How deep root systems, microbial partnerships, and adaptations to local climate make native plants resilient and sustainable choices. Learn how to assess conditions such as soil type, moisture, light, and drainage, and when to amend soil. All are welcome. Visit bataviaplaindirtgardeners.org or facebook.com/BataviaPlainDirtGardeners/.

Wild Ones: 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, on YouTube Live. In “Rethinking Horticulture with Real Ecology,” field botanist and science communicator Joey Santore, creator of “Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t,” examines how inherited design norms like straight lines, uniform spacing, tidy edges, and color-grouped plantings shape expectations for native landscapes. These conventions, rooted in European garden traditions and reinforced by modern lawn culture, continue to influence how native plant gardens are judged, managed, and defended, often at the expense of biodiversity, soil health, and long-term ecological resilience. Free. Register: wildones.org.

Garden Club of Inverness: 10 a.m. Thursday, March 19, at All Saints Lutheran Church, 639 S. Quentin Road, Palatine. Jim and Jake Fabbrini of Fabbrini’s Flowers, a family-owned floral shop in Hoffman Estates, will present current trends in floral design, color palettes, and arrangement styles. By exploring Fabbrini’s design process, learn about what’s trending in today’s floral industry. And, some lucky winners will take home a lovely arrangement. Free. Visit gardenclubofinverness.com.

Arlington Heights Garden Club: 6:30-8:15 p.m. Monday, March 23, at St. Simon’s Episcopal Church, 717 W. Kirchoff Road, Arlington Heights. In “Spring Garden Field Trips,” Becky Booth will share her favorite area garden events and places to visit for recovery from the bleakness of winter. She has been an avid gardener in three homes across the Northwest suburbs. She enjoys photographing plants to capture them at their peak and sharing with others. Visitors are welcome to come and find garden places to visit in the area. 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, March 24, at State Bank of the Lakes, 50 Commerce Drive, Grayslake. Jackie Kosbab, senior horticulturist of Cantigny Park in Wheaton, will present “Roses: How Many Do You Have in Your Garden?” While many think that having roses in their garden can be daunting and time consuming, with a little know-how, you can have them thrive and be a wonderful addition to your garden. Visit grayslakegardenclub.org.

Lombard Garden Club: 12:30-3 p.m. Friday, March 27, at the Lombard Community Center, 433 E. St. Charles Road. In “Fixing Climate Change in Your Backyard and Frontyard,” Mike Nowak will talk about how your yard can make a huge difference in saving plants and animal species and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Nowak will walk you through the basic native plants, harvesting rainwater, reducing lawn area, composting and other garden decisions that can make a huge difference in saving plants and animal species and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. All are welcome; no charge. Visit lombardgardenclub.org. The centennial luncheon celebration is set for Friday, April 24, featuring “Hollywood in Bloom” by film historian Annette Bochenek about the impact and symbolism of gardens, forests, and plant life in Golden Age Hollywood films.

Roselle Park District Garden Club: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at Roselle Park District, 10 N. Roselle Road. In “From Garden Club to Garden Glove: A Cautiously Confident Beginner's Journey,” a club member will share what it has been like to go from enthusiastic observer to hands-in-the-dirt gardener and how she applied knowledge gained from garden club meetings, asking questions, making mistakes, and growing (literally and figuratively) one season at a time. Whether you're new to gardening or interested in trying something new, or a seasoned grower who enjoys hearing the trials of a fellow plant parent, come be reminded that every Master Gardener was once a beginner and that progress doesn’t require perfection, just curiosity and a bit of soil. Guests welcome. facebook.com/RPDgardenclub/.

Plant sales

Buffalo Grove Garden Club’s annual plant sale: Through March 29. Orders accepted via bgparks.org/information/garden-club/. Pickup date will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Alcott Center in Buffalo Grove. The sale features professionally grown annuals and herbs as well as perennial coral bells in 4.5-inch pots. A selection of 10- and 12-inch baskets are offered as well. To commemorate America 250 this summer, many red, white and blue offerings are available. Proceeds fund a scholarship program, planting and maintenance of four community gardens as well as presenters at meetings held March through December. Questions, contact cmcoffey65@gmail.com or bgbloomer822@gmail.com.

Citizens for Conservation’s 30th annual Spring Native Plant, Shrub and Tree Sale: Available through April 4 or until order capacity is reached. The sale offers more than 200 varieties of native plants including many species of plants that support local pollinators. Also available for pre-order: a special “30 plants for 30 years” garden, featuring a curated selection of plants to mark the sale’s 30th anniversary. Orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and there is a $50 pre-order minimum charge. The in-person sale will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at CFC’s Hill ‘N Dale Preserve, 11801 Ridge Road, Barrington Hills. Online order pickup will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, May 1, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the sale site. For more information, visit citizensforconservation.org or contact (847) 382-7283.

Central States Dahlia Society’s annual Dahlia Plant Sale: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, in Burnstein Hall at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Admission to the dahlia sale is included in admission to the botanic garden. centralstatesdahliasociety.com.

Friends of the Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission’s inaugural Plant Sale: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, at 9 E. Marion Ave. in Prospect Heights. All of the native plants are grown by PHNRC volunteers, mostly from the seed collected at the restoration sites. They also offer vegetables, herbs, and non-native garden plants. All proceeds will fund the creation and protection of natural areas in the city’s neighborhoods. Plant experts will be available for consultations. For a list of plants, visit phnrc.com/plant-sale.html.

Bloomingdale Garden Club Spring Flower & Plant Sale: noon to 6 p.m. Friday, May 8, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at Bloomingdale Park District maintenance building, 259 Springfield Drive, north end of Springfield Park, quarter-mile south of Route 20. It will feature nursery grown annuals in flats, 4- and 6-inch pots, hanging baskets, vegetables and herbs, accessory plants, grasses, tropicals, and perennials from members’ gardens. They also will have a Master Gardener Help Desk, raffles, and gently-used garden items for sale. Cash, check, and credit cards are accepted ($2 service fee is charge for credit card use). Proceeds will support local charities. Visit bloomingdalegardenclub.org.

Garden Club of Lake Zurich Plant Sale: 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 16, at the Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich. The club offers hundreds of home-grown perennials, annuals, natives, saplings, vegetable seedlings, ground covers, houseplants, herbs, plus garden books and decor. Plants are in sterilized soil to deter the spread of invasive worm species. Get expert advice from Master Gardeners and garden club members. It will be held rain or shine. Pay by cash, check or credit card. Come early as plants go quickly. Visit gardencluboflakezurich.org.

Master Gardeners' Plant Sale: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at the University of Illinois Extension grounds, 100 S. Route 45, Grayslake. Featuring a selection of nursery-grown varieties not readily available at traditional garden centers — natives, new cultivars of perennials, grasses and pollinator-friendly plants. Many varieties of home-grown tomatoes, along with other vegetables and herbs, will be available. In addition, shop “Garden Treasures” for new and gently used items to enhance your landscape and home, including yard art, garden tools, decorative containers and gardening books. University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your gardening questions, help with plant selection, and offer gardening advice. All proceeds support projects and programming for volunteers, youth and adults in Lake County. For details, call (847) 223-8627 or visit extension.illinois.edu/lm.

Workshops

Trees and Shrubs with Winter Interest: 9-11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Horticulture educator Mark Zampardo will show how the trees and shrubs that add interesting form, color, and texture to the winter landscape. Class will start inside and then move outdoors for a garden walk, weather permitting. Dress for the weather. $52-$65. Register: chicagobotanic.org.

Fruits That Surprise: 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Explore fruits that thrive in your northern Illinois garden with just a bit of care. Learn surprising ways to grow fruits with the reputation of being difficult to maintain. Discover some of the unsung heroes of the fruit world such as pawpaw, fig, serviceberry, quince, and Concord grapes. Class will start indoors and then move outdoors for a garden walk. Dress for the weather. $25-$32. Register: chicagobotanic.org.

Make Your Own Compost: 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Can banana peels, grass clippings, and vegetable scraps enhance your home garden? They can, if turned into compost. Learn how to transform leftovers and garden waste into food for your soil for free, and without bad odors or attracting pests. Led by Lorilin Meyer, assistant horticulturist. $20-$25. Register: chicagobotanic.org.

Best New Plants of 2026: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, via Zoom. Learn about some of the most exciting annuals, perennials, and woody plants that are ready for immediate consideration in our gardens. Led by Mark Dwyer, owner of Landscape Prescriptions by MD. $52-$65. Register: chicagobotanic.org.

Spring Vegetable Growing: 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, via Zoom. Learn about choosing the best location for your garden and how to create ideal growing conditions. Understand the value of soil testing and learn about cool-season crop selection and indoor seed starting. Discover planting strategies such as vegetable spacing, planting times, and succession planting. Learn how weed control impacts the health of your plants. Led by horticulturist Riley Finnegan-Carrion. $25-$32. Register: chicagobotanic.org.

Midwest Fruit Explorers Grafting Workshop: 1-4 p.m. Sunday, March 29, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. The Midwest Fruit Explorers present this hands-on workshop with step-by-step instructions on how to graft and care for fruit trees. Beginners are welcome! Experts will guide newcomers, and grafting supplies including scion wood will be available for purchase. No registration required. Regular parking and garden admission fees apply. Visit chicagobotanic.org.

Seed Library open: noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, to March 22, in the Lenhardt Library at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. At harvest time, save seeds for yourself, and return some to the Seed Library for others to “borrow” next season. Instructions on seed growing, harvesting, and saving are distributed with each hand-packed seed envelope. Before you get growing, check out the latest seed growing tips from the experts. By participating in the Seed Library, you become part of the growing community of seed savers and a keeper of shared knowledge for the next generation of gardeners. Many books are available for reading and borrowing. Visit chicagobotanic.org/library/seed_library.

Garden shows

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.

Orchid Show 2026: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to 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; Friday, March 14; and Saturday, 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. Saturday, 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.

Northern Illinois Gesneriad Society Show & Sale: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 21-22, at Chicago Botanic Garden’s Burnstein Hall, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. The gesneriad family contains some of the most decorative and widely grown tropical plants including lipstick plant, primrose, gloxinia, and African violets. Explore the beauty of approximately 50 exhibits featuring 20 different types. Learn about the diversity of their flowers and foliage, and see free demonstrations on propagation, soil, and more. Shop for cuttings, tubers, and rhizomes on sale for $2-$20. Regular parking and garden admission fees apply. Visit chicagobotanic.org/flowershows.

Midwest Bonsai Society Spring Show & Sale: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Presented by the Midwest Bonsai Society. Hundreds of bonsai specimens will be on display or for sale. Free demonstrations and lectures will be held in Regenstein Center. Workshops for beginners and accomplished bonsai growers will be held in various locations. Additional fee and registration is required for workshops. Visit midwestbonsai.org or chicagobotanic.org.