REGISTER-Free Workshop-Limit 40 - wpgarden@aol.com
Greening Lectures - See www.wpgarden.org

Hello Chicagoland Gardeners and Community Gardens in the Parks Coordinators,
A special workshop will be offered this year. The workshop is open to all Chicagoland Gardeners and provides and opportunity for you all to work in the Garfield Park Conservatory, grow plants for the 2009 Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier, learn to make paper from null paper and plant materials, install plants at the show, and be docents at the show.

Special Plus for Community Gardens in the Parks - Many of the plants will be available to be installed in your gardens if you participate in any aspect of this project. -- see below.
Doug Wood
WPGarden
www.wpgarden.org

Saturdays, January 10 - March 21 - 10am - 1PM
GARDEN DESIGN
Preparing Plants for an Exhibit at the 2009 Flower & Garden Show
Exhibit Sponsored by Chicago Park District and Parkways Foundation
Get Started on Saturdays in December - Contact Us

LOCATION
Wicker Park-1425 North Damen Ave, Chicago & Garfield Park Conservatory
Most Classes Held at Garfield Park Conservatory 300 N. Central Park Ave.
Reservations: No Charge - Limit 40 - wpgarden@aol.com or 77 3-278-9075

Park District Consultants - The Conservatory Staff
Mary Eysenbach, Miguel del Valle, Steven Meyer, Unni Koch, John Refetto
Adam Schwerner - Director of Natural Resources

WP Garden Workshop Instructors - Coordinate with Conservatory Staff
Doug Wood, Leslie Zimmerman, Jim Angrabright, Denise Browning,
Richard Tilley, Larry Clary, Amy Brinkman, Susan Fontana

Paper Making Teachers - WPGarden
Doug Wood, Denise Browning, Leslie Zimmerman, Amy Brinkman, Petrina Patti

Collaborating Artist
Michael Thompson, Sculptor
www.michaelthompsonart.com

About the Show: www.chicagoflower.com
Sponsors: www.parkways.org
www.chicagoparkdistrict.com
www.wpgarden.org

THE DESIGN OF THE EXHIBIT - The exhibit is to draw attention to the Community Gardens in the Parks project and to promote Green Technology and life styles.

The Wicker Park Garden Club has designed the Community Gardens in the Parks' Exhibit for the 2009 Chicago Flower and Garden Show held at Navy Pier, March 7-15, 2009. The Park District Conservatory Staff has been working with our workshop teachers/designers to provide all the information necessary to grow and design the exhibit. The design features a rain garden, solar panels, living walls, and zone 5 plants that will be relocated to community gardens in the parks after the show. The exhibit will feature a Michael Thompson kite design. The kite paper will be made by children and adults from recycling paper and from cooked plants.

DISCUSSION OF DESIGN - The design will be shown and discussed on Monday, December 1 at Wicker Park, 1425 N. Damen during the Community Gardens in the Park Lecture-A Talk That Features some of Chicago's Finest Community Gardens in the Parks.
Exhibit Designers - Doug Wood, Leslie Zimmerman, Jim Angrabright, Denise Browning, Richard Tilley, Susan Fontana

FORCING THE PLANTS AND WORKING ON THE SHOW - The WPGarden Club will coordinate Chicagoland Gardeners to work together to grow and force the plants that will be used, to in stall the show, to be docents at the show, and to strike the show. Participants will learn the horticultural techniques of how to force trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and bulbs to bloom on a specific timetable for a flower show and gain hands-on-experience forcing the plants at the Garfield Park Conservatory. Also, all participants will be introduced to conservation and sustainable energy options. All members of the class wi ll have the opportunity to install the plants the week of the show at Navy Pier and be offered training to be docents during the show.

WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE - We have planted 700 pots of tulips, muscari, and daffodils for use in the show. They are in the coolers at the conservatories. We purchased all perennials, shrubs, and trees for the exhibit and they are currently at the Garfield Park Conservatory - ready to be brought inside to force in December and January. The Children at Wicker Park have been making paper for the kites for the last 7 weeks.

PAPER MAKING FOR KITE - Let us know if you'd like to attend a special paper making seminar - Saturdays in December?

RECYCLING THE PLANTS INTO COMMUNITY GARDENS IN THE PARKS
The plants used in the exhibit will be returned to Garfield Park Conservatory after the show until the weather permits them being installed in Community Gardens in the Parks. The plants will be distributed only to those gardens whose members work to prepare the plants for the show, work to install the show, or who are docents at the show. Number of plants given to any garden is based on 1) the level of volunteer time and 2) the approval of Community Gardens the Park Staff.

LOCATIONS- FIRST CLASS AT WICKER PARK - The schedule of dates and locations (at Wicker Park or at Garfield Park) of each class will be given at the first class which will be held at Wicker Park.