WICKER PARK — Have a rooftop and want to create a magazine-worthy natural oasis? Need to add greenery to your front or backyard but don't want to hire a landscaper?
A popular Saturday morning DIY landscape design class that attracts students from around the city who want to create gardens for their homes, businesses and empty lots begins its next series in January.
Organizers from the Wicker Park Garden Club, who tend to the neighborhood's namesake park gardens, say they've assembled a lineup of six professional designers and 15 avid gardeners to lead its 11th season.
The classes teach participants how to create a landscaped garden as well as draw up a blueprint for the planting season in spring.
Activities will include creating a site plan, determining usage and bed areas, incorporating architectural influences, selecting plants for sun and shade and understanding native and sustainable plant palettes, among other topics.
Each week will spotlight a different design focus and require homework. The final week will culminate with each student delivering a semi-formal presentation on his or her landscape garden plan — a blueprint for spring when outdoor work can begin.
"Winter is a great time to create and plan," said Doug Wood, president of the Wicker Park Garden Club.
Wood said that this year's class has a maximum capacity of 50 students, more than the previous years' 40 because other years have sold out.
Scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays from Jan. 7 to Feb. 25, the series costs $120.
The classes take place in the Wicker Park Field House, 1425 N. Damen Ave. Attendees can pay at the first class, or in advance, if a gift for someone else. Register by emailing doug.wood@wickerpark.org.
This year's poster for the landscape design workshop. [Doug Wood]
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