Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory

Story Time at the Conservatory
2026-04-22 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-04-15 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-04-01 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-03-25 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-03-18 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-03-04 10:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)
Every Wednesday enjoy stories, songs, and puppets led by our volunteer docents at the Oak Park Conservatory. Enjoy story time in the garden during the summer months.

Bilingual Story Time on the first Wednesday of each month.

This program is presented by the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory. Free with a suggested $5 donation at the door.

Registration links:
March : Register here.
April : Register here.
May : Register here.
June : Register here.
July : Register here.
August : Register here.

For Bilingual Story Time sessions:
March: Register here.
April – August: Register here.

TET (Toddler Exploration Time): 2025/2026
2026-04-17 09:30 - 11:15, 2026-03-20 09:30 - 11:15
Young learners (18 months – 5 years) will be delighted with stories, lessons, and crafts led by FOPCON’s education docents at the Oak Park Conservatory. Each month is a different topic. Advanced registration for 9:30-10:15 or 10:30-11:15 is required. Limited to 30 children and their caregivers. FREE.
Themes:
January 16, 2026. Frosty.
February 20, 2026. What’s That Sound?
March 20, 2026. Pitter, Patter, Splash.
April 17, 2026. Spring Fling.
May 15, 2026. Busy Bees.

Registration Links:
March 2026:
Register HERE for 9:30.
Register HERE for 10:30.
April – May 2026:
Register HERE for 9:30.
Register HERE for 10:30.

Learn and Grow: Tomatoes 101
2026-04-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Join the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory for our popular Learn & Grow gardening lecture series in person at the Conservatory. We will help you prepare for the gardening season and highlight plants available at our Annual Plant Sale. Programs are for all gardening levels. Registration is required for these free programs. Ages 18+

Apr 15: Tomatoes 101
Tomatoes are the most popular crop to grow, yet even experienced gardeners can still struggle to do it successfully. Join the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory to learn about the essentials for soil, sun, and water, as well as the basics of caging, pruning, and fertilizing. Register here.

Plant Help Desk
2026-04-15 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-08 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-01 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-25 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-18 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-11 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-03-04 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-02-25 13:00 - 15:00 and 3 more dates | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Every Wednesday from 1-3 pm: Plant Help Desk at the Oak Park Conservatory. Bring your plant questions and issues to our Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory volunteer expert who will help you on the spot. Bring a plant to be repotted too. Email inquiries to oakparkconservatory@pdop.org or call 708-725-2456, ext. 2. This is a new free service for the community.

2026 Plant Sale Kickoff
2026-04-11
Announcing the 2026 Plant Sale! Almost half of our selection is NEW! We have many of your long-time favorites as well. Members receive two weeks of priority shopping.
2026 Plant Sale Key Dates:

Members Only Sale: March 28, 2026
Sale Opens to the Public: April 11, 2026
Sale Closes: April 26, 2026
Pickup Days: May 4-7, 2026

For more details, access our Plant Sale page here.

Learn and Grow: Preparing for the Growing Season
2026-04-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Join the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory for our popular Learn & Grow gardening lecture series in person at the Conservatory. We will help you prepare for the gardening season and highlight plants available at our Annual Plant Sale. Programs are for all gardening levels. Registration is required for these free programs. Ages 18+

Apr 8: Preparing for the Growing Season
Ready, set, grow! It’s time to get back into the garden, but there’s a lot to do besides deciding which plants you’re interested in. Join the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory to learn how to prepare your soil, tools, pots, and compost to get the most out of the upcoming season. Register here.

Musical Story Time at the Conservatory
2026-04-08 10:00 - 10:30
Musical Story Time will feature 30 minutes of music, instrument exploration, singing, and stories for toddlers, babies, and caregivers. Featuring a trio of musicians from the Oak Park Farmers Market Band. Please reserve your spot today!
Register HERE.

Musical Story Time at the Conservatory
2026-03-11 10:00 - 10:30 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States

Story Time at the Conservatory
2026-02-25 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-02-18 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-02-11 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-02-04 10:00 - 10:30 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Every Wednesday enjoy stories, songs, and puppets led by our volunteer docents at the Oak Park Conservatory. Enjoy story time in the garden during the summer months.
NEW: Bilingual Story Time on the first Wednesday of each month.

This program is presented by the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory. Free with a suggested $5 donation at the door.

Registration links:
January : Register here.
February : Register here.
March : Register here.

For Bilingual Story Time sessions: (Feb 4, Mar 4)
February – March: Register here.

Registration links for Spring/Summer coming on March 2026.

TET (Toddler Exploration Time): 2025/2026
2026-02-20 09:30 - 11:15 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Young learners (18 months – 5 years) will be delighted with stories, lessons, and crafts led by FOPCON’s education docents at the Oak Park Conservatory. Each month is a different topic. Advanced registration for 9:30-10:15 or 10:30-11:15 is required. Limited to 30 children and their caregivers. FREE.
Themes:
January 16, 2025. Frosty.
February 20, 2025. What’s That Sound?
March 20, 2025. Pitter, Patter, Splash.
April 17, 2026. Spring Fling.*
May 15, 2026. Busy Bees.*

Registration Links:
January – March 2026:
Register HERE for 9:30.
Register HERE for 10:30.
*Registration for April and May available March 2026.

Gardening Lecture: Building a Drought-Tolerant Garden
2026-02-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
We can’t change the amount of rainfall we receive, but we can adapt the way we garden. Join us as we learn about drought-tolerant gardening: what are the best plants to grow, and how can we make the most effective use of the rainfall we do receive. Register here.
