From glaciers to gardens, The Morton Arboretum Education Program offers a great collection of unique opportunities for all ages to learn about trees and nature this winter. A few highlights for winter and early spring:

New for the garden enthusiast: "Spring Garden Party" (replacing the Midwest Gardening Symposium). This event teaches attendees how to make the right garden choices, handle challenges, and turn your garden into a work of art! Cost per section varies; $182 for the whole weekend (Arboretum members receive discounts).  Sign up for all three sections with a friend and each will receive a 10 percent registration discount. The "Spring Garden Party" runs March 5-6.

For the naturalist: "Glaciers in Your Backyard." Discover how glaciers shaped the Chicago area. Learn about the patterns and processes that led to ice forming over our continent and the landscape features that glaciers left behind. Class is February 5 at the Thornhill Education Center and costs $82.  Children ages 12 and up welcome with adult registrant.

For families, March brings in "Maple Tapping Time!" Participants try their hand at tapping a maple tree, sampling the fresh sap, watching as the sap turns into real maple syrup and then tasting the finished product. All participants receive 20 percent off  breakfast at the Arboretum's Ginkgo Restaurant. Costs $20 per person (Arboretum members receive discounts). Sections run March 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Touch raptor talons, skulls, and feathers; play with raptor puppets and listen to raptor bird calls as you enter the fascinating world of these birds of prey. Meet live raptors up close as Willowbrook Wildlife Center experts answer questions. For age 8 and older. Cost is $20 per person (Arboretum members receive discounts). February 21: from 10 a.m. to noon at Thornhill Education Center.

Who lives in your trees? Find out what it is like "Living in the Urban Game Park!" The trees in your neighborhood are home to a wide variety of animal life. Learn about who is housed in your trees, what they eat, and their winter behavior. January 22 at Thornhill Education Center; $22 (Arboretum members receive discounts). Children ages 9 and up welcome with adult registrants.

Create one-of-a-kind Valentine's Day cards using nature! "Nature-Themed Valentine" will teach you how to use nature printing to make a series of cards for all the special people in your life. Class is February 13 in the Arboretum Research Center and costs $90 (Arboretum members receive discounts).

Make the most of your photos! "Photoshop I" teaches the basics of optimizing digital images of the natural world. Determine how color is measured and interpreted, and pick up fundamental rules for photo augmentations. Class runs on Tuesdays in the Thornhill Education Center March 1-29 and costs $198 (Arboretum members receive discounts).

Gear up for spring garden success!  New Eco-Friendly Gardening workshops highlight small changes in the design and care of your garden that can help create a more beautiful, healthy, and sustainable landscape. On Jan 22, find out how to make your home more energy efficient and appealing to wildlife in "Living Off the Land: An Introduction to Permaculture."  On February 26, discover which plants can weather changing conditions in "Adaptable Gardens: Landscape Ideas for a Changing Climate." On March 12, get your trees and shrubs in shape with "Throw Away Your Hedge Shears: Save Time & Money with Plant Healthy Pruning."  All workshops are Saturdays from 1 - 5 pm at the Thornhill Education Center and cost $59 (Arboretum members receive discounts).

This is just a small sample of The Morton Arboretum Education programs. For a complete list, visit http://www.mortonarb.org/education.html or call 630-719-2468 for more information.