Tiptoe through the Tulips: A Great Escape

Consider me an optimist, but the arrival of March, to me, signifies the beginning of spring. While gray days and snowfall may still cloud our horizon, signs of spring are everywhere. The days are longer, birds are chirping, and weatherman Tom Skilling has proclaimed the start of the meteorological spring.

So why not celebrate the end of winter at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show  at Navy Pier? The show, which runs March 5-13, is the perfect opportunity to surround yourself with the colors and fragrances of spring. Featuring more than thirty innovative, professionally designed gardens, the creativity and integration of unusual plants, ponds, paving blocks and more will inspire your own outdoor decorating.

And there's plenty more to see and do. Check out the marketplace, offering a variety of gardening tools and accessories and organic wine tastings. There are a ton of seminars on everything ranging from vegetable gardening to roses and perennials.

Love to cook and/or eat? You'll want to head to the Garden Gourmet area, where local top chefs will demonstrate their cooking techniques, share important tips and strategies, and offer tastings. 

Local Elmhurst chef Marco Conte, owner of Cafe Amano, will demonstrate his talent on Tuesday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m. Conte is known for his healthy yet gourmet delights using all fresh ingredients.

You can even get your hands dirty while potting your own plant creation under the guidance of experts from the Chicago Botanic Garden. This popular workshop costs a small fee of $20, but you get to take home your new houseplant!

Tickets for the show range from $13 to $17 per person and include all of the above events.