Adhering to Seán’s belief that form follows function, Seán Conway Gardens products are useable, yet beautiful and inspirational. The products are for anyone looking to use plants, garden items and found objects to personalize indoor and outdoor spaces. Products will include an assortment of one-of-a-kind garden antiques and reproductions: garden furniture, pots, baskets, tools and much more.
‘So many people want to get their hands dirty and start gardening but are unsure of where to begin,’ said Mr. Conway. ‘It is my hope that Seán Conway Gardens will help all levels of gardner bring a touch of green to their homes, indoors and out.’
The new line is now available and debuted with the opening of a 4,000-square-foot garden product and lifestyle shop within the State Street store. Additionally, a shop will open in the Oakbrook store later this season.
This collection features a wide variety of gardening and lifestyle products sure to inspire you to get your hands joyfully dirty. From those who don’t know a trowel from a trestle to experienced green thumbs, the line offers something for gardeners of all levels. That’s the Seán Conway Gardens collection at Marshall Field’s, 111 N. State St. in Chicago; (312) 781-1000.
Turning our attention to the indoors, Pillow a.go.go announces its grand opening at 2908 N. Broadway on Saturday, June 7. Pillow a.go.go is a do-it-yourself fabric painting studio that offers customers the space, supplies and assistance to create one-of-a-kind hand-painted pillows. Customers choose fabric and paint colors, then customize their pillows using stamps, stencils or free-hand painting techniques. Pillow a.go.go sews the fabric into pillows for you to pick up one week later.
‘This is a great opportunity for people to customize the look of their living space with their own distinctive pillow designs,’ said co-owner Stacey Okerlund, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. ‘It’s a fun activity for all ages and all skill levels. And pillows make great personalized gifts,’ said co-owner Claudia Oliva.
To help inspire customer creativity, ready-made pillows designed by a Pillow a.go.go are displayed and are available for sale. This line of 16 designs is produced by Pillow a.go.go after customers choose fabric and paint colors. That’s Pillow a.go.go at 2908 N. Broadway in Chicago; (773) 472-GOGO.
Get Out There!
The Morton Arboretum
The Morton Arboretum launches into summer with a cool line-up of June activities, programs, and attractions:
Thru Aug. 16: Yoga on Thornhill.
June 7: Thornhill Lawn Concert: Grab your blankets, pack your picnics (or let us provide one for you), and find your spot on our lawn from 7-8:30 p.m. to hear the bluegrass quintet, the Nob Hill Boys, as part of our Thornhill Lawn Twilight Concerts, part of their Performing Arts Series of theatre hikes and musical events. The cost is $10; $8 for members; (630) 719-7996; (630) 719-2465.
June 7-8: Prairie Visitor Station Celebration.
June 7, 8, 14, and 15: Theatre-Hikes.
June 13: Dollar Discovery Day and ArborReading.
June 13-14: Twilight Tree Walk.
June 21-22: Prairie Heritage Days. Discover the subtle beauty of the prairie by taking part in free guided walks on the Schulenberg Prairie and various prairie-related family activities from 1-3:30 p.m. On June 22, The Natural Garden answers questions about prairie gardens and offers native prairie plants for sale. Later that day, native landscape designer John Gishnock lends insight into ‘Gardening and Horticulture of the Prairie’ from 1-2 p.m. in the Thornhill Education Center. The lecture is free, reservations (630) 719-2465.
July 5, 6, 12, and 13: Theatre-Hikes —’Travels with Lewis and Clark.’ Two hundred years ago, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led an expedition from the Mississippi River at St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Join in the dramatic presentation of their courageous journey at the new Prairie Visitor Station on the Arboretum’s West Side.
July 12: Thornhill Lawn Twilight Concert—One Drum. Get ready for a thrilling musical journey through time as the musical ensemble One Drum uses its collection of ancient and modern instruments, as well as drama, story, and movement to explore music’s cultural roots.
Aug. 2: Thornhill Lawn Twilight Concert—Big Nick & the Cydecos: A five-piece zydeco band, Big Nick & the Cydecos start with French music, sprinkle in a mixture of Creole from the Louisiana backwaters, and add the rough-and-tumble influence of the industrial Midwest to present an evening of sizzling musical entertainment.
August 2, 3, 9, 10: Theatre-Hikes — ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass.’ Based on the book by Lewis Carroll, ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ is a delightful musical version of Alice’s adventures in meeting strange and wonderful characters, such as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Humpty Dumpty, A White Knight, and Cabbages and Kings.
Aug. 30, 31, September 1 (Labor Day), 6, 7. Theatre-Hikes — ‘Twelfth Night.’
The Morton Arboretum is a 1,700-acre outdoor museum with collections of more than 3,400 kinds of trees, shrubs, and other plants displayed in woodlands, gardens, restored tallgrass prairie, and other natural areas. Visit www.mortonarb.org or (630) 719-2465.