Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator National Arbor Day is always the last Friday in April, putting it on April 25th this year. Are you ready to plant a tree? If not, Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, says that you can plant one...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator April brings us our fourth gardening trend for 2014: Dress up Your Yard. I often talk about my various outdoor garden rooms. Outdoor spaces are truly an extension of your home. You might have a kitchen for barbeques, a...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Many people consider getting plants established in shady areas of the yard as a challenge. Fortunately, this does not have to be true. There are many options available to gardeners for shady areas. Want to learn more? I will present...

University of Illinois Extension recently named Rhonda Ferree as the new statewide coordinator of the Master Naturalist program. Ferree also serves as an Extension horticulture educator serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell Counties The U of I Extension Master Naturalist program provides...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator This month's 2014 garden trend is "Drink Your Garden" Coincidentally I also just bought a new book called The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart. Intrigued? Simply put, there are...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Learn more about gardening by attending a garden day event this spring. Garden day events are sponsored by University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners and are held all over the state. You can find a garden event to attend on...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I am so fortunate that I had opportunities during this cold, snowy winter to visit two tropical locations. I went to Costa Rica in December to pick up my son from his semester of studying abroad and I just returned from my husband's...

Written by James Schuster, retired horticulture educator Following a few suggestions can prolong the beauty of flowers given on Valentine's Day and other special occasions, says a retired University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. "Whether you are giving roses, carnations,...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator My Dad and I are planning some of our garden catalog orders together this year. This serves many purposes. We inspire each other to begin planning and some catalogs offer discounts or free shipping for larger orders. Now is the time...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I am hoping for some warmer weather so I can do some winter pruning. Winter is a perfect time to prune most trees and shrubs. Correct pruning is an essential maintenance practice for ornamental trees and shrubs. However, most...