Vermilion County Master Gardeners

Join the Master Gardeners!

2026 In-Person Master Gardener Training is being offered on Tuesdays at the Vermilion County Extension Office in Danville. Students complete 60 hours of training over 11 weeks. A few classes will take place in Champaign.
An open-book online quiz will need to be completed on each week's class topic.
Your class fee includes a Master Gardener Manual written for people gardening in Illinois.
New volunteers commit to complete 40 volunteer hours on approved Master Gardener projects in the Danville area over the next two years.
Approved projects include the following Community Gardens:
Kennekuk County Park Historic Atwood House and Official Illinois Herb Garden
Danville Library Children's Wonder Garden and Native Plant Garden
Danville Veterans Greenhouse, Healing Garden, Shade and Vegetable gardens
Educational Outreach Programs with Veterans of different ages
Douglas Discovery Garden in Danville with vegetable gardens, orchard, cut flower garden and other features.
Vermilion County Extension Office Container Garden project for incoming Master Gardener interns
Events like the annual March Garden Day at DACC, May Plant Sale, CRIS Garden Share July-Sept, Speakers Bureau, and weekly WDAN MG Radio Program, offer a wide variety for volunteers to choose from when earning hours.
Active Master Gardeners volunteer 20+ hours per year at approved projects with 10 hours of continuing education earned at Garden Day, University Webinars, Monthly CE programs and field trips.
In 2025, Vermilion County Master Gardeners volunteered about 6,000 hours in the community and grew over 6,000 pounds of produce that was donated to the CRIS Senior Center Garden Share program, veterans and local community.

If you enjoy gardening, learning, and sharing your knowledge with others, the Master Gardener program is for you. The classes will meet in-person in the Vermilion County Extension Office starting in winter 2026. *A couple classes may meet at the Champaign Extension Office due to instructor availability.

Fill out a Vermilion County Master Gardener Interest Form today!

Submit your Interest Form now before January 5, 2026 deadline, to be considered for the 2026 class. Note class size is limited and may fill up before January. Candidates must agree to a background check and informal interview.

Upcoming Events

Our Master Gardeners present on a different topic each month. Find out what this month's talk is by looking at our events page!

Become a Master Gardener

Interested in becoming a Master Gardener? Find out more information on what it takes to join!

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Find out about the latest events and news in Vermilion County for all of our programs!

Annual Events

See what events we host every year!

Garden Day Workshop

This is an annual event that local gardeners wait for all winter. The program takes place in early March and includes speakers, a bag filled with garden-themed items, coupons, and a silent auction. Attendees are encouraged to register early in February. The silent auction is free and open to the public. Call 217-300-2616 for details. The fee is $35 and includes four speakers, a hot lunch served by DACC Culinary Students, and a Garden Day Bag filled with goodies.

2025 Event

Plant Sale

Taking place in early May each year, you will find a large selection of tomatoes, both heirloom and hybrid, grown by Master Gardeners from seed. Meet the MG who grew the plants and ask them questions to ensure you get a suitable variety for your vegetable garden. Plants include annuals, perennials, vegetables, and herbs, with a table for pollinator plants and natives. This year's sale is planned for May 17. Check back soon for more information!

Our Community Projects

Many colorful native plants in a row along a sidewalk in front of a brick building under a blue sky with clouds.

Growing Together at Danville Public Library

The Danville Public Library hosts two delightful gardening initiatives: the Pollinator Garden and the Children's Wonder Garden. The Pollinator Garden features native prairie plants cultivated by Master Gardeners, with plans to provide educational information on the history and beauty of native plants, encouraging residents to incorporate them into their own landscapes. Meanwhile, the Children's Wonder Garden offers a weekly Children's Garden Club where Master Gardeners and children collaborate to design, plant, and maintain a garden, alongside indoor horticulture programs like growing mushrooms, seed starting, and forcing bulbs.

Read how the Pollinator Garden came to be

Douglas Discovery Garden

Master Gardeners plant and maintain annual, perennial flower, herb, and vegetable gardens with the local community. There is also a small orchard. They collaborate with local schools to offer horticulture classes in winter months, culminating with students planting in May.

A white house with a picket fence and sign.

Gardening at Kennekuk County Park

Atwood House and Bunker Hill Herb Garden are two vibrant gardening spots at Kennekuk County Park. Master Gardeners maintain the Atwood House gardens from spring to fall, assisting with new plantings of flowers and vegetables and participating in the Plant A Row program, which grows vegetables for local food pantries. Meanwhile, the Bunker Hill Herb Garden features over 100 labeled herbs in raised beds, earning certification from the Illinois Herb Society in 2015.

Visit Us

Several people sitting in a radio studio.

Master Gardener Radio Show

Master Gardeners discuss the latest gardening topics and ask questions from callers about gardening practices or concerns during a weekly radio show. Airs Wednesdays on WDAN at 5 pm. Recordings are available.

Learn more about this show's long-time host

Several people gathered around a raised bed in a greenhouse.

VA Gardening Committee

Master Gardeners volunteer at the Danville VA about 2,500 hours a year. They are active in the VA Greenhouse, propagating, growing, and maintaining plants. They design, plant, and maintain a Pollinator Garden on the grounds. They are responsible for maintaining the VA Healing Garden, a peaceful, secluded garden available only to veteran residents, and monthly programs for veterans of different ages.

Reporting Hours

Master Gardeners must log volunteer and education hours using the reporting website. These hours enable our sponsors to understand the value provided by Master Gardeners to the community.

Report your hours!