Thank you for your interest in our Virtual Weekend Gardener Program.

Please join us as we explore vegetable gardening, flower arranging, native plants and crevice gardens.

You may choose to attend any session that interests you.

9 a.m. Beginning Vegetable Gardening with Grace Margherio, U of I Extension Educator

Growing your own vegetables is rewarding. Improve your success by learning about selecting the right site, testing your soil, and maintaining healthy plants.

10 a.m. Growing and Designing with Cut Flowers, Candice Hart, State Master Gardener Specialist

Learn how to grow a variety of cut flowers here in Ilinois, the benefits of having cut flowers in the garden, and how to condition them to be long-lasting. Hart will discuss her all-time favorite flowers to grow and demonstrate a quick and easy flower arrangement.

11 a.m. Native Plants Throught the Seasons, Elizabeth Wahle, U of I Extension Educator

Incorporating native plants is a great way to add color and texture to your garden, as well as support beneficial insects. Join Elizabeth as she discusses many of our native plants by order of bloom, beginning early season and running up to the first frost, for a full season of bloom.

12 p.m. Crevice Gardens, Elizabeth Wahle, U of I Extension Educator

Crevice gardens are a form of rock gardening where closely spaced flat stones are pushed down into the soil vertically to create narrow, deep, and well-drained pockets for planting.  If you have ever struggled to successfully grow xeric plants whose roots are sensitive to wet soil conditions, join Elizabeth as she discusses not only how to get started building your own crevice garden but also learn about some plants suited to this soil environment.