Join us for the 2026 University of Illinois Extension Garden Learning Series!!

This year we have a fantastic variety of topics being presented by the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners and Educators, along with Educators and Ecologists from the Lake County Forest Preserve District and the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO).

Presentations are scheduled on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm starting in February 2026. This year we have 11 sessions. All sessions are free, virtual, and held on Zoom; they are not recorded.

Registration closes on the Tuesday before each session at 11:59 pm. Zoom link, slides, and handouts will be emailed to registrants by 2 pm the day of the presentation (Check ALL your email folders, including SPAM).

We cannot wait to see you at the 2026 Extension Garden Learning Series!

Register for individual programs below. You cannot register for all programs at once.

Session 1 – Seed Starting for Your Garden

When: February 11, 2026   6:00 PM- 7:30 PM 

Presenter: University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners

Description: Master Gardeners will deliver timely tips on how to start seeds to grow your own seedlings for your garden. Basic requirements, including time, light, growing medium, water, and attention, will be shared as well as suggested plants to start from seed. Seed starting is not limited to vegetables. Annuals and perennials can also be started to get a jump on the growing season. 

Registration: Seed Starting for Your Garden

Session 2 – Soft Landings at the Dunn Museum 

When: March 11th, 2026. 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Dunn Museum (1899 W Winchester Rd, Libertyville)

Presenter: Lake County Forest Preserve District

Description: Soft Landings are landscaped areas under native trees that provide important habitat for beneficial insects during one or more stages of their life cycle. Join us at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville to learn more about adding a Soft Landing to your yard. Installation, plant choice, and maintenance will be covered. We will tour the For the Love of Pollinators temporary exhibit as part of this session.
Note: This presentation is now full. Thank you for your interest! 

Registration: Soft Landing at the Dunn Museum 

Session 3 – Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us

When: April 8th, 2026  6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Presenter:  SWALCO

Description: Learn about the wonders of compost. Merleanne Rampale from SWALCO, a long-time gardener and composter herself, will share information on the various types of composting, share some fun facts on composting in general, and talk about the many benefits and impact it has on our soil and environment.  Gardeners will also learn about adventures, events, and opportunities taking place here locally and across Illinois during this year’s celebration of International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) in May.  These include Compost Givebacks (free compost!), garden tours, backyard and large-scale composting demos, plant sales (including native), bin building demos, vineyard tours/tastings, compost bin giveaways, plant and seed giveaways, activities for kids and families, and farm festivals, to name a few. ICAW also incorporates the related topics of climate, wasted food reduction, soil health, waste diversion, hunger, growing healthy food, biodiversity, conservation, and more. Bring your composting questions and we’ll try to answer all of those too!  And speaking of “spilling the compost tea”, we’re letting you in on a little secret and we’ll be giving away a couple of fun prizes for our April attendees as well!

Registration: Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us

Session 4 – Amazing Annuals

When: May 13, 2026,  6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Presenter: Lake County Extension Master Gardener Kim Hartmann 

Description: Learn more about the wide array of annuals available for your containers and gardens. Learn how to create beautiful combinations of color, texture, and form to add a long season of bloom. Change your color scheme and approach each year to keep your outdoor spaces fresh and fun. 

Registration: Amazing Annuals

Session 5 – Northern Illinois Trees

When: June 10, 2026,  6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Presenter:  Lake County Extension Master Gardener Kim Hartmann

Description: Learn more about the value of various types of trees and planting a diverse set of trees in your landscape.  We will review alternatives to invasive or non-native trees and shrubs suitable to our northern Illinois conditions.  We will share best practices about how to care for and maintain your trees so they thrive.  

Registration: Northern Illinois Trees

Session 6 – Lawn to Lake 

When: August 12, 2026,  6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Presenter: Sarah Zack, Great Lakes Contaminants Specialist,  Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Description: Summer is here, and with it comes lawn care season. Traditional lawn care relies heavily on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to keep grass green and lush, but more and more lawn caretakers are becoming aware of how these practices can be detrimental to the wider ecosystem. Natural lawn care principles like those promoted in the Lawn to Lake Midwest program can help lawn caretakers develop a low-maintenance care plan that keeps excess chemicals away from people and pets and out of local waterways and may even save you money! Natural lawn care isn’t an all-or-nothing practice, and there is a menu of environmentally-friendly options to pick from to suit your lawn’s needs that range from how you use pesticides to when (or if) you fertilize — even actions as simple as choosing the right plants for your landscape. This presentation will go over the principles of natural lawn care and provide you with information and tools that will help you care for your lawn in a sustainable way.

Registration: Lawn to Lake

Session 7 – Landscaping for Birds (Jardinería para las aves) 

When: September 9, 2026,  6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Presenter: Marcela Martinez, Environmental Educator with the Lake County Forest Preserve District

Description: Do you enjoy watching birds and would like to attract them to your garden year-round? Learn about the different ways you can achieve this in your garden while incorporating native plants. This presentation will also include suggestions on garden accents to help birds and other wildlife. This presentation will be in Spanish.

¿Te gusta observar aves y te gustaría atraerlas a tu jardín todo el año? Descubre las diferentes formas de conseguirlo en tu jardín incorporando plantas autóctonas. Esta presentación también incluirá sugerencias sobre elementos decorativos para el jardín que ayuden a las aves y a otros animales silvestres. Esta presentacion sera en español.

Registration:Landscaping for Birds