Help the butterfly lifecycle: Plant a garden of pollinator favorites
Around 100 different species of butterflies call Illinois home. Unfortunately, our fluttering insect populations have declined over the years due to...
Carpenter bees: Destroyers of wood or beneficial pollinators?
Bees are a welcome site in our gardens. Without the help of bees (and other pollinators) pollinating many of our plants, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy...
While spring-blooming bulbs get much of our attention in the spring, flowering trees shouldn’t be overlooked. One of the best trees for spring color...
As the days get longer and the temperatures start to warm, we often get the itch to start gardening. On the first warm day of the year, I often find...
Fly on over to the Butterfly Festival on June 3!
Livingston County-Over 150 different types of butterflies can be found visiting our Illinois backyards and gardens this summer. The most prized of them all, the monarch, is the Illinois state butterfly. Celebrate these magical, fluttering creatures and learn how to support their habitat for...
The hunt for orange October: Master Naturalists track monarchs
KANKAKEE, Ill. – It was early on a hot September morning several years ago that Master Naturalist program coordinator Nancy Kuhajda turned into Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area in northern Illinois. She had arrived early for a...
Evaluate and adjust: Four Seasons Gardening wins state evaluation award
URBANA, Ill. – A popular Extension gardening program was honored by University of Illinois Extension for its dedication to constant evaluation and adaptation of educational programming. The Four Seasons Gardening series addresses home and community garden issues that encourage residents to...
Register NOW for Home, Lawn, and Garden Day - a day of gardening fun and learning!
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Be inspired to plant a pollinator garden or patio container, fall in love with a new plant at the garden centers this year, or even learn the basics of everyday gardening at the University of Illinois Extension McLean County Master Gardeners’ 21st annual Home, Lawn, and...