Master Gardener Annual Conference

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Rooted in Community, Growing Through Connection

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50 Years of Helping Others Learn to Grow

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September 4-5, 2025

Celebrate 50 Golden Years with the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners at the 2025 state conference. Join other Illinois Master Gardeners and Extension staff for a weekend of networking, learning, and celebrating accomplishments. Enjoy hands-on seminars digging deep into topics like tree identification, designing native plant landscapes, managing wildlife in the garden, and creative container gardening.   

Register by Aug. 30. This event is open to Extension staff, Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists, and any garden enthusiasts. 

Location: Crowne Plaza Springfield, 3000 S Dirksen Pkwy, Springfield, IL 62703  

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Candice Anderson at (217) 300-3198 or mille116@illinois.edu

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2025 STATE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

September 4

Bus Tours 

Morning Tour: 8 to 11:30 AM, Murdock Home Garden and Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Load onto the charter bus at the Crowne Plaza. Departs: 8 AM; returns: 11:30 AM

Graham and Ednita Murdock Garden: Graham and Ednita Murdock invite you to tour their gardens. The gardens consist of assorted beautiful perennial and annual flowers, assorted ground covers, blooming and fruiting trees, a small fishpond, and yard and wall art. There is also a small vegetable/fruit garden.

Lincoln Home National Historic Site and Heirloom Garden: The site offers guided tours of the Lincoln Home, giving visitors a look into the Lincoln family during the 17 years they lived in the house on the corner of 8th and Jackson streets. Visitors will get a glimpse into Lincoln’s life as a family man, as well as explore his rise as a successful lawyer and politician through the context of the Lincoln Home. Illinois Extension Master Gardener volunteers will share information about their 1860s heirloom garden, which is located behind the Dean Home at the National Park site.

Afternoon Tour: 1 to 4 PM, Dana-Thomas House and Greg Pierceall Garden

Load onto the charter bus at the Crowne Plaza. Departs: 1 PM; returns: 4 PM

Dana-Thomas House: In the heart of our country, progressive-minded heiress Susan Lawrence Dana hired architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design her a home in which she could advance ideas about education and democracy. The environment they created is one of the best-preserved examples of Wright's "organic architecture," containing more than 100 pieces of custom furniture and over 250 works of original art glass.

Greg Pierceall Garden: Greg Pierceall is a retired professor emeritus from Purdue Landscape Architecture, where he taught at NRES in Horticulture from 2006-2009. His urban garden in Springfield is 12 years old, starting from zero with nothing on site. The garden, which is 50’ x 300’, was phased in over five years to the established state. It is an "enflade" garden, which is a long hall with side rooms. Included is a 1800 square foot studio and garage. Come see what a planned and planted landscape garden looks like within a 12-year time framework.

Super Seminars

9 to 12 PM and 1:30 to 4 PM. Learn more about these three-hour-long sessions below.

Dinner and Evening Social

5:30 to 8 PM at the Trutter Center at Lincoln Land Community College 

Join us for an evening full of celebration with fellow Master Gardeners! Strut your stuff dressed in your favorite shade of purple or green, wear your most creative garden hat, and enjoy a night filled with laughter, trivia, food, and a surprise visit from a special local guest!

The evening includes a dinner of pork loin, meatless lasagna, mixed vegetables, cheesy potatoes, dinner rolls, and dessert. Iced tea and water included. There is no bar available.

Garden Hat Contest: Express your love for gardening and put your creativity on display by bringing and wearing a garden hat. Whether it's adorned with florals, whimsical garden fairies and gnomes, fruits and vegetables, or created with recycled materials, let your imagination grow wild!

Prizes will be awarded for:

  • Best in Bloom: Attract all the pollinators with the best floral-inspired hat
  • Edible Elegance: Garden to table inspired vegetables and fruits hat
  • Wild and Whimsical: The most imaginative hat, think garden gnomes and garden fairies.
  • Greenest Thumb: Best use of upcycled materials

Wear Purple and Green Night: Celebrate the legacy of the Master Gardeners by "painting the town purple and green" in honor of the impact of our growing community.

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New Super Seminars! 

Dive deep into advanced training topics in our new three-hour-long Super Seminar sessions. Located at three different sites in the Springfield area. Transportation to each location and lunch are on your own. Enjoy Morning sessions from 9 to 12 PM, and Afternoon sessions from 1:30 to 4:30 PM.

September 4, 2025: Super Seminar Sessions at Three Locations 

9 to 12 PM Options
Tree Care from Roots to Remedies - Lincoln Memorial Garden and Nature Center

Join us for a hands-on, interactive seminar designed to deepen your understanding of trees and urban forestry. Whether you’re a budding enthusiast or a seasoned green thumb, this three-part experience will equip you with the practical skills and insights to successfully plant, identify, and care for trees in your community.  For these sessions, we will be outdoors looking at live specimens (weather permitting). 

  • Tree Identification (Sarah Vogel, Horticulture Educator): Sharpen your skills in recognizing tree species using leaves, bark, and other key features.
  • Tree Planting (Emily Swihart, Horticulture Educator): Learn best practices for selecting, planting, and establishing healthy trees.
  • Tree Problems and Solutions (Ryan Pankau, Horticulture Educator): Discover how to detect and address pests, diseases, and environmental stressors affecting tree health.

Native Landscape Design Workshop - Lincoln Land Community College

Create a landscape garden with plants native to Illinois to support pollinator populations, reduce soil erosion, create wildlife corridors, and build four-season interest simultaneously! This seminar will contain a presentation portion followed by a hands-on workshop portion where participants will use landscaping tools and resources to create a personalized native garden. If participants have a space in mind, they should come prepared with measurements, photos, and a site survey (included in supplemental materials). Class fee includes materials provided in the workshop.

Tropical Bonsai Workshop - Sangamon County Extension Office

A Tropical Bonsai hands-on workshop is being offered by Springfield Bonsai Society. Bonsai (pronounced ‘bone-sigh’), literally “potted tree” is the art of styling miniature trees in a container. This workshop will introduce you to the basic styles and principles of bonsai. You will get hands-on experience styling and potting your own tropical bonsai. Members of the Springfield Bonsai Society will assist participants and tools will be available. Class fee includes plant, container, and all supplies.

1:30 to 4:30 PM Options
Getting to Know Your Neighbors: A Crash Course in Insect ID - Lincoln Memorial Garden and Nature Center

Some of our most numerous neighbors are also the neighbors we know the least about. Do you know the names of the insect neighbors visiting your flowers, crawling on the sidewalk, and living beside you? Learn the names and about the lives of some of the insects around us in this hands-on super seminar. 

Digging in: Cultivating Young Gardeners - Sangamon County Extension Office

This interactive workshop is designed for Master Gardeners who want to share their passion for gardening knowledge with young people. Participants will learn effective strategies for engaging youth of all ages, from preschool students to teens, in gardening activities. The session will cover the benefits of hands-on gardening in youth development, including fostering environmental stewardship, building life skills, and encouraging healthy eating habits. Participants will explore various youth activities and resources with Horticulture Educators to take back to their own units. 

Soil Health Workshop - Lincoln Land Community College

Take a comprehensive look at soil as the living foundation of successful gardens and landscapes. Explore key topics including composting, organic matter, cover crops, and companion planting, while gaining insight into the unique geology and natural divisions that shape Illinois soils. We’ll also delve into soil chemistry, nutrient absorption, and cation exchange, with a hands-on activity in interpreting soil tests. 

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September 5, 2025 

8 AM Registration, Coffee and Silent Auction Open
9 AM: Welcome Message 
9:15 to 10:15 AM: Keynote Speaker- Mark Dwyer, Healing Garden Manager, Edgerton Hospital and Health Services
  • Wellness in the Garden: Explore the importance of gardens for well-being. We discuss some of the research that confirms what we already know; that gardens can be healing and promote wellness for those that actively garden or visit these spaces. We focus further on maximizing sensory engagement and discuss ways to maximize any size space in terms of promoting personal wellness.
10:30 to 11:30 AM:  50 Years of Helping Others Learn to Grow Panel Discussion
11:30 to 12:30 PM: Vendors, Silent Auction, and Lunch Buffet
12:30 to 1:30 PM: Awards Ceremony
1:30 PM: Silent Auction Closes
1:45 to 2:45 PM: Breakout Session 1 | Learn more about each session below.
3 to 4 PM: Breakout Session 2 | Learn more about each session below.
3 to 4:30 PM: Silent Auction Pay/Pick Up

Breakout Session 1

11:45 to 2:45 PM

Heirloom Gardening | Chuck Voigt, Retired Professor

Explore the fascinating world of heirloom plants and discover what makes these plants unique and why preserving them is essential. Learn how heirloom varieties can add vibrant colors, rich flavors, and intriguing histories to their modern gardens, even in limited spaces. This session will inspire gardeners to embrace the beauty and diversity of heirloom plants, enriching their gardening experience.

Ticks in Illinois | Teresa Steckler - Extension Specialist, Commercial Agriculture

The risk of tickborne disease in humans and livestock may be altered by the abundance of some invasive plant species. We examined the relationship between different species of invasive plants and the prevalence and diversity of tick species and associated pathogens. 

The Fungus Among Us! | Dennis Campbell, Retired Biology Professor and Outdoor Environmental Center
Director

Have you ever marveled at the strange and often beautiful mushrooms, toadstools, and puffballs that pop up in your garden, or lawn, or local park? Perhaps you have also looked with concern or disgust at leaf spots and blotches on your favorite indoor or outdoor plants, or the colorful molds growing on your fruits and old baked goods, or the skin diseases on your own body? If you said "Yes!" to any of these sightings, then you are already familiar with some of the fungi that can be found in our lives. Dennis will tell you about some more, but he will also reinforce the idea that all fungi are important components in properly functioning natural environments.

Creative Containers | Mark Dwyer, Healing Garden Manager, Edgerton Hospital and Health Services

Think beyond petunias and pansies! This session explores unexpected and imaginative plant combinations that thrive in containers—from edible ornamentals and miniature landscapes to bold textures and vibrant foliage. Learn how to design container gardens that surprise and delight, using plants that bring color, character, and creativity to any space.

Breakout Session 2

3 to 4 PM

Growing Success: Vegetable Container Gardening in HORT 105 | Jennifer Schultz Nelson, Adjunct Instructor

Discover the ins and outs of container gardening through the lens of HORT 105’s greenhouse projects. Learn which vegetable crops thrive – and which don’t! – in containers and get inspired by real examples from our semester plantings. Attendees will leave with practical tips, fresh ideas, and a selection of cool-season seeds to kickstart their own post-conference planting adventures.

Living with Wildlife in the Garden | Peggy Anesi, Natural Resources, Environment and Energy Educator

When Your Nearest Neighbors Aren’t Human: Whether you live in a small community or a larger urban setting, wildlife is a part of your everyday life. Many species of wildlife are welcome visitors to our properties, but some may wear out their welcome. A person does not have to like everything nature has to offer, but as your nearest neighbor, you have the responsibility to understand why it is there and how to deal with it legally or simply enjoy the wild gift. Peggy Anesi, University of Illinois Extension Educator, will share her knowledge both personal and professional on how to enhance and coexist with wildlife on your property as well as the legalities for removing it.

Fantastic, Funky & Favorite Spring Blooming-Bulbs! | Martha Smith - Retired Horticulture Educator

Fall is the time for planting spring-blooming bulbs. Tulips and daffodils are always crowd pleasers, but there is a whole world of fantastic and funky spring-blooming bulbs beyond the traditional favorites. Martha will share her favorite uncommon bulbs she has discovered over the years.

Attracting Attractive Insects to Attractive Native Plants | Phil Nixon, Retired Extension Entomologist

Butterflies are not the only attractive insects associated with our native plants. Beetles, true bugs, and moths as well as monarchs that feed on milkweeds typically incorporate some milkweed toxins into their own bodies. These toxic insects usually have bright colors that are easily noticed and avoided by predators. Sunflowers, goldenrods, and other native plants attract not only brightly-colored pollinators, but other colorful insects that avoid detection by blending in with blossoms or mimicking toxic insects. Suggestions on encouraging these insects will be included.

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About the 50th Anniversary
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Over the last five decades, Illinois Extension Master Gardeners have sown more than seeds; they have nurtured connections, inspired others, and been a reliable source of gardening education. In 2025, we celebrate the Master Gardener legacy and mission of “Helping Others Learn to Grow.”

These dedicated volunteers have cultivated hands-on demonstration gardens, provided fresh produce to their neighbors, and created vital habitat for pollinators. With roots as deep and established as native plants, the Master Gardener program looks forward to a flourishing future. 

Past Conference Summaries

2024 Master Gardener State Conference

The 2024 State Master Gardener Conference was held in Champaign, IL on September 12 and 13.

2023 Master Gardener State Conference

The 2023 State Master Gardener Conference was held in Peoria, IL on September 7 and 8.

2022 Master Gardener State Conference

The 2022 State Master Gardener Conference was held in Will County on September 8 and 9.

2021 Master Gardener State Conference

View Conference Recordings from the 2021 virtual conference.

 

College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

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1301 W. Gregory Dr.

Urbana, IL 61801

Email: extension@illinois.edu

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