PONTIAC, Ill. – Gardening can be a great way to connect with nature, reduce stress, and cultivate a sense of accomplishment in your own backyard. There’s something uniquely fulfilling about watching plants grow, whether it’s for the beautification of a space, growing your own food, or simply tending to a garden. Do you garden yourself, or are you curious about starting? University of Illinois Extension Livingston County Master Gardeners will share resources to help your garden flourish this year at “A Day in the Garden Patch” on Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. to noon.
This event is all about inspiring, educating, and encouraging gardeners, whether they have a balcony and a sunny window or an acre to grow. This educational morning is for all who love plants and want to discover new gardening tips while having fun. Participants will enjoy three garden wellness presentations:
Rejuvenating an Existing Landscape
You may have heard the phrase “the bones are good” when it comes to talking about the structure of a house. The same saying can go for your landscape. Whether you have some stable plants that aren’t looking the best or your style has changed to salvaging an old sidewalk, there are ways to “work with what you have,” while keeping a budget-friendly approach. Kassandra Ryerson, owner and landscape designer at Kaisner Landscaping, will give you a step-by-step process on where to start, when to ask for help, and how to design your plan to get you to the transformation you want to achieve.
How to Create a Hummingbird Cafe
Looking to attract hummingbirds to your yard? McLean County Master Gardener Carol Csanda will share her experience and knowledge of these fascinating birds and how to entice them to your garden. Explore their unique characteristics and discuss the types of plants they love so your garden will be humming this summer.
Succulent Creations
Discover the variety of succulent types, their unique characteristics, and why they’re ideal for indoor and outdoor gardens. Then, roll up your sleeves and get creative as Livingston County Master Gardeners help you design a stunning arrangement with these easy-to-care-for, drought-resistant plants! Attendees will have the option to craft either a beautiful succulent wreath or a charming succulent mushroom.
A $30 registration fee includes light refreshments, 3 educational presentations, and materials for the succulent make-and-take arrangement. Check-in and light refreshments will be available at 8:45 a.m., with the workshops beginning at 9 a.m. The program will be hosted at the University of Illinois Extension Livingston County Office at 1412 South Locust Street, Pontiac. Pre-registration is required. To register, visit go.illinois.edu/GardenPatch25 or call (815) 842-1776.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.