SYCAMORE, Ill.— The annual Gardener's Pathway and Artisan Market hosted by the DeKalb County Master Gardeners returns on Feb. 28 at the DeKalb County Farm Bureau, 1350 W Prairie Dr, Sycamore, from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm. Gardeners of all experience levels are invited to grow their skills and connect with fellow plant enthusiasts at this year’s Gardeners Pathway and Artisan Market, a full‑day educational event designed to inspire, inform, and kick‑start the spring season. Registration is open through Feb. 14 at https://go.illinois.edu/GP2026 The program fee is $50.
Participants will enjoy a full schedule that includes a continental breakfast, a keynote presentation by Mark Dwyer, three breakout sessions of your choice, lunch, and door prizes.
This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Mark Dwyer, garden manager of the Healing Garden at Edgerton Hospital and Health Services in southern Wisconsin. Dwyer brings more than four years of experience in therapeutic garden management and previously spent 21 years as Director of Horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, Wisconsin. With academic training in landscape architecture and urban forestry, along with his design business, Landscape Prescriptions by MD, Dwyer offers deep expertise and inspiration for gardeners of all backgrounds.
Attendees may choose from a diverse lineup of expert‑led sessions, including:
- Gardening with Spring Ephemerals — Brian Hale
- East/West – The Japanese Tea Garden: A Personal Journey — Julia Fauci
- Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Tomatoes But Were Afraid to Ask — Bob Zeni
- Design Combinations for Pollinators — Mark Dwyer
- In the Garden Lens: Photography & Videography / Tips for Plants and Pollinators — Randy Casperson
- Secrets of Seed Whisperers — Erin McNeal
- Downsizing Your Garden Without Downsizing Your Joy — Lori Brown
- Roots, Shoots, and Second Chances — Karen Larson
- Top Tips for Growing Tomatoes — Bob Zeni
The event also features an Artisan Market, where local makers will showcase garden‑inspired crafts, handmade décor, and unique creative items. Local nurseries will be on-site with plants and gardening supplies to help attendees prepare for the upcoming growing season.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their toughest gardening questions to the Master Gardener Help Desk, where trained volunteers will offer research‑based guidance to support healthy, thriving gardens.
For questions or to request reasonable accommodations, contact Connie at the DeKalb County Extension office at 815‑758‑8194. Early requests are strongly encouraged so that we may access your needs.
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.