PEKIN, Ill. - Despite what the groundhog “said” spring is coming quickly. Gardeners are ordering seeds and planning their gardens and landscape projects. Another sign spring is almost here is the annual Gardeners’ BIG Day presented by University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners.
Master Gardeners from Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties are continuing the 20-year tradition of Gardeners' BIG Day by hosting an online Gardeners' BIG Day on Friday, March 4, 2022 via Zoom. It will feature keynote speaker, Sean Rennau, Landscape Architect at Austin Engineering Company at 9 a.m. and two break-out tracks, each offering a different program at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Central Time.
Registration is $10 and closes Feb 18. Registration can be completed online at go.illinois.edu/GBD22 or over the phone by calling 309-547-3711.
Sean Rennau will present Native Planting Design for Residential Sites. He will share his expertise and examples of his work at the Foundry Retail Center, Bloomington and Illinois Art Station, Normal.
Breakout sessions include:
- Tremendous, Tantalizing Trees by Bob Streitmatter, Luthy Botanical Garden
- Poisonous Plants by Genny Gibbs, retired Illinois Central College
- Designing with Hosta by Ella Maxwell, Extension Master Gardener
- High on Hydrangeas by Ellen Culver, Extension Master Gardener
- Host and Nectar Plants by Patricia Melaik, Extension Master Gardener
- Seed Diversity by Kelly Cochran Cohlman, Texas Tech University horticulture grad student
Those who register for the event will receive handouts and Zoom links prior to the event and access to all session recordings after the event. The recordings will be available for 30 days.
If you will need an accommodation in order to participate, email Tara Heath, Extension horticulture program coordinator at tshealth@illinois.edu. Early requests are encouraged to allow time to meet your access needs.
ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension, the public outreach and engagement arm of the University of Illinois, translates research-based knowledge into actionable insights and strategies that enable Illinois businesses, families, and community leaders to solve problems, adapt to changes and opportunities, make informed decisions, and carry technical advancements forward into practice.