CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension invites community members to dig in and help pollinators thrive during a special hands-on container planting event sponsored by the Champaign County Master Gardeners. This event will be held at Prairie Gardens in Champaign on May 27 or 28, 6-8 pm, offering participants two opportunities to build their own pollinator-friendly garden to take home.
Hosted in collaboration with Prairie Gardens, this educational and interactive event highlights Extension’s Pollinator Pocket program, encouraging Illinois residents to create small garden spaces that provide vital habitat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects.
Participants will learn the basics of pollinator conservation, select three to four plants from a curated list known to attract and support pollinators, and receive expert guidance in planting their personalized container gardens. Each participant will also receive an official pollinator pocket sign designating their newly created garden space. The event also includes an exclusive hour of private shopping at Prairie Gardens and a special coupon for 10% off purchases made that night.
“Pollinators play a crucial role in our ecosystem, from supporting biodiversity to ensuring the production of many of the foods we rely on daily,” said horticulturalist and Master Gardener Heather Miller. “By creating a small space on your patio, porch, or yard with the right plants, anyone can make a meaningful impact.”
Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds have faced declines in recent years. Efforts like the Pollinator Pocket program aim to reverse these trends through community education and action.
The class is $20, and space for the event is limited, so early registration is encouraged to guarantee a spot. Visit go.illinois.edu/pollinatorpocketworkshop for more information and to sign up.
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.