URBANA, Ill. — While gardens are winding down, keep the growing going as the fall season arrives with the Four Seasons Gardening webinar series beginning Sept. 10. Fall sessions explore landscape design, help people discover the added benefits of engaging with nature, and discover everything needed to build a winter terrarium.

University of Illinois Extension horticulture experts will present tips and how-to’s and answer questions about each monthly topic. Sessions are free and presented live online beginning at 1:30 p.m. on select Tuesdays. Registration is required.

Extension Educator Emily Swihart and Bruce Black will lead the fall series. Find more information and sign up for sessions at go.illinois.edu/FourSeasons.

Upcoming Four Seasons Gardening fall sessions include:

• Design Stunning, Personalized Landscapes | Sept. 10
  Learn how to start with the basics of landscape design to create a beautiful and functional outdoor space. Participants will gain a foundational knowledge of landscape design principles, explore design styles, and acquire the confidence to begin personalizing a landscape.
• Discover the Benefits of Engaging with Nature | Oct. 8
  In a culture increasingly dominated by technology and highly manipulated landscapes, connecting with nature can seem impossible. Explore what we are missing when we lose our connection to nature and gain inspiration that will help to prioritize nature connections, even as winter approaches and day lengths shorten.
• Create Winter Terrariums | Nov. 12
  Terrariums are wonderful accents for a home all year round, especially during the holidays and into winter. Live plants in a terrarium add color and serve as a reminder that spring is not far away. Participants will explore terrarium basics and plant choices in more detail. Learn the steps to make gumball machine terrariums for your home or to give to others as a handmade gift.

Can’t make a session? Every program is recorded and available on the Illinois Extension Horticulture YouTube channel. Videos are available about two weeks after the live program.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact the coordinator by session: Personalized Landscapes, Nancy Kreith, kreith@illinois.edu; Engaging with Nature, Gemini Bhalsod at gbhalsod@illinois.edu; and Create Terrariums, Andrew Holsinger at aholsing@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.

SOURCE: Gemini Bhalsod, horticulture educator, Illinois Extension

WRITER:Jenna Braasch, media communications coordinator, Illinois Extension