2026 Gardener's Pathway and Artisan Market

$50.00 Program Fee
$30.00 Student Fee (call the office to get the discount code and enter it when registering - 815.758.8194)
Registration closes on February 14, 2026

Join the DeKalb County Master Gardeners for a full-day gardening workshop.  Everyone from beginner to experienced gardener will find something new and interesting to learn about.  This workshop includes continental breakfast, keynote presentation, three breakout sessions, lunch, artisan's market and door prizes.

Our keynote speaker this year is Mark Dwyer - Mark has been the garden manager of the healing garden at Edgerton Hospital and Health Services in southern Wisconsin for the past 4.5 years.  Mark was formerly the Director of Horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, WI for 21 years.  Mark has degrees in landscape architecture and urban forestry and also runs his own design business, Landscape Prescriptions by MD.  Visit his website at https://www.landscapeprescriptionsmd.com.   

Artisan Market - We will have an artisan market at Gardener's Pathway!  Local artisans will be selling all kinds of garden-related crafts and local nurseries will be selling plants and gardening items.  Participating vendors include: Anne Oak Apothecary, Natural Creations, Thorns and Threads, Blumen Gardens, JK Glassworks Studio, JSR Designs, Heinz Brothers Greenhouse, and Northern Illinois Worm Farm.

Master Gardener Q & A Help Desk - Master Gardeners will be on hand to take your gardening questions.  Questions may require research, in which case an answer would be sent to you via email the following week.

7:30-8:30 am Check-In, Continental Breakfast, and Artisan Market

8:30 - 8:45 am Welcome 

8:45-10:00 am Keynote Speaker - Mark Dwyer: We all aspire to have beautiful gardens and landscapes but it’s equally important to consider other design elements and features that will contribute to the active use and enjoyment of your space. We’ll discuss a wide range of design tips when addressing your landscape goals which will include a wide range of interesting plant materials and features.

10:20 - 11:20 am First Breakout Session:

Gardening with Spring Ephemerals (Brian Hale) - Spring ephemeral wildflowers are always fun to have in the home landscape, and herald the coming of spring. We will see pictures, and talk cultivation and sources of plants. Some are easy to grow, some are challenging, and they are all beautiful.

East/West—The Japanese Tea Garden: A Personal Journey (Julia Fauci) - In this session, we will answer the following questions: 1—Why are eastern and western gardens so different in style and approach?  2—How did the eastern traditions and Japanese history lead to the Japanese Tea Garden?  3—What have I learned in the last ten years, building, planting, and maintaining my Japanese-inspired garden?

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Tomatoes (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (Bob Zeni) - Tomatoes have been around for centuries. Legends, myths and outright falsehoods about them abound. I’ll share the inside info and hands-in-the-ground facts I’ve learned from decades of growing them and from countless hours of research.

11:20 am - 12:20 pm Lunch and Artisan Market- Plenty of time to enjoy your box lunch from Sweet Dreams, shop the vendors, ask gardening questions of our Master Gardener volunteers, and connect with other gardeners.

12:20 - 1:20 pm Second Breakout Session:

Design Combinations for Pollinators (Mark Dwyer) - Our gardens can be maximized for full “pollinator potential” by including a wide range of features and plant materials. Selecting and combining the vast assortment of beautiful plants that are significant nectar and pollen sources for our pollinators can be fun, exciting and result in amazingly beautiful vignettes.   

In the Garden Lens: Photography & Videography Tips for Plants and Pollinators (Randy Casperson) - Filmmaker Randy Caspersen will showcase his nature photography and videography while sharing practical tips and tricks for capturing striking images of plants and pollinating animals in your garden and landscape.

Secrets of Seed Whisperers (Erin McNeal) - This workshop cuts through the pressure of being perfect at seed starting, and dives into what really works. Whether you’re working with a sunny windowsill or a full grow-light setup, we’ll talk through common pitfalls and how to overcome them. This session blends beginner essentials with deeper insights into the germination process. Come ready to learn, laugh, and leave with the confidence to grow strong healthy seedlings.

 
1:40 - 2:40 pm Third Breakout Session:

Downsizing Your Garden Without Downsizing Your Joy (Lori Brown) - How does one downsize 30 years of plants?  (This one marks an anniversary. This one a retirement. This one a memory) without getting overwhelmed?  In this session, Master Gardener Lori Brown shares some tried & true methods for "decluttering" your landscaping without feeling guilty about it.  We'll talk about replacing high-maintenance plants with ones that are easy-care, how to decide where to donate divisions, and start dreaming of ways to look ahead at the 2026 gardening season with hope.

Roots, Shoots, and Second Chances (Karen Larson) - The garden(er) rarely gets things right the first time. Seeds fail, leaves yellow, and carefully laid plans collapse under unexpected frost or heat. Yet each season offers something rare: a second chance.  Gardening becomes less about perfection and more about learning—about patience, resilience, and the small miracles that happen when we begin again.

Top Tips for Growing Tomatoes (Bob Zeni) - There are as many ways to grow tomatoes as there are gardeners. Some of them frighteningly wrong. I’ll share methods that have worked successfully for me and hundreds of other tomato growers.

2:40 - 3:00 pm Evaluations, Door Prizes

If you have questions please contact the DeKalb County University of Illinois Extension Office at 815-758-8194 or Connie Handel, Extension Program Coordinator at cahandel@illinois.edu.

University of Illinois, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Local Extension Councils Cooperating.  University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact the DeKalb County University of Illinois Extension Office at 815-758-8194.  Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs.