Registration

2026 North Suburban Cook County - School Garden Assistance

University of Illinois Extension regularly assists school gardening projects by providing unbiased, research-based guidance. Remote consultation via email and phone is available year-round, along with extensive resources through our School Garden Resources website. While we aim to support as many projects as possible, please note that staff time for on-site visits is limited and dependent on both program capacity and Master Gardener volunteer availability.

Before You Begin: Recommended Preparation

Whether planning a school garden, community garden, or both, Extension strongly recommends:

Educating yourself on local resources and best practices,
Securing and preparing project sponsors,
Recruiting committed volunteers, students, or community members to support ongoing maintenance and engagement.

For school gardens, we additionally recommend having at least five dedicated garden supporters (teachers, parents, coordinators, or administrators) who can assist with garden stewardship and program continuity.

To best support your project, registrations submitted after March 15, 2026 for on-site consultations will be scheduled for summer/fall 2026 assistance. Early submission is strongly recommended.

To ensure organizations are set up for success, Extension is implementing School and Community Garden Training sessions. Priority for on-site visits will be given to organizations that attend these virtual trainings that will take place in March 2026.

Registration for these virtual trainings will be shared once registration opens. For additional information on these sessions contact Nancy Kreith (kreith@illinois.edu).

School gardens offer numerous educational, social, and environmental benefits, and Extension is here to help! Please complete the request form to help us understand the scope of your project. After reviewing your submission, we will provide recommendations and attempt to recruit Master Gardener volunteers to support your garden as capacity allows.

Please note:

Extension staff and volunteers cannot sign contracts, agreements, or waivers.
Programs cannot be held at private residences.
Recording of programs is prohibited.
All publicity or promotional materials must credit University of Illinois Extension.

If you have any questions or need a reasonable accommodation to participate, contact Amanda Anderson, the Master Gardener Program Coordinator in North Suburban Cook County. Email: amandaea@illinois.edu and Phone: 217-300-9860. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs. University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. United States Department of Agriculture. Local Extension Councils Cooperating. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

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Contact Information

First Name

Last Name

Street Address

Street Address 2

City

State

ZIP

Daytime Phone

Evening Phone

E-mail Address

School Garden Name and Address

What is your goal or purpose for this project? learning, edibles, ornamental, production, conservation

What is the age group or grade level to be served?

K through 2nd grade

3rd grade through 6th grade

7th grade through 8th grade

High School

How many teachers and/or administrators are involved in this project?

1-2

3-5

6-10

10+

How many parents and/or community members are involved in this project?

1-3

4-6

6-10

10+

How many students are involved in this project?

1-5

6-10

11-20

20+

What type of garden are you considering?

Planting in soil

Raised beds

Containers

What type of garden are you planning to grow?

Edible Plants, e.g. vegetables, herbs

Ornamental Plants, e.g. annuals, perennials, natives

Both edibles and ornamentals

What are the dimensions?

What is the available sunlight?

1 to 3 hours

4 to 5 hours

6 to 9 hours

Is there vegetation on site? weeds or plants that should be removed

Yes

If you intend to grow edibles directly in soil, have you had the soil tested?

Yes

How far is your water source from the garden? Examples- within the garden or 20 feet away

Estimated installation date?

How many years has this garden existed? Please not if pre-dates your involvement.

new garden

2-4 years

5-10 years

unsure

Has written permission been granted by administration/land owner to have a garden on this site?

Who will fund the garden? Select all that apply.

Administration

Parents

Community Sponsorship

Grants

Other

If "other" please describe sources of funding.

Who will install and maintain the garden? Select all that apply.

Administration

Teachers

Students

Parents

Other

If "other" please detail.

Do you plan to have a garden growing during the summer and if so, who will maintain the garden over the summer months? Example- scheduled parent or community groups; summer school

Level of experience in gardening 1 thru 10 1 being new to gardening 10 being advanced

What is needed from Extension?

Getting started - a garden plan

Knowledge about gardening

Resources/Grants

Plant and insect identification

Master Gardener volunteer support

Implementing curriculum

In partnership with Forest Preserves of Cook County, Illinois Extension offers a Conservation@Home certification program in which Master Gardeners and Naturalists provide mentorship for school and community gardens. If interested in mentorship on native vegetation, water and wildlife conservation and environmental curriculum, please click 'yes' below.

Yes

How did you hear about our programming?

If you attended our school garden training, please list the date: (If not, type "none")

Please share any additional notes or comments about the project or site.

Extension staff and volunteers cannot sign contracts, agreements, or waivers. Programs cannot be held at private residences. Recording of programs is prohibited. All publicity or promotional materials must credit University of Illinois Extension.

Yes, I understand that Extension staff and volunteers cannot sign contracts, agreements, or waivers. Programs cannot be held at private residences. Recording of programs is prohibited. All publicity or promotional materials must credit University of Illinois Extension.

Civil Rights Compliance - Participant Info

As part of our commitment to providing equal opportunities in our programming, University of Illinois Extension is required to collect and report overall statistics about the race, ethnicity, and gender of program participants. Your responses are voluntary and appreciated.

Gender

Ethnicity

Race