Gardening for Food, Flowers & Fun - 2026 Rockford

Gardening For Food, Flowers & Fun 2026 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14, 2026

Presented by University of Illinois Extension and Winnebago County Master Gardeners at NIU Rockford Conference Center, 8500 East State Street, Rockford, Illinois.

Illinois Extension is pleased to announce Gardening for Food, Flowers & Fun, an event offering gardening tips for the growing season. Join us for this early rite of spring - an educational venture presenting fresh horticultural ideas, insights, and techniques. The $20 cost includes admission to the keynote and two breakout sessions.

The Day

8:30 a.m. Registration (coffee and light refreshments will be available)
9:00 a.m. Welcome, Margaret Larson, County Director
9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Gardening in a Changing World: planning now for your garden’s future David McKinney, Curator of Collections and Grounds, Iowa Arboretum

10:25 to 11:25 a.m. BREAKOUT SESSION I: Choose one of the following:

Raised Bed Gardening Joan Burden, Master Gardener, University of Illinois Extension
Beyond the Bees: an up-close look at many of the other important creatures involved in pollination David McKinney, Curator of Collections and Grounds, Iowa Arboretum
Happy Houseplants 101: Make and Take Vicki Hubbard, Pepper Creek -$15 cost

11:35 to 12:35 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSION II: Choose one of the following:

The Joy of Growing Your Own Food Julie Thomas, Master Gardener, University of Illinois Extension
Myth Busting Nature 2.0 Connie McIntosh, Master Naturalist, Illinois Extension
Inside the Moonlight Garden at Midway Village Fiona Fordyce and other volunteers, Master Gardeners, University of Illinois Extension

We will hold a silent auction and have a book/magazine giveaway. Donations are always appreciated.

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To register for this event, use the online registration form below.

We recommend using the online registration system below and the credit card payment method to reserve your place immediately.

If you would like to pay by check, please complete the online registration below, select the 'cash/check' option, and mail your payment along with a copy of the registration to our office.

Feel free to contact our office at 815-986-4357 if you have questions or need additional information about this event or other programs.

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If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact the Winnebago County Extension Office at 815-986-4357.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences - United States Department of Agriculture - Local Extension Councils Cooperating

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One Participant for Gardening for Food, Flowers & Fun ($20.00)

Breakout Session I Please choose which session you would like to attend.

Raised Bed Gardening

Beyond the Bees: an up-close look at many of the other important creatures involved in pollination

Happy Houseplants 101: Make and Take ($15.00)

Breakout Session II Please pick which session you would like to attend

The Joy of Growing Your Own Food

Myth Busting Nature 2.0

Inside the Moonlight Garden at Midway Village

Please let us know how you heard about Gardening Food, Flowers & Fun

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please list below.

Total Registration Cost $