Nursery School 2026 Lessons in Gardening

Saturday, February 21 • 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Vibrant Arena, Moline, IL

Grow your skills, spark new ideas, and spend a winter day surrounded by people who love plants as much as you do! Nursery School brings together top University of Illinois Extension educators and horticulture experts for a full day of inspiration, practical learning, and hands‑on guidance—perfect for both new and experienced gardeners.
See the Nursery School brochure for more details.

Registration Fees: Early Bird: $60 (through January 31) | Regular: $70 (February 1–15).
Advanced registration only; no walk‑ins.

Your fee includes:

Opening and closing keynote sessions
Two breakout sessions of your choice
Morning coffee & rolls and a Buffet lunch
Access to vendor marketplace & prize drawings

Sessions and Presenters:

Opening Keynote: 8:30–9:45 AM

Rebuilding Our Forests Amid Climate Challenges

Justin Vozzo — University of Illinois Extension Forestry Specialist & ISA Certified Arborist
Urban forests clean our air, cool our cities, reduce flooding, and provide habitat for wildlife. Yet in the Midwest, they face mounting pressures from climate change and other stressors. Justin will explore how climate is reshaping our urban forests and share innovative strategies to strengthen their resilience—underscoring why their health is vital to our communities.

Choose One Session from Each Session

10:00–11:00 AM

Soak It Up — Rain Gardens at Home, Emily Swihart, Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator. Learn how rain gardens work, how to assess your site, and how to design plantings that manage stormwater beautifully.
Harvesting Happiness — Growing Fruit Trees at Home, Dr. Elizabeth Wahle, University of Illinois Extension Specialist, Agriculture & Agribusiness. Discover how to select, care for, and protect apple, pear, and cherry trees for a successful backyard harvest.
Planting Herbs to Attract Pollinators, Jennifer Fishburn, Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator. Explore herbs that support pollinators and how to incorporate them into your landscape.

Session 2 • 11:15 AM–12:15 PM

Reclaiming a Runaway Landscape, Chris Enroth, Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator. Gain practical steps for restoring overgrown beds, choosing what stays, what goes, and how to maintain order.
Mediterranean Diet: Foods, Flavors & Health Benefits, Kristin Bogdonas, Illinois Extension Food and Nutrition Educator. Learn the foundations of the Mediterranean eating pattern, taste sample foods, and gather tips for everyday use.
Landscaping with Native Midwestern Shrubs Rob Liva — Ecological Land Management Consultant. Discover native shrubs that enhance beauty, support wildlife, and connect your yard to regional ecosystems.

Lunch: 12:15–1:15 PM

Buffet lunch featuring pulled pork or black bean burgers with warm sides.
Visit vendors and complete your “library card” for prize drawings.

Closing Keynote: 1:15–2:30 PM

Plants of Concern — Protecting Illinois’ Rarest Species
Grant Fesseler — Northwestern Illinois Coordinator, Plants of Concern Program (Chicago Botanic Garden).
Hear from our local coordinator as he shares how community scientists are helping protect Illinois’ rarest plant species. Plants of Concern is a nearly 25‑year statewide program that trains volunteers to monitor rare plants in collaboration with landowners, land managers, and conservation partners. Founded by the Chicago Botanic Garden and Audubon Chicago Region, the program now tracks species at more than 600 sites, providing data that guides restoration work, informs the Illinois Plant Watchlist, and deepens understanding of how plants respond to environmental change.

Fill out the information below to complete your reservation. We look forward to seeing you at Nursery School 2026!

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All registrants will attend the Bookend Keynotes- Session from 8:30 - 9:45 a.m. Rebuilding Our Forests Amid Climate Challenges presented by Justin Vozzo, University of Illinois Extension Forestry Specialist and an ISA Certiﬁed Arborist

Chapter 1-10:00-11:00

ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE: Soak it Up: Rain gardens in the home landscape

EDIBLE: Harvesting Happiness: Growing Fruit Tree at Home

NATURE: Planting Herbs to Attract Pollinators

Chapter 2- 11:15-12:15

ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE: Reclaiming Runaway Landscape

EDIBLE: Explore the Foods, Flavors, and Health Benefits of the Mediterranean diet

NATURE: Support biodiversity by landscaping with native Midwestern shrubs

Lunch buffet from 12:15-1:15 with time to visit the vendors and partake in the fill your library card. All registrants will attend the Bookend Keynote Session with gardener celebration from 1:15-2:30 with and closing bookend and epilog celebration with prizes.

Disclaimer:

The university plans to capture photographs and video of this event. Be aware that if you attend, you are consenting to the possibility that your image and likeness may be shared or published by the university for marketing-communications purposes.

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.

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Refund Policy

Cancellations received before February 1, 2025 will be entitled to a refund.

Cancellations received after February 15, 2025 will receive NO refund.

No refunds will be offered due to cancellations beyond our control (ie, weather, power outage).

Total Registration Cost $