Spring Series of Horticulture

You are invited to a Spring Series of classes about home horticulture! You sign up for all the classes, or just one or two, if that’s what interests you. 

The cost is $10 per session or $25.00 for the series. Pre-registration is required!

•    Mondays April 10, 17 and 24th with TWO PRESENTATIONS per evening!!

•    Sessions run from 6 to 8pm, with doors opening at 5:30. Each session is 45 min allowing for 15 min between for Q & A and the provided snacks

Going to Bat for Bats! presented by Jill Schmidt Naturalist with Clinton County Conservation

These natural insect controllers are a vital component of a healthy environment, and many bats are struggling to survive.  Jill Schmidt with the Clinton County Conservation Board will discuss what you can do at your home and in your garden to ensure their survival.

 The Why and How of Tree Diversity presented by Emily Swihart University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator

Trees are major components of our landscape on both a physical scale and a temporal scale. As we seek to implement best practices planting and managing our urban forest, we must begin with the most basic of questions which is what to plant. We will delve into the benefits and challenges of planting a diverse urban forest and explore a variety of species that can help add variety to our landscape.

Landscaping: It’s for the Birds presented by Chris Enroth University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator 

Attracting birds to your backyard can go beyond setting out birdfeeders. Join Illinois Extension educator, Chris Enroth, as we go beyond the typical foundation planting, in order to provide the three things birds need: water, shelter, and food. Learn how to utilize native or well-adapted plants to start creating a landscape that welcomes birds by providing critical pieces of habitat.

Spring: A Time of Bird Transition presented by Jimmy Wiebler Naturalist and Research Coordinator for Nahant Marsh Education Center.

Once the changes of spring get underway, things happen fast especially with the birds. Migration is the big news of the season, and changeover from winter to spring birds in our backyards, parks, forest, etc. will make us really take notice as we are joined by a bunch of bright new colorful birds. Jimmy will share information on some of these Spring bird beauties.

Growing Plants Indoors presented by Perrine West who brings a love of gardening that she has developed for indoor plants as well.

Does your knowledge of this topic stop at how to overwinter a geranium? Perrine West has grown hundreds of plants indoors and she’ll share the seven things you need to know about houseplants. She’ll touch on herbs, succulents, begonias, edible flowers, wildflowers, and shade plants. She’ll discuss the therapeutic benefits of indoor gardening and share the sheer delight of getting something unusual to bloom. Whether you are trying to while away the hours of a long winter tending to plants indoors or looking to just keep plants alive until they can go back outside, Perrine has tips and information to help you.

What’s New for 2023 presented by Matt Jones Nursery Manager and Ethan Leader Greenhouse Manager at the Corn Crib

What to watch for in the upcoming year from the greenhouse to the nursery. Matt and Ethan will share not only those tried and true plants but ones that you might not be familiar with.