Illinois Central College’s 36th Annual Landscape and Garden Day offers a variety of special programs and activities specifically designed for families with young children as well as the usual favorites for local gardening enthusiasts.
· Seminars and demonstrations
· Winners of this year’s All-America Selection in display garden
· Displays by local nurseries, clubs and landscapers
· Pizza Garden
· Kids-only area for playing in the dirt
· Kids crafting area – Japanese koi kites and origami
· Putt for Plants for golf enthusiasts
· Taste-testing in the vegetable garden
· Plant sale by ICC Horticulture Program students
· Plant clinic with local master gardeners
The day’s seminars include:
- 9:30 – 10:15 am: “Unordinary Pollinators” – Come join us as University of Illinois Extension Master Gardner Margee Karl introduces us to “Pollinators of the Unordinary Kind”. Margie has been a U of I Extension Master Gardner since 2004 and a speaker for the U of I Extension Speakers Bureau for more than 10 years. This is a beautiful and unique presentation! She’s sure to entertain, amaze, surprise, and educate you.
- 11 – 11:45 am: “Pollinator Power: How to attract them and keep them coming around.” – Presenter Suzanne Cook is a 19-year Tazewell County Master Gardener, Head Gardener for the Pekin Park District, and has written a garden column for the Pekin Times for 20 years. She’ll give participants a long list of easy-to-grow plants. She especially loves growing plants to attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. And, she promises there WILL be prizes available!
· 1 – 1:45 pm: "But I Don't Know How To Keep Bees..Yet!" – Presenter Bill Baker is currently the Central Director for the Illinois State Beekeepers Association and a past president of the Heart of Illinois Beekeepers but says he’s is still learning how to keep bees. He has found beekeeping to be fun, relaxing, frustrating and a great overall learning experience.