Educational Events

2008 Illinois Master Gardener Conference Speakers

Keynote Speaker - Melinda Meyers

"Growing Green Environmentally Friendly Landscapes" and breakout session: "Planning Your Small Space Garden"
Melinda Myers, best known for her gardener friendly and practical approach to gardening, has more than 25 years of horticulture experience. She has a bachelor's degree in horticulture from The Ohio State University, a master's degree in horiculture from University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a certified arborist and was a horticulture instructor at Milwaukee Area Technical College. She has written 19 books including Can't Miss Small Space Gardening and Birds and Blooms' Ultimate Gardening Guide. She hosts "Great Lakes Gardener", seen on PBS stations throughout the USA and "Melinda's Garden Moments" which air on network TV stations around the country. She writes a twice monthly "Gardener's Questions" newspaper column and hosted the "The Plant Doctor" radio program for over 20 years.

Speakers

Dan Heims "Shade Gardening for New Perennials" and "Four Fabulous Genera: Pulmonaria, Tiarella, Heuchera and Heucherella"
Dan Heims has spent the last 32 years deeply involved in horticulture and his job description dictates that he must "travel the world and seek the newest perennials". He is currently the president of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., a company noted for its new introductions to horticulture. Dan's articles and photography have been featured in a number of magazines. He has taught horticulture courses, wholesaled exotic plants, and run his own design and build landscape business. He has hosted a weekly gardening show on radio (KKSN) and has appeared on U.S. (HGTV) and British television (BBC). Dan's garden has been featured in Sunset Magazine , Organic Gardening , and Better Homes and Gardens . Dan has written a book of horticultural humor called The Garden Clerk's Dictionary and one on Heucheras and Heucherellas with Grahame Ware of British Columbia.

Ellen Ogden "Cooking from the Garden" and "They Don't Grow That Anymore"
Ellen Ecker Ogden is a Vermont food and garden writer, author of From the Cook's Garden cookbook with recipes for cook's who love to garden, and The Vermont Cheese. She has over 25 years experience as a cookbook author, freelance writer, media consultant and co-founder of The Cook's Garden- America's premiere source for the kitchen gardener.

Marcus de la fleur "Water Conservation and Run-off Management for the Home Landscape"
Visit the 168 Elm Ave project for information on Marcus's work.

Sue Amatangelo "Absolutely Beautiful Containers"

Pat Armstrong "Saving the Earth with Native Landscaping"

Nancy Clifton "Kitchen and Garden Inspired Spa Products"

Donna Danielson "Good, Bad and the Ugly Insects"

Bill Doeckel "Sustainable Horticulture"

Tor Faegre "Garden Structures"

Eliza Fournier "Green Youth Farm: Growing Teenagers From the Ground Up"

Andrea Green "Rain Gardens"

Susan Grupp "Nature Journaling"

Richard Hawke "Clematis for Northern Climates" and "Proven Perennials"

Barb Larson "Putting Your Garden to Bed"

Dwight Lund "Terrariums"

Karla Lynch "Designs for the Seasons" and "Facelift for Your Garden"

Joan Mazat "Tropicals"

Phil Nixon "IPM"

Mike Nowak "Organic Lawn Care"

Gene Rothert "Enabling Gardens"

Jim Schuster "Homeowner from Hell" and "Some Woody Plant Diseases"

Bill Shores "Urban Composting"

Mike Ward "Animal Ecosystems" and "Changes in Illinois Bird Communities"

Sharon Yiesla "It's All Latin to Me"

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