There is no better season for gardeners than summer! And to help you learn University of Illinois Extension is offering summer gardening programs. Late Summer & Fall Blooming Perennials, and Summer & Fall Blooming Vines, Trees & Shrubs, will be presented. Each program will be offered twice for your convenience.

Do you find that your flower gardens in late summer and fall just don't have the 'show' they did in May and June? We are excited to garden in spring and add flowers that bloom at that time and don't plan for later in the season. A fall blooming garden is easy to plan for – once you know what will be blooming in the heat of August through September. Late Summer and Fall Blooming Perennials will introduce you to these plants. Martha Smith, University of Illinois Extension, Horticulture Educator will be offering this class on Tuesday, July 8, at 1:00 p.m., and again on Thursday, July 10, at 7:00 p.m.

Most people think of spring blooming trees and shrubs such as dogwoods, crabapples, forsythia, viburnums and lilacs. They provide a colorful backdrop to spring's unfolding leaves, tulips, daffodils and the singing cardinals. But are you aware of the assortment of summer and fall blooming trees and shrubs? Late season blooming plants include Baccharis (Ground-sel), Heptacodium (Seven-Sons Tree), Koelreutia (Goldenraintree), Callicarpa (Beautyberry) and many hydrangeas. David Robson, University of Illinois Extension, Horticulture Educator, will be offering Summer and Fall Blooming Vines,Trees and Shrubs twice. Dates are Tuesday, July 22, at 1:00 pm. or Thursday, July 24, at 7:00 pm.

Program will be held at the U of I Extension Building #30, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield. If interested please call (217) 782-4617 or register on-line on our website at www.extension.uiuc.edu/sangamonmenard. Cost to attend is $2.

Master Gardeners of University of Illinois Extension Sangamon-Menard Unit are sponsoring a Garden Shed Sale in conjunction with Evening in the Garden on Thursday, July 17, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the Sangamon-Menard Extension office, Building #30, on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

A wide variety of gently used outdoor garden tools and furniture, garden related household items, books, clothing, jewelry and one-of-a-kind artwork will be offered for sale by Sangamon-Menard Master Gardeners as part of this unique fundraiser. There will also be a silent auction area for the higher quality, unique items. There is no cost for admission to the sale and all sales will be final. "We held a similar sale two years ago and were amazed at the community's response, "said Jennifer Fishburn, Unit Educator, Horticulture. "We've already received a wide variety of donated items including tools and an assortment of gardening accessories including pots and birdhouses. We think the public is going to enjoy this unique opportunity to purchase gardening items in good shape from some of the best gardeners in the area."

Also offered that evening will be the annual Evening in the Garden which will feature walking tours of the Demonstration Gardens in front of the Sangamon-Menard Extension office. This includes a 5,000 square foot garden featuring a wide variety of annuals, herbs and perennials. Varieties of flowers planted throughout the State Fairgrounds are featured and labeled in the Identification Garden. The Herb Garden has more than 70 kitchen herbs. The Lorrraine DeSouza Perennial Garden contains plants of interest for every season. Other features of the garden include a grape arbor. The program is free and open to the public and Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions and provide handouts on maintenance issues. For more information call (217) 782-4617 or visit www.extension.uiuc.edu/sangamonmenard .

Join Master Gardener, Sandy Pecori, in the Herb Garden for "How to Harvest Basil," on Thursday, July 24, at 5:30 pm. Sandy will show how to prune and harvest basil and explain the benefits of regular pruning.

Presentation will last approximately 30 minutes followed by a question and answer session. Program will be held at the University of Illinois Extension Building, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield.

This program is free and open to the public. If you have any questions call Sangamon-Menard Extension Unit at (217) 782-4617.

The project is designed to demonstrate how easy it is to develop and construct compost areas right in your own back yard. Five different styles of compost bins are featured at the demonstration area, including a vermicomposting bench-bin with red wiggler worms for composting kitchen fruit and vegetable wastes. Three of the compost bins have been constructed with recycled plastic lumber, donated by Tangent Technologies through Tailwind Furniture, Inc. Some of the labor constructing the compost bins was provided by Nathaniel Sparks, a Boy Scout candidate for Eagle Scout.

Brochures listing required materials and construction guidelines for creating individual compost bins will soon be available.

Sponsoring partners in this project are the University of Illinois Extension Sangamon-Menard Unit Master Gardeners, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity

and the City of Springfield Division of Waste & Recycling.

For more information on composting or the back yard compost demonstration area, call the City of Springfield Division of Waste & Recycling at 789-2327 or the Sangamon-Menard Extension Unit at 782-4617.

On June 6, City of Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin cut the ribbon at the dedication of the Back Yard Compost Demonstration area. Bill Budd was presented a trophy of appreciation for his construction of the bins and commitment to the program.

Diana Hetherington was awarded the "Dick Lewis Memorial Award" for the University of Illinois Extension Sangamon-Menard Outstanding Master Gardener of the Year.

The Dick Lewis Memorial Award is awarded to a Master Gardener with three or more years of outstanding service to the Sangamon-Menard Unit Master Gardener program.

Diana completed Master Gardener training in 2003. Since then she has volunteered more than 623 hours to the program. Diana has volunteered for a variety of Master Gardener projects.

As an active team member of the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden Grape Committee, Diana assists with pruning and care of the grapes. She also has volunteered as a host in the gardens during the Illinois State Fair. As a licensed Pesticide Operator, Diana assists with spraying grapes and other plants in the demonstration gardens.

Diana assisted with planning the 2003, 2005 and 2007 Garden Walks. In 2005, she served as garden chairman for one of the gardens on the walk. She worked closely with the homeowner and a committee of Master Gardener volunteers. Diana served as co-chairman for the 2007 Garden Walk.

In 2005, Diana conceived the idea of a Garden Shed Sale as a Master Gardener fundraiser. She served actively involved in the first shed sale and is co-chair of the 2008 committee.

Diana is a member of the Sangamon-Menard Master Gardener Advisory committee. As a four year committee member she has been instrumental reviewing existing and potential Master Gardener volunteer programs and activities, and developing continuing education opportunities. She served as Secretary for three years. Diana is currently a member of the Sangamon-Menard Extension council.

Diana is always willing to lend a helping hand, she has a good sense of humor and a lot of skills including a great organizer of projects and committees.

Congratulations Diana!