We are pleased to announce these topics and speakers at the 19th Annual Gardening Show on Saturday, January 25, 2025. We look forward to giving you an enthusiastic welcome at the Show!

We want to emphasize how thrilled we are to be able to get together again and increase our knowledge about growing things. We invite you to join us to learn and to grow. There will be seminars in the Main Hall and demonstrations in The Happening Place throughout the day.

Our seminars format has been revised to provide less time waiting in line and more time for answers to your questions. Here's what to look forward to:

Seminars

 9:00 a.m.

Improving the Older Garden or Landscape
Established gardens and landscapes share certain challenges: changed sun/shade patterns, worn soil, overgrown plants, and barren but high-visibility spots. Learn tips on where to start, overcoming the worst obstacles, visualizing change and choosing new plants.

Janet Macunovich
Author, Educator and Landscape Designer

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10:30 a.m.

Fighting Invasives at Home
If you’re tired of fighting invasive species in your garden and landscape, learn how to reduce or eradicate them by using specialized herbicides, cultural vegetation management or other unique tactics.

Jack Pizzo
Founder and Principal of The Pizzo Group & Expert Restoring Natural Areas and Growing Deep-rooted, Native Plants

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12:00 noon

Four-Star Nativars
Pollinators are a popular topic among gardeners and selecting the best plants to attract and feed them is paramount. Some would say it’s simple—grow natives. Gardeners want to do their part and still get the best garden plants. This is where nativars come in.

Richard Hawke
Director of Ornamental Plant Research at the Chicago Botanic Garden

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 1:30 p.m.

Container Gardening How-Tos and Ideas
Learn the secrets the Professionals use for long-lasting beautiful containers. Planning, plants and products for success will all be covered. Get inspired for the coming planting season!

Jennifer Brennan
Horticulture Information Specialist and Manager of Education Center at Chalet Landscape, Nursery and Garden Center

 

Janet Macunovich is an author and educator who has been designing, planting and maintaining gardens and landscapes for 40 years. Her horticultural training is lifelong and ongoing, a combination of dirty knees and attending courses at botanical gardens and colleges. She has authored nine books, developed and presented hundreds of seminars and workshops, hosted a weekly radio show and written weekly gardening columns that have helped gardeners in the U.S., Canada, England, Europe and Brazil. She is recognized for her no-nonsense practicality, humor and ability to take the mystery out of gardening topics. She is co-founder of the Michigan School of Gardening (1996-2008) and the Association of Professional Gardeners.

Janet Macunovich owned Garden A to Z with horticultural photographer husband, Steven Nikkila. Their garden and landscape design and maintenance firm worked with clients in Michigan and several other States. Now retired from the physical work, they continue as educators through talks, webinars, articles and their website, GardenAtoZ.org.

Jack Pizzo is committed to sustainability and naturally beautiful habitats. He founded The Pizzo Group, one of the Midwest’s largest ecological restoration firms, in 1988 and serves as its principal today. Pizzo, who holds a master’s degree from the University of Illinois where he studied natural resources, restoration ecology and ornamental horticulture, is the author of “Green and Natural Spaces in Your Community.” He serves on multiple boards for conservation organizations and prescribed fire groups and is past president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). The Pizzo Group is the recipient of more than 170 industry awards.

Richard Hawke is Director of Ornamental Plant Research at the Chicago Botanic Garden, where he oversees the evaluation, breeding, and introduction programs. He has managed the plant evaluation trials since 1985. Hawke has a horticulture degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is an author and contributing editor for Fine Gardening magazine and is currently President of the Perennial Plant Association.

Jennifer Brennan is a Horticulture Information Specialist at Chalet Home & Garden in Wilmette, Illinois. A 32-year veteran staff horticulturalist at Chalet Nursery, she was responsible for sales in nursery stock, perennials, annuals and related gardening products. Brennan has spent 7 years as a continuing education instructor at the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG) teaching courses in groundcovers, vines, perennials, container gardening, herbs, bulbs and gardening with children, as well as 4 years as a staff horticulturist in the Plant Information Office at CBG.

Known to Chicago area viewers for 20 years as the horticulture expert for the ABC Chicago Ch7 Morning News with weather anchor, Tracy Butler, Brennan is a frequent speaker at meetings of the Perennial Plant Association (PPA), past president of the PPA and recipient of its 2009 Garden Media Award. She earned a B.S. Degree in Ornamental Horticulture with a minor in botany from the University of Illinois where she learned woody plant materials from Dr. Michael Dirr.

Demonstrations

 10:00 a.m.

Tools, Equipment, & Techniques that Make Growing Food Easy & Abundant
If you want to efficiently perform various gardening jobs like digging, planting, weeding, pruning, and raking, learn the best tools and methods for the task.

Damien Appel
Owner and Grower, Native Roots Farm

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11:30 a.m.

A Lavender Primer
Whether there is purple on the field or not, the fragrance of lavender hovers in the air. Peace is found in the field or in walking the labyrinth. Your mind unwinds and your dreams find you. You are welcome here.

Doreen King
Co-owner Lakeside Lavender and Herbs

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12:30 p.m.

The Latest on Small Fruits
Plant an edible landscape and improve your personal environment!
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Sam Erwin
President of Indiana Berry & Plant Company

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Damien Appel has spent the last decade championing local food in NWI.  He’s the favorite lettuce farmer of many and the founder/organizer of Coffee Creek Farmers Market, NWI’s Premier ‘Producer Only’ Farmers Market, occurring weekly on Wednesdays 3-7 PM.  

He shares his deep love for seasonal eating and living with his young son Anders at their organic farm (Native Roots) in Wanatah.  Taste the difference of local food starting April 9th for Opening Day of the Farmers Market.

Doreen King is co-owner with her husband, Mike, of Lakeside Lavender and Herbs. They are dedicated to a healthier, more natural way of living. 

Doreen is a certified herbalist. Mike is “the lavender guy.” Together they revive traditions of growing things, knowing things, then bringing wonderful, healthful, handcrafted products to customers at their farm shop, their year-round market and online.

James (Sam) Erwin owns and manages Indiana Berry & Plant Company. Established in 1993 to serve the producers of small fruits, the company operates a mail order business, nurseries and agricultural fields for plant production in Plymouth, IN. Their sister company, Superb Horticulture, manufactures spraying, chopping and mowing equipment.

Sam started in the fruit and vegetable business when he was 14 years old. His passion for that business was incentive for earning a BS in Horticulture from Purdue University and an MS from The Ohio State University. He also was a professor of marketing at Manchester University.

Sam is a past president and board member of the both the North American Strawberry Growers and the North American Raspberry & Blackberry Associations. He served on the Marshal County Farm Bureau Board, two terms on the Marshal County Community Foundation Board, and 15 years as Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for the children of Marshal County. He currently serves on the Marshal County Historical Society Board.