Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Luecht Auditorium, B170
Choose from five breakout presentations under each session presented by industry experts.
New for 2025
Gardenfest will have two new two-hour hands-on classes: Watercolor Explorations and Container Gardens. Space is limited and additional materials fees are applied.
Keynote 9–10 a.m. | Living in the Presence of Plants | Roy Diblik
We all have ideas of what style of gardens we’d like to plant—native gardens, rain gardens, nature-inspired gardens, herb gardens, pollinator gardens, cut flower gardens, ecological gardens, and more. There are plenty of titles and names but what about the practices behind them? How conscious are you about what these garden names truly mean? Often, these garden titles are vague and even market-driven.
In this session, Roy Diblik will share his story of living in the presence of plants, being conscious of their resonance and relationality. Patient and always curious, he has come to understand and develop clear thoughts and ideas about who plants are and how they live—and that defines his story as a grower. As Roy deepened his understanding of plants and collaborated with plant-driven people, he began designing gardens, gradually placing plants in social relationships. This journey led him to become a cultural gardener—a gardener interacting with plants with care and love.
How to Register
All registrations will be online. No registrations will be accepted by mail or phone.
Registration opens on February 10, 2025.
Classes are first come, first served. Culinary and Tour sessions are limited to 20 participants.
Gardenfest session descriptions
Registration Deadline: March 28, 2025 (no refunds).
After this date, registration is only accepted on the conference day for an additional $5 fee (space limited).
__ $49 Registration fee
__ $29 MCC Horticulture students
If you need an accommodation or a sign language interpreter, contact Access and Disability Services at (815) 455-8766 or disabilityservices@mchenry.edu.
Contact
For more information, call (815) 479-7570 or email conferencecenter@mchenry.edu
