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Programs and Events

Programs

Twin City Garden Club meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2101 S. Prospect Ave., Champaign, IL, (corner of Prospect and Devonshire), unless otherwise noted in calendar.  Parking for our meetings is in the back parking lot of the church.  Enter through the door marked "Office".

2023-2024 Calendar

September 19, 2023

1 pm. Choir Room in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Program—Chicago Field Museum’s Field Guide

Presenter: Mike Skreiner
Mike Skreiner has completed the University of Illinois Extension Master Natural Program and is member of the Sierra Club. The collaborative Field Guide was published by the Field Museum, Chicago, on their website in May 2022, with free public access. This program discusses epilogue thoughts over one year later: what is the significance of the Field Guide and what are some take-aways stimulated by it; what are some plant and pollinator interaction issues, and what can we do about them?

NGC Goal: Environment

October 15-17, 2023
Central Region Annual Convention, Des Moines, Iowa

October 17, 2023

1 pm. Choir Room in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Program— Beneficial insects: unseen, under-appeciated, and under threat—what can you do to save biodiversity?

Presenter: Dr. Tommy McElrath
Let’s talk about the bugs you might not see every day, but that really run the world. From pollinators to decomposers, to predators and parasites, presenter Tommy McElrath will show preserved specimens from the INHS Insect Collection along with a presentation on the under-appreciated arthropods in your backyards, Illinois, and around the world. Dr. McElrath is the Insect Collections Manager, Illinois Natural History Survey/Prairie Research Institute/University of Illinois
NGC Goal: Environment

November 21, 2022

1 pm. Choir Room in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Program—Pruning

Presenter: Ryan Pankau

Ryan Pankau, an Extension Educator in Horticulture at the University of Illinois Extension, will discuss how to properly prune trees and shrubs.

 

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Noon in Fellowship Hall at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church​
Join us for a Holiday Luncheon
A catered buffet will be provided; cost TBA. Get ready to play some Bingo! Guests are welcome!

January 16, 2024

1 pm.Choir Room in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Program—Houseplants 101 with Planted
Presenter: Kristyn McReaken
Join the owner of Planted, Kristyn McReaken, for a presentation on all things houseplants! The class will include a discussion about caring for your houseplants, choosing the best plants for you, using plants to enhance your home, and Q&A.
NGC Goal: Horticulture

February 20, 2024

1 pm. Choir Room in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Program— Spring Beauties: Vernal Wildflowers of Central Illinois

Presenter: James Ellis
After a long winter, many people anxiously await the new growth of spring. Please join us to learn about common spring wildflowers found in the region, how to identify them, and where to find them. Jamie Ellis is the natural areas coordinator for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Trained in botany, plant ecology, and natural resource management at the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan, he has published articles on prairie ecology, conservation, and management for both academic and general audiences. He is a long-time member and volunteer with Grand Prairie Friends, a natural areas conservation organization and land trust based in east-central Illinois.
NGC Goal: Horticulture

March 19, 2023

1 pm. Choir Room in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Program— Composting - it's really easy & so good for your plants!

Presenter: Becky Prather
Becky Prather, past co-owner of Ewe Poo Compost Company, will cover how to start composting, type of area needed to get started, benefits to your soil and plants as well as how beneficial sheep's wool is to your container gardens.
NGC Goal: Horticulture, Environment

April 16, 2023
Noon at 
Manzella's Italian Patio, 115 S 1st St., Champaign
​Luncheon and installation of officers.

April date TBA, 2023

GCI Annual Convention, Springfield, IL

May 4, 2024

PLANT SALE

8 am - noon, Front parking lot at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2101 S. Prospect, Champaign

May 21, 2024

1 pm. Choir Room in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Program— Multi-Season Gardens

Presenter: Kathy Mundell-Bligh
Kathy Mundell-Bligh is the Coordinator of Educational Services at the Wendell Niepagen Greenhouses and Garden Center in Bloomington-Normal, IL. Her program will discuss how to plant and maintain a multi-season garden.

 

June 2-5, 2024
National Garden Clubs Convention, The Westin Westminster, Denver, CO

June 18, 2024

Noon, Tori Corkery's Home

Luncheon

Join us for lunch and bring a guest or two!

Box lunches will be provided. Cost TBA
 

Plant Sale

Plant Selection

Visit us from 8 am to noon on Saturday, May 4, 2024, for our annual plant sale.  Perennials, herbs, and much more – all dug from member gardens!

Sale is held in the front parking lot in front of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2101 S. Prospect Avenue, Champaign, IL.

Flower Arrangement

Floral Design

Unique to Twin City Garden Club is our instruction in both floral design and preparing horticulture specimens for exhibiting in flower shows. Flower show instruction for 2023-2024 will be an exciting year for our club as we learn how to plan and execute a successful flower show.

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