Impressive List of Guest Speakers Supplement a Full Day of Scheduled Activities at West Chicago's Blooming Fest

West Chicago, Illinois: May 3, 2013 – Garden gnomes everywhere are anxiously counting the days until Blooming Fest, this year scheduled for Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The success of the 13-year old garden festival has put downtown West Chicago on the map, and casual or serious green thumbs flock to Main Street from as far away as the near-north suburbs to get their fill of local and homegrown perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetable plants, trees and shrubs from a variety of sources.

Headlining the list of quality vendors for hearty native plants is the West Chicago Garden Club. The work of this active Club has enriched the soil of the entire community. Each year Club members work hard at dividing plants that have thrived in their own gardens, potting and labeling them for sale at affordable prices at Blooming Fest. Several area nurseries, the Community High School Horticultural Club, garden crafters, food vendors, an assortment of West Chicago businesses and local musical talent will also be on-hand.

Illinois Extension master gardeners and other plant and tree specialists have become favorite staples of the event, and this year will be supplemented by representatives of Cantigny Gardens, the Morton Arboretum, the Lincoln Park Zoo, The Conservation Foundation, and Ball Horticultural who will present ideas, information and demonstrations in a brand new "Speakers Tent". The following is the schedule and topic details for speakers coordinated by the West Chicago Park District:

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.; Dr. Marvin Miller from Ball Horticultural: Container Design

10:00 – 11:00 a.m.; Jim Kleinwachter from The Conservation Foundation: Native Landscaping/Rain Gardens

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; Lydia Scott from The Morton Arboretum: Tree Diversity and the Emerald Ash Borer

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.; Liza Watson Lehrer from Lincoln Park Zoo: Urban Wildlife

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.; Craig Kruckenberg from Cantigny: Designing Your Garden

For an informational podcast or a full schedule of the day's activities, visit www.westchicago.org or call Krista Coltrin at (630) 293-2200 x139.