Home & garden calendar April 7-10

Send events for this calendar to homes@dailyherald.com with “calendar listing” in the subject line. Deadline is two weeks prior to the event.

April 7

Fairy Garden Festival: 10 a.m. Sunday, April 7, at Heinz Brothers Garden Center, 2010 E. Main St., St. Charles. Fairy Garden Festival is the annual kickoff to spring. Go on a magical Fairy Garden scavenger hunt, door prize raffle, Fairy Garden Make and Take, more. Come dressed as a fairy and enjoy the whimsy and see the new spring arrivals. For information, heinzbrothers.com.

Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Are you interested in controlling insect pests in your garden naturally? You can accomplish this by planting a diverse range of beautiful plants that attract pollinators and other beneficial insects. By learning about adult beneficial insects, their hungry larvae, and their preferred plants, you can effectively reduce or eliminate pest populations like aphids, tent worms, slugs, and other destructive insects. $52-$65. For information, www.chicagobotanic.org.

April 8

Gardeners of Central Lake County — Cicadas: 7 p.m. Monday, April 8, at CrossLife Evangelical Free Church, 431 W. Austin, Libertyville. The cicadas are coming. Learn about the different types of cicadas in Lake County and the unique, 17-year life cycle of periodic cicadas. Explore the wild adaptations that have helped this cool critter survive throughout the decades. For information, gardenersofcentrallakecounty.org.

Native Gardening Step by Step: 7 p.m. Monday, April 8, at Glenview Public Library, 1930 Glenview Road, Glenview. Learn why it’s important to create a native garden, including creating a pollinator garden and adding native plants and help designate Glenview as a Community Wildlife Habitat. Co-sponsored by Greener Glenview. Register at glenviewpl.org or call (847) 729-7500.

April 9

Garden Club of Mount Prospect: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 9, in the Farley Room at Mount Prospect Village Hall, 50 S. Emerson St., Mount Prospect. Writer and Horticulturist Heather Prince presents, “Fantastic Fall Flowers.” Plan in spring to have flowers from the garden on your Thanksgiving table. Explore which perennials bloom in autumn and add color to our late season gardens. Fall flowers also play an important role in feeding pollinators before hibernation or migration. 9:30 a.m., social time; 10 a.m., business meeting; 11 a.m., speaker. For information, gcmp.weebly.com.

April 10

Rolling Meadows Garden Club — “Big, Bold Perennials”: 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month, Rolling Meadows Community Center, 3705 Pheasant Drive, Rolling Meadows. Horticulturist Heather Prince will review dramatic perennials and discuss how to create layers of color, height and texture in the garden. Refreshments and short business meeting from 6-7 p.m.; program begins at 7 p.m. For information, rollingmeadowsgardenclub.com.

Schaumburg Community Garden Club: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. “Beeing an Advocate for Native Plants” will be presented by Bruce Blake. By growing native plants in our yards, we can provide a small oasis for insects and birds to thrive, and we can enjoy the beauty that they bring. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For information, schaumburggardenclub.org.

Waste Reduction Action Team: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at Crystal Lake Brewing, 150 N. Main St., Crystal Lake. The Waste Reduction Action Team works on issues and problems surrounding plastic pollution, single use plastic reduction and food waste as well as composting. For information, mcdef.org.

April 11

Park Ridge Garden Club: Meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month from September through June, at The Centennial Activity Center, 100 S. Western, Park Ridge. Enter using the door to the south of the main entrance. For information, parkridgegardenclub.org.

April 13

GardenFest 2024: 7:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, at McHenry County College, 8900 Highway 14, Crystal Lake. Explore the latest gardening trends, techniques and tools at McHenry County Gardenfest, a daylong series of seminars and workshops for gardeners of every skill level. Choose from more than 20 breakout sessions presented by industry experts. The morning keynote, “Gardening for Nature,” will be presented by Daniel Gerdes. $49-$54. For information and to register, (815) 338-3737 or mchenry.edu.

Plant sales

Kane DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District Native Trees, Shrubs and Plant Sale: Order deadline is April 12 for trees and shrubs and May 17 for plants. Ordering is open for native trees, shrubs and plants. The digital catalog is available on the organization’s website, it can be printed if you choose. Download the order form, complete your selections and follow the instructions to submit the order and payment. The Northern Illinois Worm Farm will be on hand at pick up days with fresh, local worm casting and worm castings tea for sale. For information, kanedupageswcd.org/kd.

Citizens for Conservation’s Native Plant, Shrub and Tree Sale: Order deadline is April 15. Online ordering for Citizens for Conservation’s 28th annual Native Plant, Shrub and Tree Sale is available at citizensforconservation.org. CFC’s sale offers more than 200 varieties of native plants, including perennials, ferns, sedges, grasses, shrubs and trees. This year’s sale will also feature two special garden packages, featuring plants that support pollinators. Orders are filled on a first-come, first-filled basis, so order early, and preorders are encouraged if you have a specific plant in mind. There is a pre-order minimum charge; details are on the sale website. The in-person sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 4-5 at CFC’s Hill ’N Dale Preserve in Barrington Hills. Online order pickup will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, May 3 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the sale site. CFC members will also be able to shop the sale on May 3, and members get a 10% discount all days. For information, contact (847) 382-7283.

The Schaumburg Community Garden Club Native Plant Sale: Deadline to order is April 19. The Schaumburg Community Garden Club is currently taking preorders only for its annual Native Plant Sale, featuring native wildflowers, grasses, perennials, trees and shrubs. Order at schaumburggardenclub.org. Orders can be picked up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday May 18-19, at Spring Valley Nature Center and Heritage Farm. Information regarding pickup location will be shared at the time of your online order. The pre-order deadline is April 19. For information, schaumburggardenclub.org.

Sag Moraine Native Plant Community Native Plant Sale: Orders taken through May 1. Place your order now for native plant packages with a variety of design options. Plants are in one-pint containers and provided by Midwest Groundcovers as part of the Natural Garden Natives line, a selection of pesticide-free, local ecotype native plants. Orders can be picked up from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, at Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Parkway, Parking Lot D3, Palos Hills. Thousands of individual native plants will also be for sale on June 1 from Stellar Natives, along with advice on landscaping with native plants. For information, sagmoraine.org.

Dahlia Plant Sale: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. The Central States Dahlia Society is holding its annual Dahlia Plant Sale. Experts will be on hand to answer all your questions. For information, call Jim at (847) 343-4396.

Bloomingdale Garden Club Flower and Plant Sale: Noon to 6 p.m. Friday, May 10; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or until sold out, Saturday, May 11, at the Bloomingdale Park District Maintenance Building, 259 Springfield Drive, (on the north end of Springfield Park, ¼ mile south of Route 20/Lake Street), in Bloomingdale. Sale includes professionally grown annuals in flats, 4.5- and 6-inch pots, hanging baskets, vegetables and herbs, cannas, grasses, tropicals, tuts, Proven Winners and specialty annuals as well as perennials from members’ gardens. There will be raffles and garden items for sale. A Master Gardener Help Desk will also be available to answer all your gardening questions. Cash, checks, and credit cards will be accepted. Proceeds support area charities and garden club monthly programs. For information, bloomingdalegardenclub.org.

Gardners of Central Lake County Plant Sale: 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday, May 11, at Crawford House, 817 Lake St., Libertyville. Sale, which will be held rain or shine, includes annuals, bedding plants, herbs, houseplants, natives, perennials, vegetables. Plants are grown by seeds, bulbs, bare root and cuttings. Cash or check accepted. For information, gardenersofcentrallakecounty.org or email juliancindy@hotmail.com.

The Garden Club of Lake Zurich Spring Plant Sale: 8:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 18, at Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich. The club offers hundreds of member-grown perennials, seed grown annuals, natives, woodland plants, saplings, vegetable seedlings, ground covers, houseplants, herbs, garden décor and plant grow lights. Get expert advice from Master Gardeners and other members of the club. Sale held rain or shine. Cash/check/credit cards accepted. Come early as plants go quickly. For information, gardencluboflakezurich.org.

University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at the University of Illinois Extension grounds, 100 S. Highway 45, Grayslake. University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners will hold its annual plant sale featuring a beautiful selection of nursery grown varieties not readily available at traditional garden centers — natives, new cultivars of perennials, grasses and pollinator-friendly plants. Many varieties of homegrown tomatoes, along with other vegetables and herbs, will be available. In addition, shop the “Garden Treasures” for new and gently used items to enhance your landscape. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your gardening questions, help with plant selection and offer gardening advice. All proceeds support projects and programming for volunteers, youth and adults in Lake County. For information, call (847) 223-8627 or visit extension.illinois.edu/events/2024-05-18-lake-county-2024-plant-sale.

Prospect Heights Garden Club Plant Sale: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 25, in the shopping center at Rand Road and Thomas St., Arlington Heights. Plants from members’ homes will be available. For information, call Ann Johnson at (847) 253-1223.