PORTER COUNTY
MASTER GARDENERS ASSOCIATION
2026 GARDENING SHOW SPEAKERS
We are delighted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our annual Gardening Show! As part of this milestone year, we are proud to present an engaging lineup of speakers in our seminar room. These informative sessions feature a variety of gardening topics designed to inspire fresh ideas, deepen knowledge, and get you thinking ahead to the growing season. It’s our pleasure to share this seminar lineup and warmly welcome you to join us for learning, conversation, and inspiration.
SEMINAR LINEUP
9:00 a.m.
The Ultimate Guide to Hydrangea Happiness
Unlock the magic of hydrangeas and turn your garden into a showstopper. In this fun and informative lecture, we will solve the most common hydrangea mysteries. You will learn how to choose the perfect plant, the “when and how” of pruning for maximum flowers, and the differences between varieties. You will leave with the confidence to grow lush, healthy, and stunning hydrangeas, all while creating the garden combinations of your dreams.
Wayne Gruber
Award-winning Horticulturist and Seasoned Educator
10:30 a.m.
Rewild Your Home: Exploring the Amazing Surprises Associated with Native Plants
Explore the hidden world that native flora creates right in our own backyards. We'll go beyond the familiar butterflies and bees to discover the critical roles of insect associates often overlooked such as moths, flies, and wasps. By journeying through these species, you will discover how all life is connected, hopefully gaining a new perspective on your open space.
Nathanael Pilla
Author, Teacher, Botanist, and Ecologist
12:00 noon
Monarch Conservation and the Critical Role of Milkweed and How You Can Help
Learn about the distinct and amazing qualities of Monarch butterflies, their annual migration of nearly 3,000 miles, and their specialized relationship with Milkweed that is crucial to their survival. Jim invites all attendees to do their part to help preserve this unique creature. Attendees are invited to become Citizen Scientists for the Monarch.
Jim Starin
Professional Marketer, Business Entrepreneur and Executive at CoAction
1:30 p.m.
Wake Up from Winter with a Preview of Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs
In the middle of Winter, we all need inspiring images and encouraging information to get us through the last of the wind, snow and ice. Jennifer Brennan, horticulturist, will share her enthusiasm for the beautiful Spring flowering trees and shrubs that will start cheering us up as early as March. Enjoy the "show" and make a list of the ones that you want to add to your landscape.
Jennifer Brennan
Horticulture Information Specialist at Chalet Home and Garden
GUEST SPEAKERS
WAYNE GRUBER
An award-winning horticulturist and seasoned educator, Wayne Gruber has spent over four decades contributing significantly to the green industry. His career spans diverse roles, including designer, retailer, and national speaker, all built upon a foundation of a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University. In 2001, Wayne’s vision led to the creation of Gardens on the Prairie, an endeavor that was twice honored with the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association Garden Center Green Excellence Award. After merging his business with Niemeyer Landscape Supply, he now manages its green center in Crown Point, continuing his legacy of excellence. In recognition of his lasting impact on the field, Wayne received the prestigious Award of Merit from the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association in 2022.
NATHANAEL PILLA
Nathanael is an author, teacher, botanist, and ecologist based in the Chicago region. He is the founder of Midwest Biological Survey, LLC. and the host of the educational YouTube channel, Botany and Beer. Nathanael dedicates his time to increasing ecological literacy through community education, biological surveys across the Midwest, and taxonomic research. His written work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals including Great Lakes Botanist, JBRIT, and Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science. He is also the co-author of the book Wildflowers of the Indiana Dunes National Park, published by Indiana University Press.
JIM STARIN
Jim Starin is a retired professional, having earned respect as a successful business entrepreneur and leader. He launched Starin Marketing in 1988, an Audio-Visual Equipment distributor across North America. After 30 years as its CEO, he sold it to his employees and began looking for different opportunities to bring that same energy and passion. Jim has accomplished that with his role on the executive team at CoAction, a community action agency serving approximately 50,000 people, and in his primary focus of gardening, educating and campaigning for the conservation of the Monarch butterfly.
JENNIFER BRENNAN
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.