DANVILLE — More than 140 area gardeners got an early peek at spring when the University of Illinois (Vermilion County Chapter) Master Gardeners sponsored their annual Garden Day Workshop recently at a new location — CrossRoads Christian Church.

According to organizers, vendors and attendees, the church at 3613 N. Vermilion was the perfect venue to showcase the natural beauties of the season.

“It was so generous for CrossRoads to let us use their facility,” said Claudia DeWitt, chair of Garden Day. “It gave us so much room for vendors and attendees. I think people are more than ready for spring this year, and the cost of our program was affordable enough for many to attend.”

“I’ve had a part in planning this event since I became a master gardener in 1993,” said John Bodensteiner, “and this is the best one yet. We have twice as many vendors as last year, and for the first time we didn’t have to turn people away. This is our main fundraiser of the year, which will help keep our programs and services viable.”

The Garden Day program included three speaker presentations, 25 local and area vendors from as far away as Bourbonnais and Brazil, Ind., 81 door prizes, more than 50 raffle prizes, and eight silent auction items — all donated by area businesses.

“Going green” was a prevalent theme promoted by the vendors. Michael Kilby of the Piatt County 4-H club was selling organic T-shirts that read “Go Green,” “Green Thumb” and “Green Tea.”

Charles Bedinger of Catlin sold his “Ewe Poo” organic sheep fertilizer, and attracted customers to his booth with a bottle-fed baby lamb. Besides marketing his 20-pound bags of the home-grown mulch for vegetables and flowers, the sheep farmer/entrepreneur has even packaged the odor-free and finely-ground fertilizer as novelty “candies.”

Sully Schultz Nursery of Tilton promoted its “Go Green With Schultz” weekend scheduled for May 15 and 16. Some of its environment-friendly efforts include a green roof project, selling organic fertilizers and weed control products, and promoting recycling.

Up for sale at the event was everything from yard art, to organic products, to handmade jewelry. There were three tables of 4-inch succulents, as well as plant starts of specialty hostas — one of the most popular perennials in the Midwest. Also for sale were artificial wreaths and flowers, wind chimes, Easter decor, and herbal soaps and lotions.

Plentiful give-aways, informational handouts, and brochures quickly filled up the recycled, lime-green carry-all bags that each participant received.

Cheri Welsh, owner of Pauline’s Attic in Catlin, said the trendy yard art items for this season are garden stakes topped with colorful glass gems. “The glass reflects the sunlight and makes them sparkle,” she said.

Welsh also said artificial botanicals, such as indoor birdhouses and silk pots of flowers and herbs, are popular this spring. “It’s all about bringing the outdoors in,” she added.

This was the first time that Iris Martin of Catlin and Sally Reese of Danville had attended the garden day workshop. They went home with bags of purchases, including some hosta plants for Reese’s garden.

“We found a lot of things to buy,” Reese said. “It was fun.”

Carolyn Looker, president of Looker Products Inc., in Milford, was one of the guest speakers, and she also had a booth to showcase her company’s products. Some of the items for sale included a wren cottage, an A-frame wren house, and an upside-down suet holder. The window feeders and the “view-through” bluebird houses are her most popular items.

“I believe that watching birds will always be a favorite pastime for people,” Looker said. “You don’t have to take an expensive vacation to see birds; you can simply look out your window.”

Looker said the three main elements necessary for attracting birds are food, water and shelter (shrubs, trees or nesting houses). She recommended using specific types of seeds to attract specific birds, rather than a variety mix.

“For example, you want to use black oil sunflowers to attract goldfinches, nuthatches, and cardinals,” she said.

The other speakers were Sandi Gillette of Gillette’s Iris Heaven in Milford, and Tom Hebermehl of Paris. Gillette will sponsor an Iris Festival during the four weeks surrounding Mother’s Day, when she will showcase more than 300 varieties of hybrid irises.

Hebermehl wowed the audience with his beautiful pictures of gardens and flowers, and gave pointers on digital photography.

Tricia Hagley of Danville came to the workshop because she is a member of the Roselawn Garden Club. “I love gardening, and I’m finding this all very interesting,” she said.

Sandy Wilson of Bismarck attended Garden Day to learn more about attracting songbirds to her yard so she can pass the information on to her husband, who is the avid bird-watcher in the family.

Sheila Lane of Potomac said, “This is my first time at the workshop, and I’m very impressed with everything here. I plan to come again next year.”

Marianne Venute, president of the Vermilion County Master Gardeners, said, “This facility is fantastic, and we had such a variety of vendors this year. It was such a blessing that we were able to use CrossRoads.”