The Lincolnshire Garden Club
“Getting Dirty since 1958”
The Flower Press
June, 2013
General Meeting and Program
Thursday, June 20, 2013
“Annual Summer Garden Tour and Members Only Picnic”
Members, join us as we bring to a close another entertaining and informative year with the Garden Club. Tour the gardens of a fellow member’s stunning lakefront property in Highland Park, which includes a beautiful Ravine, patio and lush bluff. And, complete the experience with a delightful luncheon prepared by our Hostess Committee sure to be as savory as the breakfasts they have been providing throughout the year.
Time: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm
Where: Consult newsletter email for details.
For specific details email: Webmaster@lincolnshiregardenclub.com
A Message from our President, Jan Stefans
Thanks to all of you for making my Garden Club Year a success. Your attendance at monthly program meetings has been outstanding despite the weather. Your participation in all of our activities throughout the year: the Mini Market, Weed and Wines, field trips, Riverside and Depke activities and your support of their programs make our club a worthwhile non-for-profit organization.
And a huge thank you to the Garden Club Board for all their efforts in keeping our organization running smoothly. I am going to miss Mary Lou Bartlett, Jane Bisk, Karen Kravitz, and Rick Sanders for their support and volunteerism as they step down from the Board. True "worker bees" one and all. Meg, Hazel, Jeanne, Elaine, Lynn, Joan, Barb, Andrea, Ann , Dimitra, Kathleen, Kathy, Sharon, and Eve, while I have appreciated all that you have done this year, I am thrilled that you are again "stepping up to the plate" and volunteering another year. Finally, welcome to our new board members Mary Ainger, Judy Jenner, Wendy Miller, and Kay Siess, you are in for a lively time.
To all have a wonderful summer and remember...Keep those hands dirty!
Talking Dirt with Linda Lutz
Imagine
you and your college roommate in the same garden club many years after
graduation. I’m sure that none of us have been in that position except
our President, Jan Stefans, and our new treasurer, Kay Siess. They met on the campus of Northern Illinois
University when they were just 18. Both planned
on being teachers, but Kay’s degree was in mathematics
from which she launched her first job out of college working for a holding
company in Evanston. Meanwhile, Jan was
teaching in Winnetka so they continued to be roommates for a few years.
Kay is
excited to be newly retired from Abbott where she has just finished a 31 year
career as a financial analyst. The
absolute best part about Abbott for Kay was meeting her late husband,
Jack. During their 25 year marriage, Kay
and Jack spent lots of time with Jan and her family including, Jan’s son Jack (who was always referred to as, Little Jack).
When Kay was looking for a garden club in Deerfield and didn’t
find one, Jan suggested she join the Lincolnshire Garden Club. Kay insists that she volunteered to be our
new club treasurer, but I think we can all imagine that Jan may have had
something to do with it.
Now that
Kay has more time she is ready to garden in earnest. Having grown up in a rural area where her
grandfather and great grandfather had farms, Kay had a plot of her own at an early
age supervised by her grandfather. And
so her love of gardening began: Kay truly feels she this was the beginning of “dirt getting into her blood.” Maybe winning a blue ribbon for the best
marigolds when she was 8 years old may have had something to do with it,
too.
Kay’s small yard has many special plants including Irises from
Jan's Mom and rhubarb from Kay’s grandfather’s garden adding a sense of heritage to a well loved
garden. Kay’s goal is to add more perennials as well as learn from the
Garden Club tips and ideas she can implement.
With more
gardening in her future, Kay is looking forward to learning all she can. And aren’t we lucky that this
remarkable friendship has brought the Garden Club not only a gardening
enthusiast but a new treasurer!
At the next meeting, please welcome Kay and thank her taking on the treasurer’s job (Kay knows she has big shoes to fill and thanks Rick all his amazing work).
Plant Education with Joan Keyes
We will wrap up our fun year at the picnic. Here is your last time to review!
Lesson #1
Chelone lyonii 'How Lips' - Turtlehead
Euonymus alatus - Burning Bush
Lesson #2
Gleditsia - Honey Locust Tree
Tricyrtis hirta-Toad Lily
Lesson #3
Asclepias - Milkweed
Lesson #4 - Edible Flowers
Viola (no botanical name)
Calendula officinalis - Pot Marigold
Lesson #5
Oxalis acetosella 'Purpurascens' - Wood Sorrel
Quercus alba - White Oak
2012-2013 Allocations Committee, chaired by Hazel Weaver
Habitat for Humanity - $500
LCS has funded Habitat for many years and LCS members participating in their programs have seen past monies put to good use. The $500 will go towards the Gardening Together program, matching volunteers with new families on Spring and Fall workdays, and 1:1 instruction. The program includes use of natives in the subdivisions, and a chance to families to learn to begin composting.
Habitat appreciates our support and lists us on their website as well as posting stories on Facebook.
Conserve Lake County - $1180
The Garden Club has funded Conserve Lake County under its previous name of Liberty Prairie Conservancy. This year the money will be going towards sturdy (and pretty!) wrought iron outdoor seating for their very successful plant sale, and other outdoor educational events that the hold. Conserve Lake County has become stronger and stronger over the years, and this donation will recognize us as an official sponsor.
University of Illinois Master Gardener Program - $425
Building on their success in 2012, the Master Gardeners are using this money as part of their Phase 2 - Sustainable Edible Display Garden project. They will be purchasing "garden extending supplies" to get bigger plants in earlier, creating instant impact when teaching, and increasing the amount of edibles that they donate to the local food pantries.
Friends of Ryerson Wood - $1000
Along with funding from other gardening clubs, FoRW plans on using these monies as part of Phase II renewal of the gardens around Brushwood. Some of you have have been involved in the work done this far. The gardens are a combination of restoring the former glory, and carefully mixing in more natural native material, e encourage anyone who hasn't, to take the time to see how beautiful these have and will become with our donation.
Forest Preserve District - $500
The long drought this summer took its toll on all our gardens, including the side garden at the Welcome Center at Ryerson. Our $500 will help put native plants etc to give one of LGC's favorite venues a more welcoming approach. Make sure you take a look when we start our new year at the Welcome Center for 2013/2014
Upper Des Plaines River Ecosystem Partnership - $1000
This organization is new to LGC, but Grant Development Committee Member Tori Trauscht has been working with us as part of the Indian Creek Project. UDPREP is contains members from municipalities, storm water management, non-profit and state agencies amongst other interested stakeholders. Having met goals from 2006-2011, they are now in the planning stages for their next phase of funding self sufficiency and documentation of their organizational capacity and strategic plan.
While the Garden Club usually prefers to support a more tangible "plants in the ground" type initiative, our research into this organization leads us to believe that we will all reap the benefits of reduced flooding and improved water quality though out the Upper Des Plaines River Watershed. Our donation will go towards partially fund a planning coordinator, who will be guided by the UDPREP Planning Committee. As this is a significant donation, the allocations committee will be paying special attention to the way this money is utilized in 2013/2014. LGC will be recognized in their 2014 plan and on their website.
District 103 Foundation (on behalf of Sprague School) - $1933
This donation will fulfill the remaining educational supplies directly related to the gardening and plant life section of the schools curriculum. This money will purchase Hot House Germination Stations, Indoor Grow Labs, children's hand tools and kids and teachers gardening gloves. The children and teachers will be using these in conjunction with the beds already in use.
Daniel Wright School - $1000
As the tree's requested in the last year's allocation are doing well in the refurbished playing fields, we are happy to donate $1000 to finish the plantings. Not only will these trees improve the quality of the fields, but they will give further educational educational opportunities to the children studying them.
Adlai Stevenson High School - $600
This donation will partially fund lumber and hardware to build a planter box for the garden in the southwest courtyard of the school. This garden is a learning tool for the Little Patriots, and is harvested and processed by the Food Lab staff and students. A plaque or sign will acknowledge this grant.
Upcoming Club Field Trips, organized by Eve Jacobs
THURSDAY JUNE 27, 9:30 a.m. LAKE FOREST GARDEN WALK. Come and see the spectacular shade garden of Master Gardener Cappy Johnson. Then onto a beautiful sun garden at the home of Suzanne Borean. Members Only.
WEDNESDAY JULY, 17, 9:30 a.m. arrival CANTIGNY in Wheaton, Illinois. One hour private tour of the Robert R. McCormick mansion (3 floors). One hour private tour of the GARDENS by a Horticulturist. Lunch at LeJardin overlooking the lovely grounds. Afterwards on your own visit to more of the grounds or the First Division Military Museum. Members and Guests Welcome
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 9:30 a.m. METTAWA MANOR!!!! The estate and property of Bill Kurtis and Donna LaPietra. A 90 minute private tour with the delightful owners includes the Craig Bergman designed English Walled Garden. Come see the restored tall-grass prairie and woods, the rose room, spring walk, golden garden, meadow orchard, cutting beds, circle garden, potager, coach house cottage garden, pool and poolhouse, secret garden, ponds AND SO MUCH MORE!!! YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY RIGHT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD!!!!
Members Only, Guests possible depending on number of members attending.
Details, sign-up, and cost will be coming via e-mail and info will be posted on website.
Looking forward to seeing you this summer!
Member Plant Swaps