The West Chicago Garden Club

By Marilyn Santos McNabb

Gardening this July is not easy, with the excessive heat and all the heavy rain, we struggle to keep up with the weeding, pruning, and deadheading! After the successful removal of a huge pile of “garden debris” The Kruse Crew did manage to install a couple of imaginative compost bins, one made of dog play fences and garden fence panels; the other a donated compost bin from Kerry! We will continue to find other means to collect and compost our garden trimmings to showcase how these methods can be applied to other people’s yards.

What do we, the Kruse Crew, do in July? We deadhead, cut back plants to encourage a second flush of blooms, check what plants need to be divided in the fall, what plants need to be moved because they’ve been crowded out, admire the color combinations of the pots, eat cake and cookies during breaks, or just enjoy how the garden is coming about!

Talk about application! We want to focus our attention this month on the educational side of volunteering. We continue to learn not just from our monthly speakers, visits to other’s gardens on our Twilight Tuesdays, field trips to different nurseries but also from *each other*! Kruse house is the application side of all this knowledge, not just to showcase the Museum but to showcase plants, techniques, color combinations, and color successions that you might be apprehensive in starting in your own home.

In volunteering, we learn firsthand what the most aggressive weeds are, what to plant in the front of the garden, the back of the garden, what colors go well, when to divide plants, winter-sowing, composting, etc! We experience firsthand successes and failures! So, if you want to get your hands dirty, join us for a couple of hours, maybe weekly, maybe once or twice a month, a couple times in the summer, we don’t ask for much! You might gain a new plant, some seeds, or a tremendous knowledge of gardening! If you have questions or are interested in volunteering, please talk to Christina, Kerry, Dee, Jean Ann, Chris, Barbara, Mary A, Judy, or Marilyn at the President’s picnic.

By Dee Soustek

Summer has arrived! The Kruse Garden says goodbye to the beautiful spring display and is getting ready to burst into it’s summer best. The peonies, irises, bridal wreath, columbines, amsonias, alliums and all the spring bulbs are stepping back to make room for the summer bloom’s.

When the Kruse Crew arrives on Wednesday mornings we always tour to see what’s in bloom. Some of what’s blooming; Acanthus spinous/ Spiny Bear’s Breeches it’s just starting a beautiful display. If I had room in my garden, I’d find a spot for it, a dramatic large perennial with towering spires of trumpet shaped flowers.

Another in bloom is the Asclepius Syriaca/Common Milkweed which is an essential plant for the butterfly garden. Their leaves are the only food source for the larvae of the monarch butterfly. I was reading that they suggest trimming 1/3 of your milkweed in mid June as stems begin to flower. Cut another third in
mid July when the previous group has grown back. This allows for fresh buffet for monarch caterpillars and predators are less frequent at immature milkweed. I think we may try this at Kruse.

The Annabelle Hydrangeas are blooming and looking fabulous. They are considered a smooth hydrangea. We prune them down in early Spring. The penstemon, yarrow and rose campion all are blooming. I think you all should stop by and see for yourself as to what’s blooming, because it too much to describe. The Kruse Crew did some winter sowing and the seedlings are starting to take off and we await their blooms. We started a hollyhock bed, mostly started from seed along the east side of the house looking forward to see that mature. Hopefully, we will see a bloom this year.

All are welcome to join the Kruse Crew any Wednesday 9-11:30. Come check out the garden anytime.

By Amanda Skinner

Signs of Spring in the Garden
Some of my favorite spots in the Kruse gardens are the ones that others may not always notice. At this time of year, each corner offers its own quiet beauty, bringing back memories and reminding me how quickly the garden changes from day to day.

The northeast corner is a beautiful shady spot that reminds me of nature walks as a child in Indiana. Hosta, Jacob’s Ladder, white bleeding heart, trillium, and mayapples grow there, creating a woodland feel. Mayapples prefer the same soil conditions as morel mushrooms and seeing them always reminds me that it is the start of morel hunting season.

The east side of the garden feels like a fairytale cottage garden. Lined with lilacs and bridal wreath spirea, it seems to block out the happenings beyond the yard. Naturalized perennial cornflower, allium, hosta, iris, and snow on the mountain add to the charm, making this area feel especially peaceful and serene.

At the entrance of Kruse House, the bridal wreath spirea is in full bloom. The bushes are perfectly placed, highlighting both their beauty and the stairs of the house. I have also noticed the sprouts from the winter sowing projects beginning to emerge, and I’ve been watching them closely as I make my visits to feed our Kruse House cat.

Milkweed is coming along nicely amidst the native bluestar blooms. Soon, monarchs will have plenty of plants as they make their way to our area. Pollinators of all kinds will also find many choices, with blooms opening on perennial cornflower, violets, lilies, roses, wild geranium, and peonies—the state flower of Indiana. Just as in our own yards, it seems a new flower opens each day, offering another sign that spring is fully underway.

As always you are welcome to walk around the garden any day of the week. There is parking behind the garage.  You are also welcome to help garden with our wonderful Kruse crew on Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30am. You do not need to commit to coming every week – just stop by and join the fun.