The West Chicago Garden Club

The Kruzies have been crazy busy with the plant sale but somehow we still found time to tend the Kruse Garden.  Just a reminder, we are there routinely on Monday mornings and you are fondly invited to join us if you can.  If the weather is ‘iffy’ give one of us a call to make sure what our plans are.  There are always fun jobs to do and the satisfaction of results will guarantee you’ll leave with a smile on your face and a song in your heart! 

Have you heard the good news?  Kruse House Museum & Garden was featured in the May/June issue of Chicagoland Gardening Magazine!  You will find the article on page 14 as the first of the Regional Reports. If you don’t subscribe, stop by the library and check it out.  Author Betty Earl, writer, photographer, and lecturer from Naperville did a great job of informing readers about the extensive garden and West Chicago Garden Club’s role over the past 11 years tending this charming garden.  It’s an honor to have recognition for our project and the Kruzies are even more enthused about making a beautiful garden!  Continue Reading »

Notorious for varied weather conditions March marches forward with great fanfare.  Part winter, part spring, the changes are dramatic.  We enjoy the lengthening days, gawk at the ground for daffodil shoots and are delighted when we discover them.  We are joyful to see the first robins and hear the Sandhill cranes honking overhead as they migrate north.  March used to be the first month of the New Year. That makes a lot of sense, but back in 1752 the new style, Gregorian, calendar was introduced and January began the New Year. Whatever! 

The switch to daylight savings time changes the perspective altogether. The longer evenings are an outdoor gift!  Woweeee!  We better get out the rakes, oil the pruner and sharpen the spade.  We are going to be working in the garden.  But we want to be wise about our work.  We are all looking for balance in our lives.  Continue Reading »

An Encyclopedia of Heirloom Ornamental Plants, 1640-1940, by Denise Wiles Adams was published in 2004. It is a remarkable book of history and horticulture with emphasis on American history that connects us with national roots and cherished past generations. This book is a treasure trove of information as well as heart warming. Much information for this reference was obtained from nursery plant or seed catalogs of the day, augmented and confirmed by period books and magazines. I thought it would be fun to share bits of history on select Kruse Garden plants. Continue Reading »