The West Chicago Garden Club

By Jean Ann Saarnio

Shorter days and cooler nights bring about changes in the Kruse garden in October. As the spring and summer blooms begin to fade, the fall blooms command our attention.

As we stroll through the garden, we see the masses of the tiny daisy like flowers of the purple or pink asters, the bright golden yellow of the golden rods. The ageratums blooming in either purple or white, as well as the tall stalks of the great blue lobelia. The burgundy perilla showing off its color in many places, sometimes in uninvited corners of the garden.

On the north hill the white boneset is making itself known as the white blooms of the Annabelle hydrangea fade to a lovely green. The sedum has large rosy blooms that command your attention. A close examination of the beauty berry reveal the tiniest bead-like berries and the coral berry as well. The Japanese anemone provides a pop of daisy-like pink flowers on the east side, along with the seven sons tree planted last fall. The panicle hydrangeas are turning to a faded pink, which will provide excellent fall and winter interest.

We will soon be giving attention to the spent blooms and seed heads of the zinnias, poppies, marigolds, coneflowers, goldenrods, four o’ clocks, hollyhocks, and more for dead heading and seed collecting. Seeds will be used for winter sowing or spring planting. When dead heading we keep in mind the needs of birds and wild life and those that provide winter interest.

Our days for gardening are soon ending, weather permitting, we will continue through the end of October, as there is always a new flower to plant or anther weed to pull. There is something in the garden for everyone to enjoy, no matter what the season.

If you care to join us gardening in the Kruse garden next year we typically garden from 9- 11:30am every Wednesday and the same time on the 2nd Saturday of each month starting in spring.

Visit the garden during any daylight hours, there are still plenty of plants blooming!

Kruse House Museum: 527 Main St, West Chicago

Tags: Kruse Garden

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