The West Chicago Garden Club

It must be a little bit sinful to spend an inordinate amount of time admiring ones’ work—and being so very pleased  . . . the  hyacinths, the old tulips, the blooming pear trees—red buds and lilacs—spring has come to the Kruse garden.

The work in the garden started in early April with the major spring clean-up.  We were very happy that Pam and June came to help.  With the five of us and the landscaping crew, we had the property shaped up by noon.  Since leaves aren’t raked in the fall but just blown to the sides, the clean-up generated two and a half truck loads of debris.  We removed a dried evergreen tree and had a ginkgo tree planted.  Many thanks to Chuck and Shirley Schramer for the donation of the tree.  The leaves will glow like golden coins in the fall.

Another very pleasant surprise for us was to see the rebuilding of the stone wall by the pond.  It was done by Pam Lurz and her wonderful husband.  Next time you come, let us know.  We all need lessons in wall building.  And lastly we completed a job that we had put off for a number of years—the mucking out of the little pond.  We had planted a lovely grass in the pond a few years ago.  Now it covered the pond, choked the water lily, and had roots as thick as ropes.  We should have given some thought before planting it but the swaying beauty of the variegated fronds clouded our judgment.  Another problem we have in the garden is Lady Bells.  It is a hardy plant with pretty flowers but there is much too much of it.  We don’t know if it is original to the garden, since it is an old plant, or it was planted sometime along the way.  We have pulled it, sprayed it but early spring it is lush and green, thicker than before, and now has walked over to the very front garden.  It has the thinnest of roots and once broken we have many more Lady Bells.

The smoke trees got sawed down to about two feet—Billie shuddered—but they will come back this year to about six feet and will have the most intense red color—we hope.  The tall sedums got sheared by half and we are looking forward to more fearless pruning.  It is quite enjoyable.

And so, another Monday AM will find us planting and grooming and might I say—admiring.  Join us.