The West Chicago Garden Club

We are happy to welcome back Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh.  Marcy gave us a wealth of information and some great recipes in her presentation, Be an Herbal Gourmet, in August 2022.

Marcy is the creator and owner of Backyard Patch Herbs, an online purveyor of salt-free, gluten-free, preservative-free herb cooking and tea products. She began growing herbs in 1994 with a small kitchen garden. Currently, after 25 years, she has expanded to a ¾ acre garden. Over the years she has learned much about herbs, their growing habits, uses and quirks. 

In this month’s presentation, Edible Flowers, Marcy will delve into the world of edible flowers with her photo-based presentation. Discover the delicious flavors of Day lilies, Anise Hyssop, and more, along with the beneficial properties of roses and sage flowers. Learn about over 20 edible flowers, with tips on harvesting, preserving, and preparing, plus plant lists and a selection of recipes to enjoy.

Meeting Location: St Andrew Lutheran Church (NE Corner of Prince Crossing & Geneva Road.)

Meeting Time:

• 6:45PM Arrive & Mingle
• 7:00PM Business Meeting
• 7:15PM Program

Our West Chicago Garden Club Plant Sale will be on Saturday, May 18th from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. It will be at the heart of the West Chicago Blooming Fest in Downtown West Chicago.

Most of our plants come from our members’ gardens or are raised in their greenhouses. You will find Natives, Annuals, Perennials, Vegetables, Herbs, and even some small shrubs and trees.  There are over 5000 plants this year!  We have 28 different varieties of Peppers and 27 different tomatoes – both Heirloom and Hybrid.

The sale will be held Rain or Shine! Arrive early for the best selection – the tent opens at 9:00am sharp.

The Festival is along Main St. in downtown West Chicago.  Our tent is on Galena St with the entrance on Main St.

By Dee Soustek

The gardeners are back!   So are the weeds and the plants that love to reseed!  It’s been fun reconnecting to the garden and especially the Kruse gardeners!  Everything is green, vibrant, and looking good. 

Most of the spring bulbs have finished blooming giving way to the next group of spring blooming plants. The Irises are throughout the gardens, most of the dwarf crested irises have finished blooming waiting for the tall bearded Irises to make their appearance. They all have big buds, getting ready for their time to shine.  You should stop by to check them out as well as the Poppies that are ready to Pop and of course I can’t forget the peonies!  Be sure to check out the peonies by the front entrance, they are spectacular. The Alliums are dotted throughout the garden and look so beautiful especially when the sun lights them up. They seem to multiply but not problematic, we can easily move them to other areas. 

The Lilacs are finishing up. They looked fantastic, and the fragrance was heavenly!  Kruse has such a nice variety of lilacs which is so fitting for the historical home, as is,the Bridal Wreath, Spirea that is around the entrance and along the fence line. 

We welcome you to visit Kruse House Gardens and if you are interested in working in the gardens we are there Wednesdays, 9:00 to 11:30am. Happy gardening!