The West Chicago Garden Club

The last day of July was a Wednesday and we stood in the Kruse House parking lot waiting for the driving rain to stop. Finally, we gave up, called it a day and prepared to meet on the coming hot, hazy days of August. Of course, the next Wednesday was a breezy perfect spring-like day. Here in the Midwest we never seem to know what the weather is going to do.

Nevertheless, it is August and as usual we are reaching into fall when I am not really through with summer. It used to be that summer lasted until Labor Day. It was a time for beach parties and barbeques and lazy days to read that novel waiting on the shelf. Now, it seems like, with back-to-school sales and upcoming elections, everything is pushing us towards fall.

Still, in the garden, August is the culmination of summer. Kruse glows with the hot pinks of phlox, the golden radiance of marigolds and black eyed susans and the scintillating red of the cannas and the perennial hibiscus.

These are nature’s warm colors flaunting themselves in her last fling of the summer with the red/gold of the Viburnum echoing August’s mellow fruitfulness. This is concentrated summer and we have a whole month to revel in it.

You are all welcome to join us at the Kruse garden to weed and deadhead on Wednesday mornings or to just walk around and enjoy summer’s last stand.

Note: Our July meeting is for Members Only.  If you would like to visit our club, please come to our August meeting which is open to all.

This month’s meeting is our traditional annual President’s Picnic. The first picnic was hosted in July
1999 by one of our early club presidents, Carole Bates. She provided some basics and everyone was asked to bring a dish to share and your own food to grill. We all had a such a wonderful time and we continue to hold our President’s Picnic every July. Our venue has changed over the years and members only have to bring themselves for a fun evening of food and lively discussions with fellow gardeners.

If you submitted your RSVP for the Picnic, you should receive an email with all the details on Tuesday, July 23rd. If you do not receive an email, please contact us at WestChicagoGardenClub@gmail.com so we can figure out what happened and get the information sent to you.

by Kerry Perry

The Kruse Garden looks spectacular! Sunshine, rain and a lot of loving tending by the Garden Club’s Kruse Crew does magic. The Crew put in extra hours to prepare for the Tea held this past Saturday and we know the visitors enjoyed the garden. These photos were taken today, Tuesday July 16th and know the garden is forever changing.

The plantings are incredibly lush and colorful. The Echinacea, Japanese Forest Grass, Phlox, Rudbeckia, Black-eyed Susans are especially bright. Interesting contrasts appear everywhere: Hellebores against lime-colored hostas and stone path, Oak Leaf Hydrangea next to the Weeping Spruce, and Phlox against the Lespedeza that will bloom in fall.

There’s a cool and shady spot under the Dawn Redwood – notice the beautiful texture of the leaves and the trunk. The Bottle Brush Buckeye has small, wispy flowers that will give way to pear shaped buckeyes.

The Kruse House Garden is located at 527 Main Street, West Chicago. Be certain to stop by for a visit and revel in the beauty of is three-quarter acre parcel that is truly a hidden gem. If you are interested in working in the gardens we are there Wednesdays, 9:00 to 11:30am.