The West Chicago Garden Club

After a major cleanup at the Kruse garden, two truckloads of branches, leaves, and garden debris were hauled away. Spring bulbs started pushing out of the ground, many seemingly appearing overnight. The daffodil buds are starting to open; some so rounded and plump as if saying they are happy in their location. Somewhere in the back of memory was a glimmer of a poem about daffodils. Punching in “daffodils poem” Google came through with the most well-known poem on daffodils.

Daffodils

I wonder’d lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils…

By William Wordsworth [1804]

Over 200 years ago, William, at the age of 34, admired a flower that we still see in our gardens. Actually, the daffodil name is recorded from the 16th century, the name, aphodile from Medieval Latin. Just think, King Henry Vlll of England, strolled and admired it in his gardens, and called it Lent lily or daffydown dilly. Other names are narcissus, jonquil, fleurde coucou, perillon. In Wales it is the national emblem. Continue Reading »

Calendar spring begins March 20.  When spring weather begins is another story.  Usually we have some teaser warm days and then reality check is interjected with some blustery cold wind and maybe some snow.  However, Spring, cannot be denied!  We will soon be reveling in saturated green and brilliant flashes of color. The Grape Hyacinths are first on the scene in the Kruse Garden, popping up lovely displays throughout the gardens.  They are small plants at about 10” but pack a wallop of color!  This minor bulb, Muscari, has been in gardens for centuries.  Its dark green foliage emerges in September when everything else is going to sleep.  The thick grass like leaves elongate early spring and send up stalks topped with clusters (look like beads or grapes) of deep blue flowers.  These unusual flowers hang down like bells and have six fused petals tipped in white. The mild musk like scent often goes unnoticed by humans but the bees don’t miss it!  Bees have hungry larvae to feed well before most flowers are blooming.  This low maintenance long lasting bulb naturalizes readily and thus we are fortunate to enjoy plantings likely originating with the Kruse family.  If you don’t have this bulb in your garden you might want to try some.  You will be rewarded for a life time.  Watch for bulbs at our very own plant sale.  We sometimes unearth a few as spring work in the garden proceeds. Continue Reading »

At this point, we can see the end of winter on the horizon.  March 21, the spring equinox, is only about a month away!  The days are noticeably longer and we can look forward to Daylight Savings Time beginning on March 13!  All those piles of snow will be gone before we know it!  Since Ground Hog Day marked a snow storm of record proportions the legend (“no sun, then winters done”) predicts an early spring.  All signs are pointed in the right direction.

February is “Feed the Birds Month”. Hope you’ve all been doing your part. It’s also possible that we could see the first blossoms of the year in February.  Snowdrops are brave souls.  They may not even wait for the snow to melt before poking through.  What a sight for the winter-weary!  The white drop shaped buds look much like an ear drop (old name for earring) and the Latin mane Galanthus means milk white flowers. This small bulb is hardy zone 3-7 and is lovely in mass planting. Continue Reading »