{"id":1028,"date":"2016-07-17T00:53:24","date_gmt":"2016-07-17T00:53:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/?page_id=1028"},"modified":"2016-07-17T01:32:38","modified_gmt":"2016-07-17T01:32:38","slug":"2016-members-only-garden-walk","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/?page_id=1028","title":{"rendered":"2016 Members Only Garden Walk"},"content":{"rendered":"

People who join garden clubs do so because of their love of gardening. Our members have gardens of all shapes and sizes, ranging from a container to garden beds around their houses. It doesn\u2019t matter how large a garden is, the only thing that matters is how much joy it brings.<\/p>\n

It is with this thought in mind that each year we have a garden walk for our members. For there is one thing that our members enjoy as much as being in their own garden and that is to visit other gardens.\u00a0\u00a0This year we visited the gardens of six of our members and also had a potluck meal at the last garden on the walk.<\/p>\n

You’ll see that although all gardens were different, they all had some things in common.<\/p>\n

All gardens had a garden shed ~<\/p>\n

\"Sue

Sue Swartz<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Julia

Julia Olsta<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Cindy

Cindy Wicks Raben<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Janice

Janice Zastrow<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Jill

Jill Fox<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Patty

Patty Loomis<\/p><\/div>\n

Most gardens had a fairy garden (or two)\u00a0~<\/p>\n

\"Cindy

Cindy<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Cindy

Cindy<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Julia

Julia<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Julia

Julia<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Julia

Julia<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Jill

Jill<\/p><\/div>\n

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There were birds and other critters\u00a0tucked in among the plants in many of the gardens\u00a0~<\/p>\n

\"Jill

Jill<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Julia

Julia<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Patty

Patty<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Patty

Patty<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Patty

Patty<\/p><\/div>\n

And, of course, the most common thread that ran through the gardens was a variety of beautiful plants, trees and bushes.<\/p>\n

We started the morning at Cindy Wicks Raben’s\u00a0house ~<\/p>\n

Cindy wrote a poem to describe her garden.\u00a0 Here are some excerpts “Today the world seemed in chaos in the evening hours but I reflected upon my garden. The magic spell is upon me.\u00a0 I’m glad that I did not wait; for life’s at its best in the morning, as you pass through the garden gate……”<\/p>\n

\"Cindy

Cindy is welcoming some of our members to her garden<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Cindy

This is a colorful display of flowers in the front of her house<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Cindy

Beautiful hydrangea tucked among some hostas<\/p><\/div>\n

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“…..I have raked the soil and planted the seeds.\u00a0 Now I’ve joined the army that fights the weeds.\u00a0 For me no flashing saber and sword, to battle the swiftly marching horde; using soap water in a semi organic environment.\u00a0 With a valiant heart I fight the foe.\u00a0 My only weapon is a trusty hoe.”<\/p>\n

\"Cindy

And talk about hostas! These are beautiful and huge! The club’s resident hosta expert, Jane Johnson, identified this variety as Sum and Substance<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Cindy

Cindy had a very unique and space saving raised bed for her vegetables.<\/p><\/div>\n

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“………Herbs are throughout my garden.\u00a0\u00a0 Rosemary, thyme, dill, oregano, lavender, summer savory, parsley, cilantro and the fragrant scent of mint.\u00a0 A vegetable garden bearing delicious delectable produce”<\/p>\n

\"Cindy<\/p>\n

\"Cindy

A gorgeous perennial border along her sun room<\/p><\/div>\n

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Her last bit of advice, “…Take up the spade with song.\u00a0 Nurture early on.\u00a0 Be fervent while you plot.\u00a0 Chart the spot.\u00a0 Prune with certainty and care.\u00a0 Growth stops there.\u00a0 Patience, patience, time to grow.\u00a0 Reap what you sow.\u00a0 Hardly the Garden of Eden?\u00a0 Thankful for another season.”<\/p>\n

\"Cindy<\/p>\n

Well, Cindy I think everyone thought your garden was a little slice of the “Garden of Eden!”<\/p>\n

Our next garden was at the home of Sue Swartz.\u00a0 Her garden is 27 years old and 100% “designed” and maintained by her and her husband.<\/p>\n

\"Sue

Sue’s house was all decked out for Juy 4th. Colorful windowboxes were on each window.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Sue

Sue is talking to some of our members about her garden<\/p><\/div>\n

Sue left it up to her plants to decide the color scheme and layout of each bed and they have naturally created a red\/yellow\/orange bed under her kitchen window and a pink\/white\/purple bed in the back corner.<\/p>\n

\"Sue

Here is her bed with red monarda and purple cone flowers under her kitchen window.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Thanks to some of her gardening friends she has added beautiful hotas from Jane Johnson, a gorgeous primrose from Eileen Lucietto and stunning purple irises from Sue Stocks.<\/p>\n

\"Sue

Sue has a unique birdbath among her hostas<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Sue

Sue made this adorable fountain using a rain chain. So creative!<\/p><\/div>\n

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Sue said her garden needs to withstand heat, lack of water, clay soil and no pesticides.\u00a0 It is her sanctuary, where she enjoys watching hummingbirds, bees, birds, chipmunks, squirrels and toads, while she eats outside during the summer months.\u00a0 Breakfast time is the best!<\/p>\n

I think we all would agree that despite all those hurdles, Sue’s garden is stunning!<\/p>\n

On to Janice Zastrow’s garden…..<\/p>\n

\"Janice

Janice is pointing out some plants to Sandy Swenson<\/p><\/div>\n

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Janice and her husband have lived in this house since the 1970’s.\u00a0 They planted all the beautiful pine trees along the back of their yard.<\/p>\n

\"Janice

As you can see, the trees tower over our members<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Janice

The trees are absolutely gorgeous and I’m sure it reminds Janice and her husband of their summer place in the Upper Pennisula of Michigan<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Janice

Gorgeous red dahlias!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Janice

Even though the blue delphinium are almost through blooming, they still were knock outs!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Janice

Her vegetable garden was huge and among the usual veggies she also had raspberry bushes<\/p><\/div>\n

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Janice said her garden is “a loving work in progress.”\u00a0 We were all feeling the love!<\/p>\n

Next garden was at the home of Patty Loomis<\/p>\n

Patty and her husband bought their house in 1968 and started from scratch.\u00a0 They put in sod and a vegetable garden.\u00a0 They added a flower bed in the back and along the fence.\u00a0 They planted peonies and more flowers and roses.\u00a0 It was a great yard for their\u00a0three daughters to play in.<\/p>\n

\"Patty

No, these are not two of her\u00a0daughters! This is Patty with Jane and Peggy<\/p><\/div>\n

Patty’s husband died suddenly in 1990 and she’s been doing all the gardening since then.\u00a0 She has 7 grandchildren and they also played and enjoyed her garden.<\/p>\n

\"Patty

There are now only tomato plants and sometimes green beans in her vegetable garden and it is a “holding area” for some flowers and a few small trees<\/p><\/div>\n

Patty gets great comfort and pleasure working in her yard.\u00a0 She doesn’t do much planning and just adds flowers wherever she finds a space.<\/p>\n

\"Patty<\/p>\n

\"Patty

Some of our members enjoying Patty’s garden<\/p><\/div>\n

Patty says her house is getting old and so is the little old lady who lives there!\u00a0 She still enjoys gardening and finds it very peaceful.\u00a0 It is her little piece of heaven!<\/p>\n

Hats off to Patty for her beautiful garden.\u00a0 We agree that it is a little piece of heaven.<\/p>\n

The next was the garden of Jill Fox<\/p>\n

\"Jill

Jill is welcoming members to her front garden<\/p><\/div>\n

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Jill calls her garden her “secret garden.”\u00a0 It is a place to sit, reflect, listen to the birds, and gather with friends and family.\u00a0 She has plenty of flowers and shrubs for butterflies, hummingbirds, and the birds to enjoy and dine on.<\/p>\n

\"Jill<\/p>\n

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Jill enjoys an edible garden for jam making and canning with; elderberries, blackberries, gooseberries, blueberries as well as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and herbs.<\/p>\n

\"Jill<\/p>\n

\"Jill

When you run out of garden space, any handy container will work!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Jill

A pallet is the perfect vertical planting space!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Jill

In addition to all the other areas in her garden, this one is truly unique! It is a garden of hostas devoted to Star Trek. She has varieties such as “Enterprise” “Captain Kirk” and “Vulcan”. Who knew?<\/p><\/div>\n

Jill invited all to enjoy, explore, and sit awhile.\u00a0 Well I believe all the members enjoyed this garden very much.<\/p>\n

Last but not least is the garden of Julia Olsta.\u00a0 Julia also hosted the potluck.<\/p>\n

Julia and her husband have spent the last 29 years learning about the native trees and plants that were directly in back of their property.\u00a0 They’ve been slowly digging out the invasive interlopers, such as buckthorn, box elder, and garlic mustard.\u00a0 The native oaks and hickory trees are all over 100 years old.<\/p>\n

\"Julia

Julia and Wally talking “plants”<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Julia<\/p>\n

\"Julia

If anyone needed directions to Tucson, her signpost will point the way.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Julia

She also has a cozy spot for a cup of coffee<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Julia

Her garden also serves as a Monarch waystation<\/p><\/div>\n

Julia has black cherry trees and wild native perennials such as trillium, trout lily, Solomon seal and Honewort.\u00a0\u00a0 They do a great job of maintaining their little parch of native Illinois woodlands.<\/p>\n

After exploring Julia’s garden, we all settled down for the tasty potluck lunch.\u00a0 Can’t wait until next year!<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

People who join garden clubs do so because of their love of gardening. Our members have gardens of all shapes and sizes, ranging from a container to garden beds around their houses. It doesn\u2019t matter how large a garden is, the only thing that matters is how much joy it brings. It is with this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1194,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P6oo7d-gA","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1028"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1028"}],"version-history":[{"count":97,"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1193,"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1028\/revisions\/1193"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/trivillagegardenclub.org\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}