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| Ware Garden awash in spring color - April, 2015 |
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From Our President
Spring has sprung, and isn't it glorious! Colorful, fragrant, loud (those pre-dawn bird songs!); waking our senses after a long dormant spell. There is nothing like the first few days, as you cautiously crank open a few windows and are stopped in your tracks when you enter a room and smell (behold) the outside...inside! Our eyes are still recalibrating after months of "50 Shades" of winter gray and catch on even a small strand of bright color. Buds are swelling, leaves emerging, petals unfurling...everything stretching toward the sun, percolating, growing. You can't help but be inspired by it!
The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness,
the human soul is apt to revive also. - Harriet Ann Jacobs
I hope you can take some time to pour through this beautiful newsletter. It's chock-a-block full of great information and gorgeous photographs (thank you, Stacey!). You don't have to read every word, but I'm sure you'll find something that interests you; you'll probably find something that excites you; and you may even see something that stirs some passion in you. Act on it! Call the club Chair in that area and make something happen. Start a new focus group. Plan a field trip. Find a fun class to take, then get a KGC friend to join you. We're supposed to all be doing and learning new things to keep our brains healthy, right? It's GOOD for us. And it's FUN. Let's stretch and grow and be energized by the world around us.
I so look forward to seeing everyone at the April 23rd Benefit next week and at the annual meeting and luncheon (and Centennial celebration!) on May 13th. Here we are, coming up on our 100th birthday, and we're just beginning to bloom!!
Stephanie
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LAST CALL!!!
Tickets Still Available
for KGC's Spring Benefit!
Don't miss this year's KGC Spring Luncheon to be held
Thursday April, 23
10:30 am - 1:00 pm at
Skokie Country Club
500 Washington Avenue, Glencoe
This year's exciting benefit will feature Bettie Bearden Pardee,
accomplished hostess, seasoned lecturer, and author of several books on entertaining and gracious living.
Bettie will be discussing her new book,
"Living Newport: Houses, People, Style"
and will take us on a journey through the many eras of Newport's gilded history.
Bettie's book will be available for purchase, and 25% of the book sales will go to KGC!
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Note from our President:
Please remember that
EVERY KGC member is required to purchase at least 2 tickets to our Benefit (whether you are able to attend or not) OR donate the equivalent amount of $150 to support our annual Benefit.
This is an important obligation of membership, as it is how we su
pport our charitable and educational projects and programs!!
We are still waiting to hear from
over 30 members -- we know who you are!
Our outreach projects thank you!
Checks can be sent to our new address:
Kenilworth Garden Club
P.O. Box 41
Kenilworth, IL 60043
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Reserve Your
Centerpiece Now
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These lush, dramatic floral arrangements, reminiscent of Newport chic, will be adorning the tables at our KGC benefit at Skokie Country Club next week. They are available for pre-sale for $75 (retail for $120). Snap one up now before they are all claimed! To reserve, simply send an email to
khgrider@yahoo.com.
**Kindly note, checks or cash only for arrangements; credit cards, checks or cash for Ms. Pardee's book**
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Please join your KGC friends for a
Enjoy tasty treats, wine, soft drinks, a custom KGC cocktail - and cute clothes!
And it's all for a good cause -- ours!!
JMcLaughlin is graciously donating 15% of the event's sales proceeds to KGC!
Please bring friends and family to do some spring shopping - and perhaps pick up something to wear for our Centennial Celebration, graduation or your summer travels.
If you cannot make it to the party but would like to pre-shop, simply let them know that you (or your friends) are with KGC, and they will still give us the donation!
Hope to see you there!!
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BLOOM & FOCUS with Kerri Sherman
March 18 meeting
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Kerri Sherman of Bloom & Focus
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If you were unable to attend the March 18th meeting at Ann Jones' home, you missed an exciting and enlightened presentation by self-taught, professional landscape and portrait photographer Kerri Sherman, owner of Bloom & Focus in Lake Forest. A beautiful and dynamic woman, Kerri exudes boundless enthusiasm for a trade which she clearly adores. Not only did she inspire us with her exceptional images, she also allayed many of our own fears of photography and patiently answered question after question from club members.
The most important take-away message of the day:
MANIPULATION is NOT a bad word!!
Kerri unabashedly admitted that she manipulates almost every photo she takes, whether it's to tweak a small glitch or simply to further enhance an already great shot. It's simple to do and can transform a mediocre photo into a prize-winning image! Kerri recommends iPhoto for Mac users and/or the basic versions of Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom. "Play around in iPhoto - you can do a lot!" says Kerri. "Also, Photo Mojo, an Apple app, is great for camera phone shots." Other multi-functional smartphone apps to play around with include: Aviary, Procreate, Waterlogue, VSCO Cam, Slow Shutter and Fragment.
Here are some of Kerri's tips to improve your photos:
- Straighten - There's no excuse for a crooked shot! No, we don't always have our tripod handy, but every image can and should be leveled out quickly and easily by using one of the many photo editing programs.
- Crop - "Cropping is a game changer!" Crop in to enhance almost any image (see Kerri's artichoke above).
- Color - Boost saturation and play with tint. Kerri loves to enhance the color of her photos, seeing how they look in different washes and hues (all photos above have been enhanced). For portraits, Kerri swears by antique and fade washes to create a flawless look.
- Angle - Play around with different camera angles. Lay on your back or get down on the same level as your subject. You may be surprised by what you see!
- Vignette - A black vignette background can make the subject matter -- such as a single flower -- POP, while white vignette backgrounds can gently wash out an image, giving it an artsy, vintage effect.
For photo printing, Kerri recommends Ritz/Wolf Camera in Northbrook; BumbleJax (http://www.bumblejax.com/) for mounting or printing on canvas, metal, acrylic, even bamboo; Artisan State (http://www.artisanstate.com/) for amazing photo books; and Nations Photo Lab (http://www.nationsphotolab.com/index.aspx) for professional-looking prints and photo books.
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Our 100th Annual Meeting & Luncheon
Wednesday, May 13th at 11:00 am
Home of Elizabeth Dugan, 430 Essex, Kenilworth
Everyone is encouraged to wear a hat!
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UPCOMING DATES
Mark the following dates on your calendar for these exciting upcoming Kenilworth Garden Club events and activities!!
KGC Spring Benefit:
Thurs., Apr. 23, 10:30 am -- Skokie Country Club
J. McLaughlin Shopping Night: Thurs., May 7, 7-9 pm -- 567 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka
Beautification Plant Sale:
Place your order by April 27th!
KGC Centennial Celebration: Wed., May 13, 11:00 am
-- Elizabeth Dugan's
June Meeting & In-House Flower Show: Wed., June 17
-- TBD
(Please be respectful and RSVP for all KGC meetings and events. Thank you!)
(COPY & PRINT THIS PAGE, SO YOU DON'T MISS A THING!)
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HOORAY FOR HORT!!
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KGC members take a field trip to the 2015 Chicago Flower & Garden Show at Navy Pier. Pictured in front of KGC's windowbox entry.
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? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Invasive Species Series
Don't let Coronilla varia (Crown vetch) invade your yard and our public lands!
Lovely Crown vetch, an import from Europe, has been the darling of many gardens. Unfortunately, it is on the CBG's "Remove Immediately" list because it spreads and has invaded habitat in almost all of the state. It has few problems with disease and pests in our area, so it thrives. Long-tongued bees, including honeybees, pollinate it.
What to Look For -
The Flower:
Each flower is about ?" long, consisting of 5 pink or white petals and a green calyx with 5 pointed lobes. The flower of Crown Vetch has a typical pea-like appearance, with an upright standard and a lower keel. The standard is often a brighter shade of pink than the rest of the flower. The slender pedicel of each flower is about ?" long. The blooming period occurs from late spring until late summer, peaking during early and mid-summer for about 2 months. Each fertile flower produces an angular seedpod about ?-2" long. This seedpod consists of 1-7 segments; it is constricted between these segments and terminates in a long pointed beak. Each seed is oblong and slightly reniform. The root system produces abundant spreading rhizomes. This plant often forms vegetative colonies, and it occasionally reseeds itself.
What to Look For -
Leaves:
This perennial plant is about 2-3' tall, branching occasionally. The hairless stems are more or less ascending, often relying on adjacent vegetation for support. Because the stems are produced in abundance from rhizomes, Crown Vetch often forms a dense layer of leafy vegetation that excludes other plants. The alternate compound leaves are about 6" long when fully mature; they are odd-pinnate with 11-25 leaflets. Each leaflet is about ?" long, ?" across, oblong, hairless, and smooth along the margins. Each compound leaf is more or less sessile because its first pair of leaflets occurs near the stem. Tendrils are not produced. From the axils of the upper compound leaves, there develops individual flowering stalks up to 6" in length. At the apex of each stalk, there. Each flower is about ?" long, consisting of 5 pink or white petals and a green calyx with 5 pointed lobes.
Information courtesy of the Chicago Botanic Garden,
http://www.chicagobotanic.org/research/identifying_threats/invasive
and
Ilinois Wildflowers, http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/crown_vetch.htm
Lenore Macdonald
The KGC Horticulture Committee
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SAVE THE DATE
Click here for Photography Show Schedule
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As we near beach season, ...
?Use fewer plastic products: Plastics contribute to marine habitat destruction and entangle thousands of marine animals every year.
? When dining at the beach, carry a reusable water bottle, store food in non-disposable containers and bring your own reusable totes.
? Travel the lake responsibly - during recreational activities on the water, never throw anything overboard and be aware of the marine life around you.
? Shop consciously - avoid purchasing products that exploit marine life and can harm fragile reef areas.
? Make sustainable seafood choices to help reduce the demand for over-exploited species - when shopping or dining out, choose seafood that is both healthful and sustainable. For a comprehensive guide to sustainable seafood options, download Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Seafood Watch" app onto your smartphone and reference it from the grocery store or fish market.
Information derived from nationalgeographic.com
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KENILWORTH COMBINED COUNCIL
OF GARDEN CLUBS
Beautification meeting -- April 13, 2015
At the top of the agenda...the upcoming PLANT SALE. The order forms have been forwarded to you in a pdf; deadline for ordering is April 27th and, once again, all orders will be delivered to you May 7th-8th. There is a competition to see which club has the highest percentage participation and which club has the highest total dollar amount. Anton's Greenhouse in Evanston is supplying the plants.
Set-up of the plants will take place at the Village Yard May 6th, 9:00 AM. Each club will be asked to have 8 volunteers for the set-up and delivery of the plants. The money raised will be used to rejuvenate Maggi Park in the spring of 2016.
Done and in writing, Beautification now has IRS 501 C 3 Status!
The Illinois Sales Tax Exemption application by Beautification, for now, has been tabled. Council voted Yes to table. The good news, it is possible to withdraw the application and reapply at a later date; how to qualify needs to be made more clear. It could be that Beautification is too small a group for it to have a significant benefit to the council.
It was also voted Yes to seek another bid for trimming a tree in Maggi, as the bid from Sunrise seemed high.
Pee-Wee Park will be getting 2 new trees (type to be determined, Alder and Hornbeam were mentioned). Beautification will supply one, and it will be matched by the Park District. Council voted Yes for the tree.
Park Drive will have one new Crabapple tree from Beautification and a matching tree will be provided by the Park District. Council voted Yes to purchase the tree.
The walkway leading to the Historical Society will be getting a new look! Valerie Foradas, along with others, is working on a plan and deciding on the perennial plants best suited for the site. She passed around a cutting of Sorbaria 'sem', a species that is being considered.
The Kenilworth Assembly Hall is being acquired by the Kenilworth Park District from the Kenilworth Club. They are meeting to formulate a plan on how best to manage the operation
of the club. Possession of the club will be taken over by the Park District in August, 2016.
The Historical Society is having a presentation of "Made in Chicago Jewelry and Metalwork from the Arts and Crafts Movement, 1890-1940", Sunday April 19, 2015, 1-4 pm, in the Kenilworth Assembly Hall. Darcy L. Evon, whose book is considered the authoritative work on the artisans and their work from this period, is the speaker. Guests are invited to bring jewelry and metalwork from their own collection for a "Show and Tell" during the discussion period.
Spring is finally here!
spring winds.....
hoping the flowers burst
out in laughter
Basho
-- Cheryl Anderson, Kenilworth Civic Co-Chair
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KENILWORTH BLOOMS
2015 Plant Sale
Orders due April 27th
It's time for the annual Kenilworth Blooms plant sale, sponsored by the Kenilworth Park District. Place your order by
April 27th and your plants will be delivered May 7-8. Take advantage of a huge selection of sun and shade annuals, hanging baskets, vegetables and herbs, all provided by Anton's of Evanston.
BUY NOW:
All proceeds from the sale will directly benefit Kenilworth Beautification projects.
Each club is responsible for providing 3 volunteers to sort and deliver orders May 6, 7 and 8. If interested in assisting the Beautification team, contact Cheryl Anderson at ebuvette@sbcglobal.net.
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KGC is live on the World Wide Web!
Yes, it's true. KGC lives in cyberspace at www.KenilworthGardenClub.org
. The
site is "Under Construction" but "live," and we hope to finalize it soon.
Our website is hosted on SquareSpace, and it contains comprehensive information about our club, its history, Ware Garden, Magnolia Garden, our upcoming benefit, conservation, GCA, our September Zone Meeting and the Kenilworth Council of Garden Clubs.
We also have a private, password-protected "Members" area housing our club directory, calendar, awards, meeting information, the Bylaws and our Policies & Procedures, Committee Assignments and other information. We are currently working through some newsletter compatibility issues, but we hope to have the newsletter posted soon.
Privacy is our #1 concern. We will not post any members' names or photos on the publicly accessible part of the website. We do, however, have a 'Contact Us' form on the public page, and those inquiries go directly to Lenore. She will in turn contact the appropriate members while maintaining complete privacy.
The "Members Only" password is being distributed at club meetings. We will be emailing it to members, as well. If you need the password immediately or have anything you would like posted on the website, please email Lenore Macdonald at
mail@macdonald.in.
We encourage you to go to the website and provide us with your ideas, suggestions and feedback. Do you have photos of our gardens, meetings, events and activities? Please email them to Lenore, and she will post them. If you have been contacted about submitting information for the site, please send that information to Lenore ASAP, and she will gladly input it for you.
Special thanks go to Heather Blackwell, Stacey De Luca, Ann Jones, Shelley Galloway, Jeanne Daniel and Stephanie Keehn for their ideas and suggestions. Thank you to Cheryl Anderson, Barbi Paine, Stacey De Luca, Diane Phillips, Terri Lorenz, and Kathy Elmer for their materials. A big thank you goes to Crissy Cherry of Lake Forest GC for her counsel over the years. We hope you like our new "home"!
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH
submitted by Cheryl Anderson
Baked Egg Custard
A lovely spring dish that's easy as pie...but it's custard!
3 eggs, slightly beaten 1/4 c sugar (or less) 1/4 tsp salt 2 c whole milk, scalded 1/2 tsp vanilla ground nutmeg (for the top) Combine eggs, sugar and salt. Slowly blend in the scalded milk and vanilla with a whisk.
Pour mixture into 6 5oz. custard cups. Sprinkle with the ground nutmeg. Amount is your choice.
Place filled cups into a baking pan, deep enough that hot water will come halfway up the sides of the cups. (Best to use water heated until hot but not boiling.) Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Usually 40 minutes is needed to make sure that when a knife is inserted into the cooked custard it comes out clean (mixture does not adhere to the knife). Good served warm or chilled. Keeps well in a covered container in refrigerator. If left uncovered, the top will dry out.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Each month, we feature two KGC members. This month, the spotlight is on Membership Chair Mary Quinn Gordon and Awards Chair Grace Harley.
Mary Quinn Gordon
1) Why did you join KGC?
I joined the Kenilworth Garden Club in 2010 at the invitation of Mary Glerum. I had the good fortune of getting to know Mary through Loyola Academy Lacrosse, where we spent four years on the sidelines cheering for the Ramblers. Much of the Kenilworth community revolves around Sears School, and my 3 children had attended St. Francis Xavier in Wilmette, so KGC was a wonderful opportunity to get to know a very talented and gifted group of women and give back to my local community.
2) What is your KGC area of interest?
I always have loved working with cut flowers. I have done a couple of weddings for friends, as well as showers, parties, etc., but mostly just for my own family.
3) What is your favorite KGC moment?
Some of my favorite KGC moments would include the giggles and a bit of stress for our first Hort Club Challenge. Also, our floral design entry for Show of Summer was great fun and was an interesting addition to our family room for several weeks. Clerking at the Show of Summer in Hort was also a great learning opportunity, as the judges shared their insights while coming to their decisions.
4) Who is your mentor (inside or outside of KGC)?
I would say my parents would be my most influential mentors. Every day, they modeled the behavior and values that they h
ad hoped my 6 siblings and I would live by.
5) What is your favorite plant or flower?
It would be difficult to limit this to just one...I love the fragrant lily of the valley that return each spring in our back yard. I love the colors of the delicate sweet peas; my loyal peonies seem to make it no matter how many times they are relocated, and August zinnias grow so tall that they look like they are planted in window boxes outside our family room.
6) What are your interests outside of KGC?
For the last 20 years, I have been committed to the efforts and mission of Josephinum Academy , a Catholic inner-city high school for women, serving on their board for two terms and developing and implementing numerous events on their behalf over the years. I also enjoy interior design, needlepoint, and I would use the term "golf" rather loosely, however, we have great fun.
7) Tell us something we may not know about you.
I am the eldest of 7, and my husband is the eldest of 8 ( seven younger sisters). Its quite a group.
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Grace Harley
1) Why did you join KGC?
When Patsy Magner approached me about joining in 2005, I was honored to be asked among such lovely and like-minded (flower-loving) women, but I also felt at home with KGC over other area garden clubs. (It helped that I knew all about GCA through my mother's passionate participation in the Green Tree Garden Club.)
2) What is your KGC area of interest?
Flower arranging is probably at the top, followed very closely by photography, conservation, horticulture...I like it all!
3) What is your favorite KGC moment?
Winning a blue ribbon and Novice award in my first-ever flower show.
4) Who is your mentor (inside or outside of KGC)?
My mom, of course (see #1).
5) What is your favorite plant or flower?
Ranunculus. Lacy and delicate but boldly colorful and textured.
6) What are your interests outside of KGC?
I enjoy working as a television writer and producer.
7) Tell us something we may not know about you.
Some day I'm going to write that novel!
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Happenings Around Town
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Friday, April 17 - Sunday, April 19; 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
CBG Antiques, Garden & Design Show
Formerly known as the Antiques & Garden Fair, this CBG annual showcase has been reinvented this year and promises to inspire stylish living while offering beautiful gardens and objects in a way that transcends the ordinary.
For more information or to purchase advance tickets, click here. Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe Friday, April 17, 11:00 am Lecture by Mario Buatta: "If You Can't Hide It, Decorate It"
Mario Buatta is an internationally acclaimed interior designer known for his English Country House style. He has brought the refinement, comfort, and beauty of his designs to a long list of clients including Barbara Walters, Malcolm Forbes, Mariah Carey, and to Blair House - guest quarters for the president of the United States. Affectionately known as "The Prince of Chintz," Buatta will speak about his fifty-years-and-counting decorating career.
To purchase tickets, click here. Chicago Botanic Garden, Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center Saturday, April 18. 11:00 am Lecture by Mac Griswold: "Green Grandeur: The Rarefied Simplicity of Bunny Mellon's Garden Style"
Mac Griswold, journalist and garden historian, has taught landscape history at Sarah Lawrence College, where she held the Noble Chair in Art and Cultural History, and has lectured widely in America and Europe. She is the author of four books: Pleasures of the Garden, The Golden Age of American Gardens, Washington's Gardens at Mount Vernon, and most recently, The Manor. She has won a Guggenheim Fellowship and has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Travel + Leisure.
To purchase tickets, click here. Chicago Botanic Garden, Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center Saturday, April 18 at 10:30 am Top 10 Annuals and Perennials for 2015 Seminar
Thinking about adding something new and exciting to your garden? We have invited local plant specialists to talk about what's new for this coming year, as well as local favorites.
Fee: Free Pre-registration required here or call 847-272-1209 to sign up Red's Garden Center, 3460 Dundee Rd., Northbrook
May 2 - August 16, 2015Chicago and Its Botanic Garden
The Chicago Horticultural Society at 125
Founded in 1890, the Chicago Horticultural Society celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2015. When the Society created the Chicago Botanic Garden more than 40 years ago, it launched not only one of the world's most inspiring living museums but a leader in plant education, conservation, and research. Don't miss the special 125th anniversary exhibition in the Joutras Gallery.
Fee: Free*
Chicago Botanic Garden, Joutras Gallery
Saturday, May 9, 10:00 am - Noon
CBG Lecture Series: "Mushrooms for People and Planet: Ancient Allies for Modern Maladies" Paul Stamets, D.Sc. (Hon.), is the founder of Fungi Perfecti and Host Defense Organic Mushrooms
$12 nonmember; members receive 20% discount
To register, click here.
Chicago Botanic Garden, Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center
Thursday, May 28,
6:00-8:00 pm
Grapevines & Wines
Raise a glass to spring at an intimate lakeside tasting event of wines from around the world. With a prime view of CBG's Great Basin, sample more than 50 varieties of wines; light fare and wine by the glass will be available for purchase.
To purchase tickets, click
here.
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe
Saturday, June 6, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
World Environment Day at CBG
Reduce, reuse, recycle...and more. On World Environment Day, people in more than 100 countries take time to learn and exchange ideas about issues of sustainability and conservation. Hear the latest on what you can do to help protect the environment. Programs, discussions, educational displays, family activities and more. Bring plastic plant containers and electronics for recycling beginning at 10 am.
For more information, go to www.chicagobotanic.org/wed.
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe
* Chicago Botanic Garden charges a $20 parking fee for non-members
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"A Daffodil Show on the Lakeshore"
After a long, white, Wisconsin winter, members of
Town and Country Garden Club in Sheboygan will herald the arrival of spring by hosting their first daffodil show
,
"A Daffodil Show on the Lakeshore," on
Saturday, May 9, from 12 noon to 5 p.m.
at Maywood Ecology Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Approved by the American Daffodil Society, the show's schedule offers classes for single daffodils, for multiples of the same kind of daffodil, and for collections of different daffodils. Entries will be accepted on Friday, May 8, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday, May 9, from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. All accepted entries will be considered for a variety of ribbons and other awards. To encourage participation, even unidentified daffodils are welcome and eligible. Standardized containers, entry forms, and everything else needed to make entries will be provided, except for your beautiful daffodils. Specimens should be cut at or below ground level and brought to Maywood in water. American Daffodil Society Judges will consider several criteria, including condition, form, and color, so please bring your cleanest, prettiest, undamaged blooms.
All accepted entries will be considered for an abundance of ribbons and other awards. Official American Daffodil Society awards may be given only to correctly named daffodils, but un-named daffodils can be entered in the "unidentified" classes.
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Midwest CareCenter requests your noble presence for royal feasting & festivities
at its 2015 Fundraiser Gala
RENAISSANCE REVELRY
Saturday, May 16
6:00 p.m.
Michigan Shores Club
911 Michigan Avenue, Wilmette
The royal commemoration of Excellence in Care Award shall be bestowed upon
E. Dennis Murphy, MD
Midwest CareCenter Founder and Board Member
Music and merriment provided by
The Robert Cole Orchestra
If you cannot attend but would like to make a donation, please do so at:
https://www.midwestcarecenter.org/donate, and select Gala 2015 under 'What brought you to donate online today?' Thank you!
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What's What at Ware?
If you read last month's "Member Spotlight", then you know that KGC's own Cheryl Anderson is an accomplished writer? She writes a monthly gardening column for
Kenilworth Life magazine and has also been published in
Philosophy Now magazine. Following is an article that Cheryl wrote about Ware Garden for the April issue of
Kenilworth Life.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
"Beyond the "English parks" on either side of a large boulevard in a French city, Jens Jensen ventured through the woodland area, forest coming upon a small, enclosed garden with a "sense of freedom". He was never to forget his impression of this garden. Further on, he too came upon a meadow filled with grasses and flowers of many varieties that bordered a river. Crossing the river, he came upon a "grove of friendly trees" nestled beside a natural spring."
I suppose you've noticed of late that there have been major improvements in our jewel of a park, The Charles Ware Memorial Garden, located at the northwest corner of Kenilworth Avenue and Warwick Avenue. The emotions of the community were very clearly awakened when local residents noticed that trees and bushes were being removed. Be assured, only the very best of changes have occurred. The Kenilworth Park District, upon request, has provided guidance, advice and assistance. All of the trees that were removed were done so with their approval. In the late 1990s, the Norway Maple was declared an invasive species, one that interferes with the growth of the desirable native species of understory trees, shrubs and wildflowers. These trees have been gradually removed over the past 20 years, thus providing a better habitat for more than 30 native trees and shrubs. The removal of the remaining Norway Maples will be considered at a future date.  In July and August of last year, Nature's Perspective Landscaping was hired to plant American Hazelnut, Silky Dogwood, Bottlebrush Buckeye and Blackhaw Viburnum in the northwest corner of the park. The Blackhaw's "creamy white flowers in flat-topped clusters....appearing in spring" provide nectar for butterflies, native bees and other pollinators; in the fall and early winter, the flowers become blue-black with berry-like fruit, providing food for birds. A colorful sight unfolds when the red-purple foliage appears and contrasts with the blue-black berries. In addition to tree removal, the widespread and invasive goutweed that permeated the wooded area is all but gone; its removal has taken place over the past 2 years. Wherever it has been removed, native species - such as Coneflower, Wild Ginger and Columbine - have been planted in newly amended soil to promote healthy growth. The woodland area has received a lot of attention of late, as is evidenced by how open and welcoming it appears now.
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 All photos by Tim Dugan |
Most of the work that does not require professional help has been done by the hard-working, steadfast members of Kenilworth Garden Club who took over the stewardship and maintenance of the garden in the1990s. Their ongoing gardening duties include light pruning, weeding the stone path, planting, deadheading the plants around the fountain, maintaining the wood chip path in the woodland area and watering, when necessary...continually improving when and where improvements are needed. From the late spring to early fall, KGC members can be seen working in the garden every Monday, rain or shine. Of course, as one might imagine, a lot of work is done beyond those Mondays, as well. In the near future, Kenilworth Garden Club looks to provide identification markers for the wide variety of plants found throughout Ware Garden. As The Cultural Landscape Foundation describes it, "stewardship through education". Now that spring has arrived, enjoy nature in our treasured Ware Garden strolling along the curving path among a grove of friendly trees. -- Cheryl Anderson
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Where in the World
is Shelley Galloway?!
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The Namib desert is the oldest in the world.
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The red dunes in the Sossusvlei National Park
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The Kokerboom, Quiver Tree or Aloe Dichotoma adds color and texture in the Namib Desert. The fleshy pulp within the branches was removed to create a tube or quiver for the arrows of San Bushman.
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The dunes and granite protrusions in the Namib desert speak to the desert's age. The ocean used to reach this far and their is rock evidence of the ancient hemisphere Gondwana, connecting Africa and South America.
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San tribesman used this cave for healing and religious rites.
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Sand textures are art in themselves.
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The cave painting of a giraffe dates from the 1700s.
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The Nara plant has a very bitter flavor but is used medicinally, helping arthritics as well as other maladies.
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This desert chameleon has adjusted his color to the camera on which he is perched.
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Photos and captions submitted by Shelley Galloway from parts unknown
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Departures...
Service for Bill Embree at Kenilworth Union Church on May 15, 2:00 p.m.
Surrounded by his loving family, John William Embree III (Bill), aged 89, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2015. He is survived by his devoted wife Mary (KGC member since 1978), sons John, Steven, Paul and William; daughters Callie, Alison, Elizabeth and Mary; 23 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service celebrating Bill's life will be held at
Kenilworth Union Church, 211 Kenilworth Avenue, Kenilworth, IL. on Friday, May 15, 2015 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter, Glenview, IL at
www.carecenter.org.
To view the Chicago Tribune obituary in its entirety, click
here.
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A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO...
The rock star Benefit Committee for their hard work leading up to our big event!
Lenore Macdonald for creating (from scratch, singlehandedly!) our beautiful new website AND simultaneously revising and updating our KGC bylaws! No small task indeed!
Ann Jones and Katherine Buehler for inviting us into their lovely homes for our March and April meetings
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May Reay and Colleen Grant (our Zone Chair and Vice Chair) for flying in and attending our April meeting, and to May for her insightful speech about GCA.
And to all of our amazing Angels who were so generous with their contributions to help underwrite Benefit expenses - merci beaucoup!
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To submit material for inclusion in the Kenilworth Garden Club newsletter, please contact:
sdeluca13@yahoo.com
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