TICK TOCK - The count down has begun for Forever Green,
our annual benefit luncheon. Proceeds support our outreach and educational programs.
What to do to prepare for the event:
Invite your friends -- the more the merrier! Hibernation is over.
RSVP -- Having accurate numbers well in advance of the event makes planning so much easier!
Plan your outfit -- the brighter the better! We need to launch out of the winter blues.
Arrive in time to meet Mario, have your book personalized and buy one of our beautiful centerpieces. Supplies of both are limited.
A friendly reminder: All KGC members are required to purchase a minimum of two tickets. Angel donations do not apply to this requirement.
We hope to see all of you at this event which promises to be inspiring with its beautiful landscape images. Bring some ideas and inspiration home with you --
that's included in the ticket price!
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Kirsten Rider & Sharon Hayes
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Happy Spring!
The days are getting longer, and the early Spring flowers are springing up! Before you know it, it will be beach weather!
And for KGC, it’s Benefit Time! I hope that you have already purchased at least two tickets and plan to feast on some spectacular gardens designed by our speaker, Mario Nievera. His book is filled with fabulous gardens, ideas and inspiration.
You will also draw inspiration from centerpieces designed and arranged by Terri Lorenz (Chair), Kendra Cunningham and Shelley Galloway. With a team like that, they are guaranteed to be stunning! They will be available for presale, so please watch your inbox for the announcement.
There is still time to be an Angel, too. Our hard working and generous chairs, Sharon Hayes and Kirsten Rider, are donating to those donating $250 or more an Angel Reception where you can personally meet Mario in a more quiet and relaxed setting on Wednesday evening, April 18
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at The Glen View Club.
Please give generously as our Benefit gives us an opportunity to fund our civic,
educational and charitable projects and programs, among other things.
A very heartfelt thank you to our Benefit Chairs, and to Wendy Yamada, too, for her hard work on KGC's 2018 Ware Garden Storch Fund Proposal. Wendy has been extraordinary and great fun to work with. Thank you, also, to Helen Balch, Barbi Paine and Sara Morgan for all of their Ware work this month. It was a busy one!
The Ware Garden Chairs will be waking up Ware Garden soon. As you may have heard, long standing Co-Chair, Sara Morgan, has moved to Florida. Sara and Barbara Paine have done so much to shape Ware Garden into what it is today. A very fond farewell and thank you to Sara. Fortunately, Barbi will be available from late-May until mid-September and is anxious to get digging again. She will continue as a Co-Chair and Sara is only a phone call away.
The Ware Committee itself is in transition. We will still be working our two-hour summer shifts — the perfect opportunity for KGC camaraderie and conversation. If you think that you would like to get more involved in our biggest outreach project, please let Mary Lois Hakewill know and she will add you to the 2018 Ware Garden Committee list. You do not have to be a Co-Chair and it is not a life-long commitment. This is a terrific opportunity to learn more about horticulture – and to play in the dirt!
KGC very much appreciates Chair Stephanie Keehn's and Committee members Shelley Galloway and Mary Lois Hakewill's quick review and turn around of the Storch Proposals received by the Kenilworth Park District.
Finally, please note that the April Board Meeting is cancelled and that the May Board Meeting has been moved to MONDAY, May 14 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Comforter.
Wishing you a flower-filled Spring. See you at the Angel Reception and at the Benefit!
Always,
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KGC April Board Meeting
The April Board Meeting is CANCELLED!
Please attend the May Board Meeting where we will be voting on the Budget, Slate, Outreach Projects for Next Year
and More!
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KGC May Board Meeting
NOTE NEW DATE & TIME
Monday, May 14 -- 10 a.m.
Church of the Holy Comforter
222 Kenilworth Ave., Kenilworth
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Please let Lenore know if you have anything to add to the agenda. Thank you!
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Friday, April 13 -- 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Rd., Highland Park
Spaces still available! Contact Shelley Galloway if you are interested. Cost is $175 with lunch included.
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Jens Jensen: The Living Green
Part of the series Science on the Screen
Friday, April 20 at 11 a.m.
John & Nancy Hughes Theatre
400 E. Illinois Rd., Lake Forest
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students
Afterwards, we'll head to lunch at
The Deerpath Inn,
255 E. Illinois Rd., Lake Forest
Contact Ann Jones by Friday, April 13,
Note: If you plan to attend the movie, we suggest you get your ticket now. Tickets for our first Pop Up outing to The Gardener sold out ahead of time and several members had to miss the movie showing!
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Excerpts from the NAL Report
by Sue Cozzens,
Zone XI Chairman
The Garden Club of America (GCA), National Affairs and Legislation (NAL), and Conservation Committee met in Washington, D.C. for three days from February 27-29. Over 300 members attended from across the country, representing almost every state. There were 17 participants from the Zone XI states of MN, IL, WI, MO, and KS. Tuesday highlights included a presentation by two GCA members who composed a primer on climate change they take on the road — a great idea for a club program. We also heard from the Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao. When meeting with members of Congress, GCA members focused on five key issues: Botanical Sciences and Native Plants; Land and Water Conservation Fund; Climate Change; National Parks and Public Lands; and Infrastructure. If you would like to learn more about the conference, contact Sue Cozzens.
Climate Change Symposium
On April 19 at 7p.m. the Garden Club of Evanston's Conservation Committee will be presenting a free symposium on Climate Change. The program will feature a movie/presentation from C-Change Conversations, a nonprofit organization in New Jersey, founded by colleagues from the Garden Club of Princeton, who have created and shown this excellent presentation all over the country. Its aim is to separate dialogue about climate change from political edges — to encourage everyone to understand, care more, and make this issue bipartisan again. The team worked in consultation with scientists, educators, and public policy experts to create it. The symposium will be held at the Rotary International Building in Evanston.
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News Articles of Interest
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Ann Jones
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March Meeting Recap
Mary Lois Hakewill opened her beautiful home as we gathered for Jack Carlson’s presentation on how to take exceptional photographs. To kick off the meeting, several members brought flower arrangements for the club challenge. The arrangements were an interpretation of one of Jack’s photos and all were extremely impressive!
Jack’s recurring message throughout his program was to slow down. Quality prevails over quantity in creating a memorable photo, however temping it may be to continue to click away. The device that is used to capture the image, whether it be an iPhone or an expensive camera, was irrelevant if the photo left the viewer wondering what the primary focus of the picture was supposed to be. Jack’s suggestions were numerous, from exploring your subject from all angles (by walking completely around it), to getting up close and personal with your object, to changing the level the object is viewed from or checking the corners of your photo to see if anything detracts from your all-around image.
Jack provided a comprehensive handout that covered how to best photograph flowers, suggestions for ad- on lenses for the iPhone, and a host of tips on taking noteworthy photos. Please contact Kelly if you are interested in a copy.
Jack expressed that he thoroughly enjoyed his time spent with KGC and encouraged anyone who was interested in learning more to visit his website at jackcarlsonphotos.com or enroll in one of his spring classes at The Chicago Botanic Garden.
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Kelly Chestnut
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At our March meeting, the Floral Committee offered a fun challenge to those attending. Speaker Jack Carlson provide two photos for members to use as inspiration for the design. Thanks to all who tackled the challenge!
Inspiration 1
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Created by Kathy Evertsberg
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Created by Mary Lois Hakewill
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Created by Chris Wiedrich
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Created by Kendra Cunningham
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Something New -- Pop Ups!
The hot trend sweeping GCA is "Pop Ups!" What are they? Member gatherings that literally pop up pretty much over night. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but only a little.
Nothing formal. Nothing super planned. Just and excuse to get together and do something fun, informational and inspirational.
We first heard about them at the (awesome! :)) 2015 Zone XI Meeting when St. Louis GC talked about a spontaneous, fun, impromptu get together in a member's garden. A member had a wonderful garden in full bloom, another member saw it and remarked "wouldn't it be great if the whole club had a chance to see it", and few evenings later they had a Pop Up! Lake Forest GC reported at the last Chicago Council Meeting that it has had several successful Pop Ups now after learning about St. Louis' great success.
Watch your inbox and hopefully you can join us at our next one!
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Big GCA Floral News!!!!
On March 22, GCA announced the formation of a new Floral Design Committee. Now there will be a Floral Design Committee along with the Flower Show Committee.
In connection with the creation of the Floral Design Committee, the magazine
By Design will be available at no charge to all GCA members. Those electing to receive
By Design automatically become members of WAFA........REALLY!!!!!
The Floral Design Committee will be a full committee with 12 zone representatives, and will provide floral design education, zone workshops, and enhanced resources for club members. Club presidents will receive a one-page flower show guide in July, summarizing the new streamlined procedures. Going forward, club floral design chairmen will work with their Floral Design Committee zone representatives and club flower show chairmen will receive guidance and administrative support from the Flower Show Committee.
GCA’s quarterly publication,
By Design will now be available to all GCA members at no cost. Currently,
By Design is available to club members who pay for a subscription. In the future,
By Design will be published online and can be sent directly to an email inbox. Remember, you can sign up to receive GCA publications directly to your inbox by clicking the box which appears above your name on your personal profile. And here is a bonus: Everyone who chooses to receive a digital copy of
By Design via email will automatically be a member of the World Association of Floral Artists. WAFA provides access to international flower shows, and their accompanying tours and workshops. For experienced floral designers, WAFA offers the camaraderie of exhibiting internationally.
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Reminder: there is still time and space to register for the Photography 101 on April 13
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at CBG with Lou Nettelhorst
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Here is a note from Leslie Purple,
Photography Committee Chairman
Hi everyone, the GCA public pages need our Spring photos. Can you all get the word out and have people send me high resolution spring photos? Landscape orientation is best.
Send to Leslie Purple, National Chairman
GCA Photography Committee
plantconn@aol.com
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Miksang is a form of contemplative photography that asks us to see our world in a new way. In some ways it seems very simple, but it is not always easy.
If we can place our mind’s attention, our awareness, in our sense of sight, we will see vivid, mind stopping perceptions fully and completely, without distraction. And when that happens, we can connect with what we see deeply and intimately.
This requires stillness of mind, patience, and the desire to really see what is there, so that we can understand how to express what we are seeing with our camera simply and precisely.
Miksang is photography in which we use the camera to express our visual perceptions exactly as we experience them. Because we know how to prepare ourselves to receive perceptions when we see them, and we know how to understand exactly what we have seen, we then know exactly how to express what we have seen with our camera. The resulting image is an exact expression of our eye, mind, and heart as it connects with the perception.
Or let’s plan a club outing to shoot in a miksang vernacular. Contact Shelley if interested.
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Shelley Galloway
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2018 Zone XI Photography Show
At the Zone XI Meeting this September, one of the events will be our photography show, “Planting Seeds of Change”. Will you please consider entering one of your favorite photos?
As you may recall, GCA photography shows have two steps. First, members “register” for a Class as depicted in the Show Schedule. Second, they submit their photo entry. We are presently open for the first step, registering.
We are quite enthused about the show. There are three color Classes, one Black and White, and a Video Class as well – all focused on the theme of Planting Seeds of Change.
We are asking each club in Zone XI to have an entry. While we have already received some registrations, there is still room in all Classes. With six entries in each class, there is room for everyone!
Here is the link on the GCA website:
If there are questions, please contact Photography Show Co-Chair Kathleen Jones, kathleenjones.gfi@gmail.com.
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Sharon Hayes, Kendra Cunningham-Kasper, Joan Senko & Lenore Macdonald met March 20 at Four Finches, Evanston for KGC's Seasonal Outreach Partnership with Sarah Wright. Planter box centerpieces were refreshed for McGaw Care Center's dining room at Presbyterian Homes Westminster Place in Evanston, where they are enthusiastically welcomed by the residents!
Tuesday, June 20, 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. is the next date available and 2 slots are still open. Contact Jeanne Daniel or look for an upcoming SignUp Genius email if you would like to participate in this fun outreach project.
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Jeanne Daniel
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On our first day in Hyderabad we were given two challenges. Participate in a floral workshop, called Fun With Flowers and prepare our country’s entry in the floral fashion show. The Fun with Flowers was a challenge class for teams of four to create an arrangement which would then be judged as part of a test for new judges in the WAFA program. We were given all of the materials and we were required to use 80% of the materials, both fresh and preserved, which were given to us.
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I was teamed with Tina Alexieff of the US, Marie Francoise Deprez of France and Janet Law of Canada. Fortunately, I did not know of Marie Francoise’s stature in the design world when we commenced. The two of us came up with the design concept and worked to balance the large triangular object in a more interesting way than the other competitor groups. It was all about the balance and the mechanics of the design. Fortunately I had brought glue dots which saved the day for our leaf manipulation. As you can see, TEAM INDIA, provided us with a surplus of materials and equipment. Their attention to detail was amazing. We worked quietly and efficiently and were guided by Marie Francoise and our joint design eye. It was a very pleasant group and we all shared ideas without feeling incompetent. In the end, red cards were placed at our table, designating us as the winning team.
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I have included some of the other designs for comparison. Here are links to Marie Francoise, a perfect guest speaker for a future KGC benefit!!!
http://www.jeuxdefleurs.org/
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-Shelley Galloway
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GCA Nominating Call for Nominees
One of the great pleasures of being President is receiving an email from the GCA Nominating Chairman asking which of our members would enjoy participating more in the Garden Club of America. Each of our Presidents fills in a form identifying areas of interest and telling GCA a little bit about our member.
KGC currently has two members in GCA positions: Sue Cozzens (Zone XI Conservation and National Affairs and Legislation Committee Chair—two committees) and Shelley Galloway (Zone XI Photography Chair). Kitty Kirby has served in several GCA positions, most recently on the Board of Directors. Sue, Shelley and Kitty would be happy to talk to you about their experience and answer questions that you might have.
Have you been thinking that it might be something that you would like to do? If so, please let me know by April 20
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so I can submit your name and areas of interest. That’s it! I’ll take care of the rest.
Lenore Macdonald
847.835.3335
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A Garden Different
: GCA's Visiting Gardens Committee trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 13-18, 2018:
As a member of a GCA club, you have the opportunity to partake of amazing tours planned by GCA's Visiting Gardens Committee. This July, a trip is planned for Santa Fe, New Mexico, which sounds spectacular. Brimming with the history of hundreds of years of the Indigenous, Spanish and Mexican people, Santa Fe will be the hub as you tour the landscape and gardens of New Mexico, attend the Preview Party of the International Folk Festival and the Santa Fe Opera, and visit Georgia O'Keefe’s Ghost Ranch, Bandolier National Monument, and the beautiful gardens and museums of Santa Fe. A highlight will be
Behind Adobe Walls
, the annual garden tour of the Santa Fe Garden Club.
Applications are still being accepted for this trip but it will fill fast!
Click here
to see the Itinerary and Registration Materials. Send a completed Application Form and Terms and Conditions Form, but not the deposit, to the Trip Registrar whose name and address may be found at the bottom of the Application Form. Priority on the Wait List is determined by the postmark date on the envelope that includes both completed forms as well as room availability. Spaces often open up on Visiting Gardens' trips so members on the Wait List may have the opportunity to go on the trip.
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Kim Piekos
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NEW! GCA WEBSITE TUTORIAL
Are you making the most of this important resource?
As members of GCA, we have 24/7 access to an enormous amount of valuable information. When you have some spare time, I encourage you to go onto the site and play around. You can start by looking up your personal page and checking the information it contains for accuracy. You can also upload a personal photo to your profile it you've not already done so.
The GCA Communications Committee has prepared a comprehensive tutorial to help members navigate the site. If you would like to read through it, simply click on the link below:
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Note: Your user name is the email that you use for KGC business. If you are unsure of the password, contact Leslie North at 847/446-8346 or leslie.a.north@gmail.com.
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Zone XI Events -- Save the Date
May 15: Green Tree Garden Club (Milwaukee) fundraiser Summer Blooms.
June 20-21: Lake Forest Garden Club Housewalk. Visit the club website at
lakeforestgc.org to purchase tickets.
September 20-21: GCA On the Road "Windy City Whirlwind"
November 1 & 2: Town and Country Garden Club presents "Teddy Roosevelt"
in a mini-fundraiser.
November 6: Cedar Rapids Garden Club fundraiser featuring Carolyn Roehm.
November 7: The Garden Club of Barrington fundraiser and Winnetka Garden Club fundraiser.
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Sad News
Kenilworth Park District Executive Director Johnathan Kiwala lost his wife, Ashlyn, after a courageous battle with cancer. In lieu of flowers and per the family's wishes, KGC made a donation to a GoFundMe fund established to help with her medical expenses. Please keep Ashlyn, John and their families in your prayers.
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A Sunny Spring Thank You To:
Our March Home Hostess Mary Lois Hakewill and our Hostesses Joan Senko, Cathie Murphy, Julia Kyle and Cissy Crawford.
Joan Senko and Marty Shaw for the terrific flower show!
Jeanne Daniel for hosting the Tuesday Afternoon pre-flower show workshop.
Kathy Evertsberg, Chris Wiedrich, Kendra Cunningham, Jeanne Daniel, Mary Lois Hakewill, and Joan Senko -- brave souls all! -- for entering the club flower show.
Joan Dodson and Ann Jones for organizing the dinner and "The Gardener" movie outing.
Benefit Co-Chairs Sharon Hayes and Kirsten Rider for their hard work.
Mary Lois Hakewill for doing the Benefit Reservations.
Terri Lorenz, Kendra Cunningham and Shelley Galloway for doing the Benefit flowers.
Stephanie Keehn, Chair, Mary Lois Hakewill and Shelley Galloway for their work on the Ad Hoc Storch Fund Proposal Review Committee.
Wendy Yamada for her hard work on the KGC Ware Garden Storch proposal.
All KGC members who shared their thoughts and insights about the potential new KGC Civic Project.
Jeanne Daniel, Joan Senko, Kendra Cunningham, and Sharon Hayes for the Four Finches Presbyterian Flower Arranging Shift.
Tina Rice, Heather Blackwell, Chris Wiedrich and Joan Dodson for their commitment and work on the JourneyCare Outreach Project.
Heather Blackwell, Leslie North, Mary Lois Hakewill for their hard work on Nominating, and to all members who have said "yes".
All KGC members for
all that they do for the Club.
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Kenilworth Garden Club kenilworthgardenclub.org
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