Friday, April 24, 2009

Plant Sales, Seminars, Garden Walks

Plant Sales:
Wheaton Park District
April 25 from 8:30 am - Noon.

Lots of trees, shrubs and forbs.
Public Works Building on Liberty Street
Northeastern Illinois University
April 29 (10 am - 5 pm) and April 30 (10 am - 3 pm)
Variety of indoor and outdoor plants; many natives and heirloom tomatoes
Student Union,
5500 North St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60625

2009 Native Plant Sale, Mayslake Peabody Estate
Friday, May 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A catalog is available at
www.dupageforest.com. Pre-sale orders are due into Stacey Becker by Friday, May 1st. This year you will be able to submit your order online. Orders can be picked up at Mayslake on Wednesday, 6 May – 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. or Thursday, 7 May –12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Seminars and Classes:
Need help planning your garden? Sign up for the “Native Landscaping for Beginners” class at Fullersburg Woods on May 3rd.


Experts share tips for healthy eating at the Organic Eating Fair on Thursday, May 7 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook, part of the ten-town Big Read.

Garden Walk:
Walk the Garden Path to help find a Cure for Parkinson's Disease
Sunday, June 28, 2009
All six the gardens are located within walking distance of each other in Naperville near the intersection of Royce Rd. and Apple River Drive. Each garden is unique and spectacular in its own way, you will find a variety of gardens ranging from very natural to perfectly groomed.

Highlights include natural habitats for birds and a fabulous outdoor living room complete with stove and a fireplace!


Reception, Picnic, Music, Silent Auction & Raffle at: DuPage River Park 808 Royce Road, Naperville, Il 60540
. Donation: $50 per person

Click on the links to see the
full brochure with maps and links to the ticket reservation form

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Tell Your Friends and Neighbors

May will be a busy month for our club. On May 2, our annual plant sale once again takes root at Hummer Park. Print out a flyer and give one to everyone you know!

While you're talking up the plant sale, tell everyone about our joint program with the Pierce Downer's Heritage Alliance at 10 a.m. on May 9 at the Downers Grove Public Library. Jim Kleinwachter with Conservation at Home will be there with expert information on making your backyard earth-friendly. All attendees will also get a coupon for $10 off a rainbarrel purchased at The Conservation Foundation (regular price: $85).

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

April Meeting

Our own garden Goddess Cathy Hlohowskyj shares her butterfly wisdom with us in "Butterflies: Attract Them, Raise Them, Set Them Free" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 at the Downers Grove Public Library, 1050 Curtiss Street. The DGOG board will meet at 6:30 p.m.

Don't forget to pay your annual membership dues, and please remind your fellow members to do so as well this month!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Plant Sales and Expert Advice

Linda Walker writes:

Two plant sales that you can pre-order from for planting in May have posted their lists. I've ordered from both for many years now, and they never disappoint in the quality of their plants...at such reasonable costs.

http://citizensforconservation.org/ Pre-order by April 13th. Also, check out their mission statement.

If you'd like help selecting what might be best for your particular situation, just bring your printed form to the
April 8th meeting, with your initial 'leanings', and I'd be glad to help you complete your choices.

Rain Barrel Workshop

As much as 500 gallons of rainwater fall on the roof and through the downspouts of a 2,000 square foot average home for each quarter-inch rain fall. Learn how adding a rain barrel to the picture can reduce water bills and conserve one of our most precious resources at The Conservation Foundation’s Rain Barrel Workshop, from 10 to 11 a.m., Saturday, April 4, at McDonald Farm.

Jim Kleinwachter, The Conservation Foundation’s land preservation specialist, will explain procedures to install a rain barrel in your home. He will also discuss how to paint the food-grade plastic barrels, some of which are imported from Greece and were originally used to transport olives and pickles.

The cost for the workshop is $10 per person. To register, email cthompson@theconservationfoundation.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 630-428-4500, Ext. 10. Each registrant will receive a $10 coupon to be deducted that day only from the regular purchase price of an $85 rain barrel.

If you can’t make the class but would like to purchase a rain barrel, they are available at The Conservation Foundation’s McDonald Farm for $85 on Thursdays from 2 – 4 p.m. from April through September. They are available by special arrangement at other times by contacting Jim Kleinwachter at jkleinwachter@theconservationfoundation.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 630-553-0687, Ext. 302. Rain barrel stands are also for sale for $20.

Click here for more information about the Conservation@Home program and what you can do to make your yard more earth-friendly.