Poinsettias, holly, ivy, rosemary, mistletoe, evergreen trees—-there are so many plants associated with Christmas. Did you ever wonder why? Here’s a little history lesson… Greenery was used in ancient times to celebrate the Winter Solstice by warding off evil spirits. When Christianity came to Europe, the greenery was kept but given Christian meanings. Holly’s prickly […]
It’s time to put your garden to bed….yes, tuck your perennials under a blanket of mulch or leaves, and put your tools away. Sit back for a moment and enjoy the peace of the upcoming holiday season. Merry Christmas, friends, and a happy, healthy New Year.
“Hope is the thing with feathers— That perches in the soul— And sings the tune without the words— And never stops—at all—” Emily Dickinson According to both Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com, the word of the year is Pandemic. No surprise as COVID-19 has upended us globally, nationally, locally (our club! our club!) and personally. We are […]
Don’t know what to do with that excessive amount of zucchini in your garden? Here is a great recipe for zucchini bread. 4 eggs 3 cups coarsely grated zucchini 3 cups sugar 3 1/4 cups flour 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 Tablespoon cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 chopped walnuts 3/8 tsp baking […]
June is planting time. Your dreams have now come to fruition. Sit back and enjoy your garden colors and blooms. ANNUALS Annuals are great to fill in the spaces your perennials, shrubs and trees leave. Remember which annuals you planted last year and watch for seedlings of those annuals (and make a note or list for next […]
March seems to be the anticipation month. March gives us Daylight Savings Time, St. Patrick’s Day and the best of days – MARCH 20th, THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING! We’re about to be very busy! Where to begin? Monitor and Planning–As you walk around your garden make a list of jobs to be completed. Look […]
February is a preparing and monitoring month. We’re finally seeing some snow to blanket our gardens, yet there’s still plenty of time to dream and plan. Decide now how you will design your gardens and where new plants will go. Stay warm and have a cup of cocoa as you make your plans. Planning—Finish ordering […]
January is usually spent recovering from the holidays and taking down decorations. In the gardening world it’s a time to really get to know your garden, to plan for next year and to dream what could be. Like everyone, you’ve tried plants and they either were a great success or a complete failure. But there’s […]
November is Thanksgiving month so I’m trying to count my blessings. One of them is that this club, which began in 1937, is still such an active organization—even in the midst of this pandemic. I really feel we will emerge from this as strong as we were before, and maybe even more energized and ready […]
Welcome to the Illinois Dunesland Garden Club November meeting. Or at least as close as we can come to a meeting! November is Thanksgiving month so I’m trying to count my blessings. One of them is that this club, which began in 1937, is still such an active organization—even in the midst of this pandemic. […]