Northtown Garden Society

February: Kirsten Akre from the Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse spoke on Organic Vegetable Gardening focusing on smaller gardens. Kirsten's knowledge of and enthusiasm for permaculture, composting, and combining vegetables was inspiring and timely given the advent of a vegetable garden at the White House.

March: NGS members, Jo Stavig and Ann Glapa, presented slides and discussion on Beautiful Window Boxes All Year Long for a joint meeting of the NGS and West Ridge Bungalow Neighbors. The slides presented photos of planters throughout 3 seasons and the Winter holidays. Tips were presented on selecting the correct window planter for your home, finding new places to put a window box, plant selection and maintenance of container gardens.

April (Earth Day Event): NGS member, Steve Knoebber, provided a demonstration on Installing and Using a Rain Barrel at the home of another NGS member, Ginny Davis. Steve had prepared for the installation for a week prior to the demonstration so was able show how to plan for an installation, what to do with overflow, how to set up multiple barrels, proper siting for a barrel and building a base for the barrel. Throughout the demo, a light rain fell softly on the participants and the spring flowers in Ginny's garden. After the rain barrel was connected, the weather cooperated by turning into a full-blown thunderstorm and the barrel was filled within an hour; the overflow pipe was functioning as designed. Throughout the summer, Ginny's container plants were happily watered with rain water.

May: The annual seed and plant exchange was held at Warren Park followed by a brief business meeting.

June: The Annual Spring Evening Garden Walk was held featuring 15 gardens in the 6400 to 6800 blocks of North Campbell, Rockwell, Maplewood and Talman. Following the walk, refreshments were served in the rose garden of NGS member, Sharon Walsh, to members and exhibitors.

July: NGS picnic at Indian Boundary Park.

August: A tour of the Kilbourn Park Organic Gardens was conducted by Kirsten Akre who spoke about the various programs offered by the Chicago Park District at the CPD's only teaching organic greenhouse. Kilbourn Park is notable for it's three park buildings designed by Charles Hatzfield who was also the architect of the field houses at Indian Boundary and Green Briar Parks.

August: A members-only day viewing Dave Knoebber's dahlia garden, art loft studio and farm in New Buffalo, MI, was enjoyed by several of our members. A dahlia painting created by Dave several years ago as one of the NGS progams on painting flowers was auctioned to NGS members recently. A day enjoying nature and shopping at a local farm stand was appreciated by all.

September: A members-only tour of Volo Bog and picnic lunch was enjoyed by all participants. Volo Bog, an Illinois Department of Natural Resources site, is located 45 miles northwest of Chicago. It is Illinois' only quaking bog with an open water center. The bog was shaped by glacial activity thousands of years ago.

October: Business meeting for 2010 Board nominations was held and a panel of NGS members discussed Putting Your Garden to Bed. Mulching leaves to cover the garden was discussed as well as a variety of opinions on cutting back perennials and roses were offered. No agreement was reached on cutting back plants back.

November: Business meeting and election held. Ideas for programs in 2010 were discussed.

December: The Annual Holiday Potluck Party was held at the field house of Indian Boundary Park. A garden-related gift grab bag was held. As always, NGS members proved to be not only good gardeners but also good cooks.