Northtown Garden Society
Chicago, Illinois
Northerly Island in Chicago
Brrr! Winter is here.
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, All Programs and Activities are being Altered.
February Program via Zoom
Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 7 PM
TreeKeepers Presentation
Mr Al DeRu, program manager of TreeKeepers, will be our guest speaker. He will discuss the TreeKeepers course, Openlands TreePlanters Grant, tree pruning (with a brief discussion of the Derecho of last summer), shrub pruning, and will be happy to field questions as we go along. He will be joined by his coworker and fellow Certified Arborist, Tom Ebling.
Links to the Zoom meeting will be sent to NGS members.
March Program via Zoom
Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 7 PM
Loyola Beach Dunes Restoration
Our guest speaker will be Ann Whelan, a long time resident of Rogers Park, who will be speaking to us about dune habitat restoration at Loyola Beach. Known as the Dune Steward, Ann leads a group of over 200 volunteers who have worked since 2003 to protect and restore the dune habitat at Loyola Beach Dunes, 1230 W. Greenleaf. The mission is to maintain a native wilderness in the city and restore the dunes as a native shoreline.
Read more about it in the RogersEdge Reporter article here
Zoom instructions will be sent out in e-mails to NGS members.
Community Service Project at the 24th Police District
Sort of hidden at the back of the parking lot at the 24th Chicago Police District Station was an overgrown and little-used picnic area. NGS members, Ginny Davis and Judy Ishii, were contacted by Officer Hank Kline who works with the district's community service section to see if we would help with redesigning and coordinating the cleanup and replanting of the site. We said "Yes".
After surveying the site with Officer Kline and discussing the goals, we went to work on a plan. There was a lilac shrub and crabtapple tree to be pruned, an overgrown vinca patch to be thinned, tree stumps to be removed and weeds to be dug out. There were irises to be moved and a milkweed plant to be left right where it was. The area was surrounded on two sides by chain link fence which was to be covered by wooden lattice and vines for privacy. The area was mostly shady, the budget was limited and the biggest obstacle would be the lack of a ready water supply. Knowing all of that, Judy and Ginny raided their own gardens for shade and drought-tolerant plants. Only 5-6 plants had to be purchased.
On Saturday, August 2nd, we met with 3 police officers, Hank, Dave and Melvin, plus a group of very helpful teens from the CPD Youth League. While Melvin cut the lattice to fit the fence, everyone else pruned, trimmed and weeded. Once the lattice was installed, tne plantng could begin. In the meantime, a group of neighbors gathered in the alley to watch the progress and one of them generoulsly stretched a hose over to make watering easier. After 5 hours of work, the garden makeover was complete.
Gardening
Coming Events
is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.
~ Lindley Karstens
Nancy and Eva
Mary and Natalie
Piping Plover News
One of the 2020 Montrose Beach Great Lakes Piping Plover babies has been spotted in Florida. Here is the link to Facebook to see it:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2227127552/permalink/10157390052197553/?sfnsn=mo
Before...
After!
Dave and Hank
Daffodils Planted at Rose of Sharon Garden in Warren Park in Memory of Nancy Seyfried
Thanks to the beautiful November weather, Natalie Peterson, Mary Oellrich, Nancy Wieting and Eva Mannaberg planted daffodils (donated by Susan Grosshong) in the Rose of Sharon Garden. Ginny Davis took pictures. Hopefully we will have a beautiful display of daffodils in memory of Nancy Seyfried. There will be a memorial for Nancy in the Spring. (hopefully).