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May 2021
Five Ways to Preserve the Harvest
In this interactive presentation, food blogger and cookbook author Emily Paster will cover five ways to preserve your garden harvest from canning to freezing to drying and root-cellaring. Emily will offer an in-depth description of water-bath canning, a versatile and accessible method of home food preservation suitable for many common fruits and vegetables grown in home and community gardens. You will also walk away with Emily’s “Freezer Cheat Sheet” which demystifies the process and benefits of freezing local and home-grown…
Find out more »June 2021
Attracting and Raising Monarch Butterflies
Every garden club should have someone raising Monarchs, Bob Erlich will show us how. His powerpoint presentation will educate and inspire us as he details the lifecycle of the Monarch and shows how easy it is to turn our gardens into a sanctuary. He will bring free Milkweed seeds and plants depending on their availability. Bob has lectured since 2009 at Chicago area garden clubs. He is a volunteer at Oak Lawn Park District Monarch Festival and designs Monarch Way…
Find out more »July 2021
Butterfly Gardening
Dolly Foster is a landscape horticulturist, master gardener, certified arborist, and avid butterfly gardener. Her garden at home is a Monarch Way Station where she raises Monarch and Swallowtail butterflies. At our meeting, Dolly will talk about host plants that will attract butterflies, and show us how to plan a garden that will provide food and cover for caterpillars. She will also talk about the caterpillar/butterfly lifecycle. This is an integral part of planning a butterfly garden. Residential butterfly gardens…
Find out more »August 2021
The Tallgrass Prairie: Illinois’ Original Garden
Cindy Crosby is an author, Master Gardener, natural history instructor, and former wilderness ranger with the National Park Service. She is a current steward supervisor for the Schulenberg Prairie at the Morton Arboretum and also at the Nachusa Grasslands (a Nature Conservancy site with bison in Franklin Grove). Illinois' nickname is "The Prairie State." Listen to stories of the history of the tallgrass prairie as you discover its amazing plants and creatures—from birds to bison. Discover plants that work well…
Find out more »September 2021
Dahlias, Living Fireworks!
Mike and Carol Cichorski ‘found’ dahlias 18 years ago and their lives have not been the same since. Each year in February they plant tubers in their basement and grow about 300 plants. About 65 of these go into their own garden. Carol is a a blogger at www.OhWhatA.com and speaks regularly at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show. Mike is past president of the Central States Dahlia Society. He will share their dahlia passion and tell us how we…
Find out more »October 2021
Backyard Birds & Bird Feeding
Our speaker, David Brooks, is a professional naturalist who teaches about Illinois natural history and green landscaping. He works with and welcomes garden clubs to visit Spring Valley’s Nature Center (111 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg) throughout the year to learn more about prairie wildflowers and ecology, spring migrant birds, heirloom kitchen gardening and the history of Schaumburg’s German farming community. In our presentation, learn the “how to” of attracting a variety of birds to your yard with feeding stations and…
Find out more »November 2021
Holiday Craft
Let's have some fun! Help us make 103 holiday door hangers to cheer up residents' rooms at West Suburban Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Please be prompt. Projects begin at 6:15 (because we have a lot to do!). We are asking if members can bring things they have from home: • Scotch Tape • Stapler (staples) • Hot glue gun (glue) • Floral tape or holiday colored electrical tape • Scissors • Holiday picks • Mini bells, holiday stickers, mini ornaments,…
Find out more »December 2021
Member Christmas Party
It’s time for holiday cheer as Bloomingdale Garden Club celebrates with our Annual Christmas Party on Tuesday, December 14th, 2021. Once again it will be held at Jameson’s Charhouse in Bloomingdale. This event is for club members and their families only. Cocktails at 6 PM Dinner at 6:30 PM Cost and Payment Method to be Announced (Masks and social distancing may be required.) Please bring a wrapped White Elephant Gift to participate in the party fun!
Find out more »February 2022
Seed Starting: Giving Your Garden a Head Start
Think Spring! Paul Stouffels, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener, will help us jump-start our growing season. Learn "how to," and all about the equipment and methods used for starting seeds indoors.
Find out more »March 2022
Vegetable Gardening in Raised Beds and Containers
Don’t have usable space in the ground to grow your vegetables? Learn how to use above ground growing systems for safe and fruitful production of your favorite backyard vegetables. Methods to increase production by maximizing your space, recommended soil and fertilizer practices and construction material options will be reviewed.
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