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June 2024 Des Plaines IL Garden Club newsletter
Summer is officially here ! With the early spring and the gentle rains I am sure your garden is looking spectacular.
Our little friends the Cicada’s are singing up a storm. Its odd how in Des Plaines were have more than our share, yet in Elk Grove they are hard to find. The little three-year-old next door is fascinated with them, his mom not so much.
We are on a break from holding general meetings until September, but we still have a lot planned and a summer full of activities here in Des Plaines. I will continue to send a monthly newsletter and updates as needed throughout the summer.
If you have time, consider driving over to the Lake Park. Go to the south end of the park near Lee Street and Touhy. There is a parking lot right around the corner on Touhy. Take a short walk on the path over to our garden. Not only is our garden looking spectacular, but the large pie-shaped garden on the front side has been completely planted and maintained but our Des Plaines Garden Club. There are two lovely benches right there to rest a moment and take in the beauty. If any of you would like to help out at Des Plaines Lake Park Community Gardens, please contact Marylyn
Dist. IX We have co-directors for 24-25 in District IX. We are under the leadership of Nancy Reese and Diane Freeman. The new email address is dist.ix.gci@gmail.com
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Even though our general meetings are over for the summer we can keep you busy all summer. I hope to see you often over the summer. If you hear of an event you think your fellow garden club members would enjoy, please send me the details and I will send out an email.
July
July 22nd Monday July 22nd Garden Clubs of Illinois Summer Meeting Cantigny 8:30 to 2:30 Registration is open on line at districtix-gci.org. We will car pool from Frisbie at 7:30 am. District IX, which our club is part of, are the hosts for this event. There will be time for you to walk around the garden, a guest speaker, lunch etc. These Garden Clubs of Illinois events are always lots of fun. It is a good way to meet the state officers and ask questions about state horticulture.
July 26th Friday July 26th our garden club will be sponsoring the movie “ WONKA “ with the Des Plaines Optimist club. The movie starts at dusk in the area in front of the band shell. Feel free to come early and enjoy some popcorn or candy they will have for sale. The movie is a free event. You just need your lawn chair. Think of this has a great time with the neighbor kids or your grandchildren.
August
August 3rd and 4th. Chicago Botanical Garden will host the GCI Flower Show. Two of our members have already signed up to do a tea party table display. Anita will be giving us further details at the meeting on Thursday on how to enter your favorite bloom from your yard.
Even though we don’t have regular meetings over the summer , I will continue to send you announcements of fun activities. I hope take advantage of the many free activities in our community over the summer and attend the GCI summer meeting at Cantigny and the Flower Show at the Botanical Garden.
Kind Regards,
Mary Peglow, President Des Plaines Garden Club
PLANT SALE WAS HELD MAY AY 18TH 2024
Thank you to everyone who helped with our plant sale. We had a record number of cars in our farmers market style sale and a whole table of delectable sweets. We did not have our usual turnout of buyers the day of the sale, but we managed to come very close to last year's totals.
June 13th our Annual Birthday Trip.
Happy 93rd Birthday Des Plaines Garden Club 😊 Our trip was a great day at a local garden center, a tour of the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford and lunch at Mary’s Market and bakery.
Scholarship Award to Miss Katelyn Dahl
We were delighted to present our inaugural Scholarship Award to Miss Katelyn Dahl our May Boad meeting. Katelyn is a recent graduate of Maine West High School and will be attending Louisiana State University in the Fall. Her major is Environmental Engineering. She is an honor student at Maine West, a school athlete, involved in several clubs including the environmental club which focuses on community involvement. They did several projects in the last year, all of which directly made an impact on our environment and the community in which we reside
Memorial Day.
It was good to see several of you at the annual Memorial Day recognition service at Lake Opeka on Memorial Day. Pausing to remember the men and women who paid with their life for our freedom is an honor. ~ At the remembrance service for Flight 191 I had the opportunity to speak with a family member who was here from Virginia to remember her mom who was on the flight going to a book writers convention in Los Angeles. I was sitting off to the side on our bench. She sat down next to me and started a conversation. She stated how lovely the garden looks. She has been coming every five years for the last twenty years. She stated she has never seen our garden look so good. Her comments included, peaceful, reassuring, caring, serene, thoughtful. Marylyn Wouda and her team are doing a great job at Lake Park. The team has shared with me, how when they are there weeding, deadheading, cleaning up, etc. someone almost always stops and says thank you this looks wonderful.
Des Plaines 4th of July Parade
Happy Birthday America !!! Our Des Plaines garden Club particapted with our decorated golf carts and passed out seed packets like we have done the previous two years. This year’s theme was planting the seeds of Happiness.
Des Plaines Garden Club Garden Walk
On July 11, 2024
First on the walk was the home of Kathy Ryan
Second was the home of Nancy Degnan
Third was the home of Angela Miraglio
Fourth was the home of Pam Mazzini
The last home on the walk was the home of Alicja Schimka
Our club members then went for Lunch at Mr. Beef & Pizza
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SHARED THEIR GARDENS WITH US. AND TO DONNA MULDERINK FOR ORGANIZING THE DAY
October newsletter 2023
Our October general meeting was held Thursday October 12, at 11 AM,
Time to sign up for the November fundraiser and the craft in December. We started with dessert to enjoy along with your sandwich or salad that you brought from home.
Our speaker was Mr. Ken Benson. He will be giving us tips and guidance on how to care for our garden and lawn tools. Time to take care of our investment after they have been so well used next summer.
Kind Regards, Mary Peglow
President Des Plaines Garden Club
Novevember 9th, 2023 Annaul Luncheon Fundraiser
This is our big event of the year. It takes everyone working together to be successful. If you have never attended, please make this the year you attend and ask a friend to join you. Our luncheon is a full 5 course meal. Soup, Salad, Rolls and Butter, Entrees with a side and a vegetable, and dessert with coffee or tea.
Kim Hartmann will be back to bring us some new ideas for holiday decorating with flowers.
Holiday Swag
This is also the last chance to sign up for the December craft project. It is a 36” door swag of natural evergreens. We will embellish the swag with our own touch.
The cost is $30.00 Susan Boyajian will be taking your reservation and check for the project.
Hosta’s for the lake park garden
We will be creating a shade hosta garden at the Des Plaines lake park garden ( Our Club members will be donating Hosta’s in the spring)
Des Plaines Lions Club will be celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2024.
They are collecting plastic bags ,the plastic bag from the newspaper, the packing from large packages of paper towels etc. to purchase a recycled Plastic Bench to be installed in Lions Woods in honor of the anniversary. The last time we sent out this request, we had a huge pile of full bags. I would like you to collect the plastic and bring it to the January meeting.
April newsletTER
Our April general meeting was held Thursday April 10th. We will gather about 10;30 – 10;45 so we are ready for the call to order at 11 AM. You will need to bring your own sandwich or snack. Dessert will be provided. We will be doing our raffle before the business meeting begins. Please bring two or three new or gently used items for the raffle table. We will be installing our 1st Vice President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer for a two year term.
Last Chance to Sign up for cookie decorating. After our May meeting, Denise’s niece will be on hand to show you how to professionally decorate cookies. The cost is $12.00
You will receive three cookies and all the supplies you need for the finished product.
Checklist for things you need to bring to the meeting on Thursday,
Cash or check in the amount of $50.00 payable to Des Plaines Garden Club to hold your spot for the Birthday trip in June .
Raffle table items, sandwich or a snack, your own cup or mug for coffee.
Check made payable to Mount Prospect Garden Club in the amount of $35.00 if you are interested in attending their luncheon and fund raiser.
$12.00 cash if you wish to do the cookie project after the program at the May general meeting.
Empty containers to share with other members to dig plants for the plant sale.
The Mount Prospect Garden has invited us to the Annual luncheon to celebrate their 60th anniversary. The luncheon is on May 9th at Rob Roy Country Club. We need to send in our reservations as a group to secure a table. The cost is $35.00 , Your luncheon choice is either Herb Chicken or Vegetarian Lasagna. CHECKS SHOULD BE MADE OUT GARDEN CLUB OF MOUNT PROSPECT AMOUNT $35.00 If you are interested in attending your need to bring your check the meeting.
Kind Regards, Mary Peglow
President Des Plaines Garden Club
MAY EVENTS
May 9th Mt. Prospect Garden Club Luncheon
May 11 Des Plaines Garden Club General meeting. The theme of the day will be “ Time for Questions, last minute details, supply handout, everything you need to make our Plant Sale a huge success. After the meeting , there will be a class on cookie decorating.
May 17th Cooperative program with the Des Plaines Public Library.
MAY 20TH OUR ANNUAL FARMERS MARKET STYLE PLANT SALE AND GARDEN ACCESSORY SALE. ALL HANDS ON DECK. WE NEED EVERYONE’S HELP TO MAKE OUR EVENT A SUCCESS. Start thinking about what you have coming up in your garden, that you can separate and bring to the sale. Also do you have too many shovels, spades, lawn bric-a-brac etc. Start making a pile to donate to the sale. Are your neighbors moving to smaller quarters ? Ask them if they have garden supplies in the garage they would like to donate.
May 24th 3:30 PM Blue Star Memorial Dedication in Rolling Meadows. The dedication ceremonies are always very nice events. Please mark your calendar and try to support our friends at the Rolling Meadows club.
May 29th Memorial Day Wreath laying at Lake Park.
JUNE EVENTS
Susan will also be accepting reservations for our June 8th Birthday Trip. The cost is $50.00. There is room for 50. You need to bring cash or your check to the meeting on Thursday to hold your spot. The first stop will be the B’ahai temple and gardens, then a family-style dinner at Maggiano’s, with a final stop at a nearby garden center to find that missing plant for your garden.
JULY EVENTS
July 2nd Des Plaines Fireworks at Oakton College.
THE FOURTH OF JULY !!!!! We have been asked to be the GRAND MARSHALL FOR THE PARADE. Mark your calendar now to participate this year. We again will be handing our seed packets along the parade route.
July 13th Des Plaines Garden Club Garden Walk. Stay tuned for further details.
Have a good day.
DESIGNING & GROWING CONTAINER GARDENS
The Program at our April meeting was presented by our own Harold Effinger. Harold showed us how to create a patio planter. He will be doing a few varieties including a herb container. How nice to walk outside and clip fresh herbs for your dinner.
THE FINISHED PLANTERS
March 2023 newsletter
Good Morning,
A nice warm day, spring cannot be far behind. Quick reminder: Daylight savings time starts this Sunday at 2 AM. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour.
March 2023 General Meeting 11 AM Frisbie Center
Our meeting begins at 11AM, but feel free to arrive anytime after 10:30 to bring your raffle items, check out the raffle table, buy raffle tickets, catch up with your fellow garden club members and then we will be ready to begin promptly at 11AM. Please bring your own sandwich or snack. Dessert and Coffee will be provided.
During our business meeting we will hold elections for the following three positions on the executive board. The elected officers will be installed during our April meeting.
1st Vice President ~ Susan Boyajain would like to serve for another term.
Treasurer ~ Ray Holich would like to serve for another term.
Recording Secretary ~ After many years of faithful service, Jay has stepped down from the role of Recording Secretary. She will become the Corresponding Secretary. As of today we do not have a candidate for this position. With a membership of 100 and 60 attending our meetings on a regular basis, there has to be someone who will join the board an fulfill this position. We need a volunteer.
The Recording Secretary takes note at the General meeting ( the 2nd Thursday of September thru May ) and at the board meetings ( the last Thursday of August thru June with the exception of December. ) An agenda is provided to make the process easier. The final notes need to be provided within three weeks of the meeting. You have plenty of time to get the final version ready. Jay will be happy to work with you to get you started.
MEMBERSHIP DUES
This is the last call for 2023 membership dues. Please bring your check or cash to the meeting on Thursday. If you will not be there on Thursday, and you have not paid your 2023 dues,
The Rolling Meadows Garden Club will be dedicating their new Blue Star Memorial Marker. Please mark the date down and try to attend in support of this very worthwhile program.
CHECK WITH THE GRANDCHILDREN
Harold is looking for some new or very gently used children’s rain boots. He made some planter with them last year for our plant sale and they were sold before he could get them out on the table. If you have a pair to donate, please bring them to the March or April meeting.
LOOKING FORWARD
April General Meeting
Our own Harold Effinger will present a program on Container gardens. He will be showcasing 4 different types of containers. A few will be made before the meeting, but one will be assembled at the meeting so you can learn the essentials for success.
May General Meeting
Liz Bowman will give the horticulture talk on pollinators in your garden. We will recognize all the volunteers for this year, and Louise will be covering any last minute details for our plant sale on May 20th.
WEDNESDAY MAY 17TH LIBRARY PROGRAM
Every Spring we are delighted to co-sponsor a horticulture program with our local library. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. The residents who attend always have questions about our garden club.
*Saturday May 20th OUR ANNUAL FARMERS MARKET AND GARDEN ACCESSORY PLANT SALE*
The event is 8:30 till noon. There are jobs to done before 8:30 Louise will have a sign up sheet at the meeting on Thursday. We need as many of you as can spare a few hours to help out the day of the event. Our customers appreciate a cart when their arms are overflowing with plants, they sometimes need assistance to their car, the cashiers need help boxing up the plants at the check out area. Or Just be walking around greeting our customers and guiding them to the spot where they will find their treasure !
4th of July Parade and local weekend activities 😊 Discussion at the general meeting.
Do you have an idea for a program you would like us to have next fall or spring ? Please contact Susan Boyajian with your ideas.
Yearbook
Is the information in our current yearbook correct ? Have you canceled your land line ? Please inform Mary Peglow of any changes so when we print the 2023-2024 book in the summer we have everything correct. Are you a recent member ? Have you had your photo taken by Anita ? If not, please do so at the meeting on Thursday.
Have a great week ! Enjoy this wonderful warm day. As always, if you have questions please feel free to reach out. Please ignore any grammar errors you might find, my fingers move faster than the brain. 😊 See you on Thursday !!
Kind Regards, Mary Peglow
President Des Plaines Garden Club
Our Program for March will be starting veggies from seed.
Karen will be giving you tips for successful young plants. Once the young plants start growing, you will need to transfer them to an individual pot so they are perfect for our May Plant Sale The idea was the potting container has 12 cells. Keep 2 or 3 plants for your yard and bring the rest for the plant sale. Our customers are always looking for veggies. There are a few spare kits that were not spoken for last month. The cost is $5.00 First come first serve.
Thank you from the Des Plaines Lions Club
The Des Plaines Lions Club was overwhelmed with your generosity for their medical supply drive to be sent to the Ukraine. Thank you to everyone who donated. Through the combined efforts of Lions clubs in Illinois and the Midwest and entire 40’ container will be shipped very shortly.
DIST IX GENERAL MEETING Tuesday MARCH 14TH
For those of you who signed up to attend the DIST IX general meeting, please let me knowif you want to car pool so we can account for everyone and no one is left driving by themselves. We will leave from Frisbie at 8:30 AM.
GCI Annual Convention Monday April 17th
Has anyone signed up for the GCI Convention ? Registration is done on your own. The form can be found on the GCI website. It is not too late to register. Please let me know if you will be attending.
Registration is open for Mc Henry County College Garden Fest Saturday April 15th.
Further details can be found on their website. www.mchenry.edu
Looking Forward
Time to sign up to help in our Community Gardens. If you don’t know, we maintain 4 community gardens. Some need more assistance than others.
Self Help Food Pantry
This garden is two 5 foot long planter boxes which are planted and maintained by Joanie Kaiser Cline. She could use one volunteer to assist in the planting and maintenance. The dead heading and watering is assisted by volunteers at the self-help pantry.
Frisbie Garden
This Garden needs a new coordinator. The area is right in front of the flag pole outside of Frisbie. This area is rather small. Two or three volunteers can handle to the job. We already have a few volunteers, WE NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE CHARGE.
Butterfly Garden.
We will be partnering with the Des Plaines Park District to continue the Butterfly Garden and Way Station at Prairie Lakes. Irma will be the coordinator for this effort. The garden is already established, we will be sprucing up the plantings, dead heading, and planning an event for kids in the summer when the milkweed is going strong.
Lake Park !!!!!!
We need at least 15 volunteers who have an hour or so once a week. The Des Plaines Park District has asked us to partner with them to make the large garden on the corner of Lee and Touhy to be the showpiece of the Lake Park. This will be 4-5 year project to replan and replant the area. This years focus is on the front section where it is visible from Touhy avenue. As soon as the tulips are done blooming, we will be planting various annuals for a real showcase effect. This area, along with our existing garden which is right behind this area will need to be weeded, dead headed etc. The Park District will take care of the watering. Marylyn Wouda is the coordinator for Lake Park. Once we have the list of volunteers , she will assemble teams of 4-5 people. This will only be an hour or so a week. The signup sheet will be out at our March Meeting. We will also be moving our Blue Star Memorial Marker to this section of the garden, so it has more visibility from Touhy avenue. A late summer, early fall rededication will be planned.ww.mchenry.edu
FEBRUARY 2023 NEWSLETTER
I know our friendly ground hog saw his shadow, but I think we are going to have a great spring ! We have a full schedule of meetings and special events.
February General Meeting This Thursday February 9th.
Plan to arrive anytime after 10:30 so we can get started right on time at 11. In addition to your sandwich or salad, please bring your own tea/ coffee cup from home. Our February Hostesses and Hosts will provide a little dessert for your enjoyment. Our Program will be a Tea and Chocolate tasting presented by tea Lula in Park Ridge. Sheila will have a short slide presentation to enhance our knowledge on Tea followed by the tasting. You signed up for this event at our last meeting.
Remember to bring your gently used or new items for our raffle table. If you have extra seed catalogs, etc. they go on the giveaway table at
Registration.
We will also be signing up for our March Project meeting. The cost is $5.00. At our March meeting you will be given a starter tray with a cover , the planting medium and veggie seeds. Karen will be sharing great tips on success with starting your own plants.
The containers have 12 cells. The idea is to plant all 12 cells. Transfer to a larger pots as needed and have them ready for our Plant Sale in May. Our Customers are always looking for veggies.
Save the Dates:
May 20th Our Annual Plant and Garden Accessory Sale.
June 8th Birthday Trip details to follow
Community Gardens
Did you know we have 4 community gardens?
These projects have always been a main project for our garden club.
We have a beautiful garden at the Des Plaines Lake Park This garden contains perennials, a few bushes, a magnolia, a bird bath, a bird house and our Blue Star Memorial Marker.
EXCITING NEWS !!!! At our last meeting, I briefly told you we were asked to partner with the park district at this end of the park. They are giving us free rein to redesign the big garden on the corner. We will be moving our Blue Star Maker to a more prominent location within this space. This will be a multiyear project. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. There will be a sign up sheet at the meeting on Thursday. We need 15-20 volunteers for this project. You will be working in small groups on a day of your choice to dead head, weed, etc. The Park District will take care of the watering.
If we have the right number of volunteers, it will only be 1-2 hours a week or bi-weekly if that fits your schedule.
We have planted raised garden boxes at the Des Plaines Self help pantry. Joanie Kaiser-Cline is the chairman for this garden
NEW BUTTERFLY GARDEN
We will be moving our butterfly garden to Prairie Lakes sometime this spring. The group that nurtured this project in the past will now focus their effort at Prairie Lakes.
We have a small garden in from of the Frisbie Center. THIS GARDEN NEEDS A NEW CHAIMAN. Louise has taken care of this garden in the past and will be happy to help you get started. Who would like to volunteer ??
Telephone Tree Ann Ostenson has sent out these messages for many years. She is asking someone to step over and take this position. You will be given the details for the emails from Annette. Ann will help you get started. Is there a volunteer who has fairly good computer skills to get this valued information to our members in a timely basis. ??
We have lots of opportunities for you to volunteer and get active in our club. We have 113 members so these positions should not be hard to fill.
District IX General Meeting
District IX General Meeting
The District IX General Meeting is Tuesday March 14th. The invite and registration form is attached to this email. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow gardeners in District nine, learn about upcoming events in the District and spend a great day with some of your fellow Des Plaines Garden Club friends. If you plan to attend, please bring your Check and the registration form to the meeting on Thursday. We will register as a group, so we can sit together for lunch an the afternoon program. If you need the registration form, we will have a few at the meeting.
G.C.I. Annual Convention
· The 2023 G.C.I. convention will be held at the Chicago Marriott Naperville on April 16th and 17th. Our club usually attends for the Monday events.
· The registration form can be found on the GCI website. Please register on your own, but list Des Plaines Garden Club as your club name. The event will start with a breakfast buffet, the morning speaker is Pam Karlson who will speak on creating an oasis for birds. Followed by a plated lunch. The afternoon floral presentation will be done by Eileen Weber. We will have a small supply of registration forms at the meeting on Thursday.
PLANT SALE
It is never too early to start thinking about our plant sale in May. When the spring thaw occurs and you are out in your garden separating and thinning some of your garden beds, think about planting them in small containers and nurture them until our plant sale.
Enjoy this lovely sunny day, Kind Regards, Mary Peglow
President Des Plaines Garden Club
January 2023 newsletter
Good Morning,
What a nice day, I love the sunshine this morning 😊 Even though it is rather chilly, it just makes you feel good !!
I hope all of you are doing well and ready for 2023 ! Our Garden Club has a full calendar for the next several months.
First of all a few updates, since we printed our yearbook.
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Website updates
District IX districtix-gci.org
Garden Clubs of Illinois GCI gardenclubsofillinois.org
Garden Glories magazine.
Everyone should have received an email with the link to the winter edition of Garden Glories. As of now the magazine will become a digital copy rather than a copy mailed to you. For those few members who don’t have email, our membership committee printed a copy and mailed it to them.
Narcissus Bulbs
For those of you who participated in our December project, you should have beautiful blooms now. If you have not already posted a photo to our website please do, so we can all enjoy the floral. Website desplainesilgardenclub.com
Community Gardens
Spring will be here in the blink of an eye. We need volunteers for our community gardens. Sign up sheets will be at the February meeting. Please consider joining one of the teams. Your commitment is usually just an hour or so a day a week or maybe every other week if we get enough volunteers. We will be meeting with the park district board to talk about new ventures in our community parks.
Blue Star Memorial Park at the Lake Park ~ Coordinator Marylyn Wouda
Self help Pantry planters ~ Coordinator Joan Kaiser Cline
Frisbie Center Garden ~ Coordinator Eve Carroll
We will be relocating our butterfly garden this spring. This project will need a coordinator.
January Meeting Details
I love the holiday season, but it is always good to get back to normal in January. We will have our usual raffle table. The tickets are $1 or 6 for $5. Please bring any new or GENTLY used items you wish to donate to the raffle table. We all have that one thing someone gave us for Christmas that we don’t need, it just might be someone’s treasure.
We are accepting payment of your 2023 dues. There is no change . $20 for each member. Couples ( two individuals who live at the same address) are still $25.
Please bring your check or cash to the meeting on Thursday. If there are no changes to your contact information, you do not need to fill out a new form. Please check our current yearbook and make sure everything is up to date.
We are back to our usual schedule this month. Gather 10:30 – 11. Fellowship time 11 AM Coffee/ tea and cake will be served by January Hostess Committee. Please bring your own sandwich, water if you desire, etc. Raffle will begin at 11:15. We will call the business meeting to order as soon as the raffle is completed or at noon. The program , will follow the business meeting. The program for this month is the movie “ The Queens Garden “ . A movie = popcorn. Of course we will have a small bag for you to munch on. If you are a committee chair and you wish to speak during the business meeting, please make sure you sign on the check off sheet with Louise.
I hope all of you enjoy a pleasant week. I hope to see you at our General meeting on Thursday! If you have an questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me
Kind Regards, Mary Peglow
President Des Plaines Garden Club
Welcome to our new members
· Ruth DelRe
· Irene Kolinski
· Sarah Parsons
· Kate Pepevnik
· Cathy Ricciardi
· Sandra Varjavandi
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Our Des Plaines Garden Club’s Garden Therapy Group
Garden Therapy Group Fall season at
· Oakton Arms in Des Plaines, IL on September 30th, 2024.
· Oakton Pavillion in Des Plaines IL on October 8th, 2024.
· Lee Manor in Des Plaines, IL on October 22nd, 2024
All the residents enjoyed their crafting FALL projects to decorate their rooms. It was a great success!
Another Awesome Job Team!
Thanks!