On my refrigerator there is a magnet that has a picture of a woman that resembles June Cleaver. The woman is surrounded by beautiful red roses, and she is smiling broadly. The caption reads “My Garden Kicks A**.” Four words are used to sum up the situation perfectly.
I first saw this magnet at my mother-in-law’s house and thought it was absolutely hilarious. When I saw it at a store last fall, I just had to have it. I did struggle though (albeit for only about 30 seconds) before making the purchase. Is it okay to have a magnet on our refrigerator that contains a profanity? When I encourage our children to get their own milk out of the refrigerator, should they see Mrs. Cleaver smiling broadly and using a word that would cause them to get in trouble?
In this world filled with endless opportunities for us to fall short, or perhaps fail, sometimes we need something to feel proud of. My garden is something that I feel proud of. Am I proud of the soccer balls our dog leaves all over? No.
Am I proud of the weeds that will inevitably be taller than the flowers at times this summer? No.
Is my garden perfect? No, not by a very, very long shot. But sometimes, just sometimes, I take a few minutes and walk around and think: Wow! Yes!
It is my hope that this year you can feel proud of something in your yard. That you can say “wow.” And that you might even, putting modesty aside for a moment, think “My Garden Kicks A**!
There are several wonderful opportunities this summer for you to see gardens that truly do live up to that very bold statement. Garden walks hosted by non-profit organizations provide much-needed funding and allow the attendees to be the invited guests to what can only be described as the breath-taking beautiful sights and sounds of summer.
The Sunflower Garden Club of Sun City is hosting a Garden Walk on Saturday, June 22. The house walk will feature 13 gardens that are available for viewing from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning at 10 outside Prairie Lodge on the 22. They are only $5. The rain date for the event is June 29.
The owners of these gardens have spent hundreds of hours preparing for this event. Their sore muscles and dirty fingernails are a testament to their love of gardening. I hope that you are able to enjoy this very special Garden Walk.
On Saturday, July 13, the McHenry County Master Gardeners are hosting a Garden Walk at their demonstration garden at McHenry County College. The event is from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. You can tour the garden at your own pace. Master gardeners will be available to answer questions and will also have plants for sale from their own gardens. You can purchase the tickets in advance for $12 by calling 815-455-8588. Tickets will also be available the day of the event for $17.
Prefer to view a few plants while remaining indoors? Rockford is home to the third largest conservatory in Illinois. The Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens is located along the banks of the beautiful Rock River. It offers an 11,000-square-foot plant exhibition that includes water features and sculptures in a tropical setting. The Conservatory also connects to the beautiful Sinnissippi Rose Garden. It is located at 1354 N. 2nd Street in Rockford. The phone number is 815-987-8858.
• Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by phone at 815-923-7322 by email at tgsinc12@msn.com or by mail at 17015 Harmony Road, Marengo, IL 60152. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She will address it in an upcoming column.
