Welcome! ¡Bienvenidos! Willkommen.
No matter how you say it, the idea conveyed is the same: ‘Come in and enjoy your time with us.’ What a wonderful thought and feeling.
On Saturday, July 7, 15 members of the Sunflower Garden Club will welcome you to their gardens. The ‘Secret Summer Stroll’ Annual Garden Walk will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include 5 attached product homes and 10 single-family residences. The walk is free and open to residents of Sun City and their guests in addition to members of the public. Maps of the homes’ locations will be available by driving through the portico of the Prairie Lodge from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the day of the walk.
While there are many reasons to enjoy a stroll through beautiful gardens on July 7, a few of the participants in the walk have graciously agreed to give us a little sneak peek into what to expect when visiting their homes. Sharon’s yard was created entirely by herself with a bit of help with from her grandson. She has planted each and every shrub and tree. She is particularly fond of the iris, peony and honeysuckle because they were all of gifts from friends.
Donna’s garden features a flagstone path meandering through the flowerbeds as well as a water feature. She is hoping that the contrasting colors and textures of the plantings in her yard may help to inspire someone to try a bit of gardening on their own.
John and Toni’s yard is a glorious mass of annual flowers. The over 40 hanging baskets are specifically designed and planted to allow for color throughout the summer and into the fall. Sunpatiens and marigolds are featured prominently throughout the landscape. John has also worked hard to incorporate hardscape elements in addition to annual flowers at his home.
Linda has incorporated two unique flowers into her landscaping. They are Brugmansia and Passion flower. Linda’s yard also includes vertical features through 3 trellises with climbing roses and clematis. Two water features are also on display one in the front yard and one in the back yard.
The Sunflower Garden Club is one of the oldest and most active clubs in the Sun City community. It has 300 active members and was established approximately 17 years ago. They regularly meet at 9 a.m. on the third Thursday of the month in the Drendel Ballroom in the Prairie Lodge. Their next meeting is July 19 at 9 a.m. Betty Pump is the upcoming President and can be contacted for more information.
In addition to the 15 homes that will be featured on July 7, trains will be running at the Kishwaukee Valley and Eakin Creek Railroad Club and Garden. I hope you are able to spend the day outside, enjoying the garden walk.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at kathleen@thegrowingscene.com Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She will address it in an upcoming column.
