9:30 a.m. Coffee

10:00 a.m. Meeting

Onwentsia Club

Chicago Council

of 6 GCA Clubs

Centennial Lecture, 

hosted by 

Lake Forest Garden Club

Author: Andrea Wulf, 

Founding Gardeners

Wednesday, 

December 5

October 5 and 6

Landscape Design Study Program

South Barrington, IL  (Registration deadline is October 10)

Please see brochure for more information and to register or call 

(847) 381-7515.

It was wonderful to see so many of you at the September meeting hosted by Ann Carton. Ann's love of horticulture, her dedication to conservation and her special interest in the Three Sisters method of gardening are inspiring. Betsy Hough and new member, Charlotte Ahern, collaborated on two beautiful arrangements created from their own gardens and Ann served us zucchini and squash breads from her organic garden then sent us home with cucumbers and tomatoes. Susan Chandler arranged a wonderful program on Conservation at Home that you'll read more about in this issue. The banner photo, taken by Stephanie Fisher, is of Ann's sublime pond. 

I am delighted to report that Craig Bergmann has become a Distinguished Member of the Lake Forest Garden Club. At the September 9th Board meeting, the members had the privilege to read letters from Louellen Murray, who proposed him and Marion Cartwright, who seconded. I had the honor of inviting Craig to become a Distinguished Member and the pleasure of hearing his enthusiastic, yes. I would like to close with a short exerpt from Louellen's letter. We are very lucky to have Craig in our community and in our midst.

A. Watson Armour Gate House

Since moving to Lake Forest in 2011, Craig seems to have come home. He embraced the city and its historic mantle with characteristic energy and commitment. His frequent contributions to the civic realm are invaluable as is his cheerful assistance to our garden club. Be it the unique raffle item or the brilliant consultation on the Show of Summer, his generosity typically exceeds our expectations.

Craig Bergmann is an exceptionally gifted, perhaps genius, landscape designer and businessman. It is also because of who he is as a person that I propose him for Distinguished Membership in the LFGC. In all my dealings with Craig, I have never seen him treat his associates as "clients" or "employees"; we are Family. For all the perennial acts of kindness, token gifts and hours of sympathetic conversation he has bestowed on me and so many others, I am thankful for the opportunity that this special honor may be bestowed upon him.

Louellen Murray

The first fall meeting of the Lake Forest Garden Club was a spectacular way to celebrate the harvest season. Hostess, Ann Carton opened her beautiful home and extensive gardens to our membership. It was the perfect setting to learn about "Conservation at Home". Recently certified by Conserve Lake County, the Carton home is distinguished as a property that "supports clean water, rich soil and resilient ecosystems" attested to by a handsome marker at the front gate.

Photo L to R: Betsy Hough, Marion Cartwright, Ann Carton, Anne Frost, Denise Scherck,

A warm welcome from president, Maggie Coleman and committee reports were followed by Conserve Lake County's Steve Barg and Sarah Surroz presenting the "Conservation @Home" program they developed to help homeowners maintain eco-friendly lawns and gardens. For those of you who missed the program, visit Conserve Lake County. The website and newsletter are as beautiful as they are informative.

 Submitted by Mary Hoffman

In May, Elizabeth Jenkins arranged a wonderful program featuring Jeanne Nolan, The Organic Gardener and in July we toured the vegetable patches of some of the LFGC farmers she mentors including Prue Beidler, Melody Fatheazam and Stephanie Fisher. Last week, Ann Carton showed us another form of organic gardening.

Ann has a special interest in raising vegetables in an adaptation of the Iroquois practice of growing corn, beans and squash together or "three sisters" gardening.

In Ann's words:

I became interested in "the three sisters" after seeing them growing in the two year old "Battery Urban Garden" at Battery Park, NY where my granddaughter Camilla Hammer is Farm Manager. The National American Indian Museum (part of Smithsonian) across the street from Battery Park had requested a living display be planted in the new garden.

There are various explanations of the three sisters legend and an abundance of information can be found online. Horticulturally, the plants are inter-dependant, "sustainable" even synergistic which should be of interest to us moderns. Corn supports climbing beans and also needs the nitrogen provided by beans to the soil. Squash is a cooling and somewhat impenetrable (to marauding critters) ground cover. My squash seeds were planted in toilet paper rolls to help repel borers as suggested by organic gardener, Jeannie Nolan. Two more pest deterrents: a high 12 volt electric wire fence and a menacing blue jay swinging on a pole stuck in the garden protect the crops from predators.

The design of the garden, within a 19'x19' fence, was inspired by Buddhist paintings seen in the Rubin Museum of Asian Art in lower Manhattan. It has a characteristic circular mandala and four paths filled with granular (rotten) granite leading to the sacred center (the bird bath) from which the enlightened escape the cycle of reincarnation. It's convenient to have paths in a vegetable garden. Each quadrant within the mandala has a three sisters planting. The tomatoes and sunflowers are outside the mandala but inside the surrounding exterior fence. All this needed a name and I call it the "East West garden" which makes me think of Rudyard Kipling's poem which starts, "East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet".  

Well they do meet very cordially in my "East West garden".   

Ann Carton in her Three Sisters garden.

Photo Credits: Darby Clarke  (Vanessa's Clarke's daughter and Ellie Clarke's granddaughter)

Frost, Tica Marquardt, Mary Hoffman and her husband, Mark, Jean Lowe, her daughter Cassandra Vermillion, Joan Bent, Stevie Boggess, Margaret Marshall, Maggie Coleman, Vanessa Clarke and her daughter, Darby, and Kate Morris helped the Lake Bluffers pick up litter and sort it by category in order to monitor the health of the beach.

Submitted by Kate Morris

Plantsman, Cliff Miller

As most of you are aware, this season has been one of the worst on record for rainfall, resulting is a drought of epic proportions across our country with catastrophic damage to crops everywhere.   One question I am frequently asked is: How does this drought affect our own gardens? Following are some effects and how to minimize the damage.

THE HURT

• Prolonged drought damages plant roots
• Reduces or stops plant growth
• Reduces the plant's ability to defend itself against pests and diseases
• Increases phytotoxicity to chemical applications, including winter de-icers
• Reduces ability of plants to over-winter successfully
• Reduces the bud-set for next year's leaves
• Kills the plant

THE HELP

• Normally, we recommend fall fertilization of trees and shrubs; DO NOT FERTILIZE this year OR apply at ½ strength (unless of course you violated the watering ban and maintained a lush green garden this summer!)
• Make sure through adequate rainfall or supplemental watering that your plants go into winter well-hydrated.
• Mulch plants this fall, especially newer plantings, to protect remaining roots from additional winter damage. 2 to 3 inches is fine; however do not apply at the trunk or stems of plants. Use leaf mulch or lighter types for flower beds.
• Monitor rainfall next year providing an inch of moisture each week --- whether by rain or watering --- throughout the season. Mulching helps maintain soil moisture.
• Watch for insects, pests, diseases that might further weaken plants. Treat accordingly.
• Be aware that damage from this year's drought may not appear for another year or two --- especially larger trees and evergreens.
• TLC, TLC, TLC!!!
• Lastly, proper plant selection and siting goes a long way towards minimizing damage. Shaw Prarie has thousands of lush, green plants in full flower that haven't received a drop of additional water all year!!! 

On August 28th, the Lake Forest Civic Beautification Committee met at the Municipal Services Building to learn about plans for the three median plantings on the Route 60 corridor into Lake Forest. The Civic Beautification Committee includes representatives from Lake Forest and Lake Bluff garden clubs, among them Margo Ward and Katie Belcher. While the plans are still being finalized, there is an urgency to complete the landscaping project before the BMW Golf Classic at Conway Farms Golf Club in September 2013.                                                                                                                      

The previous prairie planting initiative was abandoned in July and new plans were drawn up by Mariani Landscape in August. The Mariani plan incorporates a variety of low-maintenance perennials and ornamental grasses in a sweeping layout. Some automatic irrigation and improvements to the curbing are also intended. The soil in the medians will be excavated to a depth of 16-18" and established plant material will be used in hopes of achieving a mature look quickly. An approximate cost for the project is $500,000.

1. Gathering of acorns and seeds with Marion Cartwright, date TBD. Contact Marion if you have not already signed up.
2. Plant Exchange on October 11th, after the regular meeting, at Louellen Murray's house, 1400 North Waukegan Road. Hardy perennials only; no houseplants.
3. Over-wintering Patio Container Plants Workshop, Saturday, October 13th, 1:00, at Louellen's house, 1400 North Waukegan Road. Bring your own containers and pruners.
4. Growing bulbs for the In-House Show. All materials will be delivered to your door before October 1.

Many people have already signed up for these last 3 activities and do not need to do so again. But if anyone missed the opportunity at the September meeting, please email Louellen.

Click here for an overview of the schedule that will be published for the upcoming Club Flower Show. Please read the Floral Design and Horticulture division descriptions and get ready to join the fun. We will be hosting two workshops, October 18th and November 15th in preparation. 

Hort                                     Hort                                

Louellen Murray                    Liz Lavezzorio

(847) 420-9827                     (847) 668-6589

Floral Design                        Floral Design

Betsy Hough                        Melody Fatheazam

(847) 234-6554                     (847) 735-0115         

PRE REGISTRATION DEADLINE: November 15, 2012

Submitted by Betsy Hough & Louellen Murray

Wish I had time for just one more bowl of chili.

~ dying words of Kit Carson

5 cups baby golden beets

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup chopped Marcona almonds

½ cup crumbled goat cheese

1½ cup fresh orange juice
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon orange zest
⅓ cup hazelnut oil
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Hazelnut vinaigrette

 

In a medium saucepan, bring orange juice to a boil. Lower to a simmer and reduce until only ⅓ cup remains. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, combine orange juice, shallot, thyme, vinegar and orange zest.

Slowly whisk in both oils until thick and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.

  

Beets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean off and wash beets. Toss the beets with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then place in oven for 20 to 25 minutes until beets are fork tender.   Let the beets cool to room temperature. Then clean off the skin and cut in half or quarters depending on the size of the beet and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Combine the beets, marcona almonds & vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Place the mixture in a serving bowl and top with the arugula & goat cheese.

Todd Stoner, Chef - Onwentsia Club

 

"I'll have the misspelled 'Ceasar' salad and the 

improperly hyphenated veal osso-cucco"