Once every 10 years, the Bull Valley club organizes an elaborate garden walk for the public. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, the “Bull Valley’s Garden Treasures” garden walk will feature six country gardens, each labeled with information. Guides will be on hand to answer questions and offer gardening tips. Proceeds from admission tickets go toward civic projects, including the club’s youth work at the Woodstock Public Library and native-plant restoration projects.
Fundraising, public speaking, visiting hospices and collaborating with other nonprofit groups and agencies such as The Land Conservancy of McHenry County are some activities that keep local garden clubs busy in every season.
Schools, food pantries, nursing homes, municipalities and students interested in horticulture can count on local garden clubs for a potpourri of resources.
“People who like gardening and plants tend to have good feelings about nature and are concerned about things [that affect its health],” said Lisa Haderlein, executive director of The Land Conservancy of McHenry County. “They’re not about just taking care of their own gardens. They want to expand their knowledge and be aware of what’s going on.”
The Land Conservancy’s Oak Conservation program works to protect, preserve and regenerate the region’s native oak woods. Without public efforts, the oak woods are in danger of disappearing from the local landscape within 20 years, according to the Land Conservancy.
Several garden clubs have been reliable and active supporters of the nonprofit’s cause.
“It’s such a nice relationship to have,” Haderlein said. “As a nonprofit, we depend on individuals who choose to support our mission.”
The Algonquin Garden Club, which maintains five public gardens in the village, has been around since 1929. And over the years, it has given more than $55,000 to students pursuing careers in horticulture, agriculture, environmental science and related fields.
In 2003, the club initiated a partnership with Neubert Elementary School in Algonquin to create “Diggin Daisies,” an after-school program for about 25 boys and girls in grades three through five. The students maintain their own garden on school grounds.
“We educate them in gardening, hoping to cultivate them to carry it on into their adult lives,” said Carol Weinhammer, club vice president.
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