The Pumpkin Birdbath Class

We know we caught your interest when we scheduled this class because the phone and email inquires never stopped. A pumpkin…a birdbath…100 pounds of cement…yeah, we were kind of wondering how it would all turn out ourselves. Nine intrepid ladies and two hours later resulted in a dozen pumpkin birdbaths—each one embellished with details from nature. Some had artfully arranged ferns and mosses, others had frogs, leaves, or birds impressed into the cement or perched on the edges. We wish we had photographed all, but here is the one the gals made for me in memory of my husband, who loved the birds. I cherish it.

I set it in my own natural garden with New Jersey Tea, Cleft Phlox and, of course, a pumpkin.

The No Sweat Garden: From the Drawing Board to the Border

Have you ever wanted to take your vision of “the perfect garden” and make it come to life – just like on HGTV? That is exactly what Patti Staley and Monarch Nurseries did on Saturday in the class The No Sweat Garden. Many of the older perennial gardens on the premises of The Natural Garden were in need of updating and designer Patti Staley agreed to lend us her talents. The hard working crew of Monarch Nurseries made it all happen – in less than 2 hours – and the class got to watch them do it.

Patti provided each participant a color rendering of her landscape plan, explaining the design process and her thoughts as she developed the plan. Students watched as the crew disassembled the old garden, laid a flagstone path, planted a tree and finally added perennials. At the end of the class participants were able to go home with coreopsis, daylily, phlox, baptisia, peony and Joe Pye weed that were removed from the garden.

We look forward to seeing additional garden makeovers at The Natural Garden. Thank you Patti Staley and Monarch Nurseries!

Field Report from Horlock Hill

Jack Shouba – botanist, educator and photographer – led a captivated group of Natural Garden students through Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve in a class titled “Intro to the Prairie” on Tuesday, July 7th. The Horlock Hill Prairie is named after the late Bob Horlock. It is especially significant for The Natural Garden as Bob was instrumental in developing both the prairie and the seed beds at The Natural Garden. Owner Jan Sorensen remembers walking the prairie with Bob years ago when her interest in native plants was developing.

Jack Shouba continues Bob’s legacy by conducting classes at The Natural Garden on ecology, botanical Latin and photography. Prairie novices and experts alike benefited from Jack’s vast knowledge of the history and culture of the prairie.

We look forward to many more classes and field trips with Jack in 2010.

Jack Shouba teaches classes at The Morton Arboretum and serves as Open Space Development Coordinator for Campton Township's Open Space Program.

Horlock Hill
from Chicago Wilderness magazine

The south side of the preserve boasts Horlock Hill Prairie, a two-acre, high-quality xeric (dry) gravel hill prairie and dedicated Illinois Nature Preserve. The Great Western Trail, that extends 17 miles from St. Charles to Sycamore, is adjacent to Horlock Hill Prairie. Restoration work began 30 years ago, led by St. Charles High School science teacher Bob Horlock with the help of his students. Used by the Natural Areas Survey as a template for evaluating dry prairies statewide, Horlock Hill Prairie is indeed a treasure worth exploring. "Horlock Hill is one in a handful of sites that contain 10 state endangered and threatened plants," said Drew Ullberg, Forest Preserve District of Kane County habitat restoration manager.