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Arlington Hts. garden walk only one part of their story

If flower arranging and teas come to mind at the mention of “garden club,” you haven't connected with the one in Arlington Heights. Composting and environmental education could rank as high on a member's list as which flowers to plant where.

Yes, the Arlington Heights Garden Club sponsors a garden walk Sunday, July 24, but this is not your grandmother's group.

Diane Bolash, a Master Gardener who is chairman of the garden club's conservation committee, argued to the village board in February that their composting rules would outlaw the most popular form of turning waste into soil. Trustees listened, and changed the rules.

“I come from a long list of composting addicts,” said Bolash, who plans a public presentation on composting Oct. 17 at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library.

Bolash is also one of the club members who works on the “Growing Green” series, free public seminars that are a joint project with the library and local Master Gardeners of the University of Illinois Extension Services. The next session, Preserving the Harvest, on Aug. 25, will deal with canning, freezing, drying and pickling seasonal crops.

“The gardeners' expertise has been invaluable,” said Linda Mulford, marketing specialist for the library, who writes a “green” blog on the institution's website. “They recommend helpful resources that are available at the library, provide free one-on-one consultations on gardening issues, and encourage and support participants' efforts to learn more about green gardening.”

The library also hosts a book club on green issues with the help of Master Gardeners and will start a film discussion group.

Yeanne Markham, who has moved to Niles but is serving her third term as president of the Arlington Heights club, works with The Garden Clubs of Illinois to help members interested in youth projects such as planting community gardens with Scout troops. She is also the former chair of the Arlington Heights club's conservation committee.

The Arlington Heights club has planted trees at local schools, helped with Earth Day projects and handed out trees to youngsters.

“We're more interested in the ecology and conservation and helping the community with things like composting and recycling,” said Markham.

To this end, the garden club donates funds to conservation groups, like one fighting buckthorn and other invasive species and another helping birds of prey.

Members also work on the gardens at the Arlington Heights Historical Society.

“We're not arrangers, we're diggers and more down to earth than some garden clubs,” said Markham. “But most garden clubs these days are interested in saving water and using fewer chemicals. You will find that garden people are usually nice people.”

  The garden of Kate and Mark Meyers is one of seven open for the garden walk on Sunday. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Kate Meyers coordinated her flowers using a color wheel. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Kate and Mark Meyers’ garden. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Lilies are among the delights in Kate Meyers’ garden. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Kate and Mark Meyers’ garden blooms throughout the season. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  A multilevel pond is in Kate and Mark Meyers’ garden. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Yes, Kate Meyers has a water feature outside her front door. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Kate Meyers shows some of the delights in her Arlington Heights garden that will be on tour Sunday, July 24. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Water features are among the treats in the garden of Kate and Mark Meyers. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Kate Meyers’ garden is very well planned and executed. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Water features and color are the draw at Kate Meyers’ Arlington Heights garden. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com
  Kate Meyers’ garden is among seven that will be open Sunday, July 24, for a tour sponsored by the Arlington Heights Garden Club. Samantha Bowden/sbowden@dailyherald.com

Garden Walk

Seven Arlington Heights gardens are open for touring, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, July 24.

Start: Arlington Heights Historical Museum, 110 W. Fremont St.

Tickets: $10 if bought 1:30-4:30 p.m., today, July 23, at the museum gallery. $15 Sunday at the door. Admission to Unique Boutique on the museum grounds is free.

Want to know more? Arlington Heights Garden Club, (847) 514-0414 or <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/arlingtonheightsgardenclub/garden-walk-unique-boutique">http://sites.google.com/site/arlingtonheightsgardenclub/ </a>