Garden walk shows off nine private landscapes
One look at Bob Wendorff's garden leaves little doubt that he loves being outdoors. And one look at his Villa Park yard begs for a second look - and a third - to take in the lush details Wendorff has added.
Wendorff has worked on his garden for 51 of his 77 years. For him, it's all about being outside.
"It just puts you out with nature," he said. "It gets you up early and out into the yard."
Wendorff's garden, which has been featured in Small Gardens magazine, includes large varieties of hostas, coral bells, unusual trees and sculptures. It's one of nine home gardens enthusiasts can see from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 23, on the Villa Park Garden Walk.
The 81-year-old Garden Club of Villa Park has presented the garden walk for about 35 years. This year, the walk features three gardens in Villa Park, four in Lombard, one in Oak Brook and one in Bloomingdale.
Joe Lecroy started his garden in Lombard in 2004 with a small pond with fish and frogs. Over the years he's expanded the garden to include plants to attract insects, for example, adding milkweed to feed monarch caterpillars.
"It's my vegetable garden for insects," he said.
He wants to help the monarchs because their population has declined in recent years with loss of habitat. He also enjoys just watching nature in his yard.
"We love watching our critters," he said. "When you plant it, they will come."
His garden has a hatchery for monarch butterflies. He uses only organic fertilizers and no chemical pesticides.
Like Lecroy, gardeners don't have to be members of the club to be featured in the garden walk, event Co-Chairwoman Tiffany Tarsitano said.
"We just want to seek out local gardens that have been designed and created by the gardener," she said.
Another such garden is Mei Thrun's garden in Bloomingdale. The garden has been 30 years in the making and features fruit trees and a koi pond. Though it's not close to the other gardens, it's a must-see, Tarsitano said.
"It's worth the drive," she said. "It's a spectacular garden."
Retired firefighter Larry Bellamy's garden in Oak Brook has evolved over more than 20 years. It contains elements from Japanese, French and Italian gardens. Like Wendorff's, Bellamy's garden was featured in Small Garden magazine.
"People love his garden," Tarsitano said.
Another stop on this year's walk is Karla Marino's garden in Lombard. She's a landscape designer who created her own garden with a large variety of native plants, perennials and plants to attract humming birds.
Tickets, $5, can be purchased online at www.homegardening.org or in person at Pioneer Garden and Feed, 118 S. Villa Ave., Villa Park. Garden walk addresses will be provided when tickets are purchased.
The garden club meets monthly at the Villa Park Community Recreation Building and has monthly garden contests, plant sales and gardening lectures.
If you go
What: Villa Park Garden Walk
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 23
Where: Nine private gardens in Villa Park, Lombard, Oak Brook and Bloomingdale
Tickets: $5, available online or at Pioneer Garden and Feed, 118 S. Villa Ave., Villa Park
Info: www.homegardening.org