Lisle garden walk coming up
One of Lisle's most anticipated summer happenings will leave gardeners invigorated and inspired.
The Lisle Woman's Club Garden Gait 2008 will feature four stunning residential gardens along with a historic touch at The Museums of Lisle Station Park. It promises to be a smorgasbord of imaginative and creative gardening ideas.
New this year is a Garden Tea and Garden Faire from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the museum park at 921 School St. You can enjoy delicate sweets and prairie tea while listening to the soft sounds of the Prairie Winds Ensemble. Allow time to peruse the art and craft boutique and vendors selling green thumb supplies and accessories.
Lisle Heritage Society members will lead tours of the museum buildings and the historic kitchen garden.
You can take a self-guided tour of the residential gardens in any order, but don't miss any of the four. Each offers eye-catching plant materials, classy design concepts and stylish features. Allow a minimum of 30-minutes to view each garden.
John & Nancy Frere
A trio of grand oak trees defines the shade garden that surrounds the home of longtime Lisle residents John and Nancy Frere. With dappled sun filtering through their wooded lot, Nancy Frere selects her favorite plants in tones of blues, purples and subtle pinks to stand out in the shade.
Greeting guests at the front door, two tub planters contain "Purple Majesty" millet, alternanthera "Party Time," an ornamental sweet potato vine "Ace of Spades," and pink-toned impatiens.
A cultivar of coral bells called "Amber Waves" with ruffled amber-gold foliage and a diabolo ninebark draw interest in the front yard along with a serpentine flow of azaleas, rhododendrons and "Annabelle" and "Endless Summer" hydrangeas.
The inviting yard features metal art, hanging glass spheres and solid stone water features. A wood deck nudges up to trees to maximize its surface. The drooping branches of a weeping cherry tree near the deck lends contrast to three upright blue spruces at the back of the property.
Pads of colorful impatiens and a Sarah Bernhardt peony add eye appeal. Do not miss taking the steppingstone path to the far right to see the broad statement made by a grouping of ligularias, a new hardy 18-inch perennial with impressive broad, glossy dark purple-toned leaves. This cultivar is "Britt-Marie Crawford."
The Frere garden confirms there are many exciting shade-tolerant perennials beyond the popular hosta.
David & Carlene Smith
Fourteen years ago, when David and Carlene Smith built their home on three-quarters of an acre, they found different gardening needs in the hot, dry front yard and wet, shady rear yard.
By working the garden, David learned that if a plant isn't sited well, it should move to another location. Carlene learned that green is a color and the variations in plants can be quite interesting with or without flowers.
Today, a neat formal English garden with a mulched pathway encourages meandering through the area to a garden bench. A row of red barberry bushes subtly point to the front entrance. A dwarf fothergilla makes an interesting presentation.
In the rear are three raised vegetable gardens. One is devoted to perennial asparagus, rhubarb and strawberries. Raspberries, as well as beets, okra, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, onions, carrots, peppers, green beans, brussel sprouts and three kinds of potatoes grow in the larger garden. A small herb garden is closer to the kitchen.
Many of the Smiths' plants start from seeds planted in an adjacent greenhouse.
The farther part of the lot is a meadow and natural prairie, which accommodates drainage and attracts both wildlife and migrating birds.
At least 20 kinds of hosta are interspersed throughout the property along with Solomon's seal, Lenten roses, dragon's sedum and red sentinel astilbe.
The euphorbia "Snow on the Mountain" lines the side yard above a rock wall. It started with a few plants from Grandma. A dear friend gave the lilies of the valley, and another grandmother shared her yellow irises, which have become a Smith garden favorite.
Don & Jeanette Fencl
Longtime Lisle residents Don and Jeannette Fencl plant their garden with an artistic touch. As if an artist at a canvas, Jeannette Fencl considers textures, shape, color and eventual height when planning the garden.
At the front door, a collection of birdhouses, colorful potted plants and a grapevine trellis greet guests. Notice other natural trellises supporting attention-grabbing purple clematis and a fast-growing morning glory.
Along the front path is lamb's ear with its silvery foliage contrasting spikes of purple alliums, prairie grass and hostas.
In the rear yard, vegetables grow in the only full-sun location. Next to the large patio is the enchanting realm of a miniature garden. The mini-trellis, walkway, pond, bench and plants should mesmerize any tiny visiting fairies as well as taller guests.
Overhead a charming chandelier created with candles in Mason jars and white metal fencing adds a soft lighting touch to evening entertaining.
Even the family pet rabbit is treated to its own protected part of the garden.
Fine textured sweet woodruff, bleeding hearts, daylilies, daisies, astilbe, evening primrose and hydrangeas add texture and interest to planting beds. Do not miss seeing the delicate indigo-blue baptisia, which is a lovely plant not used often enough.
An eye-catching variegated hosta with curly leaves was a gift from a fellow gardener. Sharing perennials with friends is a successful formula in the Fencl garden.
Bill & Mary Jo Kartholl
Living in Wheaton near Morton Arboretum for 19 years influenced the landscape of Bill and MaryJo Kartholl's one-acre lot.
The varieties of trees are fascinating. The list begins with several original oaks, maples, a hickory and crab apples, to which the Kartholl's added a Japanese cherry tree, a pair of paw-paw trees, a dawn redwood, a quince, Jonathon apple tree, a tulip tree, ash trees, blue spruce, Japanese maple, cork tree, redbuds, a columnar Scotch pine, columnar blue spruce, a trio of magnolias and a ginkgo among others.
A stone wall converts a gentle slope in the formal front yard into a showcase for the striking colors of Bill Kartholl's favorite hybrid tea roses.
To the right of the front door, don't miss several jack-in-the-pulpit stalks and a large lacy smoke bush.
In the backyard, distinctive plants include a bed of variegated brunnera near the small wooden bridge that spans a gentle man-made creek. A goldfish pond adds one of two interesting water features - the other is an in-ground pool with babbling waterfall. A yellow flowering sedum flourishes on a cascading stonewall near the pool.
Meander along slate stepping stones through a bed of astilbe with various bloom sequence. Notice the ostrich ferns, Guacamole hosta and purple leaf eupatorium. Other exciting finds are gooseberry bushes, oak leaf hydrangea, a climbing hydrangea and a pair of dappled willows framing the back walkway entrance.
In a large bed of impatiens, the Kartholl garden has a "25" set off in colors to signify the couple's anniversary this year.
Need to know
The $17 tickets are available from any club member, by calling (630) 719-1504 or in Lisle at Book Nook, Bountiful Market, Tina's Closet, Trio Gallery, Village Florist, Wild Birds Unlimited and Winan's Chocolates, and in Naperville at Anderson's Bookshop.
All proceeds go to the philanthropic and educational work of the Lisle Woman's Club. Details are at lislewomansclub.org.
If you go
What: Lisle Woman's Club Garden Gait, with Garden Tea and Faire
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Four residential gardens in and near Lisle and The Museums of Lisle Station Park
Tickets: $17
Info: (630) 719-1504 or lislewomansclub.org