Sustainable Landscaping Seminar at The Growing Place March 19
Area gardeners know The Growing Place not only as a resource for a wide variety of plants but also a resource for information. An outstanding example of this will take place Saturday, March 19, 2016 from 10 am to 3 pm at their 2000 Montgomery Road location in Aurora IL when three powerhouse speakers will participate in a day-long seminar on sustainable, green landscaping.
Sustainability encompasses a number of topics applicable to one's backyard garden or a more expansive business property. Among the topics to be covered are water conservation and rainwater harvesting, incorporating native plantings, reducing or eliminating chemical use, composting and soil management.
Mavis Bates will kick off the presentation. Bates is a professor at Waubonsee Community College in Aurora where she teaches the Sustainability 101 course. Waubonsee, built on a unique location that includes wetlands, prairie, and an oak savanna, has a long list of sustainability accomplishments. Bates is founder of the annual Aurora Greenfest event. She will present a wealth of information about making one's home and gardens green.
The Conservation Foundation's Denise Sandoval will discuss rain barrels and how to use them efficiently, the benefits of creating habitats for birds, butterflies and other wildlife, and other green initiatives. Attendees will also learn about the Conservation@home program. By implementing even a few green practices, connecting with nature can be as close as one's own backyard. Among other efforts, The Conservation Foundation is known for its annual DuPage River Sweep which encompasses over 95 miles of shoreline cleanup along area rivers and streams. They are also recognized experts in control of invasive plant species.
Attendees will gain additional practical knowledge as Trish Beckjord from Midwest Groundcovers of St. Charles presents best practice information about incorporating native plants in an eye-pleasing landscape design. She will discuss native species that grow well in residential gardens and show images of their growth characteristics. Plants that were here before the European settlers arrived are considered native. They co-existed with insects, wildlife and other plants, depending on each other and keeping each other in check. "With more and more evidence about the interdependence between our native insects and birds and the native plants they depend on for food, it's more compelling than ever to try to find ways to integrate them in our gardens," she said. There are many shorter, well-behaved, well-blooming species that one can plant along with non-native favorites. The workshop will end with Beckjord, a certified landscape architect, taking all participants through an exercise on how to approach the process of sustainable landscape design.
"Sustainable gardens are important, not only for the individual gardener, but also for communities," said Carol Massat, owner of The Growing Place. "A green oasis can be cost-effective, productive, thrive with minimal labor, and give back to the environment. Native plants often have root systems that suck up water and filter pollutants. This prevents storm water from racing to retention basins and streams. Because the roots go deep, drought tolerance is another plus."
Although The Growing Place officially opens April 2 for spring sales, they offer programs and events throughout the year. The staff eagerly shares their expertise with clients. The Growing Place includes what it calls "Learning Gardens" with signage that provides helpful tips. "Spring is a great time to do native plantings because the root systems have the opportunity to become well established," Massat added.
The Sustainable Landscaping seminar runs from 10 am to 3 pm Saturday, March 19. Cost is $30 and includes all three sessions and lunch. Details can be found at www.thegrowingplace.com.
To register, call The Growing Place at 630-355-4000. Space is limited. The seminar will take place at The Growing Place's Aurora location at 2000 Montgomery Road, just north of Ogden Avenue. While the seminar would be of particular interest to home gardeners, business grounds managers and landscapers will also find it informative.
The Growing Place's opening day is on April 2. To kick off their 80th year, there will be presentations at the Montgomery Road location on organic lawn care, pruning, composting, sustainable plants and planting tips.
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Some benefits of a sustainable garden
Water conservation
Drought resistant plantings
Reduce/eliminate chemical use
Provides habitat for birds, butterflies and wildlife
Reduced pollution as plants filter storm water
Low maintenance
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About The Growing Place Nursery & Flower Farm, Inc.
The Growing Place celebrates its 80th year in 2016. With two locations, one on Plank Road in Naperville and the other on Montgomery Road in Aurora, the family-owned, independent business serves customers from local communities. In 1936, Emma and Fritz Glatzhofer opened Emma's Perennials, specializing in field-grown perennials, at the current Naperville location on Plank Road. In 1973, their nephew, Rich Massat, and his wife, Carol, took the reins and expanded the nursery. They changed the name in 1976 to The Growing Place and committed to deliver uncompromising quality, selection and customer care. The Aurora production farm and retail garden center was opened in 1989. Both locations feature beautiful display gardens, called Learning Gardens, with nearly 1,000 varieties and user-friendly signage to educate and help spark imaginations.