A blooming delight: Discover nature’s artistry in Lisle’s Garden Gait
Lisle Woman’s Club’s 23rd annual Garden Gait will highlight five private gardens and one public park on Sunday, June 8.
Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., take a walk through each of the gardens, taking your time to take in their beauty and uniqueness and ask the homeowners questions about their yards.
In addition to the viewing of the homeowners’ gardens, the club also sponsors a craft fair and basket raffle featuring many of the local businesses and vendors.
The raffle baskets include such items as a dinner with the local fire department, gift cards to local restaurants, admissions to The Morton Arboretum, and include donations from retail businesses.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the walk. Tickets are available via lislewomansclub.org. Raffle tickets are $2 each or six for $10 when purchased at the event.
Hydrangeas, hydrangeas, and more hydrangeas!
As you stroll through the gardener’s yard, you can easily see why hydrangeas are her favorite plant! She has over 20 different varieties throughout her planting, which also include lilacs, lilies, roses, peonies, along with trimmings from neighbors which were successfully planted and have grown into 25-foot-tall pussy willow bush, and a 7-foot-tall golden hedge.
This garden also harbors many varieties of visiting birds, including hummingbirds and robins. During the winter time, the 20-plus variety of birds come to the feeders all year long, providing winter entertainment for the homeowners.
Carved wooden animal sculptures
Don’t let the 3-foot tall Great Horned Owls, red-tailed hawk, blue heron, sandhill crane, or a fox scare you away from venturing into this yard!
This gardener commissioned a wonderful chainsaw artist to carve these creatures to represent those animals that visit her yard on a regular basis.
In addition, she also has a “Modern Forest” featuring five red cedar trees that were brought in and placed in cement. They have been stripped, limbs shortened, and preserved with a clear protective coating.
The yard has been certified as a Natural Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation, which means that the yard contains some native plants, trees, and bushes for protection, water, and a variety of other food sources.
Starting at the very beginning
When this homeowner purchased their home, it was very overgrown and began working in the yard right away. Trees were cut down, a pond was removed, and a new deck was built, keeping in mind their hopes to add plants, trees, bushes, and shrubs later in the renovation process.
They created a lush walkway leading to their backyard. It contains many hostas and ferns from their parents’ homes, which makes this space ever more special.
Their very best feature of the garden is the pathway in front of their home. Be sure to pay attention to this very special feature.
An evolving koi pond
What started out as a 100-gallon pond, has become this garden’s most iconic feature. It is now a stunning 5,000-gallon aquatic centerpiece, complete with a custom-built bridge, waterfall, surrounding flower gardens and a carefully designed fence.
The homeowners have found this to be a special gathering place for friends and family; it is especially enchanting at night when color-changing lights highlight this iconic feature.
This garden was designed to bloom year-round, offering beauty in every season. Many of the flowers were featured in their children’s weddings, such as lilac bushes, alliums, ornamental grasses, irises, bee balm, and sedum just to name a few.
The perfect home
When the homeowners first saw the backyard of their home, they knew immediately that this was the future home.
The pool was added to the backyard, focusing on adding pops of color with a variety of plants to ensure year-round interest.
The plants and bird feeders attract numerous birds and pollinators while lounging by the pool or relaxing on the patio. Plants are sourced from a variety of local nurseries, other garden clubs, and the annual sale at The Morton Arboretum. Their future plans include adding a cut-flower garden with a variety of plants that will bloom throughout the season.
<strong id="strong">Lisle Woman’s Club Garden Gait</strong>
Where: Starts at the Museums of Lisle Station Park, 921 School St.
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8
Cost: $20 presale at local businesses or $25 on day of event. Tickets for sale in Lisle at Bicycles Etc., 6460 College Road; Tina’s Closet, 4745 Main St., Unit 105; UPS Store, 1042 Maple Ave.; Wild Birds Unlimited, 1601 Ogden Ave. and Yarns Untold, 6476 College Drive, as well as Anderson Bookstore, 5112 Main St. in Downers Grove and The Growing Place, 25W471 Plank Road in Naperville.