Arboretum shows even castoffs can be made beautiful

Posted April 16, 2010 11:00 pm

By Deborah Donovan

Investigating notepaper made from elephant droppings and purses, planters or storage containers crafted from old vehicle tires is one way to celebrate Earth Day, which is Thursday.

Morton Arboretum can help you with unusual recycled products, but the Lisle institution doesn't stop there. It marks Arbor Week from Earth Day through Arbor Day and on to May 2.

The Ellie Pooh Paper will be available at the Arboretum's special boutique next weekend, April 24-25. But other products like those made from ubiquitous tires are in the Arboretum Store.

Besides purses that can make a better statement than those with designer labels, you can find jewelry made from pop tops or old buttons. And you will be amazed what can be fashioned from candy wrappers or old juice containers.

For the gardener, soap with recycled coffee grounds as the exfoliant and citronella to keep away mosquitoes is very popular, said Jacque Fucilla, manager of the Arboretum Store.

And what about colorful old glass plates attached to stakes so you can label a few rows. These are pricey at $52 apiece, but they will catch the sunlight and a few could make a difference in your yard.

"It gets people thinking about their contribution to the environment and how recycling is important," said Fucilla. "It's things that can be made into useful and beautiful products. This is just another way for us to get across our message of being green and taking care of the environment."

During "Sustainable with Style: A Green Boutique and Garden Expo" on April 24 and 25 speakers will talk about environmentally friendly practices at home and work such as effective recycling and garden design. Shawna Lee Coronado of Warrenville, will sign her book, "Gardening Nude" from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 24.

And there's more.

•On Arbor Day, April 30, Curious George will be hanging around the store from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will lead a parade from the Children's Garden to the official tree planting at 11 a.m.

•As usual, the children's garden has much going on, including making "mini greenhouse" necklaces from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 24-25 and planting tree seeds to take home from April 30 to May 2.

•The Arbor Day Plant Sale opens to the public at noon Saturday, May 1, and closes at 4 p.m. May 2. (Arboretum members get a members-only early chance at the sale from April 30 through noon May 1). Organizers say shoppers will find 400 varieties of cutting-edge trees, shrubs, and other plants that are not readily available at garden shops.

•Mark Lee, an astronaut whose view of his home planet from space inspired him to plant 140,000 trees, will talk at 1 and 3 p.m. May 2. Tickets cost $12 for nonmembers, $8 for members and must be ordered in advance. Call (630) 725-2066 or mortonarb.org.

•A bonus: Paid visitors on Arbor Day will receive a coupon for one free return visit in 2010. Unless otherwise specified, all Arboretum events are free with admission. Rates are $11 for adults, $7 on Wednesday; $10 for seniors, $6 on Wednesday; $8 for children ages 2-17, $5 on Wednesday.

Vanilla Spice Summersweet blooms, far left, are twice the size of normal clethra.

If you go

What: Many Arbor Week activities

When: April 22 through May 2

Where: Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, just west of I-355 and north of I-88 (Reagan Tollway)

Call: (630) 968-0074 or visit <a href="http://mortonarb.org" target="new">mortonarb.org</a>

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