SEASONAL STROLL

 CELEBRATING GARDENS IN BLOOM 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 26 Tickets: $15 at select local businesses, $16 online, $20 at the door www.pottagardenclub.org

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR POTTAWATOMIE GARDEN CLUB'S SUMMER GARDEN WALK

By Allison Bills | Photos by Brock Seney

The famous Audrey Hepburn quote — “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow” — rings even more true this summer after the past year of uncertainty. It’s refreshing to have the familiar face of spring urge its green buds to emerge from the dirt and transform yards into lush landscapes, ushering in the sights, sounds and smells of summer. The Pottawatomie Garden Club of St. Charles will be celebrating all the extra time spent freshening up gardens with its “Celebrating Gardens in Bloom” garden walk June 26. “It’s an opportunity to see just a few of the beautiful home gardens that we have in St. Charles,” says Betsy Anderson, president of the Pottawatomie Garden Club. “There are obviously many, and many have been on walks in the past.” The St. Charles Garden Walk, which first debuted in 1959 and is typically held biannually, showcases a handful of stunning home landscapes in the community. It serves as the main fundraiser for the Pottawatomie Garden Club, which is known for planting flowers on the Main Street and Illinois bridges and around the St. Charles Municipal Building, as well as awarding scholarships to local horticulture students. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the club was not able to host the walk as scheduled in 2020. “It’s rough,” Anderson says. “We’re in the same boat as a lot of organizations that were not able to hold their fundraisers.” But the club knows it has something special in store this year. While it usually starts coordinating the event over a year in advance, organizers had some extra time to select the homes this year — and homeowners had some extra planning time. “We usually pick houses with yards that are well planned and well cared for,” Anderson says. “It usually features a specific garden style or focal point like a pond or waterfall.” There will be some slight changes this year, due to safety reasons. There will be no refreshments or beverages served, and there are five homes instead of six. However, Anderson doesn’t think the changes will impact the overall feel of the event. “We feel like it’s something people really look forward to,” she says, adding she’s personally excited to check out two of the homes that have backyard pools. “I think people are really going to be looking for a reason to get out, and it’s held outside, so a lot of people are comfortable with that.” In addition to the walk itself, gardeners can go home with a little treat of their own. At one of the open houses, the club will be hosting the Garden Gate Boutique, which will have gently used, gardenrelated items available for sale. “It’s really fun,” Anderson adds, noting that it is used as another fundraising effort for the club. “Garden Club members donate items that may be sitting in their shed or garage that they don’t use anymore.” All of the homes are on the east side of the river within a short driving distance of one another, with a full lineup released upon ticket purchase. “Everyone can take something from spending time in a garden, no matter how elaborate or simple it is,” Anderson says. “It’s an opportunity to connect with nature, and especially in the times that we are living in, it’s so important.”

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