Downers Grove Garden Walk
Saturday, July 11, 2009
providing transitional housing and mentoring
for formerly homeless families
Hope Among the Flowers is the theme of the third annual Downers Grove Garden Walk sponsored by the Bridge Board of First United Methodist Church, Downers Grove. The Walk features six unique private gardens throughout Downers Grove. Master Gardeners from the University of Illinois Extension DuPage County will be available at several gardens to answer your gardening questions.
Walker Garden
4509 Wilson Ave
Over the last 20 years this organic gardener has nurtured 33 garden beds with over 300 varieties of plants. Bio-diversity and an environmentally healthy ecosystem that is critter-friendly provide the theme for this no-turf garden. Compost provides nutrition and reclaimed century-old street pavers define paths for exploring. This mature-treed garden is named a Monarch Waystation, a National Wildlife Federation site and has been certificated from the Conservation Foundation’s new Conservation at Home program. Additionally, the garden is considered a "Wild Ones" natural landscape.
Cioper Garden
4613 Middaugh Ave.
An artistic mix of shade perennials welcomes visitors to the front garden highlighted with texture, color and calm. Stroll the winding path to the back of the yard to be welcomed by a striking drift of mature hostas. Plant identification tags provide an excellent learning opportunity to familiarize yourself with a variety of Midwest hardy perennials. Tomatoes, herbs and raspberries are tucked behind the center-stage gazebo. Take special note of this owner's plant collection: over 120 varieties of hosta, 15 heuchera, 8 hydrangea, 10 fern and many irises and lilies.
Beckman Garden
4629 Middaugh Ave.
Mature trees provide a canopy of dappled shade for this garden which is home to many song birds. Sunken columns provide a strong statement for entrance to the back garden. Sandy paths lead you through garden beds filled with many varieties of perennial and annual plants. A boxwood-protected bench invites you to sit in a special corner surrounded by woodland plants and a nearby authentic Biltmore Birdhouse.
Sommerfeld Garden
4601 Forest Ave.
What began as an "open" grassy corner lot now features unique lushly filled parkways providing privacy with ornamental grasses, shrubs and blooming plants for sun and shade. You can enjoy the calm of the front yard by sitting on a bench nestled among shade loving plants. Winding grassy paths, bordered by lush plantings, provide shortcuts to many destinations. Iron gates, tuteurs, and splashes of color utilizing painted garden implements welcome visitors throughout the garden. A cobblestone path surrounded by flowers leads to multiple backyard entertainment areas. Unseen from the street is a bluestone patio enclosed by concentrated plantings of tall grasses, large hydrangeas and colorful blooming vines.
Nowicki Garden
907 Summit
Masses of native plants form the beds along the front of this garden and include Little Blue-stem, Joe-Pye-Weed, Black Cohosh, Basswood, Bur Oak, Vernal Witchhazel, Hazelnut and White Ash. Along the east path you will ind woodland plants like Mayapples, Bloodroot, Virgina Bluebells, Wild Ginger, and Wild Geranium. The homeowners have resident foxes, owls, hummingbirds, migrating warblers and all manner of dragonflies and butterflies. In the south portion of the site you will find yourself immersed in a sunny paradise of color, smell, movement, sound and pure abundance of joy. This is where the vegetables reside with their accompanying herbs, grasses and butterfly gardens as well as all types of fruiting plants. Grown is everything from potatoes to pumpkins, herbal tea to heirloom tomatoes.
Sommer Garden
4824 Florence Ave.
Winding mulch paths will aid you in exploring the fairy gardens, cedar arbors and many hidden treasures of this lush garden that features native plants. Native ferns, grasses, sedges and uncommon perennials for semi-shade and shade conditions are all present at this gardener's childhood home. Texture and many shades of green add interest to the garden along with a pondless waterfall in the front yard, a pond with a 20' stream and three waterfalls in the backyard.
About the work of the Bridge Board
The Bridge Board of First United Methodist Church is a program partner with Bridge Communities effecting change for formerly homeless families — leading them to a better future. The Board provides housing, mentoring, direction, encouragement and a stable environment so that families may become self-sufficient and sustain their independence.
Garden Walk information updated on March 9, 2009.
