This document provides descriptions of several gardens visited on a garden walk tour. It describes the structural elements, plantings, and design features of each garden, including hostas and conifers at the Hartman Family Farm, alpacas and a water feature at Waldron Grove Alpaca Farm, a 2-acre native plant garden at the Neville Garden, a small pond with goldfish at Countryside Pond Tour, and a butterfly garden with Monarch attracting plants at the Donahue Garden. The gardens showcase a variety of garden styles and plantings.

1. Fox Valley Garden Walk July 12, 2008

2. The Hartman Family Farm Kim and her mom, Pat Pat plans a new project every year. This bed is due for a make-over This elm is the tallest elm in Kane Co.

3. The walled paver patio defines a living space and is another way to provide structure to the garden space. The boulders in the garden all came from the farm and provide some interest in the garden even when plants are not flowering. There are times of the year, especially in winter, when the garden seems bare. In winter plants are defoliated, in the summer this can occur when they are out of bloom. Having structural elements gives the eye something to focus on. They are an important part of any design.

4. Pat chooses plants that look good all season and focuses on foliage rather than flowers. She has an extensive collection of hostas and several specimen conifers. She is particularly proud of this beech

5. Waldron Grove Alpaca Farm One of the many alpacas on the farm. A peaceful water feature A hollyhock from the cutting garden

6. The Neville Garden A delightful annual bed of cosmos and poppies greeted us a the entrance to this large garden. The purple bench accents the colors in the bed. A stately piece of statuary This rustic arched window frames the coneflower perfectly

7. The pride of the Neville garden is the 2 acre native garden. Coneflowers, heliopsis and native grasses as well as all manner of bugs and birds thrive in this garden. This garden took several years to establish. Using native plants that are better suited to our local climate can save on water but establishing a large planting is very labor intensive initially until the plants are well established. Prairie gardens often need to be exposed to fire in order for their seeds to germinate. And keeping unwanted plants out of the garden until the intended plants are established and can fend for themselves is a daunting task .

8. Use of red mulch has been proven to increase yields due to a decrease in nematode population. Mrs. Neville reports similar findings. A creek also runs through the Neville property. Just in case you are feeling a little inadequate about your own gardening abilities, Mrs. Neville does have 2 full time gardeners to help with her efforts.

9. Countryside Pond Tour– Gail Johnson This is a small pond in a shady spot. Gail has a some floating plants and a few gold fish. Gail’s container is planted with papyrus, curly rush, a sedge and lysmachia. Rather than using soil, it is filled with special aquatic media. This early maturing wisteria is a variety called “Aunt Dee.” The Wisteria Arbor Container Water Garden The Pond

10. The Wayman Garden Susan has several varieties of monarda growing in her garden. The colors range from red to mauves and pinks. They attract hummingbirds. Plants with chartreuse leaves, like this hosta or the variegated sedum can really lighten up a darker spot in the garden.

11. The Donahue Garden Arlene stands in her butterfly garden. She has Joe Pye weed and asclepias growing to attract Monarch butterflies. She also grows fennel, dill and parsley for the caterpillars to eat. She reports that the pink asclepias (incarnata)attracts more butterflies than the orange (tuberosa). The raised vegetable beds. Arlene has hog wire for the peas to grow up and she grows the cucumbers on a decorative copper trellis that she made herself.