MiSang Han
Plot #32
North or South Tower:
We live in the North Tower. We have a wonderful view of tree tops, the park and golf course, and the lake.
How long have you lived at IT?:
Ron and I moved here in 2013 after I retired from teaching.
What is your favorite restaurant in Chicago?:
I like Midori Japanese Restaurant and Andy's Thai Kitchen, There are many great Italian restaurants. Though it's not a restaurant, a relatively new discovery is Andy's Deli and Mikolajczyk Sausage Shop at 54something North Milwaukee.
Did you garden as a child?:
I grew up in South Korea. My mother was an avid gardener and our yard was full of flowers she cultivated. There are two flowers that remind me most of my homeland. One is cosmos, and the purple, lavender and white blooms often grow along country roadsides.
What is your favorite flower?:
The other flower is the balloon flower -- platycodon. It is a hardy perennial that blooms mid-through late summer and has lovely balloon shaped globes that open into a five-petal star that is simply stunning. The color is most often blue/purple but there are also white and pink balloon flowers. The roots of the balloon flower are edible -- known as "toraji" in Korean. We are excited that we found a dwarf variety of balloon flower and have two plants growing in our plot. The "balloons" are just starting to form.
What are you most excited to grow in your plot this year?:
We have enjoyed a lot of lettuce and a Korean vegetable called "sut kat" -- an edible chrysanthemum. The sut kat did very well, and we are going to plant more seeds.
I love the community garden. It is a quiet, beautiful place to visit with fellow gardeners and make new friends.