Vol 2-1
A Secret Garden Awakens
In the 1993 film, The Secret Garden, a young, recently-orphaned girl named Mary is sent to England after living in India all of her young life. Young Mary was the embodiment of the nursery rhyme you may recall;
"Mistress Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row."
Once there, she begins to explore her new, seemingly-isolated surroundings, and its secrets. With great anticipation we watch the young girl search her uncle's mansion for the key to unlock the gate to the forgotten garden.
As a child I watched in amazement as Mary explored her secret respite from her new cold, dark, loveless home. The gate key opened her eyes to the beauty of nature held within the walled garden. From the garden, friendship, love, and light re-entered young Mary's life. Mary learned from the newly befriended groundkeeper’s son how to tell which plants were lying dormant over winter and which to clear. She then began the labor of love bringing the neglected garden back to life. She cleared overgrowth, weeded flower beds giving blooms room to breath, and watered seeds she planted with her friend. By the time her distant and uncaring uncle found her in the garden, it was in full bloom and full of life. The garden brought back memories of better times and thawed her uncle’s cold heart. Mary's secret garden changed the lives of everyone on the estate.
I envision the reopening of our community garden to be a similar experience for each of us this spring. After a year laying dormant and the darkness within that year, our plots have so much potential for joy to blossom. We will remove our frost blanket to find what has grown in our plots in the year they remained untouched. With the sun, wind, or the sprinkle of rain on our faces, we will sow seeds and plant seedlings. The rain will nourish what we've planted. Our care and attention will bring life back to our garden and community alike. As the plants we care for thrive, we will see more and more happy faces in the garden. Even from a safe social distance, we can wave and share pleasantries with fellow Gardeners and IT residents alike. After a cruel winter, our garden is ready to delight.
The garden beckons all.
Gardener Spotlight
This section will be ongoing through the 2021 growing season. Each gardener has been asked to respond to our questionnaire in hopes of getting to know one another a bit better. Gardeners will be randomly selected from the pool of responses.
Ron Stalzle
Plot #32
Tell us about your family:
My wife, MiSang Han, and I have been married for 44 years. We have two daughters and twin grandchildren.
What is your favorite flower?
I guess it would be chrysanthemums. My least favorite is the poinsettia. I heard Truman Capote say that the poinsettia was the Robert Goulet of the horticulture world, and since then every poinsettia I see is singing, “If ever I would leave you…”
What inspired you to join the community garden?
I was a skeptic at first, and when the idea was first mentioned, I voiced concerns at a board meeting about weight and debris affecting the pool. I came around and joined to show support for friends who were involved. I must say I never expected the level of participation.
What are you most excited to grow in your plot this year?
We're going to do a mache, or lambs lettuce, cover again this spring. We plan on following that with mostly herbs -- especially Italian parsley and basil. The parsley makes a great blender pesto, which we freeze in small containers. We also had great luck with French tarragon, chives, thyme, rosemary and sage. Our Swiss chard went crazy and kept us supplied most of the summer. We include marigolds in our plot to help with insect control. We did not have great luck with eggplant or tomatoes.
Parsley is a favorite of black swallowtail butterflies. The caterpillars are distinctive black and green and they are voracious consumers of parsley. They gorge until they're ready to move to their chrysalis metamorphosis, and they are in that state for an amazingly short ten days to two weeks or so. It's incredible to see the butterflies emerge. We plan on planting some extra parsley to share with the black swallowtails -- and garden friends.
Mallory McShane
Plot #8
Tell us about your family:
Derek and I have been in Chicago for about 8 years. We hail from Wisconsin and Indiana, respectively.
What inspired you to join the community garden?:
My sister is a farmer (Grounded Earth Farm), so I thought it would be a great way to bond with her by better understanding her daily life.
What are you most excited to grow in your plot this year?:
Hot peppers. I didn't grow any last year, but have discovered a love of pickling/fermenting and am excited to make pickled hot peppers.
Do you start your plants from seed or seedling?:
My first season was all seedlings. This year I plan to do a mix of both. Some seeds are so tiny they'd just blow away! I've started growing some microgreens indoors, so am feeling a bit more confident with seeds. I'd started a few plants from seeds last year before the season was cancelled and they did pretty well. I am looking forward to trying some transplants this year.
What is your favorite thing to cook or cocktail to mix?:
My favorite cocktail is the G.T.O. from The Dawson (Fulton River District). It's got grapefruit juice, gin, bonal (a quinine digestif), lime, hop bitters, and is garnished with thyme. So good!
Vicky Rozich
Plot #30
Tell us about your family:
My parents, David and Carol lived here in Imperial Towers for 21 years. We were all born in Chicago. My husband Jim is a great cook, he loves to grill too; and I love plants. We both like the outdoors and to hike. We lived in Arizona for 15 years. Our son is currently in the Bay area in CA.
What inspired you to join the community garden?:
To build something beautiful and long lasting. Green space on the cement. To make people happy.
Do you start your plants from seed or seedling?: Both. Last year tons of seeds. this year in my box/ plot both.
What is your favorite thing to cook or cocktail to mix?:
I do not cook, but I love tequilla or rum drinks with herbs
Any plans for garden decor (seasonal or not)?:
Yes, but not 100% sure what yet.
Are you gardening for the produce or just for fun?: Both, mostly for fun as a hobby and to socialize with other gardeners.
Anything else you'd like to add?:
I am very grateful that we get to be together and share our garden this year. I love how beautiful our space is in the evening as the sun goes down at sunset. I look forward when we can get together for 'in person' live events again hopefully late summer or early fall.
Molly Seurynck
Plot #20
Tell us about your family:
I live with my husband, Daniel, and little fluffball Maltese, Pepper. I grew up with my two siblings and parents on an in land lake in Southwest Michigan where my parents still live.
What do you enjoy most about Lake Michigan?:
Fresh water is better than salt water. That's a hill I'll die on.
Did you garden as a child?:
Yes, mostly flowers when I was young. I started my "salsa garden" in high school so we could have fresh ingredients for salsa all summer. Also, it was always my responsibility to wrangle and relocate snakes when my mom spotted them in the garden.
What has been your most successful foray in gardening?:
When I lived in eSwatini, I grew an amazing flower garden as a retention wall. I had mint, cosmos, zinnias, marigolds, and poppies. The gogo I lived with called it Eden. We also had great success with ratatouille ingredients in our vegetable garden. We enjoyed sharing with many neighbors.
What do you wish you had space to grow?: A mulberry tree
Any plans for garden decor (seasonal or not)?:
I plan to trellis this year. Both for decoration and to battle the wind.
Mary Ann Karales
Plot #18
What is your favorite restaurant in Chicago?:
Have had many favorites through the years as I frequently dine out. A recent favorite, before COVID was Remington-convenient for before or after ushering for theater or dance events. Have realized now how much money I have saved during covid—no restaurant bills.
What do you enjoy most about Lake Michigan?:
Its ever changing moods reflected in different shades of water and sky.
Do you prefer the smell of rain or fall leaves?:
Love both rain and fall scents—rain for remembrance of things past and fall leaves for promises of things to come.
What is your favorite flower?:
Never met a flower I didn’t like, hard to pick just one favorite. Lilies of the Valley- for their subtlety; Marigolds for their spicy scent; Geraniums-for their ability to propagate profusely.
What are you most excited to grow in your plot this year?:
Wish I could plant a small tree which would look great through several seasons like a Japanese Maple or all seasons like an Evergreen.
Carole & Bill Beach
Plot #34
Tell us about your family:
We have 2 adult daughters who live in Chicago (why we moved here from Michigan, Detroit area)
What do you enjoy most about Lake Michigan?:
We have a sail boat in Montrose harbor. We love living in IT because we can walk to our boat!
What is your favorite flower?:
Carole: Shasta Daisy
Bill: Mountain Lupine
Did you garden as a child?:
Carole: Yes, gardened with my Grandmother! She was Dutch, so we had lots of tulips.
Bill: I didn't garden much, except mowing lawns
Who gardens with you now?:
My husband and I garden together in our plot. My children always helped when we had a huge garden in our Michigan home.
Gene Arbetter
Plot #11
Tell us about your family:
Five kids between Martha and I, eight grandchildren, one grandson-in-law, one great grandson
What is your favorite restaurant in Chicago?:
Cozy's 3456 N Sheffield
What do you enjoy most about Lake Michigan?:
View and cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter..,
Do you prefer the smell of rain or fall leaves?:
Both Equally
Did you garden as a child?:
Backyard in Chicago and garden plot in Wisconsin growing up.
What inspired you to join the community garden?: Had been thinking about and requesting a garden in that area since moving in!
What do you wish you had space to grow?:
Lots of rhubarb
What is your favorite thing to cook or cocktail to mix?:
toad-in-the-hole for the kids and grandkids
Any plans for garden decor (seasonal or not)?:
leaving that up to mother nature and her beautiful wildflowers
Upcoming Events
Once the season gets off the ground and the weather warms up, we hope to host safe events for our gardeners. In the interim, we may host virtual Zoom events. Please keep an eye on the events page of our website to stay in the know. Monthly updates will be published in each Newsletter.
Do you have a talent that you'd like to share with the Garden Community? Email imperialtowerscommunitygarden@gmail.com with an idea for a class or event you’d like to lead and your availability. Some examples of past classes include:
Balcony Gardening
Cocktails with Herbs
Cooking with Herbs
Concert in the Garden
Fresh from the Garden Recipes - Greeny Crostini
by Mallory McShane
This recipe is designed to use up some of your freezer pesto from the previous season and microgreens from your top dressing from the current season. This recipe is easy to riff on with additional ingredients. Add red pepper flakes if you like some heat, parmesan or Maldon if you like a little extra salt, or some toasted pine nuts for extra crunch. There are no measurements as it is intended to be made per your taste preferences.
Ingredients
1 French Baguette
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Pesto
Fresh Lemon Juice
Microgreens
Instructions
Prepare the baguette
Preheat the oven to 450° F.
Slice the baguette into 1/2-inch-thick pieces.
Place the baguette slices on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
Arrange in a single, even layer. Toast in the oven 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
Set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare your microgreens
Place your microgreens into a small bowl.
Squeeze lemon juice (to taste) onto your microgreens and toss to coat.
Assemble your crostini
Spread a layer of pesto onto each toasted slice (how much is entirely up to your preference!)
Place some microgreens on top of each crostini
Bon Appetit!
Good News
A supportive community loves to share joys and successes.
Please submit the Good News in your life to be highlighted in our newsletter to: imperialtowerscommunitygarden@gmail.com
Good News for the month of May:
THE IMPERIAL TOWERS COMMUNITY GARDEN IS
OPEN FOR THE SEASON
On April 28th, gardeners started their labor of love. The frost blankets were peeled back, plots were refreshed, and seeds were distributed. We all have high hopes for this growing season. And lucky us, the sun peaked out for just a bit during the evening between the rain.
Ask Rose
Dear Rose,
It's been a while. I feel like I'm starting from square one with my garden plot. The only thing I remember from the first growing season was the wind scattering the seeds I had sewn and snapping off my tomatoes. Can you please offer advice on managing the lightweight medium and recommend what to plant?
Send help!
-Windy in the Garden
Windy in the Garden,
The wind does seem to be the greatest challenge faced in the Imperial Towers Community Garden. But there are a few strategies that may help you be quite successful with whatever you choose to grow.
First, on keeping the medium in place. There are two good options. First, you can use the row cover supplied by the Garden Commission as a permanent barrier to protect the medium from wind. Your second option would be to cover your plot with ground cover style plants. Lettuces, radishes, carrots, marigolds, and other low lying plants are great options. Seasoned gardeners recommend that you use row cover to protect your plot from wind until your seeds start for form that protective layer.
As far as what to plant, look for low lying plants or bush and dwarf varieties are your best bet. When you are selecting seedlings of whatever type you choose, look for plants that are compact and shorter. Tall spindly plants will be more of a struggle.
Once your beauties have all grown up, supports such as stakes, trellis, or tomato cages can be great tools for continued success and growth.
I hope this helps.
Cheers to successful planting,
Rose
Find more helpful hints for opening your garden on our Resources page.
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