Vol 2-5
In the shade from the last of the summer sun, we can take respite in the afternoon shadow cast by the towers onto our garden to just relax. Our garden flourished this summer. I challenge you to come to the garden to enjoy just a moment of stillness. Let the cicadas lull you, breath in the summer's breeze, and look around at what you and your fellow gardeners have accomplished.
Our Mission Statement: The Imperial Towers Community Garden is a collective effort to enhance the natural beauty of our concrete urban setting for the enjoyment of its residents. This will be achieved through the individual plots and community growing spaces with the purpose to bring fresh produce, herbs, and flowers; as well as learning opportunities to its gardeners and those who would like to participate. This will foster personal connections and additional garden space for all residents to enjoy through active gardening or peaceful observation.
Our garden has added an area of respite for everyone who resides at Imperial Towers. This summer we have truly accomplished what is laid out in our mission statement. We are now afforded the peace to sit back and enjoy. In our peace, we can find ourselves in a contemplative, creative, or reflective headspace. Ringo Star explained his inspiration for the Beatles classic, Octopus's garden coming from such a moment of peace. On a yacht near Sardinia, he spoke with the boat's captain about the shiny objects octopuses will collect and keep in their caves. These shiny objects create a sort of garden. Ringo was wishing for some simplicity and peace in his life as well.
Peace and gardening go hand in hand. Globally, over 160 peace gardens can be found in Nairobi, London, Athens, Buenos Aires, Las Angeles, Budapest, Lima, Paris, NYC, Athens, the Hague, the Korean DMZ, Pretoria, South Africa; Tibilisi, Turkey; Slovenia, Costa Rica amongst the many. Our community garden is just a hop and a skip from Chicago's own Peace Garden. Along the Lakefront Trail, the Chicago Park District created our Peace Garden in the mid 1980s. The Park District collaborated with Greenpeace Great Lakes to bring native plants to the garden for tranquility and a respite for those trekking the Lakefront Trail.
While enjoying these gardens dedicated to peace, it is easy to understand why the Flower Child movement used floral designs to promote universal belonging, peace, and love. While the daisy was the flower of choice for the flower children, there are many flowers that represent peace. The peace lily immediately comes to mind. It represents the white flag of surrender, ending conflict. In some cultures, white lilies also represent purity and life after death. For Buddhists, the lotus flower represents a state of inner peace and enlightenment. Rising from the mud to beautifully bloom the lotus overcomes harsh surroundings. The lotus blooms only during the day so, like the lily, it is also associated with the cycle of life and death. It is interesting that the idea of rebirth and peace are intertwined so tightly in many cultures. One could create a beautiful bouquet of the many flowers representing peace and love around the world full of cosmos, lilies, lavender, apple blossoms, violets, white poppies, peonies, pincushion flowers, and Christmas roses.
Many of our gardeners noted in their Gardener Spotlight that they were interested in the community garden for the relaxation or therapeutic aspect of the gardening. As this summer nears the close, the garden is the best place to be for stillness and inner peace during the busyness that comes with fall. In the hustle and bustle of back to school, athletics and lessons, going back to the office, and of course the constant barrage of unsettling stories on the news, find your peace in the community garden.
Oh what joy
For every girl and boy
Knowing they're happy
And they're safe
We would be so happy You and me No one there to tell us What to do
I'd like to be
Under the sea
In an octopus' garden
With you
-Octopus's Garden The Beatles
Good News
Our gardeners submitted photos and videos to be compiled to highlight the beauty of our garden. This video was submitted to CEGA for recognition for excellence in gardening. You can find it on the CEGA YouTube Channel. Now that voting has closed, we can be proud of the support we've received from friends, family, and the IT community. We are clearly a popular group of gardeners.
Welcome new Commission Members
This summer, we've added three new members to the garden commission. We are happy Hope, April, and Doug have offered to contribute their time and expertise to our gardening community. All commission members fill a role, or two, to keep the garden maintained seamlessly. We are very proud of the teamwork and cooperation we've had this summer amongst all of our gardeners.
Upcoming Events
Our garden community is lucky to be full of talented members. Whitney, of plot 23, has generously offered to guide us through a restorative yoga session on September 30th at 6:30pm.
We plan to bundle up and enjoy a relaxing yoga session in the garden. We have penciled in a rain date on October 7th at 6:30 if necessary.
Looking Forward
Despite the heat of the summer we are currently experiencing, fall is quickly approaching. Soon we will find the evenings chilly and getting shorter and shorter. Our official closing date is October 30th. As this date approaches, there are a few things to consider.
Our plots are due for maintenance this fall. The Garden Commission has made arrangements for our friends at Urban Habitat Chicago to clean up our plots, check the fabric bladders, sand holes and nicks from staples, and apply linseed oil to extend the lifespan of the plots themselves.
Urban Habitat may be able to work on the plots in batches if we have a number of gardeners wrapping up early. Please let us know (imperialtowerscommunitygarden@gmail.com) if you intend to end your gardening season by October 15th.
Keep an eye out for upcoming directives on closing your plot properly.
Fresh from the Garden Recipes -
Summer Corn Salad
A crunchy veggie based salad to enjoy as a side or make it the main event. The perfect way to showcase fresh sweetcorn while it is in season. A great dish to top with grilled protein of your choice.
INGREDIENTS:
Salad:
6 ears of Sweet Corn
1 c halved Cherry Tomatoes
1 diced Bell Pepper
1/2c crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2c Basil chiffonade
5 chopped Green Onions
Dressing:
1/2c Mayo of your choice
1/4c White Wine Vinegar
2 TBSP Dijon Mustard
1TBSP sugar (or honey)
2 tsp Pepper
1tsp Garlic Powder
1tsp dried Parsley
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Salt
Preparation:
Cook Sweet Corn. Recommended method: microwave 3 ears of corn (with husk and silk intact) at a time. Cook 3 minutes then flip. Cook 6 minutes total. Once cooked and cooled for a few minutes, cut about 1 inch from the bottom of the corn, get a tight hold on the top (the silk and husk) and squeeze the corn cob out of the husk. The corn should rather easily and cleanly come out of the husk. Tried and true method.
Chop veggies and and add them to a large bowl.
Chiffonade the basil. Recommended method: stack basil leaves and roll them into a sort of cigar. Hold the rolled leaves tightly and cut thin strips.
Mix all dressing ingredients together.
Combine all salad ingredients and finished dressing and stir.
Ask Rose
Dear Rose,
Everything that looked so beautiful is starting to look old and yellow. I don't think my plants are drying out and becoming discolored, I water frequently. What do you suggest I do?
Please help!
Old Plant Lady
Dear Old Plant Lady,
This time of year, plants begin to "go to seed." This is a wonderful opportunity to collect seeds for next year. You can do some careful observations to determine where the seeds are in each of your plants. Keep in mind, the seeds will be in the flower, or in the fruit. Basil, for example, will have tall shoots rising from the plant with frilly leaves and light purple "flowers." Take a look there to find the small, round, brown, seeds. If you've planted flowers and the blooms have dried and browned, look to the center of the flower for seeds. They're likely to hold on even after petals have fallen off of the blooms. These seeds can be collected and sown in the spring.
Additionally, if you have native flowers going to seed, you may wish to collect the seeds to scatter throughout the neighbored. Native plants are so beneficial to pollinators and other beneficial insects and promote biodiversity.
Regardless of your plan, once your plants have gone to seed, they begin the end of their life cycle. It won't be long until they are no longer beautiful, it's time to replace them or cut them back. Don't forget to label the seeds you collect. You'll be happy you did in the spring.
Cheers to successful growing,
Rose
Find more helpful hints for opening your garden on our Resources page.
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