May/June 2000
Early English literature was divided on the subject of May. A "lusty month" that "giveth unto all lovers courage," wrote Sir Thomas Mallory in the 15th century. A hundred years before that, Chaucer saw it as a time for sluggards to get a move on. ("For May wol have no slogardie...The sesoun priketh every gentil herte, And maketh hym out of his slep to sterte.") Party time or time to work? May offers both.
For a gardener, the party is the work. This is the month when we plant the last of the perennials, all the annuals, plus the warm season food favorites such as tomatoes, beans and basil-and it's so much doggone fun. Why? Because our hopes of a finally-this-year-truly-glorious garden haven't yet been dashed by the rain, wind, cucumber beetles and slugs. In May, the garden that we are planting blooms perfectly in our dreams.
And who knows? Maybe this year the garden of our dreams will come true. But for that to happen, we need to grow plants that do well for us in Chicagoland, not the cosseted darlings of gardeners in milder climes. Fortunately, we have plenty of material to work with, none more gorgeous that the peony, a plant that sometimes outlives the people who planted it. On page 34, Woodruff Imberman takes up his pen to extol the virtues of this Chinese native that has always felt ever so comfortable in the Midwest. And members of our team have weighed in with plants they have grown and found well-nigh perfect. (Page 45)
By now it's common knowledge that water gardening is hot stuff. But what if you yearn for a pond while your backyard is no bigger than a jacuzzi? Master Gardener Sydney Barton comes to the rescue with a story on container water gardens which, she assures us, can thrive even on the balcony of a highrise. In "real life" a decorative painter with a line of painted furniture at the Merchandise Mart, Sydney lives in the city where she specializes in container and water gardening. Welcome to Sydney and Welcome Back! to master chef Michael Foley of Printer's Row restaurant as he gives us ideas for turning summer picnics into gourmet feasts.
For you who are interested in native plants and their ecosystems (one of our abiding concerns), Cathy Maloney reports on how the Indiana Dunes area is coping with the stresses of modern industrial life. She also introduces "Bird Watch," which will run as an adjunct to the Native Notes department stories since birds are integral to any functioning ecosystem. Turn to page 23 to find out who's in town for the summer and who's just passing through.
And speaking of summer brings us to our annual garden contest, whose theme this year is vegetable gardens. Not being a very rigorous sort, we've decided to let you call just about anything a vegetable garden as long as it produces food. That means gardens with grapevines, herbs, or apple trees may all be entered.
What will make a winner? Well, we'd like the garden to be attractive, but whether it's picture-perfect neat or gussied up with a lot of flowers is your call. We'd also be thrilled to find some ingenious uses of vertical space (trellises, towers, walls) and containers. Are you growing food on a highrise balcony? Have you developed effective home remedies for pest control you'd like to share? Please enter. The gardening world needs YOU.
