The West Chicago Garden Club

News from Kruse

As the seasons are changing and the days are getting shorter, there’s a lot happening in the Kruse Garden.  There’s still an abundance of beauty and color.         

Sweet Peas: A Victorian flower dictionary defines sweet peas (Lathyrus odorafuscvs) as delicate pleasures.  Both white and pink sweet peas are growing on the west side of the Kruse House.  Some of the vines are going up the wooden trellis, but more of the vines creep out to the beds in the driveway.   A mass of pure white sweet peas grows on the east side of the garden.

Peas use tendrils to climb; they can grasp anything that’sa quarter-inch or less.  The best support is string, twine, or netting with a grid that’s at least 2” x 2”, anything smaller will not work well.  News – garden suppliers have both nearly-invisible and even biodegradable netting.  How sweet.

Our plants are self-seeding and grow profusely.  The pea pods dry, split and curl into little spirals. Pick up some of the seeds at the next garden club meeting.
           

Black Walnuts:  Black walnut trees are native and grow from Canada to northern Florida and west to the Great Plains.  Our black walnut tree, in the far northwest corner of the garden, is about 50 feet tall and has begun to drop its nuts that are good-tasting and good for you. The best time to collect walnuts is when the outer husk softens, but is still green in color.  When cracking the nuts, you need to wear gloves and old clothing as the juice in black walnuts will stain!  The black walnut’s roots exude a natural herbicide known as juglone that prevents many plants from growing within their reach.  Tomatoes, apples, pears and some landscape plants may be killed or stunted if grown nearby.  We noticed at Kruse that of three pagoda dogwoods, the one nearest the walnut tree is quite stunted.  In autumn, the walnut tree leaves turn bright yellow, contrasting nicely with the tree’s rugged, dark bark.

West Chicago Historical Society (WCHS):  The society maintains the Kruse House Museum and opens the house for tours Saturday 11 AM – 3 PM May through September.  In the WCHS Fall 2016 newsletter, the society gave the West Chicago Garden Club a big thank you for maintaining the garden and also noted “the grounds have been wonderful to enjoy again this year!” For museum exhibit information at the Kruse House, go to krusehousemuseum.org.

Visit the Kruse Garden any time and witness the glorious seasonal transition.       – Kerry

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