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This week’s lecture in the Chalet Education Center is “Get the garden ready for winter” by Tony Fulmer, Chalet’s Retail Manager. It is a free lecture given at 10AM - 11:30AM on Friday 10/29 and repeated on Saturday 10/30. This weather should put you in the mood to get the garden ready!

Click here to see a schedule of holiday events at Chalet.

Get more information about free garden lectures at Chalet’s web site, here.

October through November 2010

As fall colors lend a spectacular hue to the city, the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park welcomes visitors from all over the world to its perennially beautiful grounds and popular programs. Here are offerings coming this fall, including hands-on workshops, lectures and a special garden walk:

Free adult hands-on workshop:
Garden Blogging for Beginners
Sunday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Fourth floor conference room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Program: If you’ve ever thought about branching out into blogging about your garden, discover techniques for chronicling your thoughts online. Led by Ramon Gonzales, a.k.a. “Mr. Brown Thumb.” Note: Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Call 312-742-TIXS (8497).

Lurie Garden/Art Institute free family workshop:
Magical Dwellings: Art and the Lurie Garden
Sunday, Oct. 10, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: The Art Institute of Chicago Ryan Education Center, 111 S. Michigan Ave., and the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park
Program: Learn how to create charming diminutive dwellings in this special joint workshop from The Art Institute of Chicago and the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park. Children ages 6 to 12 will explore concepts of architecture and outdoor structures, drawing on inspiration from great works at The Art Institute and spectacular scenery in the Lurie Garden. Note: Children must be at least 6 years old and accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Call 312-742-TIXS (8497).

Free adult lecture:
What is Living in Your Soil – and Why Should You Care?
Thursday, Oct.14, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: First floor Garland Room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Program: Join Rex Bastian from the Care of Trees as he discusses fundamentals of soil biology and why living components of soil, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and others, are important to plants and trees. Pre-registration is not required.

Free seasonal garden walk:
Saturday, Oct.16, 10 a.m.
Savor autumn’s blaze of glory and learn about seasonal changes in the garden during this walk in the Lurie Garden. Discover native plants, Chicago symbolism in the garden’s design and perennials that can be easily grown in the home garden. The seasonal walk is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required.

Free adult lecture:
Everything Comes into this World Hungry: Soil Making and Building
Thursday, Nov. 18, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: Fifth floor Millennium Park Room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Program: In this food-for-thought session, Nance Klehm – progressive ecologist, designer, urban forager, grower and teacher – will share her insights on various methods of transforming what is typically perceived as “waste” into components for building healthy soil. Pre-registration is not required.

Free adult hands-on workshop:
Healing Herbal Lotions, Balms and Salves
Saturday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: First floor Garland Room Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Program: Herbs are a treat for all the senses. Join the Lurie Garden’s Bonnie Tawse as she shares her best tips for creating and using soothing herbal lotions, balms and salves, especially as impending cold weather spurs the beginning of dry-skin season. They also make great gifts for the upcoming holidays. Note: Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Call 312-742-TIXS (8497) to register.

Free family workshop:
Winter Wonders and Recycled Crafts
Saturday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: First floor Garland Room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Program: Children will learn about outdoor winter wonderlands and how the landscape is transformed during colder months. They also will create earth-friendly crafts (and possibly get a start on holiday gift-giving) using recycled materials. Note: Children must be at least 6 years old and accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required. Call 312-742-TIXS (8497).

The Lurie Garden is located at the southeast corner of Millennium Park, near the
corner of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street. Millennium Park is easily reached by CTA and adjacent public parking is available. Millennium Park is universally accessible to patrons with disabilities. For more information, visit .

Visit www.luriegarden.org for information about the Lurie Garden, including programming, four-season highlights, plant features and design elements.

Sue Markgraf and Lurie Garden’s new chief horticulturist Jennifer Davit were recently featured on WCPT Radio’s “The Mike Nowak Show”, talking about managing the garden. Mike recommends listeners visit Lurie Garden in Millennium Park this fall and introduces Jennifer and her horticultural background on air. She and Sue give an overview of Lurie Garden and its role as a sustainable destination - a “jewel” - in Chicago.

Click here to listen to the interview. (Mp3)

Mike Nowak’s weekly show covers all-things horticultural and environmental, and can be heard on Sunday mornings from 9 to 11 on 820 AM and 92.7 (north), 92.5 (west) and 99.9 FM (south).

Click here to visit The Mike Nowak Show web site.

Chalet’s Tony Fulmer appeared on WGN recently, with tips for long-lasting roses. For many gardeners, the ideal plant is one that says in bloom for a long period of time and requires little maintenance. Tony suggests shrub roses. In the video, aired during WGN’s “Midday Fix,” he provided answers to common gardening questions, such as how to keep roses blooming with minimal use of sprays, how to deal with blackspot, how to be more organic with roses, how to get rid of Japanese Beetles, etc.

Watch the video here

Here is one of the Q&As posted on the WGN site:

Q. “A common perception is that roses require a lot of spraying to keep them looking good. Is that true with shrub roses also?”

A. The term “shrub rose” is a “kitchen sing catch-all” for any roses that hybridizers are unsure what to do with. So there is a wide range in size, winter hardiness, disease resistance and length of bloom. There are a lot of things you can do to make roses easier and less time-consuming. First, give them lots of sun. Generally, roses prefer at least six hours of direct sun and more is better. If you want roses and your site has four hours of sun (or less) look for those that have lower petal count. The fewer the petals, the more shade tolerant the rose.

Check out more advice and the video, here, on WGN’s web site.

Click here to visit Chalet’s web site for more gardening tips, products and services.

Chicago magazine recognizes Pet Essentials department, manager

Chalet, Wilmette, Ill., has been named “Best Store for Pet Food” by Chicago magazine. The garden center and retail outlet’s Pet Essentials department is featured in the magazine’s August issue, which spotlights “Best of Chicago” businesses and services throughout the city and suburbs.

“Outside it’s an award-winning nursery and landscaping business, but inside an expert staff runs a comprehensive pet food department,” Chicago writers note in the profile. “Chalet carries a staggering array of organic and special-diet dog and cat foods – more than a dozen of them endorsed by Whole Dog Journal – including nutritional choices for senior pets or pets with food allergies.”

Currently, Chalet carries 12 of the top dry dog foods and seven of the top canned dog foods recommended by Whole Dog Journal, in addition to a broad line of cat food and food for bird, rabbits, gerbils, mice and other small creatures. Chalet also helps pet owners leave a smaller carbon “pawprint” through a growing array of earth-friendly pet food and other green pet care products. Creature comforts include leashes and collars, apparel, beds, travel bags, toys, first aid items and grooming and health products.

Chalet’s Pet Essentials Manager Gabbie Roderer also was recognized by Chicago, which honored all of this year’s “Best of Chicago” winners, at a special event earlier this summer. The department has gained a loyal following among pet owners in the suburbs and city, according to Chalet store manager Tony Fulmer. “We were thrilled to hear we were included in this always well-read and prestigious issue of Chicago magazine,” said Fulmer. “We feel the excellence of our Pet Essentials department is a reflection of the way we try to conduct all aspects of our business, whether it’s our retail garden center, landscape division or nursery. That means providing the best quality products and services for our customers – and their pets.”

Roderer says she’s grateful that her department received the distinction, especially since there are so many pet food stores in the greater Chicago area. “I love being here every day and interacting with pet owners and their pets,” she says. “Being able to share with them the best, most nutritious food for their four-legged or winged family members is its own reward, too.”

For more information about Chalet, including its Pet Essentials department, visit www.ChaletNursery.com or call 847-256-0561.

Earthwise Environmental was recently profiled in The Business Ledger, July 22, 2010. Staff writer Elizabeth Koss writes “…long before going green became a cultural phenomenon, Bensenville-based Earthwise Environmental, Inc. was working to provide environmentally sound water management options for the preservation and conservation of our most coveted resource.”

Robert Miller, Earthwise founder and CEO is quoted, “What we’re finally seeing is people are willing to look at alternative methods, greener methods, to provide the same water disinfection, scale control and corrosion control.”

When Earthwise was founded in 1995, the company’s clientèle were not motivated to be environmentally friendly. Initially, Earthwise focused on selling chemical treatments. In the past four years, since green’s become on the tip of every business-owner’s tongue, Earthwise has switched their focus to water conservation, water reuse technology and chemically minimized programs.

Miller said, “People come to us and we may show them four different technologies to accomplish the water treatment at their facility based on the water quality of their plant, the goals that they have for water conservation or reuse, their likes or dislikes for handling certain types of chemistries and, of course, their budget.”

The article continues detailing Earthwise’s eSolutions, a patent-pending cooling technology; and Phoenix Sky Harbor, the location of a recent pilot program launched April 2010 involving an ion exchange water system.

Hear more about Earthwise from Robert Miller on the article, which you can read on the Business Ledger’s web site, here.

Learn more about Earthwise Environmental, Inc. on their web site, here.

October through November 2010

As fall colors lend a spectacular hue to the city, the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park welcomes visitors from all over the world to its perennially beautiful grounds and popular programs. Here are offerings for fall 2010, including hands-on workshops, lectures and garden walks:

Free adult hands-on workshop:

Garden Blogging for Beginners

Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Location: Fourth floor conference room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.

Program: If you’ve ever thought about branching out into blogging about your garden (or your vision of gardening), discover how to get started chronicling your thoughts online. Led by Ramon Gonzales, a.k.a. “Mr. Brown Thumb.” Note: Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Call 312-742-TIXS (8497) or visit www.luriegarden.org to register.

Lurie Garden/Art Institute free family workshop:

Dwellings: Art and the Lurie Garden

Saturday, Oct. 10, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Location: The Art Institute of Chicago Ryan Education Center, 111 S. Michigan Ave., and the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park

Program: Learn how to create charming diminutive dwellings in this special joint workshop from The Art Institute of Chicago and the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park. Children ages 6 to 12 will explore concepts of architecture and outdoor structures, drawing on inspiration from great works at The Art Institute and spectacular scenery in the Lurie Garden. Note: Children must be at least 6 years old and accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. The workshop is free, although participants and family members/caregivers who are not members of The Art Institute of Chicago must purchase a ticket to the museum to attend. To register online, visit www.artic.edu/aic/education or call 312-857-7161.

Free adult lecture:

What is Living in Your Soil – and Why Should You Care?

Thursday, Oct.14, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Location: First Floor Garland Room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.

Program: Join Rex Bastian from the Care of Trees as he discusses fundamentals of soil biology and why living components of soil, including bacteria, fungi, protozoans and others, are important to plants and trees. Pre-registration not required.

Free adult lecture:

Everything Comes into this World Hungry: Soil Making and Building

Thursday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Location: Fifth floor Millennium Park Room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.Program: In this food-for-thought session, Nance Klehm – progressive ecologist, designer, urban forager, grower and teacher – will share her insights on various methods of transforming what is typically perceived as “waste” to heal or build soil. Pre-registration not required.

Free adult hands-on workshop:

Herbal Lotions, Balms and Salves

Saturday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Location: Fourth floor conference room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.

Program: Herbs are a treat for all the senses. Join the Lurie Garden’s Bonnie Tawse as she shares her best tips for creating and using soothing herbal lotions, balms and salves, especially as impending cold weather spurs the beginning of dry-skin season. They also make great gifts for the upcoming holiday season. Note: Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Call 312-742-TIXS (8497) or visit www.luriegarden.org to register.

Free family workshop:

Winter Wonders and Recycled Crafts

Saturday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Location: Fourth floor conference room, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.

Program: Children will learn about outdoor winter wonderlands and how the landscape is transformed during colder months. They also will create earth-friendly crafts (and possibly get a start on holiday gift-giving) using recycled materials. Note: Children must be at least 6 years old and accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required. Call 312-742-TIXS (8497) or visit www.luriegarden.org to register.

The Lurie Garden is located at the southeast corner of Millennium Park, near the corner of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street. Millennium Park is easily reached by CTA and adjacent public parking is available. Millennium Park is universally accessible to patrons with disabilities.

For more information, visit www.millenniumpark.org.

Visit www.luriegarden.org for more information about the Lurie Garden, including programming, four-season highlights, plant features and design elements.

Chicago’s “Urbs in Horto” Provides Ready Source of Much-Needed Pollen and Nectar

Concerns about the mysterious national decline in the honeybee population - crucial in pollination of virtually all food crops - will be on the minds of many as National Honeybee Day approaches on Saturday, Aug. 21.Yet, honeybees are thriving in one surprising environment: the Lurie Garden, an urban garden in downtown Chicago. The garden’s perennial plants and flowers attract honeybees and dozens of other bee/insect species that help sustain the environment, beautify the gardens and supply honey.

Since it opened in July 2004, the Lurie Garden has become a haven for honeybees in a landscape that attracted few such winged creatures in preceding years. According to Jennifer Davit, the garden’s director, the Lurie Garden is an ideal place for honeybees to find the pollen and nectar they need to survive and carry on their pivotal role in the food chain.”Bees need a large area of one plant, preferably one square meter or larger,” she says.

“At the garden, we have large masses of plants and bees really benefit because they don’t have to fly as far and expend extra energy to eat.”The Lurie Garden is an example of how the honeybee population can survive and thrive, thanks to key sources of sustenance found there.”Bees need blooms throughout the season and are attracted to blue and purple flowers, which are Lurie’s signature colors,” Davit says. “Bees also prefer native plants, like those in this garden, because genetically-altered cultivars don’t often produce as much pollen and nectar.”Bees that buzz around the Lurie Garden make their home in several hives on the roof of the Chicago Cultural Center across North Michigan Avenue and, a few blocks away, at Gallery 37 and Chicago’s City Hall. Honey from those hives is collected and sold by the Chicago Honeybee Group, with proceeds designated to help the local urban honeybee population thrive.

Since bees started visiting the Lurie Garden, says Davit, the taste of the honey has become “minty,” due to the large presence of Lurie plants in the mint family. Honeybee colonies at the Lurie Garden have a positive impact on the environment, but do not cause a problem among the thousands of visitors to the popular attraction. Davit points out that she and other Lurie Garden horticulturists and gardeners are on site daily and have not been stung. Bees also are a regular part of free educational programs at the Lurie Garden, including the popular “Bee Walk and Talk in the Garden.”The Lurie Garden is located at the southeast corner of Millennium Park, near the corner of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street. Millennium Park is easily reached by CTA and adjacent public parking is available.

Millennium Park is universally accessible to patrons with disabilities.For more information, visit www.millenniumpark.org.

Visit www.luriegarden.org for more information about the Lurie Garden, including programming, four-season highlights, plant features and design elements.

Jim Broccolo receives honor from Green Profit magazine

He’s young. He knows about all things green. He’s garden-wise beyond his 30 years.

Meet Jim Broccolo, nursery manager and annuals buyer for Chalet, Wilmette, Ill., recently named 2010 “Young Retailer of the Year” by Green Profit magazine, a trade publication for the garden center industry. Broccolo, chosen from dozens of garden retail professionals under age 35, will be featured on the magazine’s cover in September.

The announcement was made this month during the Ohio Flower Growers’ and Retailers Association (OFA) Short Course, considered one of the largest and most important horticulture industry events in the world. Chris Beytes, Green Profit editor and publisher, said the magazine’s panel of expert judges was impressed with Broccolo’s vision for the future of garden centers, and his belief in contributions to the local community and the earth.

“The criteria for this award are knowledge, education, experience, travel, involvement in their own business and the industry, as well as their community and an expression of passion and enthusiasm for their chosen trade,” said Beytes. “This can be a tough industry and the award recognizes hard-working young people who spend a lot of long hours and weekends at their job.”

Broccolo also impressed the judges with his entry’s essay on customer service.

“Servicing the customer of 2020 begins by establishing a trusting relationship with today’s customer, working with growers to improve our environmental impact and using technology as an avenue for education and outreach,” he wrote. “We must view our customer as multi-generational: the gardeners tending to their property for several decades, the first-time homebuyers excited about the opportunity to maintain their own yards, and the young children in a classroom or shopping with a parent.”

Broccolo also wrote that he and his colleagues are able to meet customers’ needs by building relationships and providing service that is knowledgeable as it is friendly. They do this through interactions with longtime and new shoppers, and as a result of Chalet’s regular presentations at local garden clubs and schools.

To view Green Profit online, please visit www.ballpublishing/GreenProfit. For more information about the award-winning Chalet, visit www.chaletnursery.com.