To volunteer at the Garden Fair,
call Sue
at (773) 363-4368.

The Garden Fair Committee operates under the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference umbrella. Its profits go to beautify the neighborhood through public plantings and to support the Conference. It has always pleased us that the money Hyde Parkers pay for Garden Fair plants is returned to them in the form of gardens, meadows, and bulb plantings in public places.

We have been involved for years in establishing and ongoing care for the garden at 53rd and Lake Park, across from Hyde Park Bank, and the garden on the south border of Spruce Park, 54th and Blackstone, as well as being involved as sponsors and donors and workers in the formal garden in Nichols Park (north end) and the newer wildflower meadow at 54th Street on the west side of Nichols. Past efforts included planting hundreds of daffodils on the 55th Street berm.

The formal garden has always been a special case. When new land was added to Nichols Park more than a decade ago, a neighborhood survey showed that people wanted a formal perennial garden there. The Park District was willing to install such a garden provided the public, the community, would plan, buy plants, plant them, and care for it. Garden Fair members were involved from the first planning of this garden, working with a wonderful Park District designer, Maria Whiteman, to create a formal layout of a fountain surrounded by four cornerpieces and the straight beds in between. It's what is called a four-square garden--a square plan divided by walkways, with an important centerpiece. We have had "Weeding Wednesdays" when community people have come at 5 o'clock to keep the beds looking trim.

This past fall the Park District talked of issuing an outside contract for the whole north end garden--design, care, the works--mainly because of the new beds that were added at the eastern end, framing the gym extension just built on to Murray School. Knowing this would mean a major change in style, the Garden Fair's reaction was to push very strongly not only to continue there but to strengthen our historical involvement by expanding our responsibility for the planning, buying of plants, and planting of the formal beds. We can't think of a better use of flower money than in making the formal garden more and more beautiful. Thanks to a gentle push from Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, this agreement has been made. The Park District (by means of an outside contract) will be responsible for weeding, trash pick-up, major pruning, and supplying trees or large shrubs when needed. But it is important that this be a community effort, in keeping with the original deal with the Park District, not just a "Garden Fair" effort.

Therefore we need local gardeners who would like to join a Nichols Park Formal Garden committee, who will work on planning, shopping, planting and transplanting, and supervising others. And we need people who are just willing to dig holes, plant bulbs, and generally follow instructions. It should be exciting: we will be planting more beds, including a half-moon knot garden at the western end, and revamping our ten-year-old beds around the fountain. If you are interested, call Bam at (773) 288-7054.

In the smaller gardens, we will be planting plants from the Fair, providing ongoing care through the summer, and planting bulbs in the fall. If you live near one of them or have come to love either, please call: for Spruce Park, Norah at (773) 752-8072; for 53rd and Lake Park, Lesley at (773) 947-8313.

The wildflower meadow in Nichols is special in many ways. Occasional "meadow burns" help keep down weeds and promote the growth of the wild prairie plants (the Park District handles the burn). Volunteers are needed for planting and weeding, and later deadheading. It's a fascinating place to watch the natural growth and succession of blooms and the slow appearance of wildlife. We had a garter snake last year! To volunteer (often on Sunday afternoons, so we can enjoy the summer jazz concerts while working), call Carol at (773) 684-2619. We provide tools.