I've had several gardens--I was privileged to help with two abandoned gardens that had been created by master gardeners--Mrs. Jaffe and Betty Wagner--about eight years ago. When the University tore down that block of wonderful houses and neighbors, I salvaged what plantsI could.
I've also gotten plants from my mother, George Rumsey, Vanya Wang, the Hyde Park Garden Fair, Ace Landscaping on 95th Street, Andershocks Fruit Market in Indiana, Marx's Roadside Stand, Joe Jackson's Market in New Buffalo, and the Cobleskill, N.Y., Agway. I'll identify the sources I can. I am very grateful to East Hyde Park Management, who agreed to let me start a garden in the front of my building.
I began in late October 2002 by planting two roses that were ones my grandmother had grown in Delaware County, New York. They survived, even though the corner I garden on is the windiest corner in Chicago. It's just one block from Lake Michigan, with nothing but an open park between the plants and the lake. To the left of the gateway into my building was a row of plaintain lilies. And that was the start of my garden.
Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of what it looked like when it was just grass!
2004
A chronicle of the year in the garden
(through October)
August 2003 Details
September 2003 Details
