Award-Winning Gardens - Chicago Excellence in Gardening ...
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Award-Winning Gardens
Entries from a City-Wide Garden Contest Reveal an Impressive Display of Local Talent
By Kathleen Thompson
G
ardeners change the world. And competition included schools, commu- Take the Southside Occupational
if you think that’s an exaggera- nity gardens, individuals and even an Academy in Englewood. Here you’ll find
tion, you haven’t met the people urban farm. The judges – mostly Master two edible gardens, an orchard of 36
who enter the Excellence in Gardening Gardener volunteers from University trees, and a greenhouse. The gardeners
Awards (CEGA) each year. Some are indi- of Illinois Extension, Cook County – grow a wide variety of fruits and vegeta-
viduals who, working alone or with their screened the applications, which includ- bles, using every inch of space. In their
families, create oases of peace and beauty ed photographs and descriptions of the pumpkin/melon patch, they grow corn,
in the urban landscape. Some are teach- gardens. Then judging teams visited each beans and potatoes between the rows.
ers whose students are growing food and of the finalists, viewing the gardens and Everything is done organically, without
developing skills they can use to find jobs talking to the gardeners. In the fall, the pesticides. There are bees, chickens and
and live useful lives. Some approach gar- CEGA committee honored 65 gardens ducks to produce fresh eggs and honey.
dening as scientists, some as artists, and from 33 wards and 60 Chicago commu- And all of this is maintained and cultivat-
some as wild-eyed dreamers. And they all nities in an awards ceremony at Garfield ed by students. They even run their own
contribute to making Chicago a healthier, Park Conservatory. The gardening skills community farmers market in what has
more beautiful, and even more socially were so impressive and the garden stories been for far too long a food desert.
just place to live. so interesting that the almost 200 garden- One of the original World War II vic-
This past year, entries in the CEGA ers and friends sat rapt for two hours. tory gardens, the Rainbow Beach Victory
54 CHICAGOLANDGARDENING.com
Garden has been a part of the South Shore Yvonne Roeske’s garden in Edison Park LEFT: Patricia Richardson
Community for nearly 80 years, and three takes inspiration from the great gardens of Chandler gardens on the
of its current members have been working Europe. Attention to details, color combi- 35th floor terrace of her city
in the garden for more than 40 years. Today, nations and texture create a diverse series of high rise. A disabled veteran,
the RBVG includes retired and working garden rooms all visible from indoors. This Chandler has a severe sun aller-
educators, nurses, construction workers and is a mature landscape, a truly inspiring gar- gy from her time in Iraq and
one-time steel mill workers, using organic den oasis for a plantswoman’s family. must garden in the early morn-
practices to grow vegetables and create plot Before William Hill & his partner James ing or at night. Despite her dif-
borders that sustain wildlife. The garden Vanden Boogart’s vision in 2015, the east ficulties, she has transformed a
also builds a community of individuals who side of the 6400 block of south Dorchester formerly neglected space into a
teach about and maintain a piece of history was an urban dumping ground. Overgrown place of beauty.
in the South Shore Community. weeds, household garbage & unwanted tires
RIGHT: Mamon Gibson sadly
And then there are the gardens that littered the parkway. This landscape has
passed away before the CEGA
simply make life lovelier. Suan Meyer’s been transformed into an ornamental and
awards ceremony, but his
corner garden in Lincoln Park is a joy for found-art garden that is rich in native and wife Susan and his grandson
the neighborhood. During the gardening culturally important plants. Clayton Daniels posed in his
season, she works every day to make certain Patricia Richardson, a disabled army rooftop garden and proudly
it is always perfect. Summer annuals and veteran, has taken on the neglected 35th displayed the two awards he
perennials are accented with garden path- floor garden area in her condo building. received for his participation
ways that hold a rock, a bird bath, or a sur- Because of a sun allergy from her days in in Chicago’s Excellence in
prise piece of art to enhance the planting. Iraq, she has to do most of her gardening Gardening Awards. The photo
This perfect little corner has food (tomatoes work at night or in the very early morning. was taken during their end-of-
and peppers and herbs), native plants in Still, faced with high winds off the lake and season cleanup.
the “meditation area” and a colorful display the other challenges of a rooftop garden on
along the sidewalk for passersby to enjoy. a high rise, she has singlehandedly created
CHICAGOLAND GARDENING • MARCH/APRIL 2019 55
a source of beauty and inspiration for the TOP: The members of the El Paseo Community Garden in Pilsen work on a
more than 300 tenants. 30,000-square-foot plot along the El Paseo trail, a former brownfield site. In addi-
Another rooftop gardener, sadly, tion to gardening, the group maintains bee hives, a monarch prairie and offers
never received his CEGA award this year. community activities such as a movie night and yoga.
Mamon Gibson, Jr. was an Illinois Master
Gardener and a volunteer gardener at the BOTTOM: Rainbow Beach Victory Garden has been part of the South Shore com-
Lurie Garden. His wife leads Millennial munity for nearly 80 years and was truly one of the original World War II victory
Park walking tours, and from their home gardens. The dedication of the neighbors is evident in the health and neatness of
near Navy Pier, they would walk down- the garden.
town and meet up after pursuing their
individual passions. Mamon worked hard
on his rooftop sanctuary, and he was pre-
sented with CEGA signs for both 2017
and 2018. A week after the presentation,
however, he succumbed to a long illness.
From elegant home gardens to large
and productive urban farms, these gar-
dens exemplify the Chicago motto, adopt-
ed in 1837, “Urbs in Horto.” Applications
will be accepted for the 2019 awards at
www.chicagogardeningawards.com start-
ing in April.
The Chicago Excellence in Gardening
Awards are Chicago’s only citywide gar-
dening honors recognizing the hard work
and creativity that make our city a health-
ier, more beautiful and more sustainable
place. The program supports the pride we
take in our neighborhoods and help us
build our communities.
writer bio?
56 CHICAGOLANDGARDENING.com
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