WPGC Lecture Series: "Native landscape"

Looking North Down The Pond

Even though my current favorite landscape is the Mojave desert, I must still be a city girl at heart. Why? Because my favorite US garden is Alfred Caldwell's Lily Pond (in Lincoln Park east of the Conservatory, north of the Zoo and south across the street from the Notebaert Nature Museum).These photos just hint at the place that defines "sanctuary in the city." It sits next to major city attractions and heavy traffic and yet most people walk right past its modest entrance gate...this means you can almost always feel private when you are inside its regional stone walks and native plants and idiosyncratic structures. I believe tucking it away was intentional. For me, the Lily Pond has remained a space of endless nurturing, intrigue and education for more than 50 years. It was magic when I was a kid and it was neglected and full of bird poop and called "The Rookery." It still endlessly compells me now that I understand it professionally in its historical context.

This context will be artfully constructed (or maybe deconstructed?) through the Wicker Park Garden Club's Lecture Series "Native Landscape: Created - Conserved - Evolved" between now and March 2010. The Club's fearless leader (and he can be so because of his tireless energy, dedication & vision and because he has a strong group of supportive members terrific in their own right), Doug Wood, kicked off the series last night with "An Historic & Philosophic Overview of Selected Designers." The series concludes with a presentation on Caldwell.

I compromise my carbon footprint to attend because I have found this garden club always inspires me & makes me feel at home. In my industry, I am on the constant lookout for landscape discussions about design, history, philosophy, politics, sustainability and culture. WPGC is one of the few groups that delivers. Interestingly, it is a community gardening group, not professional (though some members are)...full of experience, knowledge, generosity & fun. [Of course, I have to mention MELA as one of the other groups I value highly.]

Every one of the lectures is on my calendar. Even though I have heard more than 2/3s of the speakers, I know this will be time well spent. Check them out and I promise you will leave connected. And perhaps, Wicker Park garden Club will become part of your routine too.


Water Fountain