Gardenology in Geneva

SOLD! Country Naturals, Geneva, IL during Gardenology Day 2011

I had three garden things planned for Saturday, but only one worked out. The weather didn’t work out either with temps in the upper 40s, light rain, and 20 mph winds. The Chicago Tribune listed over 200 or so (I didn’t count) plant sales throughout the area to check out this weekend and we only got to one which was Gardenology in Geneva and this was because since we lived nearby we could rush home afterward, build a fire and make hot chocolate.

One big advantage to miserable weather is that it produces small crowds (who wants to walk around thinking about gardens when it feels like it’s going to snow the next day?) and low attendance results in better parking which we immediately found right in front of the information booth at around 1:30 p.m. or so.

Blumen Gardens came too! Booth #38

But we didn’t get a program and map until we walked a few blocks and bought something at a store so we might have missed 90% of the events. And we just wandered around not checking the map because our hands were so darn cold and our eyes were tearing up. As a result, there was a nice assortment of stuff we missed like creating art in your garden painting demo, building birdhouses, arranging garden flowers, etc. Also missed hand scrubs demo, stress busting massages by a chiropractic & anti-aging centre, and a shop advertising medicines from the garden. 

And check out some of these description titles: Faerie gardens/kids organic edibles/worms; Angora Rabbits, Knit, Spinning (probably in that exact order). At a place called Peaceful Parlour they had sunflower planting/alpaca manure/(more)worms!! There were wasp traps demos, beekeeper outfits, seed spitting and custom body butter and when you were all done with that you could stop at an herbal tea tasting and move on to a gardenology cupcake.

There is one huge thing the organizers should seriously consider changing next year: Do we really need to be subjected to loud rock and country music as we are strolling around? Next year bring on Bach!  
Not only will it improve our crabby moods due to inclement weather, but garden enthusiasts might hang around a little longer; or at least long enough to purchase an organic carrot, John Deere tractor or iron bird sculpture.

Iron Garden Art by Jim Dries, Booth #67