GARDEN HE C T LU B

O F B N AR R IN G TO

The Garden Club of Barrington P R E S S R E L E A S E ______

Date: January 2008 From: Laura Ekstrom Public Relations Club Chairman 847-382-2228 Fax 847-382-1282 [email protected] For Immediate Release:

The Garden Club of Barrington Hosts 18 Garden Clubs

For “Keepers of the Land” A Delight of Country Gardens and Prairies

Garden tours, dinner parties, delegate workshops, internationally known speakers,

horticulture challenges and photography competitions are just some of the events

organized for a Garden Club of America (GCA) Zone meeting. Hosted by The Garden

Club of Barrington once every 18 years, this is an event that is literally years in the

planning, and when it happens, involves every member of the Garden Club.

Cinder Dowling, President of the Garden Club and Gail O’Gorman who chaired the event

presented the theme “Keepers of the Land,” reflecting a dedication to conservation and

______1 P.O. Box 1108 Barrington, 60011-1108 www.thegardenclubofbarrington.org the desire to preserve open spaces. It is also the title of an award winning conservation-

minded book published by The Garden Club of Barrington, distributed to new homeowners free of charge as a public service and available at the Barrington Area

Historical Society.

The Garden Club welcomed 72 attendees including National GCA Officers as well as Club Presidents and Delegates from Illinois, , , ,

Nebraska and for this 2-day event. After checking in at the Marriot in Hoffman

Estates and attending Delegate, Director and President’s workshops on Thursday, attendees were treated to beautiful garden walks and gourmet dinners in 9 private homes.

Hostesses included Pat Ballot, Connie Bischof, Lou Flannery, Nancy Hamill, Shirley

Irwin, Carol Moorman, Kay Schueppert, Betsie Smith and Mary Smith.

Friday began with the Peacock Lecture Series that was also open to the public.

The program began with an introduction by Garden Club of Barrington members Penny

Horne and Mary McCarthy discussing the book “Keepers of the Land.” Then, Sam

Oliver, Executive Director of Citizens for Conservation in Barrington, spoke of how her

organization is "Saving Living Space for Living Things" through protection,

restoration and stewardship of land, conservation of natural resources, and

education.

Featured speakers included Wendy Paulson, an internationally known

conservationist and environmental educator, who discussed her unique perspective on

conservation and nature-based education. As the wife of Treasury Secretary, Henry M.

Paulson Jr. she calls both Washington D.C. and Barrington Hills home and is known

locally as being the first “Nature Lady” to Barrington school children. Today she

______2 P.O. Box 1108 Barrington, Illinois 60011-1108 www.thegardenclubofbarrington.org continues her love of nature education by teaching bird classes in two New York City public schools. She spoke about conservation efforts in the Barrington area as well as giving the audience an opportunity for questions and answers.

Author, Page Dickey, spoke about her latest book: ” Gardens in the Spirit of Place”.

Fourteen gardens across the United States were profiled, each garden representing an original response to its’ surroundings.

People visiting the Peacock lectures were also invited to view the Photography

Competition and the Horticulture Challenge exhibits. Blue ribbons in photography were won by Laura Ekstrom and Dicie Hansen of the Garden Club of Barrington and by

Carole Sandner, of the Lake Geneva Garden Club, the current Zone XI Chairman.

Then it was off to lunch hosted by GCA President Maryjo Garre and Garden Club

President Cinder Dowling at Maryjo’s lovely home in a tent overlooking a lake and

“ungarden” gardens, known for being very natural to their settings. Steve Packard, a prairie restoration expert of the Audubon Society, spoke about Chicago area prairies.

After lunch, the ladies were treated to a tour of Grigsby Prairie – a 37-acre prairie contributed to Citizen’s of Conservation by Garden Club member Peggy Richards in memory of her father Pete Grigsby, 21 years ago; and the Olsen’s fabulous garden

“Woods Walk” featuring15 acres of garden rooms. After the garden tours, tea and refreshments were offered at Rolling Oaks Farm.

The Awards Dinner on Friday evening showcased several very accomplished and dedicated individuals from Zone XI garden clubs and their local communities by recognizing them with a variety of awards. Garden Club member Pat Ballot received the

Zone Flower Arrangement Achievement Award and Garden Club member Penny Horne

______3 P.O. Box 1108 Barrington, Illinois 60011-1108 www.thegardenclubofbarrington.org Received the Zone Distinguished Service Award for contributions in Flower arranging,

conservation and mentoring. Sam Oliver received the Zone Conservation Commendation

for her organization, the Citizens for Conservation.

A special presentation was made to a surprised Maryjo Garre in appreciation of

her serving as the first GCA President from the Midwest. She was presented with a

painting of her home by American Watercolor Society artist and garden club member Pat

Mead. The painting featured a great blue heron in the lake in front of her home, which was especially meaningful as it also is represented in the garden club logo and served as

the symbol of this Zone meeting.

The Garden Club of Barrington’s meeting offered such a variety of venues and events, that as the delegates departed, silk goody bags in hand, there was a sense of awe

at the scale and charm of the country gardens visited, and the inspiring speakers, mixed with a humble appreciation of the pure beauty of the tall grass prairie, so beautifully preserved and cherished here.

______4 P.O. Box 1108 Barrington, Illinois 60011-1108 www.thegardenclubofbarrington.org

______5 P.O. Box 1108 Barrington, Illinois 60011-1108 www.thegardenclubofbarrington.org