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| Prickly pear, little bluestem, and goldenrod are all present! |
One of the fascinating features of the Thomas Street Garden is the diversity of microclimates that are present within the garden. Chicago itself is home to a much broader array of flora and fauna than most folks would suspect, and there are even plenty of gardeners who are surprised to learn that the prickly pear cactus is indeed native and perennial to these parts. Take a trip down to the south side, though, and your doubts will be forgotten. The volunteers who are working to restore Rainbow Beach Dunes are doing a wonderful job with that project, and visiting that park has been inspirational in envisioning the potential that lies within the Thomas Street Garden. I've recently been very excited to acquire two prickly pears for the Thomas Street Garden. The first cactus was a donated transplant, and the second was purchased at a local garden center when I was looking for some companion perennials to go along with our prickly pear. Imagine my surprise and delight when I found prickly pear, little bluestem, and goldenrod all waiting to come home with me! These plants all now live along the border between our rock garden and our rain garden, defining another microclimate within the garden and serving to represent a little of the diversity that is to be found throughout Chicago and her many wonderful gardens.
The next workday at Rainbow Beach Dunes will take place on Saturday, October 27 from 10 a.m. until noon. Rainbow Beach is located at 3111 E. 77th St. Check out www.chicagoparkdistrict.com for more information about this and other exciting projects within your city. Work hours will continue to be held in the Thomas Street Garden at 6 p.m. every Tuesday evening until we run out of daylight.
