Prairie State Vintage & Garden

Here’s a preview of my garden ahead of the July 18 Native Garden Party Pop Up. My goal is to set up the artwork and objects in different “rooms” in my garden. I’ll also have refreshments. I hope to see you there!

As you’ll see, I’m not a perfectionist. I’m into “Wabi Sabi” — the beauty of imperfection. I have a large-ish yard, it’s mainly me doing the work, and I’m not a trained landscape designer (though I have taken a course in landscape design).

I’ve designed my garden into several “rooms” including one for relaxing, one for dining, and others for gardening. I have a few focal points in my garden: in particular a majestic ginkgo tree, and a birdbath inside an arch of blackberries.

My husband Steve and I are interested in permaculture — a system of gardening that focuses on food-bearing trees and shrubs. As far as edible plants in our backyard, we have: blackberries, raspberries, a goumi berry shrub, two goji berry shrubs, two cornelian cherry dogwoods, two asian pear trees, a medlar fruit tree, a pawpaw, a strawberry patch and a large vegetable garden.

We also have a young American hop hornbeam or ironwood (Ostrya virginiana). I got one after we saw many of these in full bloom on a hike in Starved Rock State Park and I was so charmed by them! The hops look like earrings to me.

With time, I’ve been adding more native plants to the backyard. This year, I’ve installed a patch of purple coneflower, nodding wild onion, anise hyssop, rose milkweed, Jacob’s ladder, and Joe Pye weed. An elderberry bush died but I’m encouraging the shoots in that area.

This year, a family of very hungry rabbits have moved into the yard, so I’ve discovered which plants they like to eat the hard way! I’ve had to cage my coneflowers, asters and Ohio spiderwort.

In addition to the usual squirrels, chipmonks, rabbits and visiting wild birds, butterflies and native bees, two backyard chickens, Dolly (a barred rock) and Charlie ( a French faverolle) live here. They no longer lay many eggs, but we enjoy their company and funny antics. My husband built a beautiful coop and run for them.