Historical Society Launches Campaign for Historic Eklund Garden

Posted on Nov 1, 2003 in categories Fundraising, Garden, Press Releases

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GLENCOE—To enhance the beauty, health and longevity of the Eklund Garden at 377 Park Avenue, the Glencoe Historical Society has launched a year-long fund-raising campaign. The Society is hoping to raise the $150,000 necessary to restore the salvageable elements of the Eklund Garden to their original beauty, enhance these elements to make the Garden have four season appeal, make the Garden accessible to all in the Village, and to do so without changing the Garden’s early 1900s character.

The Garden, part of the donation to the Glencoe Historical Society by Sara C. Eklund in 2000, fronts on Park Avenue and has been part of the community since the late 1880s. Glencoe residents have long enjoyed the beauty of the Garden’s iris in the spring, the hydrangeas in the summer and fall, and the lush open green space in the downtown district all summer. Many visitors to the Garden have also enjoyed the Garden seating, a place for leisure and contemplation in our busy world.

The Glencoe Historical Society began last spring to have the Garden evaluated with an eye toward restoration. Participating in the evaluation were Glencoe Village Arborist John Houde, Glencoe Park District Superintendent Rick Bold and Park District Horticulturist Tom McDonald. Joining them were the owners of Nels Johnson Tree Experts, Inc. and Mariani Landscape. All landscape/tree professionals were in agreement as to the work that should be completed before a Garden Plan might be created. Diseased trees were removed. Healthy trees were trimmed.

Mariani Landscape donated their services to create a new Garden Concept Plan: one that features a series of smaller specialized gardens that will be handicapped accessible (under the terms of the American for Disabilities Act), one which creates an understory layer of screening materials that use trees and shrubs that would be appropriate to an early 1900s garden, and one which is bird and butterfly friendly in order to provide another century of pleasure for the Glencoe community.