We visited a peaceful city park in nearby Palos Heights last weekend, Lake Katherine.
We were in awe of the many ways community groups and volunteers participate in maintaining this public space. From the Heritage Garden brimming with vegetables that is maintained by the University of Illinois Extension Services, to a children’s garden whose entrance is the reclaimed pillars of razed schoolhouse, Lake Katherine is truly a gift from the community to all of its citizens and beyond.
The entrance to the children’s garden.
The sign above caught my eye. The nearer I came to the display, the more I thought that I should try growing dahlias next year.
Do you grow dahlias? Do you have any tips or advice on their care?
Lifeonthecutoff's Blog 
What a beautiful place that is. I love the entrance to the children’s garden especially. The dahlias are gorgeous. I think I should make a list of flowers that I want to try next year. When I go to the nursery, I tend to stand around and say duh….. I get overwhelmed and want to buy one of everything, which my budget does not allow.
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You would love to walk through this entrance I am certain, Janet. It was saved from an old school being demolished and moved to this spot. I’m impressed by the foresight of folks who see ways to save such parts of the past. I make garden lists all the time. Then I lose them. I find them after I buy all but the plants I wanted to put in. Sigh. My budget these days doesn’t allow for such things either.
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Watch out for slugs – we planted about 10 dahlia tubers and every last one sprouted but then the emerging shoots were demolished before they’d even got above the soil! I don’t know what it’s like in your neck of the woods – we live on the other side of the ‘pond’ – but this year has been terrible for slugs and snails (as you probably heard we’ve had the wettest summer on record) – if our news is to be believed, you’ve had it much drier do the slimy beasties probably aren’t so bad! Good luck if you try the dahlias – they’re magnificent when they get to grow and flower properly. We have one variety over here called ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ which has a vividsingle red flower with dark foliage – it’s a real show stopper en masse. Gorgeous.
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Thank you for the very good advice, I know you have had record rain – and we have had record heat and no rain. I know all about slugs for they are a pest around hostas as well. This year, they were spared because of the drought. I will be on the lookout for “Bishop of Llandaff”. It sounds like a beauty. I always hesitate when it comes to dahlias for the amount of work digging them out and storing them, a must here in the midwest, but, maybe, just maybe, a few to start out.
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What a serene lake. Dahlias come in such gorgeous colours. Good like with them.
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This is such a delightful spot and I know we will return. The path around Lake Katherine is a mile and it was the most pleasant of walks. The gardens were lush, a waterfall, oh on and on. It would be a perfect spot for tai chi.
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I love dahlias: the perfect blousy accompaniment to the dog days of Summer, Penny! Lovely post and a timely reminder.
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They do wear well in the dog days of summer, don’t they Kate? Thank you.
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One of the loveliest parts of fall. We used to have a few in our first house/hard. Bill’s grandmother gave them to us from her garden….too long ago to remember how ;>)
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They do brighten up this time of year, don’t they Sallie?
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Hello Sunshine:
Lovely little post. I have never knew of this attraction in Palos. As for Dahlia’s . . . . I haven’t had much luck in this climate for some reason. I have tried twice, but the three plants chose to not grow and produce big flowers.
Hmmmmmm. . . . they can be subborn little devils I am told. Didn’t plant any this year. Mary Anne ox
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Thank you, Mary Anne. You are so sweet. We didn’t know about this little gem either. A friend asked me about it last Friday, wondering if I’d been there. We drove over Saturday, glad for the adventure. It would be a perfect outing for grandchildren. We walked the lake path, a mile, there are rowboats to rent and hills to climb. A scout troop passed us along the path and it was fun to hear the boys’ excitement. You would appreciate the gardens, Mary Anne, and there is an excellent nature center. As to the dahlias, I love them but it is the task of digging them up every year and storing them that puts me off. We will see.
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Penny, what a beautiful spot! And I love dahlias but haven’t tried to grow them here in Los Angeles. I don’t think they do well here. But they are one of my favorite flowers. Enjoy your Labor day weekend!
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Thank you, Sunday. They have such spectacular blooms, don’t they? I’ve seen some the size of plates. I might try some next year. Will see. Enjoy yours as well, Sunday.
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Wow! Just beautiful! I do love dahlias but no, I’ve never grown them. I see Sunday’s comment, and I know for a fact they do grow well here in the Los Angeles area. I admire them in gardens all the time. They are show stoppers for sure. I seem to never remember to get the bulbs and plant them at the right time, and I often think “next year.” This post will perhaps help me to prepare. I would imagine them well worth the effort! 🙂 Enjoy the long weekend, Penny!
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They are a bit of work, planting each spring, digging out and conditioning for winter here, but, they are so beautiful, aren’t they? Tom’s folks had a neighbor who grew them for show – and what a show they were. Enjoy yours as well, Debra.
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Dear Penny, I’ve never grown dahlias and never known anyone who did. So I’ve no thoughts to share with you on them, Penny. My mom had a canna garden in our front yard when I was growing up. I didn’t like cannas but my mom loved them. Yet I’ve never seen cannas since then. Do you think some flowers have an era or a time and then their popularity fades???? Peace.
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I have seen cannas growing around here, Dee, and I did grow some in a pot a few years ago, but, sadly, forgot to take them out of the pot come winter and, well, that was the end of the cannas. Doesn’t bode well for me and dahlias, does it? I have a friend whose mom also grew cannas and she didn’t like them either. I do think flowers have their own eras of popularity and they come and go and sometimes come back again. Fads and fashion – even with flowers.
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[…] a recent walk around Lake Katherine, one of Kermit’s relatives was splashing in the […]
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