Northbrook Community Gardens -- A Photo Essay

Okay, it's a little late to plant a summer vegetable garden. But why not think about next year? When we saw the impressive yields of Northbrook's citizen "farmers," we were favorably inclined to consider one. Meanwhile, as we wait in line to get more information from Brian Bruce [847-498-5008], one of the co-founders of the two Village Community Gardens, here are some photographs from our foray into the verdant vegetable patches. 

Crestwood Place Community Garden, north of Crestwood Place 

at 1000 Waukegan Road, is one of two community gardens on village property. 

Another village garden is located behind the Village Hall at 1225 Cedar Lane. 

Here's a third you may not know about:

St. Giles Episcopal Church on Walters has provided land for a 

third community garden that flourishes on church property.

Cosmos enjoy a final bloom at the Village Hall Community Garden.

Many vegetables that grow on vines have better 

yields when they're not on the ground. Below are three cabbages 

from Doug Gerleman's plot at St. Giles.

Below is some Goldenrod [Solidago] we found, thriving outside 
the Village Hall Garden fence. Despite its membership in the 
notoriously allergenic ragweed family, Goldenrod does not 
contribute to hay fever symptoms [!!]. Plus, the feathery, 
yellow fronds are very pretty in bloom.

These peppers were still thriving at the St. Giles garden.

We were pleasantly surprised by these gorgeous cantaloupes -- 

turns out they're Doug's.

The back fence at the Crestwood Place garden has been 

creatively decorated by Northbrook children. 

Even at the end of the summer harvest, the garden plots 

were still beautifully organized and carefully maintained.

These nuts were just a few of dozens and dozens on a tree just outside 

the Village Hall Garden's fence. Do you know what they are? Walnuts, perhaps?

These sunflowers are so tall the raccoons probably won't reach the seeds. 

Each gardener is asked to donate a portion of their harvest to the Northbrook Village Pantry. Obviously tomatoes would be at the top of that list. Shard, below, 

is one of the most nutritious vegetables in the garden. 

 In the midst of photographing the late harvest, we ran into Sue Schmittroth, the site coordinator for The Village Hall Garden. She is a veteran gardener and a repository of information about the gardens, but we got to talking about the lack of rain this summer and the identity of some mysterious vegetables we'd never seen, so our questions didn't get asked. The nice thing about a blog is that you can add things to an entry later. So we'll be back with more information. 

Will YOU plant a vegetable garden next year?