In 1929, Charles Gates Dawes finished up his U.S. vice-presidential term, Marshall Field completed construction of a department store in downtown Evanston and a group of northwest Evanston women formed the second of what would later total seven Evanston-based garden clubs – The Lincolnwood Garden Club of Evanston.
The Club was named for Lincoln-wood Elementary School, where the mothers met. Today, members come from all over Evanston and nearby
communities.
The Club collaborates with community partners like ETHS’s Geometry in Construction Program to install gardens at final home sites, maintains gardens throughout Evanston and annually funds grants to organizations working to improve the community’s environment through horticulture. In recent years, the Club has funded projects at more than a dozen Evanston schools, the YWCA, the YMCA, Evanston Public Library, Random Acts of Flowers and many more.
Current club president Sue Capillo first interacted with the Lincolnwood Garden Club of Evanston in 1985 when she was shopping for flowers at the Evanston Garden Fair. Like her, many of the current members of the club joined after attending the annual Fair as customers.
“Friendship and camaraderie, the desire to learn more about gardening, has kept this club alive and active for 90 years,” said Ms. Capillo, “I have been in the club for 23 years and have thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve spent with all of these ladies. The programs on the many different approaches to the plant world are an added bonus.”
Its 35 members, who range in age from 45 to 88, raise funds for their projects by hosting the Fair. Each year the Fair offers a wonderful variety of carefully selected perennials, annuals, container gardens and hanging baskets.
This year the Evanston Garden Fair will be held on May 17 and 18 in Independence Park on Central Street at Stewart Avenue.