Gardening with Maggie

 Ferns, gnomes, Lily of the Valley and Coral Bells make up some of the backyard garden at Maggie's house in Evanston, IL.  I can say without a doubt, that they have one of the best backyards around this city - perfect for summer outdoor parties.  Lucky for me, she is hosting a party next week to celebrate all the birthdays with so many of our closest friends (many of whom happen to be in town next week for a wedding on the 4th that I'm really looking forward to) and it's going to take place in this very yard.  I for one Can. Not. Wait.

The ferns are a whole wall of green.  They're huge and abundant.  What's really cool about their backyard garden is how true they keep it to the climate we're in.  Everything they choose is native to the area and they let them go by their own cycle.  If they die they die, if they live and come back next season it's a bonus.

 Aside from planting a garden in their backyard, they also have ~ 12 x 8 feet of space in the Evanston community garden.  Here you can see shallots sprouting up.  While things to tend to take a little longer to sprout up in these parts, this space is direct sun and does yield a lot of produce with the right amount of work.  Last year, the abundance of produce they grew from their double plot was enough to feed them for months as well as friends.  So instead of wasting great produce, she sold it to local cafes!

I don't know about you, but these photos have me itching to use my green thumb!

* All images by Maggie Faircloth Gresham