CIHS Columnist's  Message

CIHS Columnist's Message from the Current Newsletter - September 2026

Possibilities from a Past President :

August is over and it was a busy month for our club. We had our club trip to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. What an inspiration for our home gardens. The surprise lilies blooming on a hillside, in sweeping mass, lended a welcoming site as we started our journey. They have evaluation gardens, an extensive Japanese garden, prairies, home gardens, a wonderful bonsai collection, glass houses, rose gardens and the list goes on. I urge you all to visit. The next leg of our trip down to Grant Park to Woldhuis Sunrise Greenhouse seemed to take forever with all the Chicago traffic. They had a good selection of plants and deals, but NO Hosta left to purchase. 

The August auction was held on a Saturday, and it was a lovely day. There were many hosta, garden items, treats, and competitive bidding. Special thanks to all the dedicated volunteers and 2 chairmen of the event. What a success with over $3000 raised. Thanks to our Auctioneer, Mike Weber, for keeping it lively and fun. Our fall banquet will be our last meeting of the year. The deadline is almost here...hope to see you all there! 

Ella Maxwell, Past President 

And speaking of the Fall Banquet, deadline to sign-up is September 10. Details can be found in this newsletter. Be sure to contact Kay Dye to register. We will be calling for a vote to approve the revised Constitution & By-laws. All members present are eligible to vote. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie via email at debmccollum@gmail.com or via text at 

309-361-4209. 

Warm Regards,

Debbie McCollum, President