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WICKER PARK — The trees, shrubs and flowers in the gardens of Wicker Park’s namesake park rely on the financial support of neighbors to maintain them.
You can support the park by buying items for your own garden during an upcoming plant sale fundraiser.
From 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 8, the plant sale will be set up on the west side of the Wicker Park Field House, 1425 N. Damen Ave. (In the event of rain, the sale will take place 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 9.)
Masks are required and the sale is limited to 50 people at a time. The event is sponsored by the Wicker Park Garden Club & Advisory Council in partnership with the Chicago Park District.
Last year, the plant sale — one of the garden’s largest moneymakers — was canceled due to COVID-19.
Credit: Doug Wood / ProvidedThe garden’s $7,000 budget covers everything from mulch, soil and organic fertilizers to rhizomes, seeds and shrubs. The gardens do not receive any money from the Chicago Park District or any other city entity, Garden Club leader Doug Wood said last year.
The money also pays for tools for volunteers, evergreen branches that winterize roses, materials for children’s activities, art events and wintertime decorations.
In addition to money, the garden relies on neighbors to volunteer their time and labor. In a normal year, more than 900 volunteer hours are clocked from early March to December, Wood said.
The Wicker Park Garden Club and Wicker Park Advisory Council are nonprofit organizations. You can make a tax-exempt donation online. Those who prefer to donate by check should email Doug.Wood@WickerPark.org.
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