Wayne Countryside Garden Club
Members Section
From Garden Walks to plant sales, decorating the village with beautiful holiday evergreens, to creating a butterfly garden for the town's elementary school, the Wayne Countryside Garden Club has been an active member of the Wayne and nearby gardening communities for more than seventy years.
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2026 Schedule of Upcoming Programs
REQUEST TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE CLUB'S GOOGLE CALENDAR
3/19 Spring Potluck/Kick-off meeting
*members only - held in a member's home
11:30 am
Dine with your fellow garden club members and be a part of our first meeting of the year. Bring a dish (and recipe) to share and enjoy the afternoon.
3/26 Anne Gardner hands-on event
6:30 PM at Little Home Church
$50 per person, members only- capped at 25 people
Spring Centerpieces
Sip, socialize, and let spring come alive as you create a magical centerpiece surrounded by fellow gardening lovers.
4/16 Reducing Climate Change through Backyard Composting
6:30 pm at Little Home Church
Slide presentation; 1 hour; setup 10-15 minutes
*open tothe public
Rolfe will discuss how backyard composting and recycling of organic waste can not only create some great gardening material, but can also reduce CO2 and methane emissions and, in turn, reduce climate change. By expending a little bit of personal energy, we can reduce the cost of garden and kitchen waste management and reduce the amount of material that ends up in landfills. Rolfe will discuss how to build a compost bin and review his recommended Bi-yearly Composting Cycle.
5/16 Spring Civic Clean Up
Meet at Old Town Hall
9 a.m.
*open to the public
Bring your garden gloves and tools, and wear long sleeves as we spend the morning cleaning the garden beds around the Village Hall, Post Office, Old Town Hall, Memorial Rock, and Wayne School Butterfly Garden. Let’s prepare for Spring growth!
5/21 Spring Luncheon at DWRC with Presenter Rebecca Tulloch
11 am-3 pm Total Event Time, Presenter confirmed for 1-2 PM
Evening/Stars Theme
*invite only – price TBD
The "Women Who Measured the Stars!"
In the late 19th and early 20th century, women astronomers of the Harvard College Observatory calculated the distances, temperatures, and composition of the stars. Facing many challenges including sexism from their male colleagues who's common belief was that women were not worthy of earning college degrees and could never achieve serious scientific accomplishments, Henrietta Swan Leavitt led the shift in astronomical understanding of the scale and understanding of the universe; Annie Jump Cannon was instrumental in the development of the first serious attempt to organize and classify stars based on their temperatures and spectral types; and Cecilia Payne-Gaposhkin discovered that Stars were primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. Everyone has heard of Galileo and Newton; now it’s time to learn about the Women Who Measured the Stars.
6/14 Flag Day Parade Time/Location 3:30 - 6:00
Show your patriotic pride! Members of the WCGC march in the Flag Day parade down Army Trail Road. Banner holding and patriotic attire are encouraged as we proudly represent our club and community. It’s a meaningful and festive way to celebrate tradition while standing together as a club.
6/18 Amy Powers
6:30 PM at Little Home Church
Transitioning Your Home Garden to Native Plants (& Reduce Your Lawn!)
*open to the public
Are you looking to add more native plants and garden with a focus on ecology, but aren’t sure where to start? This presentation offers a realistic, step-by-step approach to transitioning toward native plants. Amy discusses where to start adding to your existing landscaping and how to phase in changes over time. Amy will use her own aerial photographs of her own property to show you how she reduced her lawn footprint from more than 4,000 square feet to 1,500!
7/16 TBD
8/20 The Farmacy Farmstead
Pearl Carpenter (https://www.thefarmacyfarmstand.com)
7260 Oakbrook Rd., Newark, IL, 60541
10 AM- Tour, then bring your own lunch for a picnic
*members only
Tour and sample herbs along the way at this amazing organic vegetable farm owned by Pearl Carpenter, then follow up with a picnic lunch. She started The Farmacy Farmstand back in 2017 with a focus on spreading the Health and Happiness her farm has brought her, to all of you! It started with a desire to provide people with the healthiest produce to nourish their bodies and flowers to brighten their day! She has always grown her food and flowers naturally, without the use of chemicals, to provide you with the very best! Over the past few years she’s expanded to events and opportunities to help grow her mission! She now offers a “social space” for your kids to play or for you to enjoy a picnic, a free little lending library, along with tons of events, such as free story times for kids, garden yoga, craft and garden classes, u-pick flower gardens, and so much more! She just wants to make your day, week, or month just a little bit brighter by sharing what she is so fortunate to have!
9/17 Bison Tour at Burlington Forest Preserve
(https://www.kaneforest.com/upload/BisonReturnToKane_Dec25.pdf)
13N240 Engel Rd
Sycamore
*Time 11am
*Members only & this is a rain or shine event
Check out the first of six American bison who set foot back on Kane County prairie in more than 200 years at Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve.
10/15 Cantigny Garden Tour
(https://cantigny.org/things-to-do/gardens/about-the-gardens/)
1S151 Winfield Road
Wheaton, IL 60189
11:30 am
*members only
Peak fall foliage typically occurs in the second half of October, but is dependent on the weather. Sugar maples, Japanese maples, blackgums, viburnums, and magnolias all combine to provide an array of reds, oranges, and yellows. Late in the month, and even into early November, the russet reds and rusty oranges of bald cypresses and oak trees bring a subdued, colorful majesty across the property.
Pumpkin Patch- TBA
One of our most heartwarming traditions! Members participate by: Reading Fall and Halloween-themed books to elementary students — while dressed in costume (yes, costumes are encouraged and so much fun!), Decorating the school for Fall, Providing classroom pumpkins and supplies to students. It’s a joyful way to bring seasonal magic to young learners and make a lasting memory for them — and for us, too.
Trunk or Treat- TBA
Put on your festive spirit and join the fun! Members participate by decorating their trunks and distributing treats to elementary-aged children. It’s a wonderful opportunity to engage with families, spread smiles, and celebrate the season together in a safe and spirited way. Costumes and creativity are always encouraged!
11/19 Election of Officers Meeting
Little Home Church
6:30 pm
*members only
Enjoy a light potluck dinner while participating in the election of officers.
12/3 Traditional “Holly Hanging” Festivities and Potluck Lunch
Little Home Church
10 a.m.
*open to the public
The overwhelming scent of greenery, the flourish of ribbons, and the holiday season are upon us! We gather to prepare the swags that decorate the village and enjoy a festive potluck with friends. Guests are encouraged!