October Garden Club Program

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Don't Squash the Bug, by James Rowan

There are over a million species of insects and spiders on the planet, with about 25,000 of them being in Illinois. In this program we will meet some of them, learn how to distinguish them and separate the "good guys" from the "bad guys".

Meetings are held at the Antioch Senior Center

817 Holbek, Antioch lL 60002

Doors open at 12:30 and the meeting starts at 1:00

Upcoming Events at-a-glance:

October 4th, Fall Cleanup

November 22nd, Wreath Decorating

November, Kris Kringle

November, Christmas Parade

December, Festival of Trees

February, Lap Blankets for Seniors

March 28, 2026, Spring Cleanup

April 24, 2026, Arbor Day

May 16, 2026, Plant Sale

 We had a fantastic kickoff to our new fiscal year after a fun-filled summer break! Our first meeting featured a wonderful presentation by Alyse Berman from Wildbird Shack, who shared her knowledge (and enthusiasm!) about owls. The room was filled with “oohs” and “aahs” as we discovered fascinating owl facts—did you know their eye color can tell you whether they hunt during the day or at night?

After the talk, we gathered around a tasty potluck buffet and enjoyed catching up on everyone’s summer gardening and activities. It was such a great way to reconnect and start the year together!

Our June potluck meeting is the kickoff to summer for our club. We awarded the Nancy Zitkus Scholarship to this year's recipient, Javier Sanchez. Congratulation to Javier!

We also inducted our newest member Trina Z.  Welcome Trina, we are excited to have you!

Our program this month was presented by Antioch Garden Club member Stacy Vogt. She demonstrated how to utilize flowers, herbs and fruits in making a sweet treat. We learned how to make jams and jellies, and how to take the intimidation factor out of this rewarding process. A variety of items were offered for sampling and purchasing. 

Our potluck luncheon never disappoints. In addition to savory foods, we had a dessert table filled with sweet treats that were almost too beautiful to eat.

This month's program was all about rose gardening. Dr. Andrew Plasz, a world-renowned rosarian and winner of the American Rose Society's Joseph & Marion Kilma Medal for rose education, explained the characteristics of various roses and how he judges them. He has been a member of the American Rose Society since 1976. He is one of 30 Master Rosarians in Illinois-Indiana District. He maintains a garden of more than 87 roses of all types and is an avid exhibitor

 Meetings are held at the Antioch Senior Center

The address is 817 Holbek Dr., Antioch, Il. 60002 

Doors open at 12:30 pm, meeting starts at 1:00 pm.    

1st Annual Roundtable and Soupfest

During this relaxing kickoff to our 2025 programs we all shared a bowl of hot soup and some interesting gardening conversations. A few members brought crockpots of soup to share and then we enjoyed catching up on what everyone was doing over the holidays. The informal program asked members to bring their favorite gardening tool to demonstrate and recommend

Our next program will be on March 8th

Getting Started with Seeds

This detailed presentation takes you back to the important basics but throws in a lot of "pro" tips for your seed starting success. Even experienced vegetable and flower gardeners will learn a lot! This presentation will get gardeners on the right path for the planting season.

 Our December meeting will be held at the Antioch Senior Center. The address is 817 Holbek Dr., Antioch, Il. 60002 

Doors open at 12:30 pm, meeting starts at 1:00 pm.    

Christmas at the White House

Just as there are 12 Days of Christmas (as in the song) this presentation showcases 12 Traditions of Christmas that have endured at the White House over its history.  From the very public National Christmas Tree to the very humble Cranberry Tree, these holiday decorations and events are presented in all their splendor along with the history behind them.  A look at our First Ladies and their individual contributions to White House Christmases through the years offers a fun perspective.

Turn Your Garden Into a B&B for Birds

This month's program was all about creating a backyard oasis for birds. Presenter Alyse Berman from Wildbird Shack showed us how to transform our backyards into a showcase of bird activity.  The right balance of food, feeders, water and shelter are essential elements for the perfect birdscaping design.  This discussion included: ideal locations for birdscape design, desirable food and feeders to attract your favorite birds, proper hygiene and squirrel prevention.

Our October meeting will be held at the Antioch Senior Center. The address is 817 Holbek Dr., Antioch, Il. 60002 Doors open at 12:30 pm, meeting starts at 1:00 pm.   

Spring Flowering Bulbs

This month's program was presented by Chris Cheney. Chris is a master gardener and a member of the Northbrook Garden Club. Her programs on spring bulbs walked us through the variety of bloom color, flowering time and plant height spring bulbs can bring to the landscape.  This presentation focused on selecting, planting, and caring for spring flowering bulbs.  We learned how to plant a bulb garden that is a burst of color from April through June, how to address pest issues and how to choose the right bulbs for our needs. 

Antioch Garden Club is back from summer break and we had a great time catching up with each other and watching a great presentation from this month's speaker. Our potluck luncheon never disappoints. We had an amazing selection of sweet and savory treats!!

Blending Herbs to Be an Herbal Gourmet

Our speaker this month is Marcy Lautanen- Raleigh.  She showed us how adding even the most basic herbs can elevate cooking to a gourmet experience! This lively program covered creating herbal mixtures to replace salt, enhancing flavors for healthier meals, and crafting herbal vinegars, butters, and spreads. We learned about flavor families, the best herbs for various dishes, and hands-on blending techniques to make delicious dips, dressings, and marinades. For mor information and recipes visit backyardpatch.org

Our last meeting before summer break was busy!  
Our program was presented by Eillen Davis. She is an Environmental educator with the Lake County Forest Preserve, and we learned how to add native plants to our home gardens.

This year's recipient of the Nancy Zitkus Scholarship was announced. Hailey Ross is a Grayslake High School graduate who will be attending Elon University in North Carolina. Her studies will focus on sustainability. Congratulations Hailey!! 

We also said thank you to our outgoing officers Judy C (Vice President) and Nancy Z (Secretary) and inducted our new slate of officers for the coming two year term:

Holly M, President

Susan U. and Betty S., Co-Vice President

Chris P, Secretary

Lana S, Treasurer (not in attendance)

We concluded our meeting with a potluck luncheon to celebrate another successful year! 

Our next meeting will be held in September. Check back in August for the details

Meeting will be held at the United Methodist Church, 848 Main St., Antioch IL

Doors open at 12:30 pm, meeting starts at 1:00 pm