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Support the Third Annual Uptown Garden Walk
Exploring "common ground" and celebrating green space in Uptown, Chicago, on Sat. Sept. 8, 10 AM to 4 PM.
Leader
Caitlin Sarro
Location
4501 N. Clarendon Ave Chicago Chicago, IL 60640
About the project
The Uptown Garden Walk started in 2016, initially planned with Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) and volunteers at the February 27th Seed Swap and Hub Day. ICA staff and volunteers have continued the annual walk to celebrate Uptown's public and community gardens, encouraging walkers to appreciate local assets and connect with ways to provide stewardship to those assets.
This year the Garden Walk has a theme of "common ground," exploring the ways green space serves as a shared resource and the implications this resource has on planning. We're also planning a Garden Gathering that will allow residents, gardeners, and others to mingle and deepen their connection with stewardship opportunities in Uptown.
Garden Walk Tours Details
The Trees of Uptown Tour [1pm] will explore this theme specifically through trees, highlighting tree preservation, financial implications of trees, and resources community members can use in the future. The Trees of Uptown Tour will be led by Andrew Lueck of Planned Forest.
The Garden Gathering [2pm] in Clarendon Park Community Garden welcomes residents, gardeners, and others to mingle with one another and stewardship opportunities in Uptown. Kid friendly activities and snacks from our sponsors, including Uptown Donuts and the Middle East Bakery and Grocery!
The Garden Gathering [2pm] in Clarendon Park Community Garden welcomes residents, gardeners, and others to mingle with one another and stewardship opportunities in Uptown. Kid friendly activities and snacks from our sponsors, including Uptown Donuts and the Middle East Bakery and Grocery!
The No Small Plans Tour [3pm] will explore the paths and meadows of landscape architect Alfred Caldwell’s plan for Uptown’s new coast in the 1930s. The No Small Plans Tour will be led by Melanie Eckner and Susan Ask of animalia project.
The two self-guided tours [10-4pm] are Common Ground Gardens and Community Garden Plots. Each tour highlights ways for community members to engage with gardens and natural areas in the community. The Common Ground gardens showcase volunteer-maintained community parks and gardens, and the Community Plots gardens showcase shared garden spaces available for individual gardeners to cultivate.
The Steps
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Finalize print materials and begin outreach
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Recruit volunteers and design scripts to act as Garden Guides
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Find and purchase locally-sourced refreshments for the Garden Gathering
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Finalize Garden Gathering workshops and purchase materials
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Work with garden owners and volunteers to enhance storytelling of their work and project
Why we‘re doing it
The Uptown Garden Walk is a fun way to bring together gardeners from across the Uptown community. As one of Chicago's densest community areas, it can sometimes be a challenge to connect with all the green spaces Uptown has to offer.
Unlike garden walks that feature gardens in private homes, the Uptown Garden Walk appreciates gardens across Uptown that provide benefit for the greater community. By visiting and enjoying these common gems, community members can learn about opportunities for local stewardship.
The walking element celebrates Uptown as a walkable neighborhood! Guided walks also serve as a space to meet neighbors through a shared interest in Uptown's gardens.