Greater DuPage Chapter Events

Please join us for a leisurely walk at the Meacham Grove Forest Preserve in Bloomingdale, to be followed only 2 1/2 blocks away by a hosted yard tour!

We will assemble at 9 AM and after a short introduction will begin the walk at 9:10 AM.  Our leader will be Steve Windsor, past chapter president, and he will have pre-scouted the trail.  The total length of the trail will be about 1.1 miles, on crushed gravel.

The Meacham Grove FP was designated a Nature Preserve in 2012, and our trail is in a completely forested area.  We will be looking for the Spring ephemeral wildflowers as they bloom and complete their above-ground life cycle before the trees above leaf out.  There will be bloodroot, jack-in-the-pulpit, trout lily and other species.  But what makes this place really special is an abundance of white trillium at the back of our trail.

We should finish the walk by 10:20 AM.  From there we have been invited by one of our Wild Ones member couples to see their yard, which is adjacent to this forest preserve!  They will host us at 10:30 with coffee and pastries from a lovely gazebo deck built with pavers. Their bathroom will also be available to us.

Our hosts are in their second season as homeowners and have already begun adding natives to their yard.  They will share their recent plantings with you, as well as welcome suggestions. Their yard is specially located with a ravine to the back, as well as facing the forest preserve in front.  You will also be able to see their two-stage compost system.  Pavers will give us access to the whole yard!.

A leisurely hike and a hosted yard gathering and time to socialize.  Join us and have your questions about native plants answered by other Wild Ones members.  See you there!

Shoes:  Casual or gym shoes are recommended.  If wearing boots please have them cleaned of any dirt with jumping worm eggs.  The trail is crushed gravel and the yard has pavers.