A Fun Bus Trip

In exactly seven months (August 4th), don't you want to visit the places shown below? It's not too early to think about it although I should mention that you have to be a RBG member to come see these places on our first of two "members only" bus tours in 2011.
On August 4th, we'll be taking a deluxe motorcoach from RBG and will be heading east. Our destinations include the Ball Seed Company Trial Gardens in West Chicago, IL and Cantigny Park & Gardens in Wheaton, IL. The five images above are some of my shots from 2008 when the grounds staff was given a private tour of the trial gardens and it was quite impressive. Ball Seed Company is the largest horticultural company in the world and their trial garden has thousands and thousands of annual varieties, vegetables, perennials, container arrangements, etc. all in an aesthetic setting complete with trees, shrubs, sculptures, benches, natural areas, etc. The trial gardens were redesigned in, I believe, 2006 and are top notch. I've been there 5 times in the past and always enjoy the visit as I'm seeing lots of future introductions and always leave with ideas and pictures. Our bus tour will be viewing the display garden just a week after their annual Field Day so things will look awesome. Tour guides will be available too. After this visit, we'll head to Cantigny Park & Gardens (see three pictures below) in Wheaton, IL. We'll have a nice lunch at their Le Jardin restaurant and will have hours to explore the park and 29 acres of display gardens. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs (Villa Park), I've been going to Cantigny since I was a kid and I remember the museums (two) and the tanks (yes, tanks). Oddly enough, I don't remember the gardens which are considered one of the largest of their kind in the Midwest. Cantigny was founded by Col. Robert R. McCormick of Chicago Tribune fame. The gardens are beautiful and we'll have time to explore part of the McCormick mansion and the war museum as well (both optional). See www.cantigny.org for information on this interesting place. Two of the photos below were taken in the ideas garden which is one of my favorites. We'll only have about 50 spots for this opportunity which will be finalized in the next couple of weeks and will be on our website. Final pricing is yet to be determined but will hover around $60ish for early registrants. Also mark October 6th on your calendar (you members out there!) for a trip to Madison to see Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Allen Centennial Gardens and The Flower Factory (for some late season plant purchases).