Rudy the Geneva Greenhouse Cat 1999-2008

Rudy 1999-2008
R.I.P.

Where's Rudy?

For those of you who remember Rudy, the Geneva Greenhouse cat, we thought that you might enjoy this photo. When Geneva Greenhouse closed Craig and I almost panicked about where Rudy would go since she was basically an outside cat. Josie was kind enough to take her in so we drove her out to Josie's Antiques and stayed with her an hour or so. We came back a day later and were pleased to find that she fit in so well! If you get a chance to get out by Josie's look for her in the main out building next to the wood burning stove. Doesn't she look comfy?

Goodbye Geneva Greenhouse

Anna

"The Little Greenhouse"

Craig at the checkout counter

Original Benches Dated 1926

Elizabeth, the Perennial Queen!

By KELLEY CASINO

GENEVA - Luxury single-family homes will sprout up where the Geneva Greenhouse currently sits on Western Avenue.

After more than 40 years in business, the greenhouse will close at the end of July, leading the way to residential development on the nearly 8 acres.

"From what I understand, the developers have been making offers and making offers, and this year somebody made them an offer they couldn't refuse," said Craig MacLean, the greenhouse's general manager. "Everybody knew it was going to happen someday."

MacLean said paperwork had not yet been signed, and the name of the potential developer had not been released. The property soon will be sold, however, and the plan is to construct high-end homes, he said.

"Considering the quality of the home builders we have in the Fox Valley, I'm sure the development forthcoming will be beautiful," Mayor Kevin Burns said.

Community Development Director Dick Untch said the city was aware of discussions about the sale and development of the 1115 Western Ave. property but said no developers have contacted the city with any proposals.

"It sounds like it's still very early in the picture here, and we'll see what happens," he said.

The property is zoned R-1 residential, which calls for single-family homes. Untch said he did not know how many homes could be put on that property.

The two existing houses near the greenhouse would be demolished, MacLean said.

The Geneva Greenhouse is the most recent of area greenhouses to close.

Frank's Nursery and Crafts in St. Charles recently closed, and 2005 was the last season for the Geneva Flower Farm on Kaneville Road.

MacLean said he and his wife, Annette, hope to bring a new retail greenhouse to the area, but said he could not discuss specifics because of a confidentiality statement.

"We're trying," he said. "We're trying really hard."

The closing of the Geneva Greenhouse is going to be a "catastrophic blow" to the Geneva Beautification Committee, said the group's co-chairperson and 4th Ward Alderman Dorothy Flanagan.

For the past 10 years, the greenhouse has supplied the committee with the tens of thousands of flowers planted in downtown Geneva each year.

The greenhouse also donated thousands of dollars worth of plants to area schools, churches, the female inmate garden at the county jail, Plant-A-Row for the Hungry, Reach for the Moon Foundation and many other groups.

"Geneva Greenhouse has always said, 'What can we do for the city,'" Flanagan said. "They really, truly were our partner in making Geneva beautiful."

It's Spring Again in Geneva- Time for Planting

It's spring again in Geneva - time for planting

GENEVA - People planting pretty pansies might sound like a tongue-twister, but that's exactly what people will be doing in Geneva this weekend.

With the help of the Geneva Beautification Committee and more than 100 volunteers, thousands of flowers will find their way to dozens of planting areas downtown Saturday with the help of the Geneva Beautification Committee and more than 100 volunteers.

With the planting of the pansies each year, it's official - spring has come to Geneva.

"That usually is the kickoff for me," said Dorothy Flanagan, the committee's co-chairperson and Geneva's 4th ward alderman. "It makes me feel just like spring when we're out there."

"We always can use extra hands; that's a given," Flanagan said. "It's just a great community spirit that you feel out there, and anybody who's passing by thanks us."

About 2,700 flowers, donated by the Geneva Greenhouse on Western Avenue, will be planted, and greenhouse manager Craig MacLean said that is just the tip of the iceberg.

"That's just the opening teaser," he said. "After that, they get serious."

The next planting will be on May 20, when more than 10,000 flowers are expected to go into gardens and planters downtown. After that, a fall planting will add even more depth and color to Geneva's downtown.

In 1993, Geneva 5th Ward Alderman Paul Des Coteaux spearheaded the Geneva Beautification Committee, which has grown to about 150 members since its inception.

Flanagan said Des Coteaux, who was honored last spring for his commitment to the beautification of Geneva, still is an instrumental part of the committee. He, along with the committee's other leaders Chris Goulet and Sherri Weitl, deserve much of the credit for organizing the work the committee does, she said.

"It started out with just the flower beds on State Street, and it's grown and expanded and now there's flower beds all over the place now," MacLean said. "It's just really nice that Geneva is blessed with volunteers who enthusiastically get out there and help make the town beautiful."

Anyone is welcome to help. Just show up at the Geneva Post Office on Third Street at 8 a.m. Saturday, and a committee member will be waiting with supplies and instructions.

Want to help?

Members of the Geneva Beautification Committee will be at the Geneva Post Office on Third Street at 8 a.m. on Saturday to hand out supplies and instructions.

Anyone interested in helping to plant flowers or clean up areas is welcome to help out.

If it rains, planting will take place on Sunday.

Spring has sprung

"In the spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love," poet Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote.

Spring also turns homeowners' fancies heavily to thoughts of seeding, mulching, trimming, sweeping, lopping and the other plant-related "ings" of the vernal season.

Today marks the vernal equinox, the official start to spring. However, the beginning of spring does not mean homeowners should plunge directly into the gardening season, as late frosts have killed many an early garden. Local gardening and landscaping experts have said there is much one can do to get the garden ready during the cold.

"Preparation of the area is probably the single most important factor in what they're going to end up with in their garden," Geneva Greenhouse manager Craig MacLean said.

MacLean recommended spending the warmer days of the next few weeks prepping the garden with organic material such as manure, mushroom compost or peat moss.

"When the ground softens up, turn it in," he said. "You don't want to do it when it's all wet and mucky, but the sooner you get it in, the sooner you can plant."

MacLean recommended Father Dom's Duck Doo. The creation of a Roman Catholic priest, the compost is made of cranberries, rice hulls, wood shavings, vanilla beans, pickles and duck excrement. All proceeds benefit charity.

"My wife and I tried it in our garden last year, and we got the best tomatoes we've ever gotten," he said.

MacLean said there are an increasing number of frost-resistant plants that can be planted in the cold. Also, planting the greens does not need to take place outdoors, as plants can be transferred to the garden later.

"A lot of people like to do container gardening earlier, then if there's a chance of frost, they can just wheel it inside for the night," he said.

For those planting trees, there is no need to wait, said Ron Rehling, the owner of Deerpath Nursery in Batavia.

"Generally, people wait too long," Rehling said. "They should be selecting and planting their trees during dormancy because they transport best before bud-break."

As for late frost, Rehling said that is a problem everywhere.

"The same frost that's going to exist in the nursery is going to exist at their house, so there's no protection, there's no reason to wait," he said.

However, he said many trees and shrubs that have been transported from different areas might not tolerate the cold as well.

"If it doesn't match up with the condition of trees in the area, a red flag goes up that it was imported from a different climatic area," Rehling said.

For expert advice, any resident can call the University of Illinois Extension Kane County at (630) 584-6166. From May 1 to Sept. 30, homeowners can call the horticulture help desk and speak to the volunteer master gardeners from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Homeowners still can call before May 1, horticulture educator Barbara Bates said. However, the homeowner must leave a message for extension staff to return later.