Rush University Medical Center Makes Large Perennial Donation to CCGA

Thanks to the efforts of one of CCGA’s most able and knowledgeable community gardeners, May Toy, the CCGA Resources Committee received permission from Rush Hospital to dig out large, drought-resistant perennials from a Rush site earlier this month.  For six hot hours on each of Monday August 8 and Tuesday August 9, teams of volunteers led by May and Resources Committee members dug out and potted up over 500 large perennials and shrubs.  All of these were distributed at the August 12 CCGA Perennial Distribution, and they provided a fine addition to the plant groupings.  The plant material includes; calamintha; lamb’s ears (stachys byzantia); “Moonshine” yarrow; ornamental chives; amsonia, calamagrostis “Karl Foerster;” “Paradigm” and “Sum and Substance” hosta; salvia “East Friesland,” and spirea shrubs.

Also, on August 26, a great team of volunteers from the University of Michigan helped us do one more “dig;”  we were able to salvage two hundred more perennials, and held a “Mini Distribution” on August 27.  Despite the short notice (email on Friday night!) and a rainstorm just before the distribution, over twenty community gardens came to pick up plants.  Thank you to all the community gardeners who came, thank you, May Toy for arranging all facets of the “saving perennials” operation at Rush, and thank you, Rush, for your incredible generosity in facilitating this!  The plants will make a lasting impact on Chicago community gardens!