Walk among the flowers
Crete’s A Day in the Country offers the chance to walk through 5 gardens
For the first time in more than three decades, Crete Woman’s Club’s annual garden walk includes an out-of-state stop.
The 31st annual A Day in the Country from June 22 to 23, rain or shine, features four gardens in the village and one garden in St. John, Indiana.
“This is the first year we’ve gone to a garden in Indiana,” said Leslee Williams, public relations chair for Crete Woman’s Club, which was established in 1912.
“We had heard so much about it. It’s a special garden with over 500 potted plants and a large waterfall. It’s got a shaded area. It’s got herbs. It’s such a special garden and so close.”
Artists Luc Vidier, who is originally from France, and Crete Woman’s Club member Julia Oehmke of Crete plan to paint in the St. John garden during the walk.
Other stops include a cottage garden on a large acreage.
“The gardener is an herbalist so she grows her own herbs. She also has flowers. There’s a walking path and a forest,” said Williams of Crete.
“She sells personal care products that she makes at home to some hotels and online. She’s doing quite well using things from her garden.”
A Day in the Country also features a garden on a ravine.
“She has an adorable fairy garden and she totally made everything,” said Williams, a past president of Crete Woman’s Club.
One of the gardens is owned by Crete Township Supervisor Michael J. Liccar, whose features include a waterfall with trees.
“He has a huge acreage. He has an herb garden wall. People are encouraged to walk the entire acreage. It’s well-maintained,” said Williams, who has been a Crete Woman’s Club member for 15 years.
The only stop featured before is Crete Woman’s Club president Becca Wolfe’s garden, which includes a dragon, a pond and a Celtic cross.
“We see that there’s quite a difference from one garden walk to the other,” Williams said.
“We feel gardens grow and change. It’s five years before you can be allowed on the walk again.”
A Day in the Country departs from Crete United
Methodist Church, where tickets may be purchased at the Crete Woman’s Club tent during the free Art and Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More than 20 vendors will be in the church parking lot at the fair, which also features raffle baskets.
“The venue is in town. That allows people access to the local restaurants, which helps them out. The vendors seem to like it a lot there,” Williams said.
“The fair’s always a good event. We have artisans who come who make their own things, jewelry and paintings. People think it’s only about buying things for the garden, and we do have vendors who sell plants, but it’s much more than that. There will be food and crafts vendors.”
People who purchase A Day in the Country tickets in advance have access to the preview night from 4 to 7 p.m. June 21.
“It’s always cooler and there are fewer people so it’s really an opportunity for people who are busy during the day and people who may work. You don’t have to worry too much about the heat so it’s a pleasant time,” Williams said.
Tickets may be purchased in Crete at Crete Ace Hardware, 1050 E. Exchange St.; Crete Garden Center & Nursery, 1625 E. Richton Road; Crete Township, 1367 Wood St.; Curves, 1395 Main St., Suite 1NW; and The Finishing Touch Florist, 563 W. Exchange St.
Smits Farms, 3437 E. Sauk Trail, Chicago Heights, and Forever Green Landscape Center, 9961 W. 109th Ave., Cedar Lake, Indiana, also have A Day in the Country tickets for sale.
“The garden walk raises money for our scholarship program,” said Williams about the college, technical/trade, high school summer camp, and elementary, middle and junior high school summer camp scholarships awarded annually.
According to Williams, nearly $20,000 was awarded in 2022 via 13 scholarships to CreteMonee High and Middle schools students as well as students who live in Crete Township and attend private schools.
Garden walk tickets also support the general philanthropy of Crete Woman’s Club, which donates to nearly 30 local groups and has more than 100 members including residents of Beecher, Crete, Frankfort, Homewood, Monee and the Indiana towns of Schererville and St. John.
“It’s truly a beautiful day in the country,” Williams said.