Thanksgiving Greetings from Craig Bergmann & Company!

I am so THANKFUL to live in such a beautiful area of our country and especially during this spectacular fall season. The gardening season has gone out in a blaze of glory this fall with the much awaited precipitation we received after the long drought in our area.

Dear Friends near and far,
 
Now that daylight savings time is in full swing, I can’t help but appreciate the bright sunny days even more, which enhance the autumnal hues of our Midwestern deciduous trees that are a constant inspiration and ablaze as I write this letter. The golden colors are predominant in our Chicagoland foliage world, the nuances of such tones contrast so drastically with our native oaks earthen tones and brilliant reds and oranges from our sumacs, black gums, and red maples.
 
I am so THANKFUL to live in such a beautiful area of our country and especially during this spectacular fall season. The gardening season has gone out in a blaze of glory this fall with the much awaited precipitation we received after the long drought in our area. This reflective time before settling into winter has always been important to me to round out my ‘normal’ year. Being a gardener, both personally and professionally, requires regular reflection, observation, learning and listening as tools of the trade. With decades under my belt, I can’t help but THANK my staff for supporting our mission through their dedication, inspiration, and education that they provide me and each other. THANK YOU to our clients who trust us all with their homes and for sharing their lives with us. We are all richer for this collaborative approach to garden making, growing and maturing. Time makes a new garden whole, an entity, a haven for the owners, visitors, and wildlife. We need more of these types of collaborative efforts in this world, especially now!

THANK YOU to our native flora and fauna that help and keep reminding us of our responsibility to live with and respect the natural world. To aid in supporting this important reality, Craig Bergmann Landscape Design will continue to incorporate native plant species in our garden; to regionalize the plant collection for durability and supporting of our native wildlife population. Even a formal garden can incorporate native plantings in the way plants are presented and incorporated. Fully organic garden maintenance techniques are available to all of our clients. The current plight of the monarch butterfly saddens me and our team here so in all gardens we tend to make sure that (if lucky enough to be a stop on the great migration) we will provide shelter, food, and water for our flying friends.

THANKFUL for our family, friends, and four-legged family members that remind us regularly that to be in the garden is not only special, but essential for a happy home. I don’t know what Paul and I would have done if we hadn’t had our garden to escape to daily during the past challenging year. We watch less television, read more, harvest more, share the garden more frequently and appreciate it more than over the past decade we have lived at our place. I feel a happy home must include an outdoor area to still feel the world beyond one’s self and embrace the oasis we create for our own well-being and sense of safe harbor.
 
The tradition of THANKSgiving to me celebrates a confluence of humanity, culture, food, heritage, place, season, community, and fun.
 
May you enjoy the start of this holiday season both inside and out to celebrate your traditions, new and old, with those you care about. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Craig Bergmann and Company