Woldhuis Farms - Sunrise Greenhouse, Inc. 3/12/22

Let us just say this place is Huge! Over 220,000 square feet of greenhouse, more bedding plants, hanging baskets, perennials, vegetable plants, and fall mums than you will ever see indoors on one farm. Then to add, the outdoor trees and shrubs!

With temperatures in the low teens today, it was great to be inside the greenhouse. I had to unzip my jacket and enjoy the temperature and humidity controlled environment. This place is a great way to get some exercise in too.

Along with being a mother, oil paint artist, pilot, my mom was also an avid gardener. This is why I enjoy buying plants and plants and plants and a tree here and there. (And I am thankful that my bride does the selection and planting while I do the weeding.) I have been coming to the Sunrise Green house with my bride for about 4 years now, thanks to our friend Tammi who turned us onto this beautiful place. It is somewhat therapeutic seeing all of the beautiful plants, colors, and remembrance of mom. I will keep coming back, even if it is for this (mom).

If you did not plant during the dormant season, now is the time to plan for a few weeks after the last frost for your summer flowers. Our "old wives tale" tells us this is usually after Mother's Day for our region. (This is a rule of thumb. Do your research for the plant you want to plant. Farmer's Almanac for 2022 indicates our region last Spring frost will be around May 5th. For the National Centers for Environmental Information data up to 2010, click "here".) So, you have time. Plan, make a map, make your selections, visit Sunrise Greenhouse for your inspiration and ask your questions. Take their tours!

Also, "Plant native. They grow in any economy!" ⁓ Christi Bushby..  Sunrise Greenhouse has a nice selection of native plants. 

Why plant native? Because it is self sustaining and provides benefits for the entire ecosystem. They not only benefit local wildlife, they benefit humans as well.  The long roots help cleanse rain water and water runoff before it enters our water table. Plus, they take less energy and consumption of resources to establish and grow. And they come back EVERY year! We need to be thinking how to improve our planet. Native plants are the best way to start.  We can help heal the earth one back yard at a time. Please consider reading Doug Tallamy's books "Nature's Best Hope" or "Bringing Nature Home" if you are interested in why native plants are so important. We hope to have a blog on just that which we will use Christi's phrase, "Plant native. They grow in any economy!" 

Here are some photographs that I hope will entice you to at least visit Sunrise Greenhouse!

There are a lot of unique looking windmill decorations too. Hard to depict them in a photo full of hanging baskets and flower beds.

The owners have do all they can to keep costs down for us by growing everything themselves, "from seed or propagation". The photo below shows an automatic watering station for the hanging flower pots. A series of pots on a circuit indexes through and automatically gets watered. When you see all of the hanging plants they have, this is the only way to do business to keep costs down. Pretty ingenious, along with their method of seeding.

The greenhouse is so large and plentiful with all sorts of plants, that they have added street names to help you find what you are looking for. The staff is super friendly and helpful. They will point you in the right direction, take you to where you want to go, or help answer a question. 

A bit cold for outdoors today. Come back when it is warmer to look at their trees and shrubs!!!

When I was there, they were giving a tour to many people who came to see this place.

Do not forget about the outside. They have tall sturdy Sheppard's hooks if you need one. I have picked up several large stones for our water garden here too. Probably the nicest feature, a bin to return your plastic pots and trays to so they can be reused or recycled. I believe that is the bin in the lower righthand corner of the photo below.

Woldhuis Farms

Sunrise Greenhouse, Inc.

10300 E 9000 N Road

Grant Park, Illinois 60940

815.465.6310

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