Master Landscaping
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Celebrate summer by welcoming butterflies into your garden. Butterfly gardens are different from many other “theme” gardens. To be successful, the garden not only needs to have a pleasing design that works with the surrounding home and landscape, but it needs to perform a very specific task. Attracting butterflies may seem fairly straightforward, but you cannot assume all butterflies are attracted to all flowers.

Butterflies are beautiful, somewhat ethereal creatures whose colorful wings and graceful flight patterns add a sense of wonder to any garden planting

Butterflies have plant preferences: There are literally thousands of species of butterflies, and each species tends to have a distinct group of plants as preferred food source. When selecting plants for a butterfly garden, it is also important to remember that a butterfly goes through four life cycles, with one set of food requirements for the larval stage and another type of food once the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis.

The nectar sources for butterflies include annuals, perennials, wildflowers, herbs, shrubs and trees. Annuals and tender perennials known to attract many species of butterfly include zinnias, white alyssum, marigolds, lantana, cosmos, nicotiana, petunias, ageratum, fuchsia, snapdragons and sunflowers. Herbs and wildflowers that attract butterflies include chives and other alliums, bee balm, spearmint, Anaphalis, Lunaria, Verbena, dandelions, clover, Queen Anne’s Lace, butterfly weed, goldenrod and thistle.

Perennials for butterfly gardens include daisies, Phlox, Aster, Liatris, Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Eupatorium, Achillea, Aubretia, Helenium, Echinops, Limonium, Sedum, Phystostegia, Scabiosa, Coreopsis, Hemerocallis, Heuchera, Lilium, Lythrum, Lavandula, Myosotis and Penstemon. Shrubs, vines and trees for butterfly gardens include Abelia, Aesculus, Aruncus, Buddleia, Clethra, Crataegus, Lindera, Lonicera, Malus, Prunus, Ribes, Salix, Spirea, Syringa, Vaccinium and Wisteria.

Design help: If a butterfly garden is to be created as part of an older, established landscape, look for a site that offers shelter—an overgrown fence, a clump of trees, the base of a sloping lot, or a rocky outcropping with a flat, grassy spot nearby. Water features and several hours of sun would complete the picture—minus only the butterfly-attracting plants.

Call it serendipity, but the preferred style of planting for design purposes—starting with low edging plants and gradually working up, level by level, to the tallest plants—is also one of the best arrangements for a butterfly garden. This is not only because it makes it easier for the butterflies to identify their favorite nectar-producing plants when they are clearly visible, but the taller plants offer shelter from both wind and predators.

The popular concept of a mixed border, combining annuals, perennials, herbs, roses, shrubs, vines and ornamental trees, all underplanted with bulbs, will provide a long bloom season as well as a variety of food sources and forms of shelter that will attract a large assortment of butterflies over a long period.

Other design guidelines: Although some theme gardens need meticulous care and a neat, sometimes formal appearance to create the intended ambience, butterflies like their surroundings to be a little messy. Rocky paths muddied by a sprinkler or parts of the garden where water pools on flat rocks will attract many species of butterfly like a luxury spa attracts movie stars. Research indicates that minerals released through the water’s evaporation process, primarily sodium, may play a vital part in the mating habits of butterflies. For this reason, some experts recommend putting small salt licks in a butterfly garden.

Areas in or around the garden where grass is allowed to grow long can act as a shelter and, for some species, a place to lay their eggs. If you can live with a section of your garden that is somewhat overgrown with grass, wildflowers, trees and shrubs, you will probably find more butterflies in this little wilderness than among carefully tended flower beds

Like plants, there are woodland butterfly species and those that prefer a sunny spot. Even sun-loving butterflies will appreciate the presence of a shaded shelter.

Butterflies have a powerful sense of smell. Much like dogs, the scents that they find attractive aren’t always scents the human population likes to encourage. Rotting fruits and vegetables are gourmet treats for some butterflies, while others are drawn to the more pleasant aromas of clover or wild violets.

Pesticides and herbicides should be avoided, whenever possible, because in almost every stage of life butterflies are extremely vulnerable to such toxins.

Some butterflies stay around for winter: Not many butterflies overwinter in the extreme climates of the Midwest, but those that do ( sometimes called “hibernators” ) will also benefit from winter shelter—mounds of ivy growing over old tree stumps, piles of logs or large, dead tree branches, a stack of old bricks or chunks of concrete.

Some butterflies will hibernate in old trees, while others will welcome the presence of specially designed “butterfly houses” as winter shelter. Winter or summer, butterflies need protection from the wind and a place where the sun will be reflected, somewhere safe from predators—including the trampling feet of children.

Types of butterflies: Monarch butterflies are usually a common sight in Illinois. Other likely candidates include Cabbage White butterflies, Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Eastern-Tailed Blue, Meadow Fritillary, Pearl Crescent, Viceroy, Great Spangled Fritillary, Summer Azure, Question Mark, Least Skipper, European Skipper, and the Dion Skipper.

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Green is the buzzword across the country right now. Whether it’s recycling plastics, changing to energy-efficient light bulbs, or using nontoxic cleaning products, everyone seems to be looking for ways to lessen their impact on the environment. One area in which it’s easy to see immediate results is our yards. By gardening more ecologically, we can reduce pollution, create wildlife-friendly plantings, and conserve water. It’s just a matter of being smart in the yard.

Plant Trees. One of the simplest acts to reduce pollution and global warming is to grow trees. Trees absorb pollutants such as carbon monoxide and particulates. When properly placed, deciduous trees also cool houses in summer while allowing the warming sun’s rays to heat houses in winter.

Mulch Plants. To conserve water and reduce weeding, apply a 2- to 4-inch-thick layer of organic mulch, such as shredded bark, around trees and shrubs. In dry areas use native rock or stone mulches to conserve soil moisture.

Find the Right Plant. Plant the right plant in the right location. Choose plants adapted to your growing region. Native plants are great because they are used to growing in your climate, and some produce berries for local birds. Site the plant in an area with well-drained soil and proper sun exposure. Make sure the ultimate size and shape of the plant will fit the location. There’s nothing worse than having to drastically prune a tree or shrub because it’s grown into the power lines or is blocking a window.

Grow Less Lawn. Lawns have their place in the yard. However, with a smaller lawn you’ll reduce pollution because you won’t have to use the power mower as much. A conventional gas-powered lawn mower pollutes as much in an hour of mowing as driving a car 100 miles. Try using an electric or push mower instead and plantings more trees, shrubs, and gardens.

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The Hedgehog Cactus on the nature trail north of Quincy will get your attention, if it doesn’t get your toes. The smallish cacti are less than a foot in height and easy to miss on the three-mile path. One false step in a pair of tennis shoes could easily ruin your day.

The hilly, shrub-steppe landscape on Beezley Hills has more to see than cacti. Known for its wildflowers, the short, pleasant hike through a quiet nature preserve offers wide views of the Columbia Basin.

With three inches of snow forecast for Stevens Pass over the weekend, last Thursday’s trip to Beezley Hills was part of the waiting game to get into the high country. There’s still too much snow in the mountains to get deep into the mountains without crampons or snowshoes. The trip came about a month too late, however. Most of the flowers, including the smallish cacti, had already bloomed and blossomed. Most of the sulphur lupine and balsamroot have retired for the year, but there is still plenty of sweet-smelling sage, thymeleaf and rock buckwheat and fuchsia flowers to look at.

The trail itself is an old double-track jeep road. It’s barely distinguishable in places, but impossible to get lost since you can see for miles and miles. It starts at a 2,900-foot elevation and heads down a ridge before petering out about halfway down the hillside. There’s no boundary sign or fence at the bottom, so you could conceivably walk into downtown Quincy, seven miles to the southwest.

Hiking boots would have come in handy. The ground is covered in prickly foliage and basalt rocks.

For someone accustomed to hiking in the forest, Beezley Hills is a dramatic change of pace. It’s a little intimidating being in such a vast area. Good thing it was a cool day on Thursday because there isn’t a tree — or water — for miles.

The area is protected and owned by the Nature Conservancy. The upper path is blocked from the access road by a fence with an opening at the trailhead near a communications tower.

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So the pool is finally installed, and for all intents and purposes it’s swimming time. But that’s not to say your pool project is done: far from it, in fact. Just plopping a concrete box in the ground and filling it with water is hardly a noteworthy swimming pool design. If you don’t mind jeers and scorns from your upper-crust neighbors, feel free to enjoy the cool water and call it good. If you want your pool to look as good as it feels, however, your job isn’t finished.

There are many things to consider when planning your pool’s landscaping. How much room do you have to work with?

Are you considering an allinclusive design that dominates your entire back yard, or are you just thinking of a patio or deck around the pool itself? For an above-ground pool, a deck may be your quickest and least-costly option. If you have an inground pool that already has a scarred concrete patio, however, finishing the project is going to require a little bit more in-the-dirt work.

There are literally hundreds of elements that you could incorporate into a landscaping design. You’ll want to start your design out with the basics, however. Work from the inside out by deciding how you want your walkways to lay out. Is there simply going to be one that leads from your backdoor to the pool, or are you planning on having some more scenic detours?

Multiple walkways could lead one to the pool and another to a scenic area with a rock garden, some shrubs, a flower garden, a natural landscape and a gazebo. The options are literally limitless.

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Some very noticeable changes are being made to improve outdoor aesthetics at the Palestine Public Library this week — changes that will make the library more convenient and pleasing to its patrons.

“Our new look is fresh, attractive and inviting,” library director Carol Herrington said. “Every day, at least one library patron comments to me about how much they like it.”

The project includes the construction of steps and a paved walkway from the rear parking lot, the removal of shrubs around the building and the addition of butterfly and friendship gardens to the library’s landscaping.

A new irrigation system also has been installed; and the removal of the bushes in front of the building created four new much-needed parking spaces near the library’s main entrance.

“Since I have been director here, about 90 percent of the suggestions I have received included the need for additional parking spaces,” Herrington said. “So I know patrons will appreciate getting those additional spaces out of this change.”

The new set of steps and pavestone walkway also have been a long-time need at the library — providing directionality to its patrons.

“We have had people park in the rear lot and not know where to come in,” Herrington said. “The walkway and new signs will make a big difference.”

To give its patrons a sense of ownership, Anderson County Master Gardeners included the “Friendship Garden,” in their landscaping design. That garden, located at the front of the building, will be filled through a bulb exchange event set for June 7.

“We want patron to bring bulbs from their garden to plant here at the library and to exchange with other gardeners,” Master Gardener and landscape design coordinator Nancy Waggoner said Wednesday. “The goal is to have people to walk by and say ‘that bulb was from my garden.’

“We want them to have a sense of pride and identity when they visit the library,” she added.

The butterfly garden, located at the rear of the library, will be included as a means to educate the patrons about plant and animal life. A new curved pavestone walkway will allow visitors a full view of the area.

“We have designed the landscaping so that there will be something blooming all season,” Waggoner said. “And as the plants mature through the years, I think it is only going to get better.”

According to Herrington, the project came about after learning about the cause of the library’s ongoing flooding problems — the large shrubs around the building were holding water against the walls.

“The Library Board decided to go forth and develop a new landscape design for the library,” Herrington said. “The library board took bids for the design, which was developed and won by the Anderson County Master Gardeners.”

Also winning bids for the landscaping project were Jo Ann Pigeon Landscaping, Blackstone Irrigation and Palestine Concrete & Tile. A community work squad from the local Gurney Unit has provided much of the labor.

“City Engineer Ron Sullivan was able to bring the Gurney crew in, which saved us a significant sum of money,” Herrington said. “Warden Karen Brown and her crew have done and great job. We could not have done this without them.”

Funding for the project has been provided by a $15,000 matching grant from the Palestine Economic Development Corporation, with the Friends of the Library and the Library Memorial Board contributing the initial funds.

“The library appreciates the efforts and cooperation of all the participating entities to make the landscape project come to fruition,” Herrington said. “It is amazing what can be accomplished when people work together for a common goal.”

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If you’re thinking about upping the curb appeal of your house or redoing the back yard for a big event, here are some landscaping ideas from Peggy Krapf. She’s a member of the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers and owner of Heart’s Ease Landscape and Garden Design in the Toano area of James City County.

Show off the house. Make the front door the focal point from the street. “Frame” the house with the landscape — don’t obscure it.

Do it stylishly. Consider the architecture and surroundings of the house — formal, cottage, contemporary, etc. — when selecting plants to create a landscape “style” appropriate to the setting.

Think about color. Select plants and flowers that echo the paint or brick colors on the house. Fill large containers on the porch or steps with annuals that repeat the front door color for a designer look.

Big is best. Create wide, sweeping, curved bed lines in proportion to the size and scale of the house. Bigger is usually better.

Space properly. Plant shrubs at least 3 to 4 feet away from the foundation of the house and allow enough room between plants for them to reach their mature size. Read plant tags carefully! Don’t overplant — plants will grow!

Stagger sizes. Plant dwarf, slow-growing or low-growing plants under windows; use taller plantings at corners or along blank walls. Use pyramidal plants carefully as accents.

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On the North Shore, however, a wide range of soil and climate conditions can add levels of challenge not experienced elsewhere. We went to the experts to get the lowdown on how to get more out of your yard and have fun doing it.

Martin Wouters of local landscaping firm West Coast Home and Property Services sees some common errors when people set about planning their gardens. Martin and partner Glenn Whitted have built a solid reputation with both residential and commercial customers and have seen a lot of gardens in their career.

“People forget to check to see if the plant or shrub can be grown in their area,” says Wouters. “When buying shrubs, make sure you find out what zone you are in and when selecting plants make sure they are acceptable for growing in your zone. People also tend to buy shrubs without checking to see how big they get and eventually their garden becomes overcrowded. Make sure you check the full size it will be at maturity by checking the tag or asking questions at your local garden centre. When selecting annual bedding plants make sure you check the tags again and plant them where recommended (sun shade). So many people plant bedding plants where they don’t belong and end up with a disappointing garden.”

Enhancing soil and growing conditions also requires more than a little digging.

“People tend to over water or over fertilize their garden,” says Wouters. “Just because the soil on top is dry it does not mean your plants or shrubs need water. Dig down a few inches with your fingers to check for proper moisture levels. Too much water will eventually rot the root system and the plant will not grow fully or bloom properly. People also tend to over fertilize. Plants and shrubs only require feeding every 10 to 14 days.”

If you’re thinking of minimizing maintenance by planting a large lawn, think again.

“Homeowners plant more grass than garden thinking that grass is low maintenance. Grass requires cutting weekly and can become a chore or a large financial expense if you have to have it cut by a local lawn cutting service. People wait too long to remove the weeds from the garden, making it a long and unwanted task. It is recommended that you cultivate your garden weekly because if you keep knocking down the young weeds they eventually will be unable to reproduce and will not return.”

As with most aspects of home decorating, trends change and design ideas evolve over time. Here are some of the latest looks and fashions,

“Rock walls, interlocking walls, stamped concrete, paving stone driveways are all very popular in today’s landscapes. They offer a very rich look to your property and blend in well with your garden landscape. Low voltage garden lighting has become popular in all gardens and new landscapes. It offers a wonderful look to your garden and landscape when illuminated in the evening. The lighting requires a small amount of electricity to operate, so they are very cost effective and easy to install. Perennial gardens have also become popular.

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Steven and Mary Weber didn’t know they had green thumbs until they moved to Garden Boulevard.

Maybe driving by the street sign every day had a psychological effect. Maybe their gingerbread-style brick cottage cried out for an enchanted forest.

Whatever the reason, the Webers have spent the past 13 years planting rose bushes, ivy, ornamental apple trees, hostas, perennial flowers and brilliantly colored impatiens.

Steven also has displayed many of his handmade wooden bird houses and squirrel feeders.

“It’s less housework I’ve got to do,” he joked last week. “No, really, I enjoy it.”

The Weber yard is one of six Belleville properties open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday for Gardens in Bloom, a self-guided tour sponsored by St. Clair County Extension and Education Foundation. Admission is $8 in advance or $10 that day (maps come with tickets).

University of Illinois Extension master gardeners also will hold a plant sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Union United Methodist Church.

A committee of master gardeners selected properties for this year’s tour. All are residential.

“They’re all in a close geographical area, and we’ve learned that that’s what people prefer,” said Janet Burnett, county director of Madison-St. Clair Extension Unit. “Some are in walking distance of each other.”

Growing hobby

Steven Weber is a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant who works as a military archivist. Mary is a legal assistant. They have two grown sons.

The Webers moved to Belleville from Georgia in 1995 because they wanted to be closer to family in Galena but also near an Air Force base.

Mary fell in love with the Edison Place neighborhood, which includes Garden Boulevard.

“All the houses are different or unique,” she said. “They’re not all the same like you have in some subdivisions.”

The Webers didn’t start from scratch on landscaping. Their property came with towering oak and elm trees, boxwood shrubs, yew, spirea and azalea bushes, a barberry bush and a non-bearing cherry tree.

Steven was a woodworking enthusiast, but he warmed up to the role of gardener-in-chief.

“He loves to play in the dirt,” Mary said. “He does most of the planting and transplanting. He just comes to me for guidance. He’ll say, ‘What do you think about putting this here?’ or ‘What do you think about putting it there?’”

One of the couple’s first projects was converting a child’s playground into a raised landscaping bed in the back yard. They planted hostas, coral bells, hellebore, sedum, phloxes and mums.

Steven mounted squirrel feeders on the oak tree and centered the bed with a red and black “chew, chew” that’s shaped like a steam locomotive. A large glass “engine” holds ears of corn.

“The neighbors like to harass me because I bring all the squirrels in the summer,” Steven said. “They’re always finding corn cobs in their yards.”

Creative gardening

The Webers increased backyard privacy by installing a wooden fence on one side, but they broke up the monotony with black, metal-grid inserts that serve as trellises for climbing ivy.

Steven hung some of his decorative bird houses on the fence. One is sided with twigs and pebbles. Another is patterned off a stop light with red, yellow and green circles.

The fence is connected to a small arbor over a walkway with round, concrete stepping stones. Eventually, the wooden slats will be covered with clematis vines.

“You have to wait a few years for (ivy on the fence) to grow, but I think it’s worth it,” Mary said. “It’s better than a solid wall.”

More originality can be seen in Steven’s vertical planters along the screened-in patio. He drilled staggered holes in plastic plumbing pipes, painted the pipes brown, installed them upright like fence posts and planted impatiens.

“They look really nice when they’re full,” said Steven, who used the same pipe to make flower boxes for his narrow windowsills.

Mary also has added creative touches to the yard. She turned a cup and saucer into a flower pot and a small potato sack into a hanging planter. She lined a green wagon with gift bags full of impatiens.

Other Weber “yard art” includes a concrete fountain with a boy and girl under an umbrella; a bird “mansion” with several entrances; an old-fashioned street light and four French solar lanterns; a green wrought-iron table and chairs with a matching birdbath; a butterfly box, rain gauge and Dragonfly thermometer; and several ceramic statues and metal sculptures.

Last, but not least, is Steven’s red, white and blue Chicago Cubs flag, which hangs next to the back door. It’s probably about as popular in the neighborhood as his squirrels.

Tickets for Gardens in Bloom are available through May 31 at Sandy’s Back Porch, Eckert’s Country Store and Garden Center, Effinger’s Garden Center and Hometown Ace Hardware in Belleville, University of Illinois Extension offices in Belleville and Edwardsville and Full Circle Services and Supplies in O’Fallon; and on May 31 only at Union United Methodist Church.

Tags: 13 years, apple trees, azalea bushes, back yard, barberry bush, boxwood shrubs, brick cottage, burnett county, bushes, elm trees, fence, green thumbs, janet burnett, Landscaping, mary weber, master gardener, master gardeners, master sergeant, planting rose bushes, porch, sculptures, Services, shrub, shrubs, squirrel feeders, start from scratch, steven weber, u s air force, union united methodist church, walkway, wooden bird houses, yew
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the average household spent more than $400 for garden-related items. Landscaping grew by 19 percent, water gardening by 49 percent, fruit tree planting by 26 percent and vegetable gardening by 1 percent. Experts watch sales and several other areas to distinguish trends.

Why are they important? Garden and landscape trends shape consumer choices for the next year and years to come.

I mentioned last year after returning from the International Master Gardeners Conference in Little Rock that green gardening was the undertone of many of the speakers. For 2008, the Garden Media Group identified going green as the No. 1 global trend, professional trend-watchers for the gardening industry.

“Environmentally savvy homeowners know that it’s not just good enough to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle; you’ve got to be environmentally responsible ” said Garden Media’s Susan McCoy.

Gardeners want to find ways to conserve water, use locally produced or recycled materials and use environmentally responsible maintenance procedures.

Eco-chic is the buzzword for gardens designed and maintained in an ecology friendly manner. Gardeners are recycling plastic pots, composting and using rain barrels to catch rainwater. To restore balance in nature, they are creating feeding spots for birds and planting flowers so that bees, ladybugs and beneficial insects have fruit and nectar to eat.

Water gardening is still trendy. However, it is not necessary to have a huge water feature. In fact, wasting water is out. New smaller scale fountains and ponds are en vogue. They use less water, require less maintenance and can be more interesting in a home landscape. Pondless waterfalls are an option as are tabletop and recirculating fountains.

Many gardeners are opting for less grass in smart and easy landscapes. They are adding stamped concrete patios, walks and driveways. Turfless landscapes are showing up as gardeners install rocks, shrubs, trees and ground covers rather than traditional grass lawns. More expensive initially, it will save time, money and energy in maintenance, especially if combined with a drip irrigation system. Natives show up frequently in low maintenance gardens as well as ornamental grasses.

Half of this country’s consumers say that a lack of time is a bigger issue than a lack of money. The landscape service industry is exploding as homeowners who have purchased homes with large landscaped lawns just cannot find time to maintain the outdoor aspects. Full-grown plants and trees are hot sellers for homeowners too impatient to wait for smaller ones to naturally mature in the landscape.

Outdoor rooms take center stage in gardening trends. For the past five years, outdoor living and decorating were cited as the top two mega trends. In 2007, $6.2 billion was spent on outdoor furniture, accessories and grills. More than a million outdoor kitchens were constructed, and upscale homeowners opted for construction of gazebos near their outdoor pools. Stylish table lamps, special submersible lighting for fountains and dramatic illumination options are now on the market as a result of interest in outdoor living projects.

Simplicity is in with a new twist on the monochromatic slant. One basic color theme dominates a bed or pot with foliage plants and succulents, many of them variegated, used as accents. Landscaping Services A ratio of 60 percent of a primary color, 30 percent of a secondary color and 10 percent of accent color is attractive for a pot or bed. Big is beautiful these days. Big plants in big containers with big bold color are being used to create stylish pot scapes.

The “slo” food movement is growing, according to Landscape and Garden Consultant Adele Kleine.

“This philosophy reduces dependence on convenience and processed fast food. One of the purposes of gardening is to encourage adults and children to feel better emotionally and to inspire them to take more control over what they consume. That’s what slo food does,” Kleine said.

Farmers markets and organic food stands are part of this movement, as well as home vegetable gardening. Garden sales via the Internet are increasing dramatically. This year, sales are expected to equal or exceed catalog sales, growing from $7 million in 2007 to more than $10 million.

Consumers jump on the bandwagon for products that are new and hot, so growers will continue to introduce hundreds of new plants each year to meet consumer demands. Organic pesticides, fertilizers, eco-friendly products and drought tolerant and/or pest-resistant plants, many of which are container suitable - plus more native options - are expected to be big sellers this year.

Hopefully, these eco-friendly trends are not merely fads that will fade with time Landscaping Services. We all can be responsible caretakers of the environment, but need readily accessible products to help us do so.

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A rainy spring and a slowing economy has only slightly dampened plans for the area’s newest shopping center.

The Arboretum of South Barrington, near routes 59 and 72, is moving ahead to open on the weekend of Sept. 12.

While the stores are under construction at the upscale center, The Jaffe Cos., owner and developer of the project, is placing a heavy focus on landscaping for the project. A handful of area nurseries are supplying a total of 2,700 trees and 30,000 shrubs, perennials and grasses at the 86-acre center with a price tag of about $200 million.

“The economy is strained, but we didn’t cut a dime out of the landscaping budget,” said Mike Jaffe, president of Jaffe Cos. in Northbrook.

Landscapers attempted to incorporate the history of the area into the design. The Arboretum occupies a portion of a 610-acre site that once belonged to Klehm’s Nursery. In the late 1990s, the Klehms sold the tract to a residential development called The Woods of South Barrington. A portion was designated for commercial use and in 2006, plans for The Arboretum of South Barrington were announced, paying homage to its roots.

“The landscaping will really make the place stand out, with counts and mixes that are designed to give interest throughout the year. We are also trying to incorporate The Arboretum’s nursery history in the design of the entire site,” said Lee Keenan, landscape contractor for the project.

As the planting process kicks off, contractors continue construction. The first phase of the outdoor mall, known as a lifestyle center, is about 80 percent occupied. By the end of the year about 40 stores and restaurants will be open for business.

Many of the stores will be ready for the grand opening set for the weekend of Sept. 26. The latest retailers to sign leases include Anna Shea Chocolates, Francesca’s Collections and Sur La Table.

A key component of this type of shopping center is to offer a selection of stores not found at traditional malls. For instance, Anna Shea Chocolates, a chocolate lounge and wine bar, is making South Barrington its first home in the Midwest. Sur La Table will open its fourth Illinois location at the new center.

Jaffe believes the overall project coupled with the demographics of the Barrington area are attracting tenants.

Retail experts agree this isn’t the prime time to launch something of this magnitude.

“It’s not the optimal time to be opening a shopping center, but the location is good,” said Will Ander, senior partner at Chicago-based McMillan Doolittle retail consultancy.

It’s a tough time in retail, Ander said. “We’re at the verge of recession. It looks like things are bottoming out,” he said.

Family incomes are shifting more to gasoline and food. As a result, retailers at the new mall may see lower sales than they originally anticipated, Ander anticipated.

But when the mall was planned several years ago, spending was strong.

“The economy is now in a lull, but who can predict that,” Ander said.

Used book fans: The Little City Used Book Sale is set to take place June 6 through June 15 at Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie.

Tents filled with hundreds of tables stacked with more than 125,000 books will line the west parking lot by Lawler Avenue.

Change your mind: Because of increasing prices of gas and groceries, consumers are altering their plans on how to spend their tax rebate checks.

Shoppers plan to spend more of their checks on necessities such as gas and food rather than on discretionary items, like electronics and apparel, according to a National Retail Federation survey.

Shoppers have changed their spending plans since February.

In February, 4 million people said they plan to use their check to purchase furniture. Three months later, only 2.7 million people still have furniture on their list. About 3.2 million people said they planned to buy a vehicle in February. That number has now dipped to 2.4 million.

Many retailers have already announced creative promotions to give customers an extra incentive to shop with them.

According to the survey, women are more likely to spend or save portions of their check, while men are more likely to pay down debt.

Sale dates: Nordstrom is preparing for its half-yearly sale for women and kids.

Shoppers can expect to find 40 percent off or more at the 6-day sale that starts Wednesday.

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