Events

In memorium: Art Gara, 74, owner of Art and Linda's Wildflowers 
 
A passionate advocate for the use of native plants in the landscape, Art Gara was the creator of many beautiful gardens in Oak Park and River Forest. He died in his home on Friday, October 27, just a week after the death of his son, Herb Gara. 
 
Art's love for the plants of the Chicago region and the wildlife they support drove the immense energy and creativity he brought to every garden he built. His enthusiasm had a way of infusing into the lives and minds of those whose gardens he cared for, and he was no small force in the growing awareness in the Chicago region of the crucial role native plants play in the conservation of water, the support of butterflies, bees, and birds, and in maintaining a healthy environment. 
 
Art's was a big personality. His devotion to constant work, his quirky sense of humor, and his ever-present canine companion

Rain garden design by Art Gara. Photo: Art Smith

were hallmarks of a style his many loyal customers recall with fondness. More than just a provider of a service to his customers, Art became a fixture in people's lives. One customer wrote that he always appreciated Art's "showing up out of the blue, pointing me in the right direction with our wild garden," and above all, "GREAT conversation."  Another wrote, "Art created a piece of heaven on Earth through his wildflower gardens," and still another, "Art, you forever changed how I see the world."
 
Friends, associates, and customers will gather to celebrate Art's life on Sunday, November 5 at the Oak Park Conservatory, 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM.