Skip to main content

Kudos Chicago Excellence in Gardening Awards

Three years of CEGA awards on display in Marlene Fisher’s 5th Ward garden. Photo by Marlene Fisher

Award-winning gardeners from 40 of Chicago’s wards were honored at the 2019 Chicago Excellence in Gardening Awards (CEGA) ceremony, held October 12 at the Austin Town Hall Park Auditorium. Yard signs, certificates and several special awards were presented to individuals and groups representing 68 gardens from across the city, with honorable mention certificates presented to additional gardens.

For the third and record-breaking year, CEGA, Chicago’s only citywide gardening honors, was pleased to honor those that entered their personal and public gardens, and the pride they have for their communities. The awards recognize beauty, creativity and community engagement, and also reward sustainable horticultural practices, such as using native plants, conserving water and providing habitat.

Christine Nye, former Manager of Horticultural Programs at the Shedd Aquarium and one of the driving forces of CEGA, presented the keynote address. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) commissioner Kim du Buclet also addressed the gathered gardeners.

This year, CEGA received nonprofit status, which will enable the organization to expand its efforts in Chicago. Its goal is to reach every corner of the city and honor beautiful, sustainable gardens in every ward.

For a list of winners, photos and additional information about CEGA, visit ChicagoGardeningAwards.org.





Green City Market Moves Indoors
Green City Market (GCM) is moving indoors on November 2 to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Celebrating their 20th season of nourishing Chicagoans with local, fresh ingredients as they move indoors for the winter months. Read More »
Transcend Pain and Stress at Flotstone
Marian McNair, MFA, MATC, will demonstrate her gift with a free crystal bowl sound and frequency healing on November 20 at Flōtstōne-Flotation Therapy, in Lake Bluff. Read More »
All About Cannabidiol
The Power of CBD – What’s All the Fuss About? from 6 to 7 p.m., November 13, at the Oak Park Public Library Community Engagement Room. Read More »
Alpha-Theta Training for Stress Therapy
Kristin Klocko, Pharm.D., RPh, PSc.D., owner of Health His Way, will host a Neurofeedback Open House from 7 to 8 p.m., November 12, for people to learn more about Alpha-Theta Training. Read More »
Boehm Offers Complete Zirconia Dental Implants
Dr. Kevin Boehm, owner of K. Boehm DDS & Associates, now offers zirconia implant services from extraction to finished crown. Read More »
Buglers in the Sky
To some, a flock of migrating sandhill cranes sounds like bugles calling from the sky. Others say it resembles a rolling rattle, while some liken it to a prolonged French pronunciation of the letter R. Read More »
Chicago Fair Trade Globalfest Fundraiser
Globalfest, the 13th annual fundraiser and Chicago’s biggest fair celebration for Chicago Fair Trade, will take place from 5:30 to 9 p.m., November 15, at the National Museum of Mexican Art, in Chicago. Read More »
Dining, Takeout and Catering from The Purple Sprout
The Purple Sprout Café and Juice Bar, in Wheeling, has made some changes to their interior design to enhance their customers’ experiences, reflecting the high quality of their organic, non-GMO, whole food, plant-based offerings. Read More »
Endangered Beauty Focuses on Illinois’ Rarest Wildlife
Award winner Carol Freeman’s new book of photography, Endangered Beauty, showcases her work thus far to capture for all time the endangered species in Illinois and tell their stories. Read More »
Giving Thanks
As Thanksgiving is upon us it is important to reflect on the good things we have in our lives. Read More »
Green Sheen
Chris McCarthy just wanted to be helpful. A longtime paint professional who had gained a real estate license, homeowners kept asking him what do with all the leftover paint they had in their homes. Read More »
Holistic ExpoComing to Elmhurst
The Crystal Ranch is holding a Holistic & Energy Expo from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., December 8, at the Clarion Inn Elmhurst-Oakbrook. Read More »
Inner Peace Through World Peace
The Infinity Foundation, in Highland Park, will present its annual Meditate-A-Thon: Inner Peace Through World Peace (course 193100) from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., November 16. Read More »
Innovative CBD Face Serum Protects Skin
Natural Remedee Health Solutions, based in Schaumburg, is now offering NOX Nitric Oxide + Hemp-Infused Skin Rejuvenation Serum from Prime My Body. Read More »
Learn How to Add Biodiversity to Home Landscaping
Lake to Prairie Wild Ones will conduct a Native Landscaping Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., November 9, at the Round Lake Cultural and Civic Center. Read More »
Natural Awakenings Chicago - November 2019
Read Articles from Our November Issue Read More »
Not All Hemp is Created Equal
FuFluns’ Foods is a locally owned provider of artisanal hemp extract (CBD) products that are truly all natural, environmentally friendly and full spectrum. Read More »
Observe National Diabetes Day with GF Mom Certified Partners and Kilogear CUT
Hacking Your Health Live Pop-up event, in Chicago, from 6 to 9 p.m., November 14, to spread awareness about cardio metabolic syndrome and how it affects local families. Read More »
Publisher's Letter
Our winter birds are on their way back. As of recent days, the first wave of juncos have returned. More specifically, the dark-eyed, or slate, juncos (Junco hyemalis) have migrated to the Midwest after summering in northern Canada. Read More »
Recipes from a Farm Kitchen
November is a time of year when we look back on the farm’s growing season and consider what we’d like to learn and improve for the next growing season. Read More »
Recipes from The Gluten-Free Kitchen
We developed this gluten-free German chocolate cake recipe from an old recipe from my husband’s grandmother Evelyn, who has passed on. Read More »
Resiliency Institute Now Enrolling for 2020 Classes
Early bird registration is open at The Resiliency Institute, in Naperville, for 2020 courses that begin in February and March and meet once a month on a Saturday or Sunday. Read More »
This Month at The Market
Recipe from The Illinois Farmers Market Association Read More »
Trade Counting Sheep for Counting Breaths to Fall Asleep
Worldwide studies suggest that up to 50 percent of the world’s population suffers from a form of insomnia, while lost productivity related to insomnia costs to the U.S. economy are $63 billion a year. Read More »
Winter Blues Are Not Inevitable
It’s easy to fall into doldrums when it’s cold and dark outside. For some people, those feelings manifest into Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression that often happens during the fall or winter. Read More »
Kudos Chicago Excellence in Gardening Awards
For the third and record-breaking year, CEGA, Chicago’s only citywide gardening honors, was pleased to honor those that entered their personal and public gardens, and the pride they have for their communities. Read More »
Abandoned Crops: Economics Drive Farm Food Losses
According to a new study, about one-third of edible produce remains unharvested in the fields, where it rots and gets plowed under. Read More »
Antiques Rising: Discovering the Green in ‘Brown’ Furniture
Add character to your home and practice sustainability by repurposing, upcycling or restoring old antique furniture items in an eco-friendly way. Read More »
Chasing ZZZZZs: How to Put Insomnia to Rest
Natural, holistic approaches such as acupuncture, massage, diet, exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation and CBD can help to foster quality sleep without undesirable side effects. Read More »
Click and Sweat: Virtual Workouts Change the Game
Between health and workout apps, online classes and electronic devices calculating distance and monitoring bodily functions, virtual fitness offers many personal exercise experiences. Read More »
Dance to Improve Quality of Life With Dementia
Older people with dementia have responded to simple dance movement lessons with visible humor and imagination and reported a higher quality of life after six sessions. Read More »
Eat Organic to Shed Insecticides
Switching to organics has quick payoffs, reducing agrochemicals in the body by 94 percent within a month. Read More »
Enough For All: In Pursuit of Grateful Living
If the gratitude movement grows strong and deep enough, it may bring about necessary, radical change in the world. Read More »
Golden Rules: Moms Launch Eco-Friendly Certification
A nonprofit has launched Moms Across America Gold Standard, a multi-tiered verification program for food, beverages and supplements that creates a simple, trustworthy resource for consumers. Read More »
Healing Hazard: Health Care Sector Impacts Climate
A study claims that if the global health care sector were a country, it would be the fifth-largest greenhouse gas emitter on the planet. Read More »
Help Avoid Skin Cancer With Vitamin A
Researchers found that people with diets rich in vitamin A had a significantly reduced risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) skin cancer. Read More »
Hot Habits: Phoenix Shifts to a Cooler Night Mode
In Phoenix, one of the hottest and fastest-warming cities in the U.S. with heat waves and triple-digit days, work and play are shifting into the cooler hours at dawn and dusk. Read More »
Jaws of Life: California Bans Fur Trapping
California has enacted a ban on fur trapping for animal pelts, making it the first state to outlaw a centuries-old livelihood. Read More »
Kenneth Davis on Learning From the Last Global Plague
In his book, More Deadly than War: The Hidden History of the Spanish Flu and the First World War, Kenneth Davis describes the epidemic that killed millions and warns of a potential relapse. Read More »
Kids With Gratitude: Making Thankfulness Second Nature
Research shows kids that are grateful are happier, more studious, and less depressed, materialistic and prone to violence. Here are 3 ways to teach and instill gratefulness in children. Read More »
Kool-Kats: Candy Wrappers Reimagined as Origami
KitKat chocolate bars from Nestlé's Japan confectionery branch will soon be wrapped in paper instead of plastic, with instructions for how to fashion it into the iconic origami crane. Read More »
License to Plant: Gun Control in India Goes Green
In a northern India district, regulators require that applicants for gun licenses, in addition to normal background checks, must plant 10 trees and submit selfies as photographic evidence. Read More »
Methane Matters: Fracking Linked to Global Warming
As methane concentrations increase in the atmosphere, evidence points to shale oil and gas as the probable source, but the EPA has taken steps to stop regulating it. Read More »
Pass Up Sugary Drinks for a Strong Liver
Drinking sugar-sweetened drinks can increase the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by 40 percent. Read More »
Polar Alert: Alaskan Sea Ice Melting Faster
Sea ice along northern Alaska disappeared far earlier than normal this spring, alarming coastal residents that rely on wildlife and fish. Read More »
Say No to the Third Cup of Joe to Avoid Migraines
Study finds that drinking three or more servings of caffeinated beverages a day raises the odds of a headache that day or the next. Read More »
Species Setback: EPA Weakens Protective Regulations
As the Endangered Species Act is being weaken, critics fear more oil and gas drilling will be allowed on land that is currently habitat-protected, impacting the climate crisis. Read More »
Sustainable Skiing: Eco-Practices Grow on Winter Slopes
From mountain peaks to base lodges, discover how many alpine ski resorts are working to reduce the environmental impact of their operations. Read More »
Take Hibiscus to Fight Breast Cancer
A hibiscus flower extract selectively kills off triple-negative breast cancer cells, one of the most difficult to treat types. Read More »
The Happy Thyroid: Seven Ways to Keep It Humming
Expert recommendations for simple and effective natural, holistic strategies that can optimize thyroid function and avoid potential health setbacks. Read More »
Try Acupuncture for Pain-Free Sleep
Patients suffering from chronic-pain find that acupuncture treatments were significantly better than drugs at helping them sleep. Read More »
Urban Chickens: Coming Home to Roost
How backyard chickens make fascinating, low-maintenance pets, with fresh, organic eggs produced close to home being just one of the benefits. Read More »
Zenful Eating: Mindful Meals in Quiet Gratitude
How to cook more mindfully, enjoy meals more fully and eat in better balance, plus healthy recipes for Buddha Bowls and Hearty Moroccan Soup. Read More »
In-Print News Brief Kudos November 2019 2019 Chicago Excellence in Gardening Awards

January 2025 Issue

Read It Now

January 2025 Natural Awakenings Chicago cover
Click Here to Read Past Issues
Subscribe to our Email Newletter Here!