Sun City Huntley has stunning views and a very well-maintained nature area. There is a 3.5-mile trail that winds around Wildfire Lake and continues past the backyards of many houses. On one portion of the walk that goes past homes, a jogger, bicyclist, or a walker might find a sudden burst of color. This appears behind Neighborhood 24: Brentwood Botanical’s Adopt-A-Plot. This was started by Artie Tepper, a long-time resident of Neighborhood 24.
How did Tepper go about adopting that area of land?
“I did some research on how I could improve and maintain the area on the other side of the trail behind my home. There was a dead tree that needed to be removed. After it was cut down, I started filling in the gap. I was subsequently told by the Sun City Board that I officially had to create an Adopt-A-Plot to be able to continue maintaining this area,” he said.
When did he first get into gardening?
Artie said, “My wife and I always enjoyed planting colorful gardens around our homes. We started gardening at our first home on Long Island, New York. We continued this love of gardening to our vacation home in Wilmington, Vermont. There we created gardens surrounded by stone walls, dragging the stones from the woods behind us. It was in Vermont that we found a huge lily farm nearby which offered us an extensive selection of lilies. Upon selling our home in Vermont, we transported our favorite lilies and hostas to Huntley. We filled our car top carrier with many different varieties which we planted all around our home in 2005. I took into consideration, the colors, the height of the plant, and the blooming time. Lilies add graceful elegance to any garden, blooming from early summer all the way through fall.”
Does Tepper still order lilies?
“We still will order lilies to get many different varieties,” he said. “Lilies can be seen predominantly displayed in all of the garden areas surrounding our home. Our lilies are the backbone of the Adopt-A-Plot but I also have numerous other colorful perennials, and am always looking to expand the garden! I recently added a sign inaugurating the area as an official Adopt-A Plot. People passing by enjoy the garden and I have received dozens of compliments on the beautification of the trail making all the work worthwhile.”
