Excited For Spring

An Assortment of Activities for a Warmer Season

Story by David Cook and Shannon Serpette

After months of biting wind and freezing temperatures, the arrival of spring invites us back outside to enjoy many of our favorite pastimes. If you’re looking for something to do outside to enjoy those pleasant spring days, there are a number of activities in the Illinois Valley. The following suggestions will hopefully inspire residents to fully enjoy the warming weather.

Gardening

After so many bleak, bone-chilling days, even basic yard work becomes pleasurable. Gardens will usually need a bit of care so they can look their best when they begin to burst forth with colorful blooms after lying dormant beneath fallen leaves and icy snow.

To help with your planning or with any questions you may have, the Princeton Public Library’s new gardening group, Read’ Em and Weed, is a valuable resource. They meet on the first Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the library’s meeting room.

“This group is open to anyone wanting to talk about gardening or how to grow things. We’ve covered many topics so far, from house plants to properly putting perennials to bed for the winter,” Lela Wenzel, group organizer, said. “Our most exciting event so far has been a winter sowing and seed swap. We traded seeds, as well as planted some that will sprout once spring arrives. We’re gardeners of different levels coming together to learn from one another, and the meetings are very fluid. We spend our time helping one another solve the problems in our gardens.”

She added that spring is her favorite season and views the soon-to-bloom flowers as a reward for making it through another winter.

“I love gardening because it’s a giant experiment. I’m constantly trying new things and bending the rules just to see what would happen,” Wenzel said.

Once your garden is ready to go, it’s always fun to look for some new additions that you’ll be able to enjoy over the next several months of sunny days and leafy green plants. Located just a few miles outside of Princeton, a visit to Hornbaker Gardens will lead you to a unique garden center with an impressive selection of plants, fountains, art, decor, and much more. You’ll also be able to enjoy the opportunity to wander the tranquil display gardens and take in the natural beauty of the grounds.

Opening for the year on April 10, owner Rich Hornbaker was asked if there was anything customers tended to look for early in the growing season.

“Anything new, whether it’s trees, shrubs, flowers, or hostas. If it’s new, they’ll want it, and it’s amazing what kinds of hybridization growers are continually able to come up with,” he said.

Other excellent gardening centers to visit for supplies or plants in the Illinois Valley include Ekana Nursery and

Spring

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Landscaping in Mendota and Seatonville Greenhouses in Seatonville. If you’re in need of new equipment to keep your lawn or gardens looking great, the Illinois Valley area has several options, including Smith’s Sales & Service in Peru.

Parks & Recreation

Local parks offer a wide variety of activities for all ages. Families can visit to enjoy the play areas, and there’s usually a pleasant trail to follow for walkers, frequently with canine partners more excited than anyone to be outside on a nice day. Park-goers will generally have a variety of seating choices when ready for a rest.

Starved Rock State Park and Matthiessen State Park are two of the top parks to visit in the Illinois Valley for a reason. They offer you endless opportunities to hike around and see some spectacular scenery during any season.

After a long winter, it’s always fun to watch the parks come back to life during the spring. Depending upon the park you go to, other activities might include tennis, pickleball, basketball, handball, fishing, disc golf, and more.

The Princeton Park District’s Nick Davis said youth baseball leagues will soon be underway, and there will no doubt be plenty of other activities as we move through spring and into summer.

Cycling

Those who enjoy their outside fun with two wheels are always eager to get back out on area trails or roads, whether their cycles are engine- or pedal-powered.

Those who favor the pedal-powered variety will want to visit The Bike Place, which is located along Princeton’s Main Street. The volunteer-led one-stop bike shop includes a program for rescuing, repairing, selling, and donating bikes of all shapes and sizes. It’s also a great source for information regarding cycling in the area and bicycle safety for all skill levels.

Outdoor Events & Other Choices

As the temperatures continue to increase, it also means the beginning of a long line of outdoor events, including concerts, shopping promotions, outdoor dining, and other activities such as golf, car shows, and more.

Birdwatching can be done throughout the year, but spring brings the return of several species. Feeders and birdbaths also usually require a good cleaning following winter.

Many home repair, maintenance, and improvement projects are already underway or soon to be started. Other outside work can include cleaning your vehicle inside and out after a winter of snow, slush, and salt.

No matter how you choose to enjoy your pleasant spring day, relish it. Because before you know it, summer will have passed, the leaves will be turning, and we’ll be heading back into winter again.