Let’s Go Green: Classic Auto Group Celebrates National Gardening Day

Apr 14, 2022

While we all certainly love all things automotive, our staff have each got lots of other hobbies and pastimes, one of which includes gardening! And we thought it only fitting that we celebrate National Gardening Day by highlighting local greenhouses and garden centers, and some tips on how to start your own mini garden at home.

Here are some of the amazing benefits to gardening, aside from the positive environmental impact:

A boost of Vitamin D from being outdoors in the sunshine!
You can boost your mood with just 30 minutes of gardening thanks to its ability to lower the stress hormone cortisol.
It’s fantastic physical exercise and aerobic activity to help you raise your heart rate and break a sweat.
It can improve your mental health by boosting confidence, increasing a feeling of happiness and satisfaction, and a dose of healthy self-esteem from a successful venture.
It’s a bonding experience with your friends, family, and community

If you’ve not got the room for a container garden or your homeowner association/landlord doesn’t allow it, you can join a community garden! The incorporation of community gardens, flower beds, container gardens, and even small orchards can reduce urban poverty, increase environmental management efforts, and promote an inclusive space for all to enjoy.

Community Gardens in the Area:

Madeleine Fuqua Garden in Waukegan
GreenTown Waukegan
Mundelein Community Garden in Mundelein
Century Park North Garden in Vernon Hills
Grayslake Community Garden in Grayslake
Plymouth Farms Community Garden in Vernon Hills
Century Park Boat Dock Garden in Vernon Hills

Check out our picks for local area garden centers, urban agriculture facilities with resources and classes, and even a Living Farm you can visit! Then pack up your new Classic Auto Group home with some trunk storage supplies, and get started on your own container garden and urban agriculture project.

Garden Centers in the Area:

How To Start Your Own Container Garden

A set of large plastic planters, large utility buckets, small containers on wheels, something that is at least 4-6 inches in depth or deeper
A large bucket of compost
An XL bag of garden soil formulated for containers or raised beds
Seeds of your choice or juvenile plants
Watering Can with Long Spout
Small gardening tools: hand trowel, claw rake, gardening shears, twine, floral tape
Wooden stakes, tomato cages, moss sticks

You can purchase containers such as Grow Bags, Self Watering Planter Boxes, Indoor Hydroponic Garden Tower, Modular Metal Containers. If the area you’re planting in does not receive a lot of light, seek out plants which require low-light or partial shade to maximize growth and crop yield. Tomatoes, Peppers, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, and Herbs all do wonderfully well in containers and pots.