Anna from Gold Fern Farms planting donated dahlias.

Julia Doles Legacy Garden @ Monarch Waystation

The Lakeside Legacy Foundation, more commonly known as The Dole, and the civic beautification committee of The Countryside Garden Club in Crystal Lake, are planning to make a truly positive impact in the community by working together to beautify the gardens on the grounds of The Dole Mansion.

Throughout time, many people have donated and added plants to these gardens, and we look to expand on this by creating a spreadsheet and mapping all the currently growing plants in the gardens. This will allow us to determine what plants bloom during which seasons; which plants are butterfly host plants and/or pollinator friendly; as well as identify plants that are needed and are on our wish list to be added with the help of donations.

iNaturalist guide . Plants in these gardens. https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/search?utf8=✓&q=Julia+dole&commit=Search

Don’t have time to join a garden club but would like to work as a volunteer in The Dole gardens? Contact us through our contact tab on this website. Please note you are interested in volunteering. Time commitment is flexible and you will start out working with one of the Civic Beautification Committee members of our club. We love gardeners ❤️😎

Volunteers planted over 1500 bulb in The Dole gardens in the fall of 2024. Bulbs were purchased by The Lakeside Legacy Foundation. Above picture was taken by the front garden . Mixture of daffodils blends and grape and cobalt sea hyacinths.