sharing the harvest: why fall gardens bring people together

yesterday one of our wonderful clients let us pick a few stalks from her big, beautiful rhubarb plant, and it just made my day. i love how gardeners share—plants, produce, tips, even stories about their yards and gardens. there’s this unspoken camaraderie that forms when you’re both standing in the dirt, admiring the color of a leaf or the size of a bloom. the crew and i took that rhubarb home and i made a rhubarb, apple, and strawberry crisp that was so good it barely made it to the next morning.

that simple exchange reminded me how much i love what i do. designing and building outdoor spaces in places like naperville, aurora, plainfield, batavia, geneva, wheaton, downers grove, and lisle isn’t just about patios, garden beds, or stone paths—it’s about creating spaces that connect people to nature and to each other. fall gardens especially have this way of bringing folks together. the air is cooler, the colors richer, and the harvest sweeter. whether it’s butternut squash or potatoes or kale from a raised bed, this is the time to enjoy the rewards of the growing season.

a well-planned landscape can make all the difference when it comes to a productive fall harvest. adding edible plants like rhubarb, strawberries, or even ornamental fruit trees gives your yard both beauty and purpose. it’s something we love helping homeowners in the western suburbs design—spaces that are not only gorgeous but also abundant.

as the season winds down, it’s a great time to reflect on what worked this year and start dreaming about next spring. maybe you’ll share a few rhubarb stalks of your own, or pass along some homemade crisp to a neighbor. because when gardeners share, everyone wins. and that’s what being rooted in community is really all about.