Chicagoland Gardening Magazine changing hands

Chicagoland Gardening magazine--which for more than 10 years has been the Bible for dedicated gardeners in this area--is in the process of changing hands. Negotiations are underway for Bill Aldrich's Growit Communications Inc. to sell the magazine to State by State publications, based in Louisiana, which includes 10 garden garden magazines including Carolina Gardener, Mississippi Gardener and Louisiana Gardener.

Here's the good news and the essential fact: Chicagoland Gardening will continue; subscriptions will continue. Chicago and its metropolitan area will continue to have a magazine focused on what it's like and what it takes to garden right here. Carolyn Ulrich will continue as editor. I'm still a senior editor.

State by State is a southern outfit and this magazine is their first foray to the frozen north. I'm sure it will be an education for them to learn about the facts of Chicago ecosystems and Chicago winters. But the whole point of their magazines is to be locally focused, so nobody should expect any recommendations to plant camellias or crape myrtles around here.

Bill, who started the magazine after a long career as a Chicago Tribune editor, has done a magnificent job giving Chicago-area gardeners their own voice. I'm proud to say he's a friend of mine. He deserves a big hand of applause from every Chicago gardener. He's also the author of several books on Illinois gardening, and I'm confident more great things are ahead for him in the gardening world.

Got a garden question? I recommend you call or e-mail the Plant Clinic of The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, the Master Gardeners of the University of Illinois Extension or the Plant Information Service of the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe .

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