Illinois Valley Living_May 2026_Lawn & Garden

ILLINOIS

VALLEY LIVING

Treasures for the garden at Jobst

Basic yard and garden supplies at Sullivan’s in Mendota

Red Barn Nursery celebrates 35 years Hornbaker Gardens offers a stunning selection

4 A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR SPRING

Grab groceries and gardening items at Sullivan’s Foods in Mendota.

7 HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

Jobst Monuments is a secret source of lawn and garden items.

10 RED BARN NURSERY CELEBRATES 35 YEARS

Nestled right outside Sheffield sits the town’s number one garden center.

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KICK SPRING OFF AT HORNBAKER GARDENS

Hornbaker Gardens is a one-stop shop for the avid plant enthusiast.

On the cover: Shoppers looking to beautify their lawns and gardens will find plenty of options at Jobst Monuments.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Below: Guests can stroll the gardens around the Hornbaker Gardens property to view various plants in different stages of maturity to get an idea of what they’ll look like in their own space.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Illinois Valley Living

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Niche Editor

Shannon Serpette sserpette@shawmedia.com

Writers

Katlyn Sanden

Shannon Serpette

Photographers

Katlyn Sanden

Shannon Serpette

Designer Liz Klein

A One-Stop Shop For Spring

Grab groceries and gardening items at Sullivan’s Foods in Mendota

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or you’ve decided to spruce up your lawn or garden for the first time, you’ll find no shortage of businesses in the Illinois Valley area that sell supplies. One of those places is where you might already buy your groceries – Sullivan’s Foods in Mendota.

Candace Richey, head pricing coordinator and lawn and garden specialist for Sullivan’s in Mendota, said Sullivan’s is a great spot to stock up on lawn and garden supplies because it offers convenience and a good assortment of items.

“We have bulk mulch. We have bagged mulch and bagged dirt. We have a good variety

of flowers, plants, and vegetables. We have cement pots,” Richey said.

“Our vegetables have always done great here,” Richey said, adding that they are watered and pruned as needed to ensure customers are walking away with healthy plants.

As someone who has her own flower garden and raised vegetable gardens, Richey said she highly recommends the products they sell.

Those who aren’t looking to add to their existing plants and instead want to beautify their lawns and gardens will still find items of interest at Sullivan’s in Mendota. The store carries stepping stones, fairy garden items, and statues that

can add a personal touch to any garden. If shoppers want to freshen up their decks or patios, Sullivan’s has options for that, too, including planter hangers that can add a quick dose of cuteness to any plain pot.

“We will still have our decorative umbrellas,” Richey said.

Sullivan’s in Mendota will keep most

of its lawn and garden items until early June. Customers don’t even have to go inside to make some purchases. Sullivan’s sets up a register outside, seven days a week, weather permitting, to sell lawn and garden supplies.

“We’re the one-stop place to get your basic lawn and garden supplies,” Richey said.

Hiding In Plain Sight

Jobst Monuments is a secret source of lawn and garden items

Story by Shannon Serpette

Shoppers might not think to look in a monument store for unique lawn and garden items. They’d be missing out, however, if they didn’t take a look inside Jobst Monuments & Gifts in Ottawa.

The employees there refer to the shop as “Ottawa’s best-kept secret” because customers are often surprised by how many items fill the aisles and the walls. The family-owned business was established in 1903 and still has the original floors, which adds to its charm.

“My cousin’s grandfather started the business,” owner Char Bragg said. “I’ve been here since 2000.”

Jobst Monuments used to sell only monuments before Bragg decided to add lawn and garden items to diversify the business.

“I started with granite benches and bird baths,” Bragg said.

Since then, the lawn and garden options have greatly expanded. A walk through the shop will take quite a while because there are so many items. It feels as if shoppers might discover something new each time they walk down an aisle –and Bragg admits to feeling that way herself, even though she owns the store.

“I browse,” she said.

The business features planters, wind chimes, birdhouses, fairy gardens, rain gauges, spinners, bird baths, concrete items, and more.

“Occasionally, we will get pieces from local artists,” Bragg said.

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The lawn and garden section at Jobst Monuments is so varied and unique that it may be hard to decide which pieces to buy.

Jobst

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They also try to stay on top of trends, such as air plants, which are a hot item for them.

“We try to have them year-round,” employee Debbie Walker said. “There’s a lot more inside than meets the eye. We have unique gifts for every price range. Christmas and spring are our busiest times, but we’re open year-round.”

Cheeseburger

Red Barn Nursery celebrates 35 years

Nestled right outside Sheffield is an old, historic red barn. The type that, onlookers can tell, stood the test of time, and has lots of stories engraved in its beams. This special spot is the inspiration for the town’s number one garden center, Red Barn Nursery.

Opened in 1991 by the sister trio of Martha Bowyer, Ruth Draper, and Jane Yarrington,

and more. This year, the trio is excited to celebrate 35 years in business, with Red Barn Nursery’s season running through July 3.

Reminiscing back to their early years, Draper said they started with trees and shrubs and one little hoop house. Since then, they’ve expanded into what customers see today – a working farm with several

“We usually have around 100 varieties of tomatoes and 50 varieties of peppers,” Bowyer said. “We have different varieties of basil, but the most popular is the everleaf basil. It’s a very sturdy basil.”

In addition to these popular vegetables and herbs, the trio has seen customers wanting to add plants to their landscapes to attract hummingbirds.

falls salvia is another one that attracts hummingbirds. You can put it in a basket or pot.

Another one is called hummingbird’s lunch. That one is a succulent. A lot of people like mezoo trails. It has pink flowers. This year, we have a string of pearls succulent. It has little red flowers. We also have sensitive plants the kids like. Their leaves fold up when touched or at sunset.”

If you’re just beginning, the trio says to start simple.

“Marigolds, zinnias, and petunias are easy,” Bowyer said. “Most of those are full sun, so you’ll need to know what your sun situation is.”

With the goal of growing the best quality plants each spring, the trio starts most of their products from seed, and newer varieties from patented cuttings. They said that, unlike plants found in big-box stores, their plants will start growing as soon as you plant them because they don’t have any growth retardant on them to prevent them from outgrowing their sales container.

Hornbaker Gardens has become a destination garden center just outside of Princeton.

Kick Spring Off At Hornbaker Gardens

Story by Katlyn Sanden

Hornbaker Gardens begins teeming with life in early spring and is a one-stop shop for the avid plant enthusiast – it has hostas, daylilies, trees, shrubs, grasses, aquatics, annuals, native plants, perennials, and more. Whether you’re just beginning to get your hands dirty or you’re elbow deep in your own garden or landscape, there truly is something for everyone.

“When it comes to gardening, it can feel really overwhelming,” Molly Blogg, second-generation owner, said. “There are so many things to choose from. Picking out a native tree is one of the

easiest and fastest ways to impact a landscape.”

While not everyone will have space for a native tree, Blogg says that’s okay as most beginners are after simple, low-maintenance options.

“Start with your bigger items first. Decide if there’s an area you need a tree, or a space you need a shrub. Then, in front of those things, or if you have a smaller space, you can move on to your smaller perennials. Or you can do a pocket of annuals somewhere,” Blogg said.

“You want to narrow it down to ‘What are my light conditions?’ Am I looking for something for sun or shade?

Are there certain colors that I’d love to have the most? You can start whittling down a big selection into what’s going to work for you. At the end of the day, it’s about what makes you happy, what you love looking at, a flower you love the shape or color of. That’s really what matters – just getting started somewhere instead of getting overwhelmed,” Blogg said.

On the flip side, there’s always something to add, especially if you’re an avid gardener.

“There’s always something unique to look to,” Blogg said.

“We continue to have a lot of

Hornbaker

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unique conifers. This year, we have a much bigger collection of Japanese Maples, which are often a smaller, ornamental maple. We have a great, unusual selection of those.”

Blogg said hostas are what put them on the map, and even though they’re still very popular, she likes to find plants that often get overlooked, as they can make a great addition to any landscape.

“We expanded what we offer in native plants,” said Blogg. “That’s definitely been a trend for people to be planting more native types of plants that are best suited to the soils and ecosystems in our area. They handle our climate, but are also beneficial to all the insects and wildlife in our area. Some people would like to plant as many natives as they can in their landscape, which is wonderful.”

As a second-generation owner, Blogg continues to build upon what her parents, Rich and Kathy Hornbaker started in 1987. It’s their vision that has propelled what was a humble garden center into a garden destination for plant enthusiasts all over.

“They started as a wholesale business, but quickly got into retail because this property just lent itself into building a pretty special place that people would want to come to,” Blogg said.

Since then, they have been able to design rolling gardens throughout the property, allowing customers to see over 400 varieties of hostas, trees and shrubs, perennials, and other plants offered at the garden center at a mature stage of growth.

“That’s been one of the most rewarding things for my parents, and for me, is seeing our customers, and even our staff, enjoy the beauty of this place,” Blogg said. “People

have said when they drive back here, they feel the peacefulness being away from noise and out in nature. We’re kind of our own little oasis back here. Because my parents were so passionate about planting, growing, and creating these spaces, the appeal became a destination garden center.”

Blogg, who was going to blaze her own trail in sociology after college graduation, couldn’t shake the pull back to continue the family legacy.

“I think growing up in this business is what really solidified my desire to stay and continue it on,” said Blogg. “I thought I was headed in a different direction, but then decided this is where my heart was.”

Hornbaker Gardens’ season runs until October 10. The business, which is located just outside of Princeton, hosts weekly workshops throughout the spring, an open house in June, and an artisan market in September.