Hawthorne Hill Nature Center

09/06/2026

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09/01/2026

Squirrels live in trees. And you know who knows a lot about trees? The Morton Arboretum! (Trust me, the connection makes sense...)

Join us as we collaborate with staff from The Morton Arboretum for a free Squeak-tasic Squirrel Storytime this Thursday (Sept. 9th) from 11:30am-noon. 🐿

The Gail Borden Public Library's mobile library will be here after the storytime and stay until just before 1pm. Swing on in to check out a book while you're here!

See you Thursday! 🐿🌳

08/26/2026

Something special is taking root at Hawthorne Hill! 🌿 We’re excited to welcome Wandering with Wonder, a new way to slow down, tune in and connect with the nature around you. More coming soon!

COMING SOON! A new nature wellness experience to help you notice nature's rhythms is coming to an open space near you. Follow Forest Preserve District of Kane County, Hawthorne Hill Nature Center, City of Elgin, Illinois Government, and Hickory Knolls Nature Center to hear when this experience is live for you to experience!

08/22/2026

Interested in Kane County’s Ice Age past? Our naturalist is hosting another glacial geology tour with Forest Preserve District of Kane County. FYI—Seats sell out quickly. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18s7K752kX/?mibextid=wwXIfr

08/20/2026

Tall with prickly seed heads, the invasive cut-leaved and common teasel plants are popping up in roadside ditches across Illinois right now. These aggressive non-native species can quickly take over native prairies and savannas when they go unmanaged.

About Teasels
• Cut-leaved teasel tends to be more aggressive than common teasel. Both are regulated through the Illinois Exotic W**d Act.
• Cut-leaved teasel blooms from July through September, with white flowers. Common teasel blooms from June through October, typically with purple flowers.

Teasel Removal Options
• Mowing is not an effective treatment; plants will still flower even with repeated mowing.
• Small rosettes can be dug out of the ground; large rosettes are difficult to remove by digging. Once flowering has begun, flower heads can be cut from the plant and bagged, and roots may be chopped 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface.
• Herbicide is effective for removing teasel. Treatment should occur in the spring or early summer. Treatment may also be applied during the fall and winter, since seeds will germinate and form rosettes that persist while other native vegetation is dormant.

Learn more about teasel, including management options, at https://extension.illinois.edu/invasives/invasive-teasels.

For information about how to treat a specific site with teasel, connect with staff at your local Illinois Extension office at https://extension.illinois.edu/where-we-serve.

Photo: Common teasel.

08/19/2026

BOOST YOUR YARD'S ECOLOGICAL POWER THROUGH NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS Shrubs are an often missing part of home landscapes, yet they provide vital habitat and food for birds and beneficial insects. This sale offers many native shrubs and a several great trees that deserve more use in our area. Provide y...