Category: Garden types

Sprezzatura in the Fall Garden

by Stephanie Walquist Sprezzatura Rembrandt, an Old Master who used earth tones to offset golden light, used a technique he termed sprezzatura, meaning apparent carelessness. In the spirit of artistic and environmental sensibilities, let us native gardeners unite under this term.  Allowing the gardens to stand during fall and winter, we might appear careless about […] Continue reading "Sprezzatura in the Fall Garden"

Bringing Native Plant Communities Home

In 1837, Chicago was incorporated as a city and adopted the motto “Urbs in Horto,” Latin for City in a Garden. The founders defined garden as parkland and hoped to blanket and stipple the city with public parks. The city never lived up to the motto. Chicago has become mostly Urbs in concreto, the parks scattered, the development unending. If you can’t […] Continue reading "Bringing Native Plant Communities Home"

5 Reasons Why Edible Gardens Need Native Plants

5 Reasons Why Edible Gardens Need Native Plants by Stephanie W We often get asked if it’s ok to grow natives with edibles, and the answer is yes, as that’s what many of us native gardeners have been implementing with great success.  In fact, on a larger scale, many farmers are beginning to experiment with […] Continue reading "5 Reasons Why Edible Gardens Need Native Plants"

2019 Garden Tour

Birds, Bees, and Butterflies: A Native Garden Tour Saturday, August 10, 2019 1:00–4:00 PM Are you curious about native plant gardening? Join us on Saturday, August 10, to see gardens brimming with life and beauty and talk with the gardeners who created them. Birds, Bees and Butterflies: A Native Garden Tour, sponsored by West Cook […] Continue reading "2019 Garden Tour"