City Formal
Private Garden – Chicago, Illinois

At the start of the project, the landscape surrounding this historic home was largely a dust patch.  The client wanted a garden that suited the antique nature of the home, and also functioned as a place for play and family gathering.  The design creates unique garden spaces, each with a distinct character.  A refined visual garden is located just off the front walk with a focal point framed out by antique paver curbs and globe boxwood.  This space opens to a formal lawn panel flanked by the house to the north and upright European hornbeams to the south. With a desire to keep the tall existing fence for security, softening its appearance from within the garden was important.   The perimeter trees help to disguise the fence while providing privacy from the sidewalk.  The rear terrace is nestled into the corner and sheltered from view with more hornbeams, branched to the ground, and some strategically-placed Grefsheim spirea.  Flagstone pavers are set within the pea gravel paving to provide a more casual aesthetic and create a stable surface for the dining table and lounge seating.  The new layout encourages the family to move throughout the entire garden, rather than feeling restricted to the existing raised deck for entertaining space.

Before

Before

Before

Before

Before

Before

Before