urban spaces rooftops
natural play areas
native plantings
Classic Lincoln Park After a gut rehab, this townhome’s front entry needed a little polishing. Removing the yews and old hostas was the first step. Adding stone steps and an iron railing helped to better delineate the property’s entrance. The client wanted the landscape to support but not take away from the building’s fantastic stone […]
Niles West Skokie This sprawling suburban high school wanted year-round interest that would stand up to heavy foot traffic, car exhaust, salt and whatever harsh conditions Mother Nature might provide – without using evergreen shrubs. Using native plants helps to alleviate irrigation and soil issues and provides a natural setting against the linear architecture of […]
RiverWalk Rogers Park This beautiful home Chicago’s North Side had lost some of its curb appeal. The challenge was to give the entry more substance, landscape the side yard to enhance the interior view, and give privacy from the busy street. By berming the planting beds slightly, we provided a visual separation from auto and […]
Native Evanston This homeowner was committed to a garden that would be easy to maintain, use less water once established, and provide food for birds without using fruiting trees or shrubs. We integrated native perennials with lots of seed heads, grasses, native shrubs and trees, and kept the existing roses for their hips and flowers. […]
CityYard Chicago It was time to change out the “builder special” front yard and make this tiny space more user- and viewer-friendly. We added a small round of crushed bluestone with steppers and a calming palette of plants. “Pat was a pleasure to work with…is very knowledgeable and does great work. […]
District219 Skokie The offices of School District 219 needed a major overhaul from its circa-1980s look. Over the years, we have removed overgrown yews and evergreens, removed sod, added trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs. We have also addressed drainage issues and added outcropping stone to mitigate damage and erosion caused by delivery trucks. […]
Squares Chicago Condo living in Chicago’s Wrigleyville can make for a loud party atmosphere. A peaceful retreat from it all is a nice amenity in this condo backyard. A view from each homeowner’s porch was a pre-requisite and a rectangle of grass wouldn’t do. So squares of perennials edging squares of lawn make for a […]
Cottage Evanston After a storm took out several mature trees, it was time to find the shade perennials in this yard a new home. We also needed to make adjustments for basic privacy – once a shaded garden this front yard had nowhere to hide. We added new trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs and containers. Instead of a […]
ZenDen Chicago In small Chicago backyards, every inch counts—so when the area under the building was uncovered, it was important to make the most of it. A 5-foot ceiling height left just enough room for low chairs—and the “Zen Den” was born. The rest of the small yard can be viewed from the porches above and […]
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