Flora & Steel - Chicago’s Lurie Garden

Hello world! It has been months since I last poste, mostly because I was not sure if I wanted to keep blogging. But I kinda miss it, and visiting other blogs too, so here I am. :)

Last month I attended a work conference in Chicago— the first one I have been to since the pandemic. It was nerve racking at times (so much traffic, Chicago) and being with so many people. But overall, it was a great experience. Because of the conference schedule (and because we did not want to drive in that crazy traffic), we mostly stayed around the hotel. And that was fine because everything I wanted to see was within walking distance. And #1 in my list was visiting Lurie Garden, by the Centennial Park.

I learned about Lurie Park last year when I watched the documentary 'Five Seasons,’ a film about Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf and the gardens he has created, including Lurie. You can learn more about the documentary and other favorites HERE.

While the garden is part of the Centennial Park complex, it has a very intimate sort of secret garden feel to it. And I loved everything about it. The garden is full of native plants in a riot of color that is a gorgeous contrast to the city landscape around it. The garden has public pathways and sitting areas so you can just relax and take it all in. One of my favorite details is that throughout the garden pathways, there are these posters with a collage of the flowers that are in bloom. Very handy.

Another aspect of the garden that is fascinating, is the contrast of plant life against the steel and glass city landscape. I am in awe of visionaries, and those who decided a park would work here had a beautiful vision, which Piet Oudolf brought to life by creating a naturalistic garden that all could enjoy during all four seasons.

If you go HERE, you can see videos of the garden (scroll to the bottom). Enjoy!

Echinacea ‘Pixie Meadowbrite’

Allium ‘Millenium’ (allium ‘Millenium’)

Echinacea purpurea ‘Green Edge’

Silphium laciniatum (compass plant)

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of Lurie Garden. I am thrilled that I got to checked this off my bucket list. And I think I would love to see it in other seasons because I have been told it is beautiful.

Have you visited Lurie Park?

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day ~ The First One of 2022!

Hello friends! It’s finally here! The first Garden Bloggers Bloom Day of 2022. Uffda— this winter felt like it would never end. But alas! Here we are… and it all happened in the past week. Two weeks ago we had what I call the “week of Spring” (because it seems like that is all Spring lasts here) and then the temperatures rose. Last week the temperatures rose into the 80s and 90s, and overnight everything turned green, trees started budding and the world has colors again! Of course, it always feels like here in Minnesota, we are always a season behind.

What a welcome sight it is, friends! With winters lasting an average of six months, it can be downright depressing to see things blooming all around the world, except your area. But we have arrived!, and while there is not much blooming, there are pops of color here and there. Starting with the harbinger of spring— tulips.

This year I did not plant many tulips, but I am glad that at the last minute, I grabbed some bags that were on discount at Menard’s because they are bring on a lot of color. There are two varieties— double peony and fringed tulips. And they are both beautiful So much that I think I will be bringing them back next year.

I love this orange color

Next are roses. Slowly but surely, these babies are waking up and I cannot wait for them to open. It looks like the first roses to open will be the David Austin ‘Emily Bronte.” I cannot wait for this fragrant beauty to bloom.

We also have one of the peonies that opened. Now, full transparency, I bought this last week and was already budding. But how stunning is this mauve color? And the petals are like gossamer. Just beautiful.

Around the house, the trees are also budding and flowering— from the Arrowwood viburnum to the Black Chokeberry and the Western Service Berry trees, soon they will flower and produce the cute little berries and flowers that brighten up the yard.

Arrowwood viburnum

Western Service Berry

Black Chokeberry

In the front porch, the two dwarf Japanese Maples are also coming to life. This was my first year overwintering maples in an unheated garage, and I was happy to see that they made it! Also, they are looking better than when I purchased them! Japanese maples are my favorite trees and growing them around the house is one of the things I miss the most about living in North Carolina. But unfortunately, they are not hardy to our zone and would die outdoors in the harsh winters.

Acer Palmatum “Waterfall’ Japanese Maple

Acer Palmatum ‘Orangeola’ Japanese Maple

And that’s it, friends! All that is blooming for now! Heading over to see what is blooming in everyone else’s gardens!