This winter I finalized a 10,000 square foot design for clients who reside in a rural setting in central Illinois. Their recently renovated Prairie Style home has lovely views of nearby timber and a vast meadow. The site and home lend themselves to a more naturalistic garden. Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) are in abundance in the[...]
[Note from Adam: Susan Mahr, Outreach Specialist and Master Gardener with the University of Wisconsin-Madison wrote a piece on The Gardens at Ball, filled with wonderful photos and detailed information. Certain content in this post has been paraphrased.] For the past several years, one of the highlights of my summer has been visiting the grounds of[...]
Twenty-five years ago, as an adolescent, I developed an unexpected friendship with an elderly woman who lived down the street. Mabel Hart Crooks had an elaborate yard, filled with beautiful blooming plants. She was in her mid 90’s and needed some help with maintenance- mowing, weeding, pruning and occasionally planting. I was 13 and wanted[...]
Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is one of my favorite plants. It is a staple in my design work.
Today I’m going to detail my design process in hopes of giving those readers who may be interested in hiring a professional garden designer some insight into the process. This information may be helpful to other designers as well. Keep in mind, this is just how my business operates. I have refined this business model over[...]