Dutch designer Piet Oudolf has been tapped to design new plantings for the historic Jens Jensen Formal Garden in Chicago's Humboldt Park. Jensen's garden, dating back to 1908, has been deteriorating for years, but a restoration project is now underway sponsored by the Chicago Parks Foundation, the Chicago Park District, and the Garden Conservancy.
Jensen, a proponent of the Prairie style of landscape design, described the landscape as a "community garden" created for city residents "who have no other gardens except their window sills." His design features a reflecting pool and fountain, a terrace with pergolas and a lagoon that he called "a prairie river."
Oudolf met with the Humboldt Park community in April and presented his thoughts about the garden's new sustainable design, which include plants that can survive the Chicago weather year-round and will not require the use of pesticides. "We will create a community of plants that work well together and look beautiful throughout the seasons," he said.
Comments