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?