A Noteworthy, Nearby Garden Gem: The Merrick Rose Garden

Tucked in a residential neighborhood in Evanston at Lake Street and Oak Avenue, one block east of Ridge Avenue, is a beautiful and fragrant oasis called the Merrick Rose Garden. This public garden is a popular location for small weddings and special occasions, as well as for wedding photographs. Fees charged help defray the cost of the maintenance. Did you know that it is also an All American Rose Selections Inc (AARS) display garden? Every year the AARS selects and donates new rose varieties to display the year before they are available in retail garden centers and catalogs.

Longtime area residents may wonder what happened to the Centennial Fountain that was once the centerpiece and namesake of Fountain Square (located at the intersection of Orrington and Sherman Avenues and Davis Street in downtown Evanston). It has resided since 1951 at the south end of the rose garden. It provides a memorable and nostalgic focal point in this beautiful garden setting.

To learn more about the history of this garden check out the city of Evanston’s website: www.cityofevanston.org

How Green Are We?

Playing Our Part in Sustaining Our Environment

The landscaping industry has long been known as the “green” industry, even before environmental issues were brought to the forefront.  But like most industries, truly being an environmentally friendly company requires a commitment by our company, our employees and the companies we partner with. 

We are proud to share with you a few of the ways we take part in the effort to sustain the communities we serve and the world we live in. We recently converted 95% of our trucks and heavy machinery to Biodiesel (mono alkyl esters), a cleaner-burning diesel fuel made from natural, renewable sources like plant oils, animal fats, used cooking oil and more recently algae.  

Because it is renewable, cleaner and safer to breathe, we know we are contributing to the sustainability of our planet. Watch for the “Powered by Biodiesel” logo on all of our biodiesel powered equipment.  

In addition to the use of biodiesel, we continue the practice of partnering with suppliers that also work to reduce waste. All of the excavated concrete and asphalt we remove is taken to waste facilities that recycle the materials to be used to produce fresh asphalt or concrete, or the materials are re-used in other ways. This means that the products we remove from our jobsites don’t end up in landfills.

At our own facilities, we recycle thousands of plastic plant containers each year, turn all of our grass clippings and leaves into compost, and have construction soil cleaned and reconditioned so it can be used again. Used oil from our equipment is stored in 55-gallon drums and picked up by our oil supplier to be cleaned and reused.  In our building each office is fitted with a recycle bin for paper, plastic and metal. For interoffice printing, we work to use both sides of our paper before it is sent to the recycle bin. Our common areas and kitchen are also outfitted with recycle garbage bins. When a new roof was needed, we elected to roof our building with a high-tech white roofing material that insulates and reflects the sunlight, reducing our gas and electric utilities needs. We recently worked with BASE (Business Alliance for a Sustainable Evanston) to replace our incandescent exit signs with LED signs.  

 As part of our product line we offer a paver made from recycled rubber and plastic materials produced by VAST, and a paver that is produced with fly ash, a by-product produced from burning pulverized coal in electric power generators. Both are appealing, durable and environmentally friendly.  

We are also certified to install permeable pavers. Permeable pavers have a coarse base that allows rainwater to pass through the joints of the bricks and percolate through the base and back through to the earth. Other water conservation products we install include reclaiming rainwater from storm gutters and capturing water in underground cisterns.

We at Nature’s Perspective continue to look to the future for ways to conserve natural resources. We are now planning to implement a rain water recapturing system of our own.  By reclaiming thousands of gallons of rain water from our roof, we will be able to supplement our irrigation system and reuse that water in our nursery. 

It is nice to know that not only do our employees work hard each day to beautify the our clients’ outdoor living space, but that as a company, we are also contributing to the countries efforts to make our planet a better place to live.

Case Study: Making the Grade

Our clients’ magnificent home, built in 1903 for Gordon L. Pirie and Samuel Carson (of Carson, Pirie & Scott), is built on a steep slope from the front of the house to the back alley. A two-story, four bedroom coachhouse was located in the back of the property but felt disconnected to the rest of the site. The existing concrete patio and stone steps were crumbling and screened with leggy, unsightly shrubs. A screened porch situated next to the patio also waited to be used. Finally, the asphalt driveway along the side of the home was no longer used for cars. Our clients wanted to meet their goal of integrating these various elements into a usable outdoor space for relaxing and entertaining.

The new hardscape, built with natural limestone, defines the space while adding an air of elegant permanence befitting the home.

After extensive site visits that involved measuring grade changes, a structural engineer and drainage plans, our designer created a terraced patio using natural, loosely laid limestone and dry-laid limestone walls and steps. A wall of Brussels Block at the back of the patio retains soil and plantings, while adding extra seating. Loosely laid limestone walks connected the new patio to the coachhouse, and the screened porch to the side yard.

A former asphalt driveway was no longer used and converted to a beautiful, terraced viewing garden.

In the former driveway, our designer created a terraced viewing garden using more limestone steps and dry-laid limestone walls. A palette of shade perennials such as hosta and ferns thrive here, while the addition of fastigiate yews, flowering lilacs, a hydrangea tree, ornamental grasses, pachysandra and an expanse of new lawn create an outdoor space meeting our clients’ expectations.

The new limestone patio is softened with cutouts for groundcover and surrounded with lush plantings.

Summer Watering

Watering your garden is serious business.

The most important thing you can do for your landscape during the summer months is also the simplest: WATER, WATER, WATER.

Chicago summers are hot, and plants need you to make sure they have moisture. This not only keeps them growing, but also helps ward off diseases that attack plants weakened by thirst.

Don’t over-water, though. Plant roots need oxygen, and too much continuous water keeps the soil from breathing. Water thoroughly and then allow the soil to dry enough so that the air can penetrate before watering again.

When you water, water well. Just wetting the leaves and soil surface quickly may do more harm than good. This encourages plants to develop shallow roots that will be extremely vulnerable in dry spells or to sudden freezes.

Most people don’t have the time or patience to water a whole garden with a handheld hose. Use  a sprinkler. Until you become accustomed to the rate your sprinkler distributes water, you may want to use a rain gauge (or a cup or can) to measure. A measured inch of rain or sprinkler water will penetrate the soil about 10 inches. In dry periods, water at least a measured inch every week. Note that it may take several hours for a sprinkler to distribute an inch of water.

Interestingly, a 35-foot tall tree loses 30 gallons of water on a hot summer day. During a dry spell, even large trees must be watered to ensure good health and promote growth. Give special care to all new plants. Trees, shrubs, evergreens and groundcover planted within the past four years should be considered newly planted. Generally, soaker hoses deliver insufficient water for newly planted trees and shrubs. When you water, water well.

The simplest rule of thumb? If your plants are looking dry, water them!

Made in the Shade: Shade-Loving Perennial Combinations

A properly planted perennial shade garden possesses a charm of its own, with quiet harmonies of color and texture that are so different in charac­ter from its sunny counterpart. Shade gardens provide a cool refuge from the glare of summer. Limited sun­light is often viewed with mixed feelings by those who maintain a garden in shade, especially if they are trying to grow plants that will not do well in a shady site. Luckily, many colorful and interesting plants that will tolerate shade conditions are available. When you begin to plan your shade garden, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the type of shade you have.  There is a great difference between the heavy, almost total shadow cast by buildings and dense evergreens, and the dappled shade of deciduous trees.

In addition to the amount of sunlight, the other factors that have to be taken into account are soil tex­ture and moisture. Remember that although many plant varieties will grow in a shady location when the shade is caused by a large established tree, soil moisture becomes the limiting factor to good plant growth. Typically the area under the entire tree canopy contains the tree’s root system and is very dry. Imagine drawing a line from the outermost edge of the tree canopy to the ground. This is the drip line, and the area from that line to the trunk of the tree won’t receive as much sunlight or water as the area outside of the drip line. Tree roots tend to grow out from the trunk twice as wide as a drip line. 

Thorough soil preparation is essential and the incorporation of humus, in the form of composted organic matter, will benefit the soil. Compost should also be used as a mulch to conserve moisture and as a protective cov­ering during winter. 

Evergreen trees such as Spruce and Pine are the hardest to grow below, as the dense needles block most, if not all, of the natural light and water. Very rarely do you find plants surviving below an evergreen.  It is best to plant outside the drip line on these trees.

Here are some beautiful shade-loving perennial combinations we love. 

‘Ice Dance’ Sedge & ‘Amethyst Myst’ Coral Bells

 ’Sweet Tea’ Heucherella & Evergold Sedge

‘June’ Hosta & ‘Halcyon’ Hosta

 ’Blue Angel’ Hosta & ‘Lady in Red’ Fern

Variegated Solomon’s Seal and ‘Royal Heritage’ Hellebore

‘Aureola’ Hakonechloa Grass & ‘Rozanne’ Geranium

‘Obsidian’ Coralbells & Northern Sea Oats

New shade-loving perennials are constantly being introduced and may be right for your garden. With that in mind, remember that there is a solution for you, no matter what type of light, moisture or soil you have.

A Nearby, Noteworthy Garden Gem

The Shakespeare Garden in the 1930s.

Are you aware of a hidden garden gem located on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston, or of its historical significance?

This garden, a project of The Garden Club of Evanston, was established in 1915 to celebrate the ties between England and America. It also commemorated the 300^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

The Shakespeare Garden was designed by Jens Jensen, the renowned Danish-American landscape architect and conservationist who had an office in Ravinia. It is one of only two formal gardens that he designed. All of the trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and herbs in it were plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays. The 70- by 100-foot space contains flowers, shrubs, trees and herbs well-suited to our Midwestern climate, such as old roses, hollies, daffodils, nasturtiums and rosemary. 

The garden is maintained to this day by The Garden Club of Evanston.

The garden features plants mentioned in Shakespeare's plays.

Use this link to find out more about this urban oasis.

www.northwestern.edu/observer/issues/2004-10-07/garden.html

Crazy Plant Names

Do you ever wonder how new plants get their names?  Judging from these names, their plant breeders must have been hungry!

 Meals are available in the sun and shade. Imagine a sunny corner of your garden with a lovely coneflower display using ‘Mac ‘n’ Cheese’ with ‘Tomato Soup’. Add in ‘Coconut Lime’ and ‘Raspberry Tart’ for dessert, washed down with ‘Merlot’ and you have yourself a feast!

 Under the canopy of a majestic shade tree you might find these sweet treats: Hosta ‘Guacamole’, ‘Plum Pudding’ Coralbells, ‘Marmalade’ Coralbells, and Spilt Milk Hosta.

Match the pictures with the names:

 a) Mac n Cheese Coneflower

b) ‘Plum Pudding’ Coralbells

c) ‘Tomato Soup’ Coneflower

d) Hosta ‘Guacamole’

e) ‘Coconut Lime’ Coneflower

f) ‘Marmalade’ Coralbells

g) ‘Raspberry Tart’ Coneflower

h) ‘Merlot’ Coneflower

i) Spilt Milk Hosta

Water, Water Everywhere…

Keep It Away From My House!

Standing water in a yard creates many problems inside and outside the house. Fortunately there are solutions.

When the snow melts and the ground is still frozen, or after a severe rain, our phones always seem to ring with calls about drainage problems. These range from flooded basements to ponds forming in the yard. Solutions to these problems are varied and can range from simple and relatively inexpensive to complicated and very expensive, but the most important point to remember is to keep the water away from the house.  Many of the more common drainage problems can be addressed with the “passive” approach of moving water away from the foundation of the house.    

Many situations we encounter involve older homes with sunken yards, new construction or additions to older homes.  Sometimes the flooding is due to neighboring homes, grade changes, or settling of soil. As our communities continue to grow and more of the open land is filled in with various structures, there is less pervious surface for the water to percolate back into the ground.

Indicators of drainage problems include seepage into basements, standing water 24 hours after a hard rain, or yellowing plants. There are many different categories of drainage problems. The “nuisance” category includes water standing for extended periods of time. This may be harmful to turf, shrubs and trees and may also create a breeding ground for mosquito infestations. It also limits the functionality of your outdoor living area, limiting space for entertaining, play and pets. A more serious instance is when there is water intrusion into the home. This category is much more damaging and upsetting, limiting the use of basements, possibly causing mold and making a home more difficult to sell. 

Water from this downspout flows past a debris filter, and disperses out onto a flowerbed, routed through underground drainage pipes.

Directing water away from the house is the best place to start when trying to keep water out of your basement. This is most easily accomplished with a combination of extending downspouts away from the house, keeping your gutters clean and in good working order, grading away from the home’s foundation, and routing sump pump lines away from the house. It is important to remember that, when directing rainwater away from the house, to not to direct it onto a neighboring property. This would violate city or village ordinances, and be very un-neighborly! 

There are many instances when downspouts or sump pump lines end at a walkway or in an area that leaves no room for extending it. In those instances there are ways to route those lines under walkways or underground so the water can still be passively moved away. When routed underground, the lines will need to be terminated either above ground using a “Pop-up” type emitter or below ground into a gravel well or hollow vault.

Another solution is to grade settled soil away from the house. This may mean adding soil to allow it to slope away from the house. However, when adding soil you must be sure not to add too much. It is important not to raise your grade above the top of your foundation. If you do, you are enabling water to seep over the foundation wall and into the house. If you cannot raise the grade enough because of a low foundation, a false wall may need to be constructed to, in effect, raise the height of the foundation. This is a more advanced technique and must be done carefully in order for it to function properly. Again, you must be careful not to allow your rainwater to flow to onto your neighbor’s property, and you must comply with you local village or city ordinances when changing grades on your property.

A 3,000 gallon RainXchange™ System with a permeable paver patio, by Aquascape. A fountain stone filters water while adding a decorative element. A pump provides water from the underground storage chamber to aid landscape irrigation.

Alleviating flooded yards is another challenge in many neighborhoods. Whether it’s low spots in your yard, suffering from built up gravel alleys or being the lowest house on the block, standing water in your yard is a nagging problem in our area. One common way to minimize this problem is by adding soil and re-pitching the yard. Remember, you cannot push your water onto your neighbors!  The re-grading and pitching would have to allow for the water to move toward the alley or street. Another way to remove standing water is to store the water below ground using underground dry vaults that store and allow water to seep into the ground or be reclaimed using a system that stores the water and allows it to be reused for watering your garden or running a water feature like a pondless waterfall or bubbling rock.

Finally, if you can’t move the water off your property, think about pitching it to a corner of the yard and creating a rain garden. Here you will need to be careful to select plants that can tolerate both wet conditions as well as dry, for those times when we have not had rains.

While not all drainage can be corrected by techniques discussed in this article, many can.

In more serious cases, one may have to actively pump the water out of the yard or have a sump pit installed by a licensed plumber.

While We’re on the Subject of Drainage…

This parkway bioswale is beautiful as well as beneficial.

The average rainfall per year in Chicago is 34 inches. The amount of water shed from a 2,500 square foot roof per year is 56,000 gallons. The focus now, with all of the talk about sustainability, is to retain water on-site. This article will discuss one way to do this and will discuss the benefits of bioswales.

What are bioswales? They are described as “gently sloped, vegetated ditches that slow the flow of rainwater runoff into the sewer system”.  The names “grassy swale”, “vegetative filter” and “vegetative infiltration basin” represent different types of bioswales. They are designed specifically to temporarily store and infiltrate stormwater. Bioswales can reduce runoff volumes and rates by slowing water down through the vegetation, allowing ground water to recharge.

Bioswales are often planted with deep-rooted native grasses and forbs that enhance infiltration, cooling and cleansing of water in order to improve water quality.

Bioswales are often employed around commercial buildings and parking lots to help absorb stormwater runoff and pollutants. Other applications are at downspouts to slow and direct rooftop rainwater and along any hard, impervious surface to slow rainwater.

Numerous physical and biological processes take place within a bioswale or rain garden: evaporation, evapotranspiration, adsorption, filtration, plant nutrient update, microbial activity, decomposition and volatilization. Historically, these natural processes do not co-occur in our urban landscapes.

Consider creating one of these on your property or being an advocate for the use of bioswales in our communities. Not only would they add aesthetically, they are excellent for wildlife and biodiversity in our environment.

A Garden to Inspire You: Small Yet Special

Our clients reside in a charming Dutch colonial on a fifty by sixty-six foot city lot in Evanston. The only location for a living space was in a small, narrow fenced area (35’ x 16’) on the south side. Our clients wanted to make this space usable and increase its privacy from the street and adjacent neighbors. They replaced a window in the dining room with a sliding patio door for ease of access.

Nature’s Perspective designed the stoop, steps and  patio to sit at a 45-degree angle to make optimal use of the small yard.  To lend permanence and prominence to the new stoop and steps, classic natural stone was used— mortared limestone sides and risers, thermal bluestone treads and a bluestone top.  A retaining wall was also needed and constructed of dry-laid natural limestone. The wall does double duty, retaining soil and adding extra seating. The patio shape allowed for maximum use and planting. Brussels Block concrete pavers were chosen for their durability and value. 

Lattice panels were set up to add height without volume and screen out selected views for a sense of privacy. The President Clematis vines will climb up these panels and bring beautiful, vertical seasonal color. A Little Gem Norway Spruce accentuates the blue color of the house, as well as the bluestone treads on the new stoop. Allium, Daylily, Coneflower and Russian Sage are some of the long-blooming perennials planted in the garden. Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass and Northwind Switchgrass also bring an element of graceful movement, and complete the transformation of the yard from underused small space to garden oasis.

Click on the image above to enlarge.