It Might As Well Be Spring

A witch hazel in Evanston celebrating an early spring.

The official first day of spring is March 20, but it already feels like spring and it’s even beginning to look like spring. Buds are swelling, bulbs are poking up through the earth. Look around and you’ll see some things that are already in in full bloom. A shrub already in full bloom with bright yellow flowers is the Vernal Witch Hazel. Typically, this is the earliest woody plant to bloom in our area. Its name comes from the fact that it usually blooms around the Vernal Equinox (March 22).

Spring cheerleaders Snowdrops and Winter Aconite are usually seen against a backdrop of snow.

Everything seems to be starting earlier this year. Snowdrops and Winter Aconite are two small bulbs that are in full bloom. Even Crocus are beginning to show their colorful tips. These early harbingers of spring naturalize readily and bring a bright spot to the early spring garden. Look up at big trees and you will notice the buds swelling and even some flowers starting on Red and Silver Maples. Willows are beginning to green. The Magnolia’s fuzzy buds are getting bigger.

Male Red Maples are sending flowers ahead of schedule.

Spring is here or at least it’s close… it was a pretty easy winter, as far as Chicago winters go. Many people are wondering what this mild winter weather means… in our expert opinion, we think it was an easy winter and it feels like an early spring! Get out and ENJOY.

A Dream Realized

The homeowners of this property discovered a diamond in the rough when they first laid eyes on this traditional Georgian home on a large Evanston lot. After completing renovations indoors, it was time to reclaim their space outdoors. With imagination and the right vision from the beginning, they knew they could create a beautiful outdoor setting. 

The site itself felt exposed, as the home sits on a corner lot, has many windows, and had no surrounding landscaping. Other challenges on-site were major drainage issues and areas of dense shade and full sun. A large depression was filled and re-graded to allow for proper drainage. The existing attached garage was converted into an office, and a new, detached garage was built.

They wanted both open lawn and a private space, so we created separate garden rooms. The house called for a formal landscape, but an English style garden was desired. To accomplish both, we designed a garden with both formal and informal areas by creating private getaways and open lawn. The formal lines of the house and strong east-west axis helped to form many of our design elements.

Hardscape materials we chose to compliment the existing house materials include Boral Heartland Flashed clay pavers for the sidewalks and Indiana limestone for the stoop treads. In the private garden, a sidewalk leads to a curved patio dining area underneath one of several mature trees.

As for the landscape, a formal hedge of evergreen yews hugs the outline of the house. Curved beds of pachysandra and hostas soften the strong architecture of the house.  A six-foot tall yew hedge screens a portion of the yard to create the private English garden retreat. The axis of the house created the perfect home to place the armillary, a garden viewable from the office window. Wooden lattice panels against the new garage support flowering vines, completing the lush garden setting.