Sometimes we are really tested as landscape designers and horticulturists. One common challenge that we encounter is getting plants to grow in parkways, especially in urban neighborhoods. Large, mature street trees, often with shallow roots and a dense canopy such as Norway Maples, rob a site of sun, moisture and nutrients. Even with these less [...]
The sound of water from an outdoor water feature adds a relaxing, soothing element in a garden. Water features range from simple ones like a small fountain or bubbling rock that is easy to maintain, to pondless waterfalls that require a bit more maintenance, to those that are far more complex, like koi ponds, requiring high maintenance. Here are [...]
Do you love your home and its location, with its good neighbors, schools, neighborhood and community, but don’t want to leave it because you have a tiny yard? Often our clients add larger detached garages or put on an addition, leaving a postage stamp-sized yard. Or maybe you live in a standard residential lot [...]
One summer day in 2009, two grandmothers, Gay Riseborough and Mary Trujillo, were out walking with their grandsons in the Dewey-Darrow neighborhood of Evanston. Both lamented that there was not a park nearby for their very young grandchildren, as well as other neighboring families, to gather and play, and something should be done about [...]
After surviving one of the worst winters in Chicago history, the cold weather really took its toll on our landscapes. Winter burn and rabbit damage on many ornamental trees and shrubs are the worst we have seen in recent years. Due to the excessive amount of snow and extremely cold temperatures, many of our [...]
Rainwater management is a vital investment to alleviate the problems created by heavy rains and standing water. April rains mean drainage problems for many homeowners. For both functional and aesthetic reasons, dry stream beds are gaining favor as a solution to this problem. They offer a refreshing, natural look in a garden, [...]
On Sunday, March 23, our company was honored by the Board of the Evanston Environmental Association (EEA) as the recipient of the prestigious 2013 Charlotte Omohundro award. President/CEO Tom Klitzkie, Vice President Barbara Schwarz and General Manager Paul Klitzkie, were on-hand to accept the award. The award is annually presented to a person or organization who best [...]
We are all relieved to witness the demise of winter, but saddened to discover the toll it's taken on our gardens. If you have lost a plant or two, now is a great time to think about replacing it. To continue an earlier post, here are more plants we recommend that will bring you years [...]
Going Green Matters is a free, family-friendly environmental fair where you can spend a Sunday afternoon learning about a greener lifestyle. This year, it will be held at the Woman's Club of Wilmette at 930 Greenleaf Avenue. We invite you to stop by our table to learn about environmentally responsible products and services for your garden. In anticipation of [...]
Here at Nature's Perspective, we love plants so much that we could live by the famous quote of Nelson Henderson: "The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit". Spring will come and bring your garden back to life once again. With that in mind, we share [...]