PIERCE YARD
512 N Prospect Ave
Susie grew up in Park Ridge, and we have lived in this home since 1994. Originally, we had a more traditional approach in front of the house with a grass front yard and garden border. In previous design moves, we added a paver driveway and more recently, rain barrels at all downspouts on the house. Last year, we decided that we wanted a larger overhaul of the garden.
In this latest iteration of our garden, we wanted to focus on three things: native prairie and pollinator plantings, increased species variety, and pet and human friendly plants. To do this, we reached out to a close family friend, AJ Sus, who is a landscape architect, to help re-imagine what the space could look like. 95% of the existing shrubs and 100% of existing lawn were removed in the front of the house. The nearly 2000 square feet of space in the front now contains over 25 different native Illinois species that vary in height, typology, color, and bloom time to create a garden that is different week to week. Plants were laid out in drifts of like-species at the front entry drive and the front walk of the house to evoke movement, texture variation, and seasonal color. Most of the species planted include hues of purples, blues, whites, and creams. The majority of these plants will over winter, keeping seed heads and stems intact, before being cut back in the early Spring. This type of native garden management means that the plantings will provide interest for both animals and humans year-round. Birds and pollinators have proved their love for the garden since installation as we often see bees, butterflies, and birds enjoying the flowering species (birds are known to frequent native areas all season for sources of food). A number of new trees were planted within these drifts of natives, including Betula populifolia , Grey Birch, to anchor the northern corner of the house, two columnar Quercus robur, White Oak, at the eastern face of the garage, and Taxodium distichum, Bald Cypress, at the corner of the driveway.
Believe it or not, this garden is only one year old! This means that we are still in the learning phase. Gardens are living, breathing beings that are constantly changing. It will take a few years to observe what is successful and what is not successful. This is not a negative aspect of the garden, rather it is one of the biggest positives to native gardening. Our gardens are ever changing and that allows us to continue to experiment, change, and grow along with them!
Greg & Susie Pierce
Susie grew up in Park Ridge, and we have lived in this home since 1994. Originally, we had a more traditional approach in front of the house with a grass front yard and garden border. In previous design moves, we added a paver driveway and more recently, rain barrels at all downspouts on the house. Last year, we decided that we wanted a larger overhaul of the garden.
In this latest iteration of our garden, we wanted to focus on three things: native prairie and pollinator plantings, increased species variety, and pet and human friendly plants. To do this, we reached out to a close family friend, AJ Sus, who is a landscape architect, to help re-imagine what the space could look like. 95% of the existing shrubs and 100% of existing lawn were removed in the front of the house. The nearly 2000 square feet of space in the front now contains over 25 different native Illinois species that vary in height, typology, color, and bloom time to create a garden that is different week to week. Plants were laid out in drifts of like-species at the front entry drive and the front walk of the house to evoke movement, texture variation, and seasonal color. Most of the species planted include hues of purples, blues, whites, and creams. The majority of these plants will over winter, keeping seed heads and stems intact, before being cut back in the early Spring. This type of native garden management means that the plantings will provide interest for both animals and humans year-round. Birds and pollinators have proved their love for the garden since installation as we often see bees, butterflies, and birds enjoying the flowering species (birds are known to frequent native areas all season for sources of food). A number of new trees were planted within these drifts of natives, including Betula populifolia , Grey Birch, to anchor the northern corner of the house, two columnar Quercus robur, White Oak, at the eastern face of the garage, and Taxodium distichum, Bald Cypress, at the corner of the driveway.
Believe it or not, this garden is only one year old! This means that we are still in the learning phase. Gardens are living, breathing beings that are constantly changing. It will take a few years to observe what is successful and what is not successful. This is not a negative aspect of the garden, rather it is one of the biggest positives to native gardening. Our gardens are ever changing and that allows us to continue to experiment, change, and grow along with them!
Greg & Susie Pierce
