Today we’re back in the Forest Park, Illinois, garden of Enrique Zuniga and Christian Altman, a space they transformed from a blank piece of turfgrass into a beautiful garden that attracts pollinators and is enjoyed by them, their three dogs, and their friends alike. We saw some of the garden yesterday and are back to enjoy more of it today.
This is a very urban area, not far from downtown Chicago, but Enrique and Christian have transformed their piece of this space into something that is beautiful and inviting to pollinators and other wildlife.
A bee has stopped by these coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3–8) for a meal.
Ornamental grasses can be beautiful for the way you can look through them like a veil to the rest of the plants behind.
The narrow space between two houses is often just a forgotten strip of grass—but not here! Flowers and grasses fill the area with beauty and habitat for native insects.
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata, Zones 3–6) is a beautiful native perennial with fragrant pink flowers in midsummer. Like all milkweeds, it is a host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Adult monarchs, like this one, visit as well for a hit of nectar.
A narrow pine (Pinus sp.) provides a dramatic contrast to lower-growing perennials.
An essential part of any garden is a spot to sit and enjoy it all.
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia, annual) is a large, fast-growing annual with flowers in glowing orange or red. This bee loves it just as much as people do.
One last view of this beautiful garden is a reminder of what you can create even in a small, urban garden space.
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the
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The political weather has been stormy of late, and as the sun has come out to play at last, the garden seems the safest place to be. There’s a lot to be done to get it ready for the growing season, so time spent outside is never wasted. A lot of what I’m doing at the moment could best be termed ungardening, clearing out the contents from last year’s containers, and reusing the potting compost in the bottom of new pots, or as a soil improving mulch.
My name is Enrique Zuniga. My husband, Christian Altman, our three dogs, and I live in Forest Park, Illinois (Zone 5b), which is located just west of downtown Chicago. Both Christian and I have had a love of gardening since we were children, but we fully tapped into our inner gardener when we were presented with the opportunity to work with a yard full of turf grass when we moved to our current house in 2017. The vast majority of the yard gets full sun, so we decided to remove large patches of turf grass and plant sun-loving perennials that are mostly native to Illinois.
For generations, gardening has been a popular pastime in the UK. Regardless of whether it is an ornamental or vegetable garden, the act of sculpting the land around us to create our very own oasis of tranquillity provides a sense of comforting accomplishment, as well as a great way to express creativity and individuality.
Every kitchen needs good storage, but not every kitchen has good storage. Some are small and need a lot of hacks to find a spot for everything. Some can be the right size but with not enough cabinet or drawer space. And others are just not using their storage potential fully, like this kitchen in San Rafael, California.
White is the second most useful colour in the garden after green. I am progressively increasing the number and variety of white and grey plants that I grow.
Mildew is an airborne fungus that requires wet weather and warmth to come to life. It is most visible during spring and autumn as the winter is too cold and in summer it may be too hot. The wetter spring and autumn is when the white powdery mold-like mildew shows up most.
One thing is sure the climate in your garden will change. You already know one week will be different to the next and I can’t remember when two months or any years were the identical to others. In many areas you can get 3 or 4 seasons in one day (or in Scotland one hour!).
Snowdrops are officially called Galanthus. This snowdrop is Galanthus elwessii with larger than normal blooms and a honey scent the other main species are Nivalis and Plicatus. The snowdrop is very hardy, grows in most soils and prefers partial shade.