We created a beautiful shade garden, a sanctuary really, for one of our clients in north Evanston. Prior to our work, the backyard was surrounded by a chain-link fence, overgrown yew shrubs, patchy poor-growing grass, and unsightly views of old bushes and bare branches from the back patio.
Creating a Sustainable, Native Garden
Our client always wanted more of a garden in the backyard, but with working full time, she and her husband didn’t have the time to devote to it. When her son developed an interest in horticulture and native plants, he encouraged them to create a sustainable, native garden. And, that’s where Greenwise stepped in.
Fulfilling Multiple Needs from Meditation to Color Blindness
We worked with our client to create a garden that fulfilled their need for multiple areas of interest. For example, a meditation space in the far back (when the squirrels aren’t giving chase), a place to practice yoga, and an area for simply sitting and enjoying the garden. Our client’s husband is color blind, so we worked with her to thoughtfully incorporate colors that he could more easily see. We created a garden with a lot of blues, yellows, and whites, including gorgeous white Hydrangea bushes, Astilbe, Beardstongue, Witch Hazel, Woodruff, and Wild Geraniums with blue flowers.
Native Gardens Mean Less Maintenance
The mostly native plants make for a low-maintenance garden—the plants thrive and need less water, and her garden is alive with seasonal interest—from blooming flowers to variegated leaves to dark greens and lime greens, evergreens, and small and large trees. And, the natives are a wonderful way to attract pollinators. We planted boxwoods because her mother loved them, which is a sweet way to pay tribute and remember her mother. And, the flagstones give the garden a less formal, more welcoming look. A truly beautiful sanctuary and hidden gem that brings much joy to the homeowner, which is what we strive for at Greenwise.
