Garden Design
Inspiration
My garden, much like my house, was inspired by modern, European style - Belgian style in particular. This design is sophisticated, elegant, and curated while maintaining a sense of home. I sought to create a year-round green garden, partially for the climate that exists in Illinois but also so that there could be different shades of green surrounding the house every month. The vibrant greens of the spring and summer complement clear, blue skies while the darker, faded forest greens blend into the gray clouds of the winter. Different species of Boxwood, Yew, Arborvitae, and European Hornbeams helped this vision to come to life.
Design + Details
A tall gate in the front courtyard poses as the entryway to the garden which opens up to a large, open grass yard. To the left sits Boxwood hedges planted in gravel. I wanted to keep the garden design as simple as possible so as not to compete with the house itself. European Hornbeams, 20' Arborvitae, and clouds of oversized Yews surrounded the outer edge of the green space and a beautiful, statuesque Seven-Son Flower Tree stands slightly apart from the rest. I love how the trunk of this tree matches the woodwork on the house, tying the outdoors and the indoors together.
A small wooden pergola creates an entryway to a more intimate section of the garden where the patio space is located. Two antique obelisks are carefully placed in the grass across from the seating area, creating a natural frame while different sizes of Boxwoods planted in gravel outline the perimeter of this section.
As the garden circles around the house, a long pathway leads down the backside of the property to the master bedroom patio. Along this walkway sits an herb garden where I grow Mint, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Wintergreen, Chives, and Oregano.
An open patio and seating area overlook the garden. On one side sits a beautiful outdoor dining table and chairs from Gloster where my family and I often enjoy dinner. A seating area from Restoration Hardware and wooden cart from Gloster surround our built-in Hestan grill. This space transitions nicely into the evening with the addition of some stunning wooden lamps, also from Gloster.
Right now in the summer, I have two stunning Olive Trees with French Thyme featured prominently on the patio. The climate in Illinois only allows this plant to thrive for a few months so I cherish the time of year that I can grow this delicate plant at my home.
This outdoor space that I have created at my home brings me so much joy in every season, but I especially enjoy the warmer months where the doors of the house are constantly open blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors.
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