Gardening with Perennials: Lessons from Chicago's Lurie Garden

by Noeel Kingsbury

For gardeners, inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. Perennial enthusiasts around the world might be surprised to find their muse in the middle of a bustling city. Lurie Garden, a nearly three-acre botanic garden in the center of Chicago’s lakefront in Millennium Park, is a veritable living lab of prairie perennials, with a rich array of plant life that both fascinates and educates as it grows, flowers, and dies back throughout the year. Thousands of visitors pass through each year, and many leave wondering how they might bring some of the magic of Lurie to their own home gardens.



With  Gardening with Perennials  horticulturalist and garden writer Noel Kingsbury brings a global perspective to the Lurie oasis through a wonderful introduction to the world of perennial gardening. He shows how perennials have much to offer home gardeners, from sustainability—perennials require less water than their annual counterparts—to continuity, as perennials’ longevity makes them a dependable staple.

Kingsbury also explains why Lurie is a perfect case study for gardeners of all locales. The plants represented in this urban oasis were chosen specifically for reliability and longevity. The majority will thrive on a wide range of soils and across a wide climatic range. These plants also can thrive with minimal irrigation, and without fertilizers or chemical control of pests and diseases. Including a special emphasis on plants that flourish in sun, and featuring many species native to the Midwest region,  Gardening with Perennials  will inspire gardeners around the world to try Chicago-style sustainable gardening.

Genres: Nonfiction, Gardening

216 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2014

Reviews

[Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has a great overview of what they plant and the philosophy behind it. It also has a good directory of plants they use. I only wish it didn't end so abruptly and parted with encouraging words instead of an index.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect volume. I only wish it had more photos.

[Mary Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story of the planning, the philosophy of choosing the plants, and the gardening aspects of Lurie Garden. I did not know about the garden, even though we park under it to get the the Art Institute. I always wondered what was up there but we had artwork to see. Now we have more artistic work to see.
There are a few beautiful plants in the second part of the book that I hope to find for our own garden.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Native plant purists will not be happy reading about Oudolf's blend of natives and horticultural plants, but I long to visit the Lurie Gardens, and I appreciate the mingling of plants for their year-round interest, suitability to the site and environmental benefits. I will return to this book again and again for inspiration for my own yard.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visit the Lurie Garden for inspiration and then use this book as a guide to translate what you see to your own garden. Small enough to take with to read on the train ride too!