Midwest Garden Design & Challenges
No one can argue with the radiance of a Midwest garden in the spring and summer—but as you know winter is the truest test. When Hoerr Schaudt designs for this region, we always think of winter first—creating the structure, or the “bones” for the garden’s framework.
The landscape for this Tudor-style house was originally designed by Jens Jensen in 1929. Though the clients loved the naturalistic views out to the lake and contours of the site, they came to Hoerr Schaudt with a vision.
The challenge: Designing a space that not only incorporated the clients’ love of French gardens (bright and symmetrical) with their English home–but that also fit within the context of Jensen’s original landscape.
The result: An enchanted garden that strikes the ideal balance of formality and whimsy in every season.
The heart of the garden features a central gravel walk anchored on one end by an antique French bronze fountain and at the other end by a pair of 7-foot rare myrtle topiaries in two large bronze urns. The walk frames a view past the swimming pool out to Lake Michigan, and from Lake Michigan in toward the French fountain.
Through the spring and summer it serves as an outdoor room that welcomes family and guests with open arms. Pinks, blues and whites burst out of boxwood parterres and decorative wrought iron arbors are covered with climbing roses. Tables seating eight can be moved into the walk and lights tucked in the apex of each arbor warmly illuminate dinner parties well into the evening.
Flowers may get all the glory, but this Midwest Garden earns its stripes with the lines of the hedges, the shapes of the branches and the pattern of the arbors and fences keep the garden beautiful all year long.
