Jodi at Bloomingwriter is sponsoring the Garden Bloggers' Geography Project. Here's my contribution :Chicago's motto is Urbs in Horto or City in a Garden. The " City of Big Shoulders" as native poet Carl Sandburg called it has also been described as " A blue collar city of asphalt, glass and concrete canyons. "
Currently we are been dubbed " America's green thumb", a description which I like much better and as a gardener and garden blogger I will introduce my sweet home Chicago from that perspective.
How did we grow from an urban concrete jungle to America's green thumb?" We can thank our tree-hugging Mayor Daley who was born on Arbor Day. He's planted 500,000 trees, miles of flowers and installed a green roof on city hall, the first mayor in America to do so.
He has transformed our city into one of the greenest in America and we are now the largest user of green energy in the country. We've received awards for our environmental agenda and have one of the world's only platinum rated for green design buildings.
With grants and encouragement from city hall, homeowners have installed more than 214,000 square feet of green roofs. To encourage consumption of locally grown organic produce, the Green City Market showcases small family farms that supply chefs, restaurants and the public .
Our latest public garden, the Lurie, is a part of the new Millenium Park, an award-winning center for art, music , architecture and landscape design ( pictured below ). This peaceful oasis in the middle of a large city contains over 240 perennials . The designers must have been gardeners as well and gave much thought in planting a garden that would evolve over time. They could have planted an "instant " glamor garden but they chose to allow it to develop over a period of 15 years. This is a great gift to our future generations .
Chicago is home to Garfield Park Conservatory, one of the largest , oldest and most stunning in the world. Designed by renown landscape architect Jens Jensen, it it celebrating it's one hundred year anniversary this year. Often referred to as " landscape art under glass ", it sits on 4.5 acres and grows thousands of plants for displaying in Chicago's 7300 acres of parks and displays.
The Morton Arboretum in the Chicago suburb of Lisle is internationally recognized. Situated on 1700 acres it is home to 4,000 kinds of trees, shrubs and other plants.
Chicago Botanical garden in suburban Glencoe has 26 spectacular gardens on 385 acres. In addition it's educational and research facilities are outstanding.
That's the summary of our public gardens but since Chicago is a city of neighborhoods you will find enthusiastic and avid gardeners who've organized Garden walks to show off their creations. Best garden awards from the city and our leading newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, bring out many gardeners vying for the prize.
I can brag about a lot of other interesting Chicago things such as our world famous deep dish pizza, hot dogs, Symphony orchestra, Joffrey Ballet , Art Institute, tall buildings, sports teams with championships in all 4 major categories, beautiful Lake Michigan, etc. , but I'd much rather invite you to visit us in 2016 for the Olympics. Cocky? You bet. I'm from Chicago.
Carolyn - I just love that Mayor Daley blows our whole wad on flowers. It's always so beautiful in the spring and summer!
ReplyDeleteHey, Gina! Long time no hear. Mayor Daley's a lot like you in that respect-blowing all your money on flowers. Speaking of money, how's the new job going?
ReplyDeleteI'm down in Florida basking in the warm sunshine. It's awesome.
You go, girl! I am hoping that we get the Olympics - I want to go to the rowing events that will be near me. So we've got to get the word out that Chicago is a great place. Most foreign tourists never come to Chicago, with it's out-of-date gangster reputation. It's so not that anymore!
ReplyDeleteI have to get to chicago some day. i've heard so much about how it truly is a garden city, and your post reinforces that. I just ready a back issue of fine gardening that was gushing about the miles of planters and how they change with the seasons. Toronto should take a lesson from Chicago.
ReplyDeletecheers.
irena
Hi MMD,
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. I hope we get the Olympics as well.
We do get a lot of foreign visitors, however, and I attribute this to the World Cup game held in Chicago a decade ago. Ever since Chicago has had a remarkable increase in foreign tourism. We had 44 million visitors who spent $9 billion last year ! We are a world class city waiting to be discovered by the rest of the world.
Hi Owen and Irina,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Sweet Home and Garden blog and thanks for commenting. Please do visit us. The windy city is a great tourist destination.
Fantastic post, Carolyn; I had no idea that this was SUCH a green city, though i've been reading about the Lurie garden through other bloggers too. Your fair city is now on my list of places I gotta visit...Must win that lottery, or get some city tourism depts to bring me for a visit!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed visiting Chicago for the first time last October. I was really impressed by the gardens, and of course we enjoyed your deep dish pizza and toured your tallest building. A return trip one day would be great.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jodi. Chicago is a must see and I hope you'll come visit us someday soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Pam,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed your visit to Chicago last year. Do come again.
Many years ago my husband visited Chicago on a business conference, not sure how much of the actual city he saw.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,
ReplyDeleteNext time go with your hubby so that you'll be sure to see some great sights.
My husband (and his parents) were born and raised in Chicago and the immediate area (Oak Park). Things have changed a lot over the years. We don't get back as often as we should.
ReplyDeleteHello Shady Gardener and thanks for dropping by. Things sure have changed in Chicago and mostly for the better I think.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, thanks for all the wonderful info about Chicago. I am reading the most interesting book right now called Devil in the White City. It's about the Columbian Exhibition which the rest of the world now calls the world's fair. I've enjoyed all the history about your fine city. I hope to visit there someday.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteHi Dee,I've heard of that book but haven't read it yet. Please do come and visit someday.
ReplyDeleteDon't get to Chicago much..except when I need an Ikea fix. Didn't know about Mayor Daley, that is awesome, especially the green roof.
ReplyDeleteThanks, vonlafin. Ikea is an interesting destination.
ReplyDeleteChicago is one my very favorite cities. I'm heading up that way for a retirement party in March and I just have to get back there to see the Botanic Gardens with my daughter Kara this summer.
ReplyDeleteGreat synopsis of your city, Carolyn Gail!
I'm happy to hear that you love Chicago. Have a nice visit in March.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your post for the Garden Bloggers Geography Project. I did grad school time in Madison, WI and got to Chicago whenever I could. Also have great memories of rowing in regattas at Lincoln Park. And that deep dish pizza! Nothing like it out here in the Pacific North West.
ReplyDeleteMayor Daley has done a great job adding 'green' to Chicago. I especially like the idea of the green roof on City Hall and other buildings. Our younger daughter's boyfriend is in the green roof industry and he's great fun to talk to. It's a fascinating subject.
ReplyDeleteThe city must be beautiful with all the added trees and gardens.
It's interesting to read about the 'softer side' of Chicago :) Thanks!