The 10 acres of outdoor gardens include the City Garden, Demonstration Garden, Bluestone Terrace, Sensory Garden and Artist’s Garden.
Artist's Garden
Still Life in Real Life: Charles Ethan Porter exhibit will open Wednesday, July 28! For this exhibit, the Artist’s Garden will be filled with fruits and flowers that can be found in Porter’s incredible still life paintings, including strawberries, carnations, violets, sunflowers and much more.
City Garden
This space is designed to challenge prevailing notions of what a major public garden is supposed to be. It includes lily pools, a gravel garden sprinkled with blue glass, and a stand of aspen trees whose leaves flutter with every breeze.
Sensory Garden
Raised beds include seasonal flowers and the carnivorous plant bog. To the west, there is a labyrinth to stroll for moving meditation. To the east are bee hives; virtual bee demonstrations occur throughout the season.
Demonstration Garden
Visitors can learn about community and organic gardening in Chicago in this beautiful city lot-sized working garden. Find space-saving and above-ground growing methods, composting information and a wide variety of flowers, herbs and vegetables. The produce grown here is donated to the Garfield Park Farmers Market and local food pantries.
Bluestone Terrace
The Bluestone Terrace is located just beyond the Desert House doors, anchoring the City Garden and Demo Garden.
Play & Grow Garden
Kids 0 – 8 can experiment with pebbles, make mud pies, walk the stump obstacle course, or make music on a wooden xylophone. The garden is open seasonally. Children must be supervised in the garden.
*Play & Grow is closed to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.