Lincoln Park Great Garden. Over 21,000 plants make up this 20,000-square-foot garden which is divided into 12 separate beds outside the Lincoln Park Conservatory and at the west entrance to the Lincoln Park Zoo. This garden was created in the late 1800s as a formal French annual garden and it has stayed that way since. The design changes every year and new varieties of annuals are introduced into the design, which delights thousands of visitors each week.

Historical Garden, Lincoln Park. This garden is primarily composed of naturalized perennials and shrubs that are planted for year-round color and interest. Pollinating insects and a variety of birds are attracted to the beds in all seasons.

Logan Monument Garden, Grant Park. These beds are located on Michigan Avenue across from the Hilton Hotel. These beds are planted with flowering perennials and shrubs for yearlong color. All beds are hand watered and fertilized as the seasonal weather dictates.

Jackson Perennial Garden, Jackson Park. This garden was created for the World’s Fair in the 1890s. It was originally intended as a turnaround for boats, but the plans were scrapped at the last minute and it was made into a perennial garden. The limestone walls are still in place from the 1890s. This garden is also hand watered throughout the season and the perennials are surrounded by large crabapples planted in the 1950s.

South Shore Park Cultural Center. A popular spot for the Chicago Park District to hold events and the public to have weddings and various receptions. The Cultural Center is surrounded by a public golf course and has traffic driving through and viewing the garden every day. These beds are below the level of the parking lots and driveway. When it rains, the garden floods. Special consideration to plant varieties are considered when selecting annuals.

Art Institute Beds, Grant Park. These sidewalk beds are located on Michigan Avenue just south of the Art Institute of Chicago. These beds were originally showcased as annual flower beds. When the Park District wanted to showcase designs using perennial grasses, 17 perennial grasses were chosen and planted in a flowing display of different shapes and colors. Two years ago, some of the varieties died off from an extremely cold winter and pollinator plants were incorporated into the beds. Different insects, birds and moths visit the gardens day and night for a colorful display.

Congress Plaza, Grant Park. These planters are located at Congress and Michigan Avenue, which some consider to be the entrance to downtown Chicago. The plants in these planters are selected to handle tough city conditions such as high winds and high pedestrian traffic, and because their car-stopping color offsets the stone surroundings.

Great Garden, Lincoln Park. This year’s design represents the rays of the sun with the fountain in the middle of park as the center. This photo shows how the plants are used to create the sun rays. It took the designer two days to paint the lines in all the beds per the ACAD design and three days for a 14-person crew to plant the garden.

DuSable Museum entry beds, Washington Park. These beds are located just outside the DuSable Museum of African American History. The Sago palms and Bismarkia Palms are over wintered in the Lincoln Park Conservatory. They are carefully removed and taken in at the end of the season before first frost.

Humbolt Park Garden. This garden is located on the west side of Chicago in the middle of Humboldt Park. The bed contains more than 11,500 plants. The beds are redesigned each year, and all are hand watered. The flowers survive until mid to late October. The garden is a popular spot for taking wedding pictures in the fall.