Join our resident Horticulturist and Garden
Guide, Allan Smessaert of Acorn for a day of inspired exploration as we tour as many as four private estates
on Chicago's North Shore.
This all-day event will take us through a variety of private
gardens and landscape styles. Experience first-hand the amazing dedication of these talented plantsmen and women who have
opened their gardens for one day only. This is a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in an amazing private world of horticultural
excellence.
Sponsored by the Garden Conservancy, the 'Open Days Tours' offer
that rare glimpse into the top gardens in the country.
Participants will join Allan and guests for a chartered bus trip and visits to at least two, and as many as
four private estates. (Gardens are open from 10am to 4pm and we will visit as many as time permits). Allan will act as our
informal guide to the gardens, describing their history and background before arrival at each destination. You may choose
to explore on your own, or follow Allan as he guides us through the many features of each individual estate.
We will have an informal question
and answer period after each garden stop to review the tour. Please bring your own food and drinks for the day as we will
try to confine our lunch to the drive, (allowing more garden tour time).
Tour fee includes round trip travel from Kankakee and admission to all gardens. We will leave
Kankakee promptly at 8:30am and will return at approximately 5:30pm. Trip fee is $75 per person, is payable in advance
and is non-refundable. Space is limited to 23 participants and no one under 18 years of age.
If you have additional questions, please send an email to info@acorndesignsource.com
Camp Rosemary
Lake Forest, Illinois
This
garden was designed by Rose Standish Nichols in the 1920s and is made up of wonderful garden rooms partitioned by pines, yews,
and boxwood hedges.
A sweeping lawn and luscious container plantings
at the front steps are the first hints of delightful discoveries inside:
a charming box-edged parterre
a thyme garden
a chapel-like white garden with two reflecting pools
a vine-and-rose entwined pergola garden
the walled garden
a linden allée
intricately patterned knot gardens
a
lush wooded ravine
Words cannot describe
the magnificence that is Camp Rosemary. There is beauty and delight at every corner. You will not be disappointed.
Mettawa Manor
Bannockburn, Illinois
The house and extensive grounds were built in 1927 as a family compound. Currently, the second
owners of this sixty-five-acre property have been working for the past sixteen years to refurbish older garden areas
and create new ones. They are enthusiastic and vibrant hosts and will be happy to answer any of your questions regarding the
property.
The centerpiece is a walled English-style garden with forty-foot
perennial borders on either side of a sunken lawn.
Additionally, there is a golden garden and an orchard/meadow bordered by a fenced potager, cutting
garden, and circular herb garden.
The property also has two
ponds, a ten-acre restored prairie, and is surrounded by a newly reclaimed oak-hickory forest.
If you're feeling adventurous, take a canoe tour around the turtle pond.
Deyoung Garden
Lake Bluff, Illinois
The Turret Garden was started in the 1920s when the house was a
small cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan. The current owners have spent the past six years restoring the garden so it
retains its historical interest and continues to provide an outdoor living space.
The property is home to a 1940s greenhouse and the gates serving as trellis for the greenhouse
entrance were found buried under rubble on the property.
The
Robb Garden
Winnetka, Illinois
This recently renovated contemporary
house by architect Paul Konstant is designed to create expansive views from inside the house out onto the surrounding
landscape. Designed by Rocco Fiore and Sons, the garden is filled with colors and textures that change throughout
the year, complementing the contemporary art within the house.
Located in a historic hickory-and-swamp-oak grove, the garden is bordered by white pine, hemlock, and Norway
spruce, providing privacy and a backdrop for garden vistas. Hardy Midwest perennials planted in a mosaic quilt pattern form
a delightful vista for visitors.
To
make a reservation for this once-a-year event, fill in the form below and you will be contacted with additional information.
Space is
limited to 23 participants and ony 2 seats are available as of July 9th.
