Sustainability

The Lurie Garden is an urban model of responsible horticulture, providing a healthy habitat for a wide variety of plants and wildlife.

The majority of the plants in the garden are native to North America and some to Illinois. Native plants live longer, are drought and disease tolerant, and help restore plant diversity. This plant community provides safe shelter for migratory birds, butterflies, honeybees, and beneficial insects. By maintaining the natural ecosystem and biology of the garden, along with creating healthy soil and providing adequate watering, the plants are better equipped to ward off disease and harmful insects and live longer. The garden is also free draining, meaning water not absorbed naturally moves to the waterproof membrane and drainage system below. With this ecological design, the garden is watered only when necessary, using less water than traditional gardens.

Essentially a rooftop garden, Millennium Park and The Lurie Garden are situated over a network of underground parking garages, presenting special but manageable plant care challenges that home gardeners will recognize and appreciate. While the Lurie Garden is an urban model of responsible horticulture, the emphasis on sustainability also brings practical rewards: the long-life and hardiness of the garden's plants help ensure that maintenance does not become too costly.

Programming

The Lurie Garden offers a range of workshops and lectures related to sustainable gardening. Find out what's coming up by viewing the calendar of events.