Gardens of Millennium Park
The Gardens of Millennium Park convey the excellence and drama of the Park’s iconic public art, architecture, and design through innovative public space landscapes.
The Gardens are, themselves, living works of art while also serving important ecological and environmental roles as four-season urban habitats for birds, insects, local pollinators, soil-inhabiting organisms, and a myriad of other urban wildlife. The Gardens of Millennium Park include those highlighted in the following sections. New garden spaces within Millennium Park’s 24.5 acres are being identified, designed, and renovated each year—ever-increasing the artistic and ecological impact of the Park. The design, planting, and ongoing management of these gardens are supported by Millennium Park Foundation’s generous donors.
Design
Landscape Design
All of the Gardens are designed with true four-season interest—early-flowering spring bulbs welcome visitors to the Gardens, verdant textural displays of foliage and vibrant flowers delight throughout the summer and fall months, and remnant stems and leaves make for an architectural display throughout the winter. These features give the Park’s Gardens an ever-evolving character.
Maintenance
Landscape Maintenance
Millennium Park’s Gardens are maintained to a high standard by contracted landscape professionals and Millennium Park Foundation staff. Maintenance is primarily done by hand—weeding, general plant care—and no fertilizers and extremely limited herbicides and pesticides are used. The Gardens are watered by an automatic irrigation system connected with the rest of Millennium Park; however, Gardens are designed to require less and less water as they mature. Adjustments in the irrigation system are made monthly based on the needs of the plants in the Gardens.
All Gardens of Millennium Park are designed and funded by Millennium Park Foundation using funds from private donors.
Images by: Millennium Park Foundation and Austin Eischeid.
