{"id":11451,"date":"2009-05-28T03:11:00","date_gmt":"2009-05-28T07:11:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-08-13T18:56:24","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T22:56:24","slug":"sunday-in-park-with-piet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardern.co.za\/2009\/05\/sunday-in-park-with-piet\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sunday, in the Park, with Piet"},"content":{"rendered":"
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I had the pleasure to spend a short weekend in Chicago this past weekend, for a small college reunion and a book signing. Whenever I find myself in this fabulous city, I like to take in the city\u2019s amazing architecture, museums, and shopping. But the best place to take in the first two things, plus some amazing Lurie garden which was touched by the talented garden designer Piet Oudolf, found within Millennium Park<\/a>. If you have any question that modern landscape design may seem harsh or un-natural, the plantings in Millennium Park will not only change your perception, they may even move you. When viewed in person, these amazing gardens are spectacular, and even the most amateur or well seasoned gardener can become inspired. I left with a long list of ideas to \u2018steal\u2019, such and color combinations, and the quantity of certain species which are necessary to achieve a spectacular effect. Chicago is one of those very \u2018Global cities\u2019 which has the unique power to move one emotionally with it\u2019s significance. Experience is very human, and my short weekend here has reminded me that as human beings, we might pollute the planet and create junky movies, or start wars and do all sorts of evil things to each other and other species, but also, we as a species are quire remarkable. Chicago, like New York, London, or Tokyo, is one of the great human accomplishments. And the best place to celebrate and experience the ultimate expression of where we, as a culture are at this very moment, just might be in Chicago\u2019s version of Central Park, specifically, Millennium Park, a new park on the lake, that was a collaboration of Pritzker Prize winning Architects, contemporary artists, and landscape designers that is one of the few, if not only place, out doors, that I can think of, that gathers together all of this greatness of the moment, and shares it with the public. Salvia x sylvestris in all of it’s available named varieties are planted in huge drift showcasing the many names forms available today. When you see them this way, in these numbers, it is hard to choose which one is more beautiful. And I thought that I was doing well in planting 6 of each form! really, it must be at least 15 or 30 plants. Check out the plant list here<\/a>, that is quite handy in inspiring us gardeners in making selections for our own gardens. Millennium Park is an award-winning center for art, music, architecture and landscape design. The result of a unique partnership between the City of Chicago and the philanthropic community, the 24.5-acre park features the work of world-renowned architects, planners, artists and designers.<\/p>\n
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