Debbie Jacob’s enthusiasm is infectious. It boils over when she begins to talk about her garden. 

Therefore, it isn’t surprising that participants in the ballroom dancing class she was taking a few years ago at the Creve Coeur Government Center would know of her passion for plants and her struggle to transform the garden of the Ladue home she and her husband Don had recently purchased.

People of all ages can tickle their senses by visiting the Zimmerman Sensory Garden. This garden gives visitors an opportunity to draw on their senses. People enjoy smelling popular herbs like rosemary, lemon thyme and lavender. A whiff of the chocolate flower is sure to tempt any guest’s sweet tooth. The sounds of the Shell Fountain and the Solari bell will engage guests as they make their way through this garden.

“The bulk of the back yard was a blank slate,” says Richard Poynter, president of Poynter Landscape. Lead landscape architect Bob Wilhelm did have a few pre-existing features to work around: Mature trees, for example, and a sturdy wooden deck. The deck created access issues during construction, but it was worth keeping, Poynter says, because it softens the surrounding hardscapes and adds linear aspects to the overarching design scheme, too, which is zoned for a kitchen, living room and pool. 

Gardeners get ready to embrace a more toned-down palette in your landscape. Shades of white from crisp to snowy and ivory to dirty white bring a sense of calm and harmony. 

“The 'Toki Clematis' is a vining spring blooming perennial. Its large white flowers can be over 6 inches wide with complementary delicate yellow stamens.” David Sherwood, Sherwood’s Forest.

When the Bank of Springfield (IL) doubled the size of its flagship facility 12 years ago, the expansion came with a flowery flourish. Covering a three-acre site, it included 22,000 square feet of gardens meant to boldly accent the streetscape. To design those gardens, the bank selected Adam Woodruff, a young landscape designer with local, central Illinois roots.

Steve Schultz didn’t ask it in so many words, but landscape designer Jim Graeler knew what he was thinking.

It was 21 years ago and Steve had just purchased a contemporary, window-filled home on a one-acre lot in Town & Country. He knew he wanted landscaping that reflected the home’s sleek lines; an outdoors that would become an asset to the home’s interior. To acheive the look, he turned to Jim.