What Makes a Great Yard a Secret Garden? See tips from the Secret Garden team

What Makes a Great Yard a Secret Garden?

Tips from the Secret Garden selection team

Secret Gardens of Lake Forest Park Tour, June 15, 2024 9am to 3pm

Tickets are available now for the 2024 garden tour.

Each June, six fabulous Lake Forest Park gardens welcome visitors during the Secret Garden tour. While the garden locations remain secret until the day of the tour, one thing is for certain: garden lovers can count on finding features, plantings and designs to delight their varied preferences. Is this a serendipitous result of just listing a set of nominated gardens?

 
Choosing the gardens is actually quite a diligent process conducted by two dedicated garden sleuths, Jan and Judy, who are both key members of the 100 year-old LFP garden club. 

They receive just a few garden nominations each year. The team must actively solicit garden sites. Year-round, they keep an eye out for potential garden candidates… jotting down addresses of appealing front yards. Jan keeps a notebook in her car, explicitly for that purpose.

I am in a garden that you'll see when
you tour the Secret Garden in LFP!

Beginning in July, the “J” team begins visitations to investigate the potential of these candidate gardens. 

While many of us think of gardens in terms of front or back, the Secret Garden is both, so it is essential that the sleuths view the backyard as well. A knock on the door might bring an invitation, but if no one is home, they’ll leave a note expressing interest as a potential garden candidate. 

But first, they’ll garner a sneak peek for a better assessment. This might entail driving uphill to view down into the yard, or wandering around perimeters, peeking around or through holes in fences.

Judy surmises, “the neighbors must wonder” but they have never been reported. Jan laughs, “Just two old ladies…we’re harmless!”

One can wander around Lake Forest Park and spot many beautiful gardens. So, just what makes a nice yard secret-garden worthy? 

Lovely front and back yards are a given, but what makes a garden really pop is something unusual or surprising. This might be a highlight such as hardscaping or water features, or small details…. perhaps an interesting rain drain, statuary, or use of artificial turf. Round a corner and you may find a little gnome or a carved bear hanging out in a tree.

I am in a garden that you'll see
when you tour the Secret Garden in LFP!

Our two garden sleuths have their own preferences, but emphasize the importance of selecting a variety of garden styles. 

People vary in how they define the perfect yard: some enjoy foodscapes with an emphasis on vegetables and fruits, others prefer formal designs, and still others, natural landscapes. 

Respect for individual preferences is just one way that demonstrates how consideration of the visitor experience is built into the process. The team includes checks for ease of parking, accessibility to the site, and potential safety hazards, all of which even the most fabulous garden must pass for selection.

The 2024 Secret Garden selection is now finalized and can be viewed during the Secret Garden tour on June 15, 2024. 

As you visit the gardens, perhaps you might spot certain features that captivated Jan and Judy as well. And remember, the search for 2025 begins in July… feel free to nominate your own or a neighbor’s garden (info@LFPgardentour.com or fill in a form at one of this year’s garden sites).

For more information about the Secret Gardens of Lake Forest Park Garden Tour, click here.

Motivated by Jan and Judy’s activities and want to get involved? 

We’re looking for volunteers for this year’s Secret Garden tour. No garden or plant experience needed! Contact: info@LFPgardentour.com