Cantigny is beautiful in all seasons. It's become a favorite place for my daughter and I to go with…read morethe grandkids. There is something to enjoy for all ages. Last year, they had a row of swings suspended from the trees near the parking lot. It was always a highlight of our visits. In 2026 there is only one swing and it's near the tanks, so there is a wait to use the swing. Cantigny is a bargain because they charge admission by carload instead of individually. Admission is only $6.00 on weekdays, and Wednesday is free if you register in advance.

Updated Review: We…read morewanted to see the 1893 Columbian Exposition exhibits that are thru out the gardens paying tributes to the Architecture,Culture and Foods that debuted at the Worlds Fair. In the Summer,the gardens are full of color! We like to go on Wednesday as the parking is free as long as you pre-register online otherwise it is 6.00. This offer is available March thru October. A real Hidden Gem in the Western suburbs.

Sophia of Culinary Gardens is a great garden coach. I had tried my hand at vegetable gardening last…read moreseason but my efforts were pretty unproductive. From soil prep to plant selection, location and when and what to plant, she has been an excellent resource. I have already picked more pole beans in the last two weeks than I did all last season...can't wait to start picking my tomatoes!

My family and I are thrilled with the raised vegetable garden that Sophia designed and installed…read morefor us. We have a small backyard but Sophia was able to maximize our growing space. Our garden is now thriving and we're getting an abundant harvest. Sophia is knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to share her expertise- her printed instructions for garden upkeep has been very helpful. And, Sophia's coaching continues even after the garden was planted; we really appreciate that she came to check up on our garden and has offered us encouragement and advice. Sophia offers year round gardening services and we look forward to her helping transition our garden from summer to fall. I highly recommend Sophia for your culinary garden needs!

Morton Arb! Oh my, one of my favorite places! No matter how many times you visit here, you are sure…read moreto find something new or different every single time. The seasons bring so many beautiful changes to this place, but the Arb is absolutely phenomenal at continuously expanding its attractions. From rotating art/sculptures, hosting gorgeous weddings, to their children's area, live music, dog days, pop up events, art shows and an awesome gift shop. Even the most anti-outdoors person would enjoy coming here. Parking is ample and the park is huge, spanning 1,700 acres! It took me many years realize how fortunate I was to grow up with this sensational outdoor museum within minutes from my home, after visiting many similar gardens, I can confirm the Arb is certainly a must see experience for nature lovers. There is some amazing history about this place as well. J. Sterling Morton created Arbor Day and he was the father of Joy Morton (founded Morton Salt). Joy made moneeyyyyy and decided he was going to buy land and basically collect trees from all over the world. In 1922, The Morton Arboretum was established with 175 acres and it's SO COOL this place still exists and has blown up to 1,700 acres. BTW there is still a cemetery on site honoring the Morton family.

It's been a very long time since I've been to this place since I was little and it's still as…read morebeautiful as I remember when I was little girl When you drive up to the cashier in your car, you can pay one dollar with your WIC card if not general admission is $27 The service is very nice and very quick

Visited Lilacia Park for the first time this past May, and it's a beautiful oasis of flowers, trees…read moreand pathways next to the Lombard Metra station. Parking was a breeze! And we had great sunny warm weather in mid-May 2026. But because of the record April showers peak bloom time was 1-2 weeks earlier this year. Watch their Instagram for updates! This park was designed by Jens Jensen (Central Park, Humboldt Park), and it shows from its winding pathways to separate elevated area that proved a perfect picture perch for local prom kids. Ample signage of lilacs, flowers and trees helps with ID. You gotta visit once in your lifetime during peak lilac bloom, and its worthy of strolls all year round.

Beautiful park in Lombard with incredible views of lilacs and tulips. This is very well maintained…read moreand has a large variety of different colored flowers. Parking was a little challenging during my late April visit with all the beautiful flowers in bloom, but it was well worth parking a few blocks away and walking over for the experience. Scattered throughout the park are plenty of benches, a scenic lookout area, iron deer statue, and more. A stroll around the park is super relaxing here since you're surrounded by plenty of colors and pleasant aromas. Definitely a must visit for any tulip or lilac lover. Worth a special trip due to the quality of the park and the beautiful views.

Beautiful Japanese garden and historic home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The home offers tours…read morefor I think $5 per adult. I've been on it once or twice before but can't remember if I enjoyed it, so I'll have to go back someday. I mostly love visiting the gardens. It's free to enter. The garden is small and takes about 5-10 minutes to walk through, but it's so peaceful and a great spot for photos! I love the bridge and admiring the bright green foliage. It's worth the stop if you are nearby. It is very close to downtown Geneva and Batavia, and both towns have plenty of things to do! You can definitely make a day trip out of it. There's also great walking and bike riding paths in the forest preserve.

This is a free museum, but suggest a donation for two dollars for adults and one dollar for…read morechildren. It's beautiful inside and it's nice to see a piece of history. It's a beautiful windmill on the outside and inside and everything is basically made of wood. And you have these really friendly staff or volunteers who teach you about the history of the windmill. There's also a beautiful Japanese garden with many different types of plant entries. It's a great place to take pictures if you're having an event or for a wedding.

Rooted Outdoor Living is amazing; I have used them the past 2 seasons and couldn't be happier with…read moretheir work. Dependable, efficient and everything is cleaned up when the job is complete. Dawn, the owner is a pleasure to work with and has wonderful ideas to give your home outdoor beauty!

I made the right move when I called Dawn from Rooted Outdoor Living to get some work done in my…read moreyard! Existing perennials needed to be split, overgrown plantings needed to be modified, and a stone step was needed for the garage service door. Dawn walked my yard with me and we talked about what I wanted to accomplish, and our plan came together! She moved things around, took out a few tired plants, and added some beautiful perennials and shrubs to fill the empty spaces. Dawn knows a lot about plants and design and I'm thrilled with the outcome. Her crew was detail orientated and very efficient and neat. it's a joy to do business with a company that communicates well too!

I knew when I hired Arun that he'd charge me more than most other companies. I hired him 9 yrs ago…read moreand have since hired many others who were cheaper. I saved money with the others; however, I also never got the attention to detail that I wanted. I was always disappointed with the end result. After neglecting my landscaping all summer, there was a lot of work to do to prepare for winter. Deadheading a ton of plants, cutting Ivy back from my house and trees, trimming tree branches away from my house, shaping my boxwoods, and removing tons of leaves because I live in an established neighborhood filled with huge trees... it was way more work than I have the capacity to do. Arun gave me an estimate of $1700. I knew it would be high, but it was even higher than expected. I considered going back to one of my previous landscapers, but ultimately, I wanted my property to be done exactly as I wanted it. I didn't want the snow to melt in the spring and be faced with landscaping that still needed more work. My yard looks amazing. It was everything I wanted it to be. Yes, it cost more, but I got what I paid for

Help me design my backyard and flowers for the front. The person that came seemed clueless and…read morevery negative about helping us with ideas. I can't say anything about the value bc she left quick and we felt like we had wasted everyone's time

Laura and her design team were an absolute pleasure! She really took the time to explain all the…read moredetails, kept us constantly updated on the job status, and maintained complete professionalism throughout. Best of all, they designed a gorgeous landscape layout! We couldn't be happier with the results and highly recommend them for any and all landscaping needs!

Laura and team were great to work with! I appreciate her willingness to revise our plans until we…read morehad something that was beautiful and in our budget. The install was quick and the results are gorgeous!

If you seek attentive service and quality plants, Nelson Holmberg operates the finest greenhouses…read morein the Chicago area. They know how to satisfy their clients with the best green and blooming plants for all seasons. Nelson Holmberg knows the value of customer satisfaction and loyalty. They stand behind their plants and merchandise. You can count on Nelson Holmberg to come through and make you smile. Check out their glorious in-house grown poinsettias! or their Easter lilies, Mother's Day gardens or Fall outdoor mums.... ! Support your local, independent retailers for a strong economy! Speak Polish? ... Ask for Liz... Mowimy Po Polsku! Nelson Holmberg is the very best!

Last year I purchased a Meyer Lemon tree and Got my first Pie from it, Thanks to Colin of Mangel…read moreFlorist in Chicago. What a treat. Always loved plants and this was Amazing to me. kevin j herman,aifd,cfd,ms. Chicago

I Love Blumen Gardens - I Always have, but went to the Makers Market today (7/19) and was…read moredisappointed that the Only food truck was an expensive Lobster thing. I already spent $100 on plants ... how about also having a hot dog cart ... not everyone likes seafood or wants to spend $20 for one person to eat. Again, I Love Blumen Gardens - the plants are Top Notch!!

In an old factory building Blumen Gardens is an eclectic mix of garden center, events space and…read moreindoor decor. Between the indoor space and the outdoor gardens it's huge too. We came for an easter egg hunt which was very well done. We had a great time and left with a few new things too.