April / May 2003 - Camille & Gary Seamans: Front Gardens (Galena Territory)

ELEMENTS: native stone walls, native stepping stone walk, native stone bench, annuals, perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs, trees, lawn, irrigation (lawn), irrigation (plant beds), maintenance

The Seamans home, designed by Straka Johnson Architects (Marty Johnson) and built by Contemporary Homes (Dave Chapin: 815.845.2568), sits on a high bluff overlooking the front nine of the General Golf Course in the Galena Territory. The theme of the home's landscape reflects its natural surroundings. Liberal use of wildflowers, perennials, ornamental grasses and "wilder" shrubs perfectly compliments the natural stone on the home and the native plants of the adjacent countryside. Also, while the landscaping is quite extensive, the clever use of the natural slopes and the native stone walls allow parts of the landscape to be hidden from every viewing point. Consequently, you get a surprise around every corner but you are not overpowered by all of the gardens at once.

Since the original installation in 1997 - 1998, the landscape has matured beautifully. With spring here, we thought it would be a great time to let you tour the landscaping in front of their home. We hope to show you the back of their home and some other items of interest on their property sometime within the next few years. Note: for a tour of the landscaping stone work at the Seamans home please click over to our May 2001 "Home of the Month".

As you can see from the below photos, the landscape starts in the early spring with daffodils and evolves from spring Rhododendrons and Serviceberry to summer Daylilies and Black-eyed Susans to autumn Sedum and Burning Bush. Of course, there is also winter interest with the ornamental grasses and the numerous evergreens.

Of special note are the three large Honeylocust trees that we installed off the front right side of the home. The trees were approximately 30' - 35' at installation and are doing quite well. The huge trio gives the home a "finished" appearance that normally take years or decades to achieve.

While the Seamans wanted a beautiful landscape installed, they also wanted to make sure it looked great all the time. To that end, we have installed drip irrigation in all of the plant beds and pop-up sprinklers for the lawn area. We also fertilize the plants, weed, trim and generally check everything on an intensive regular schedule. The result is the one of the top residential landscapes in the Midwest. Note: Yes, Gentle Reader with a Midwest garden, we have looked at your landscape and this one is a little better. No, Gentle Reader, we are not biased.

We would like to thank the Seamans for allowing us to show you their landscape.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE.