Fall brings magic to the Lurie Garden

Fall is one of the most beautiful and captivating times in Chicago's The Lurie Garden. As perennial flower color starts to fade, ornamental grasses and foliage plants take center stage, creating movement, texture and scents that excite all five senses. 

The Lurie Garden’s fall structure and colors -- terra cotta, straw, pale greens and browns, pinkish tones and stone -- mimic the Michigan Avenue architecture towering just beyond the plants. Ornamental grasses like Calamagrostis, Molinia and Miscanthus stand tall and proud just like the landmark buildings in Chicago’s urban landscape. 

The chartreuse Amsonia hubrechtii foliage turns golden yellow. Behind it are big, bold stands of Agastache 'Blue Fortune,' with flower heads that change from purple to light brown. Native Little Blue Stem grass takes on a whole new role. Standing upright in August and early September, it now flops over, displaying blue and reddish foliage. Tall Echinacea provides seed heads for migrating birds. The Lurie Garden’s famous Allium 'Summer Beauty' is just beginning to change color and the button-shaped seed heads spark questions and curiosity from thousands of visitors.

Other fall plants of interest include: Gillenia trifoliate, Aster divaricatus, Aster tartaricatus 'Jindahi,' Aster 'October Skies,' Echinacea pallida, Agastache 'Blue Fortune', Calamintha nepeta subsp. Nepeta, Epimedium 'Sulphureum,' Sporobolus heterolepis, Gentian andrewsii and Salvia azurea.

The Lurie Garden is also abuzz with free hands-on workshops, lectures, nature walks and more all fall long. From creating art and crafts in the garden, to learning about Chicago’s natural history and green roofs, to picking up tips on Chicago’s best plants, there’s so much to learn about nature and the great outdoors at The Lurie Garden.
 

The Lurie Garden is located at the southeast corner of Millennium Park, near the corner of Columbus Drive and Monroe Street. Millennium Park is easily reached by CTA and adjacent public parking is available. Millennium Park is universally accessible to patrons with disabilities.