Japanese Garden Lake at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Upon Living Habitats’ completion of our Shoreline Restoration Master Plan, the work at the Japanese Garden was the first in a series of efforts to restore and stabilize a world class landscape at the waters edge. With important and powerful Japanese garden style implications and concerns over the use of native plant species on this basin, Living Habitats worked closely with Garden management and staff to ensure that the solution was one that complimented and supported the Japanese Garden aesthetics original to the style.

The primary goal was to enhance the garden experience, not simply create stability of the shoreline through the use of native plants. Using a minimal plant palette we met a series of challenges with steeper slopes and narrow spaces for creative and performative solutions.

The Japanese Garden Lake at the Chicago Botanic Garden is beloved by many and we are proud to have our work support the mission of one of the Chicago region’s great institutions.