Restoration of Historic Sears Sunken Garden Underway in North Lawndale, With a Design From Lurie Garden Mastermind

October 27, 2025

Restoring Chicago’s historic Sears Sunken Garden

October 27, 2025

Once a lush retreat for Sears employees in the early 1900s, the Sears Sunken Garden in North Lawndale is getting a new life. Caroline O’Boyle from Friends of the Sears Sunken Garden joins “ChicagoLIVE” to share how the community is restoring this historic landmark.

Lee Bey on Sears Sunken Garden

April 22, 2025

Dear Friends of Sears Sunken Garden, Lee Bey, architecture critic of the Chicago Sun-Times is a true fan of our efforts to restore Sears Sunken...

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Private Screening of Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf

September 20, 2023

Please join Friends of Sears Sunken Garden and filmmaker, Thomas Piper, for a private screening of Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf.This film is...

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Sears Sunken Garden, North Lawndale’s Neglected Treasure, Is Being Revived By Neighbors

September 20, 2023

The year 2022 was a busy one on the Chicago architecture beat. The city grappled with trying to figure out the fate of a likely Bears-less Soldier Field, while the CTA took steps to secure funding for the planned $3.6 billion Red Line extension. And a lot of things happened in between. Here are some of the highlights:

Chicago Sun Times, 2022 Was a Busy Year in Chicago Architecture

December 3, 2022

The year 2022 was a busy one on the Chicago architecture beat. The city grappled with trying to figure out the fate of a likely Bears-less Soldier Field, while the CTA took steps to secure funding for the planned $3.6 billion Red Line extension. And a lot of things happened in between. Here are some of the highlights:

Landscape Architecture Magazine, A Piet Oudolf Across the Street

December 1, 2022

Chicago’s historic sears sunken garden is part of a strategy to revitalize a struggling west side neighborhood.

Dutch Plantsman Piet Oudolf to Redesign Landmark Garden

August 16, 2022

FSSG is fortunate to have world-renowned designer and plantsman Piet Oudolf and North Lawndale resident and grower Roy Diblik to interpret and design the...

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En Plein Air, On Site Community Art Making 

June 13, 2021

In June, 2021, the Friends of Sears Sunken Garden organized an on-site community art making workshop, entitled “En Plein Air”. The historic garden pergola...

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Boots on the Ground Design Workshop

April 25, 2021

In April 2021, two “Boots on the Ground” Design Workshops took place at the Sears Sunken Garden. Each session brought together a small group...

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