Arbor & Ivy Designs

03/17/2026

I’m back! And ready to design some landscapes! I’ve been on hiatus for a few years, so let me reintroduce myself.

I took a break from this landscape design service while I ran off to graduate school at Northwestern and the Chicago Botanic Garden. While I was earning my Master’s degree in Plant Biology and Conservation, I was also working with the Rethinking Lawns team at CBG to study a wide range of lawn alternatives and the ecosystem benefits they can offer.

Now I can blend my design sense with this enhanced familiarity of native plants to create landscapes that are both beautiful and good for the ecosystem. My passion is increasing biodiversity without compromising style. We can have the best of both worlds!

If this aligns with your gardening values, too, feel free to contact me at [email protected].

05/03/2022

I love to design rain gardens! Beautiful and functional!

Adding a rain garden to your yard can help prevent flooding and also filter pollutants and chemicals out of the water supply.

04/20/2022

The abundant white blooms of a Callery pear (or “Bradford” pear) hide its bad habits of structural weakness and aggressive spreading. Banned in some Illinois cities, this early-flowering tree spreads easily and hinders growth of understory plants.

Consider alternative flowering ornamentals when planting or replacing trees:
- Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
- American plum (Prunus americana)
- Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

🔗 go.illinois.edu/BradfordPearSV
🔗 go.illinois.edu/CalleryPearCaution

04/14/2022

Every home landscape has an impact on our ecosystem, no matter how large or small it is.
This is something I am very conscious of as I create designs that are beautiful AND healthy for the environment 💕🌳🌼

A home garden has the capacity to lessen the impacts of climate change, from storing carbon and providing sanctuary for pollinators and wildlife to creating a cooling microclimate around your home. Check out this week’s When Trees Talk blog for 5 actions to take to grow a resilient garden in a changing climate: bit.ly/3xtJwrs

03/04/2022

It's my favorite time of year! The weather is wild, the birds are chirping, and the sun is rising earlier. 🐦🌸🌱 There's no better time than this to start planning how to beautify your landscape. Make an appointment with me now so you're ready to plant as soon as the ground thaws!
Photo: Diamond Rouge Hydrangeas in a Yorkville client's front yard

03/01/2022

Doing my part to control the spread of invasive species is a priority of mine. So if you have a burning bush or Bradford pear in your landscape, be prepared to part with it!

02/22/2022

Carefully examining the dormant buds on trees is a lovely activity in the winter. It's a sweet reminder that the plants are just resting and are fully prepared to leaf out again soon 🌿💕

01/28/2022

There's so much more to 'winter interest' than evergreen hedges. Here are some examples of plants that can add variety to your landscape in the dull winter months. ❄🌲🌾🌨 I create designs with all seasons in mind!

12/05/2021

Happy World Soils Day, everyone!! 🪱🌿🦠🍄

How busy is the world below our feet? It easily rivals any habitat you see aboveground. Consider this: More organisms live in the soil than live aboveground.

11/18/2021

This is why I encourage the removal of any Callery Pear trees that are in your home landscape. It may not invade your yard, but it certainly invades our natural areas!