Rooftop Grasses

This past week we got to pick the brains of some of the great horticulturalists over at Fiore Nursery & Landscape Supply in Chicago, IL.  We are so grateful to Emily Stuart, of Fiore, for sharing some of her favorite grasses to use in roof deck landscapes as well as …

The Roof Deck of a Pro Athlete (Chicago Edition)

Here in Chicago, we love our sports icons, and nothing gives us more of a thrill than spotting one of our favorite athletes out on the streets mixing it up with us regulars.  And just like us regulars, these highly talented, exceptionally athletic individuals love nothing more than some serious …

Material Madness

Ipe, Cedar, Granite and Stone.  We are guilty of it too.  As designers, we are all comfortable with what we are most familiar with.  But what if I told you there was an entire world of incredibly unique outdoor materials from which you could chose from when building your outdoor …

It Seems You’re In A Pickle

People have been canning, preserving, and pickling different foods for centuries.  And while seemingly simple, anyone that has ever pickled their own recipes know that there are some necessary steps that must be followed to ensure a successful crop.  While pickling is part science, it is also much an art, with …

Urban Plants

Urban settings are rarely considered an ideal client for any plant.  Throw them up on a roof deck drenched in direct sunlight and surrounded by strong winds and you have yourself an even greater challenge.  Most plants simply can’t handle it.  It takes a special breed (literally).  And today, we …

Kalamazoo’s Chicago Showroom

This past week, our team had the privilege of being invited to Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet’s Showroom located in Chicago’s West Loop.  Their space, which they remodeled about a year ago, is all kinds of awesome!  They fired up the grills for us and cooked up some incredible recipes. The overall …

King of the Roof Deck – Big Apple vs. The Windy City

There has been an ongoing debate between New Yorkers and Chicagoans over the years concerning whose Pizza reins Supreme… Which is interesting and all, but pizza is pizza.  And the truth is, in either city, you have thousands of options with hundreds of different styles.  So it gets muddy. But …