Buehler Enabling Garden
Coordinator: Alicia Green

What’s behind the design:
One of the Enabling Garden’s unique features is the six vertical walls that are planted each summer. The wood used to create these walls is set in a diamond pattern. I thought it would be a natural fit to plant the vertical walls in a diamond pattern, as well as the garden beds next to the fountains, which resemble a diamond shape as well.

Plants used:
There will be two areas of diamonds—one in a full sun area, and one in a shade area.

Sun area plants:
Gomphrena globosa ‘Gnome Pink, Red, and White’
Lobelia erinus ‘Magadi Compact Blue’
Thymus x citriodorus ‘Aureus’

Shade area plants:
Alternanthera dentata ‘Red Carpet’
Ajuga reptans BLACK SCALLOP™ ‘Binblasca’
Carex oshimensis EVERCOLOR® ‘Everillo’
Pilea ‘Moon Valley’

If you were to decorate a room in your home in this pattern…which room would you choose and why?
If I decorated with a diamond pattern in my home, I would probably choose the kitchen. Diamond patterns, especially in flooring or backsplash tiles, can add boldness and style!

Bio:
Alicia Green is a registered horticultural therapist and the coordinator of the Buehler Enabling Garden. She is responsible for designing and maintaining the Enabling Garden plantings as well as delivering plant-based therapeutic horticulture programs in the outdoor classroom of the Enabling Garden. She also oversees the Veteran Internship Program, a specialized Garden initiative to provide transitional employment opportunities to military veterans. She has a B.A. from the University of Illinois and an M.A. in counseling from Northeastern Illinois University. Alicia received her horticulture therapy training through the Chicago Botanic Garden Certificate Program.