Evanston -- Dorr Garden, The

The eclectic Tudor influenced house was built in 1922 and the gardens on the nearly half-acre property were redesigned in 1999. They have been maintained since then by the owners, who've replaced trees lost in storms and augmented other plantings when necessary. The style of the gardens, like the house, derives from English gardens with massed plantings in curvilinear beds surrounding lawns. In front of the house there are large trees and shrubs – hornbeam, river birch, kerria, crabapple, viburnum and hydrangea - under planted with shade perennials that include hosta, astilbe, Japanese painted fern, and purple leaf wintercreeper ground cover. Two shaded curving blue stone walkways lead behind the house where a large flagstone terrace is bordered with boxwood hedges, roses, and large containers planted with annuals. A massive climbing hydrangea is a feature. The borders are studded with pine as well as hydrangea, dogwood, lilac, viburnum, yew, holly, daylily, foamflower, coral bells, geranium and many other shrubs and perennial varieties that thrive in the Midwest. A wooden bench is situated near the back of the property opposite the terrace that spans the entire back of the house. Persons associated with the garden include: Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ozanne (former owners, 1922- ); Mr. and Mrs. Harry Mosser (former owners, dates unknown); Mr. and Mrs. William McCurdy (former owners, 1963- ); Mr. and Mrs. Norman Gross (former owners, -1979 ); Edwin Hill Clark (1878-1967) Clark & Walcott (architects, 1922); Rosbourogh Partners (landscape architects, 1999).