The Legacy Continues

History
During the early 1930s, experimental farms served as practical laboratories to landscape the family farms that blanketed the countryside. These laboratories tried new species of plants, tested theories of planting and harvesting, and investigated new practices in raising productive farm animals. One of the most successful experimental farms was Colonel Robert R. McCormick’s at Cantigny.

To educate and share the accomplishments of experimental farms, McCormick's Chicago Tribune ran a weekly column entitled “Day by Day Stories of the Experimental Farms." These trusted reports helped shape the future of the Midwest as a leader in agriculture.

After McCormick’s death in 1955, the Board of Directors decided to change Cantigny's focus from agriculture to horticulture by hiring famed landscape architect Franz Lipp to design and build a world class garden. In 1967, Lipp began construction of this lush, horticultural masterpiece, which is one of the largest display gardens in the Midwest with more than 160,000 annuals, perennials, ground covers and flowering shrubs and trees. A majority of the plants seen throughout the gardens are estate-grown inside Cantigny’s renowned greenhouse. Guests are encouraged to visit the gardens throughout the year to witness the ever-changing beauty of its seasonal glory.

Mission
Cantigny gardens offers opportunities for both display and education, which include plant testing, growing and blooming assessments and color composition. It was designed so both amateur and professional landscapers could visit Cantigny’s Gardens and find plants that grow well in the Midwest.

Download a map of our gardens!