Flower Hall and Formal Gardens at Douglass Park

Designed between 1905 and 1920, the Flower Hall and Formal Gardens are among the most significant landscape features in Douglass Park. The site was developed under the guidance of Jens Jensen, who at the time served as the General Superintendent and Chief Landscape Architect of the entire West Park System. Already acclaimed as the "Dean of the Prairie Style" of landscape architecture, Jensen brought his signature approach to this historic space.

At the garden’s entrance—adjacent to a bustling roadway—Jensen positioned a monumental garden shelter known as Flower Hall, alongside a formal reflecting pool. While the architect of the structure remains uncertain, it was likely designed by Jensen himself or his close associate, Prairie School architect Hugh Garden.

Moving east from Flower Hall, the garden transitions from a formal layout to a more naturalistic landscape. This area features Jensen’s hallmark elements: perennial beds, a tranquil lily pool, and custom Prairie-style benches, all carefully arranged to reflect his belief in nature as a source of beauty, reflection, and community well-being.

Source: Chicago Park District