History and Background
Jens Jensen (1860-1951), a Danish-American landscape architect, designed three notable landscape designs in Evanston. The first Shakespeare Garden in America was designed for the Garden Club of Evanston in 1917 on the grounds of Northwestern University and in 1937 the Wildflower Trail (also for the Garden Club of Evanston) on the grounds of the Grosse Point Lighthouse. His largest and most ambitious landscape in Evanston was the 4.7 acre landscape designed in 1927 for the Harley Clarke mansion, located at 2603 Sheridan Road.Here are links to some fascinating articles and documents which tell the history of the Jen Jensen gardens surrounding the Harley Clarke mansion.
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Follow the links below to learn more...
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Jens Jensen and his Legacy
A nice biographical introduction to Jens Jensen from The Cultural Landscape Foundation.
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A more detailed biography of Jensen in book form is Jens Jensen: Maker of Natural Parks and Gardens, by Bob Grese, a renowned landscape architect, educator and JJGE adviser.
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Watch Jens Jensen Induction into Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame (2021) on YouTube.
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Apostle of the Dunes: Jens Jensen and the Indiana Dunes, a profile from the National Parks Service.
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"Jens Jensen: Natural Landscape Artist" from the Evanston Environmental Association, EEA Futures, Vol. 7, No. 2 (March, April, May 1986)
Interview about Jensen with Carey Lundin, the documentary filmmaker who made the excellent film, Jens Jensen: The Living Green.
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The Harley Clarke Mansion and its Landscape
Julia Bachrach, historian, preservationist, and adviser to JJGE, wrote this excellent piece on the history and significance of the mansion and the gardens for the Evanston Roundtable in 2024: Restoring Jens Jensen’s legacy in Evanston
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"The Harley Clarke House" by Kris Hartzell
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"Sigma Chi's Memorial Grand Chapter House - Fraternity Purchases Magnificent Suburban Mansion"
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"Harley Clarke Mansion Floor Plans"
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​"The Jens Jensen Gardens at the Harley Clarke Mansion Now a Combination of Beauty and Neglect" by Mary Helt Gavin (Evanston Roundtable, August, 2019)
"Land Use, Restoration, and Activity Management Plan for Lighthouse Landing" prepared for the City of Evanston, IL by Johnson Johnson & Roy/inc. and Metz Train Olson & Youngren, Inc. (1977)