A Floral Mural Depicting a Map of Michigan Avenue; Maggie Daley Gets Her Own Tulip Species

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Early this morning we headed down to the courtyard at the Hancock to see the 2011 floral Mural. The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association in partnership with Landscape Concepts has installed its 8th annual Tulips on The Magnificent Mile with the addition of a three-dimensional floral mural depicting The Mag Mile and parts of Streeterville, Gold Coast and River North. The all-natural installation was created using over 6,000 flowers and will took over 200 hours to complete.

The elaborate exhibit is displayed throughout Mother’s Day weekend and for up to ten days on the Hancock courtyard. This floral mural accompanies nearly 500,000 tulip bulbs that bloom throughout the next week in the many planters and flower beds along The Magnificent Mile.

Tulips, Delphinium Summer Nights, Alyssum, Angelonia, Helichrysum, Osteospurmum Margarita Pink Flare, Osteospurmum, Sage, Salvia, Stock Harmony Cherry Blossom, Senetti Blue, Pansy, Lysimachia Goldilocks, Impatiens, Geraniums, Bacopa and four-hundred square feet of sod. The star of the show, of course is in honor of one of the patrons and masterminds behind the ecological evolution of the city: Margaret Daley.

Tulipa Maggie Daley is the first tulip named to honor a mayoral first lady. This elegant, bright pink lily flowering tulip can be found in planters at 700 N. Michigan Avenue and in the Michigan Avenue medians and proves Chicago still lives up to it's Latin nickname Urbs in Horto.
· The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association [Official Site]
· Landscape Concepts [Official Site]