About Us
Naturalistic and Edible Gardens
Root to Resign Garden Design is based in Oak Park, Illinois. We specialize in naturalistic and edible gardens that are rightsized for urban residential settings. We design landscapes that meet your particular needs, whether you seek space for solitude and meditation, space to connect with others, or space to nourish and feed your family.
In Harmony with Nature
Gardens that support wildlife contribute to healthier ecosystems and healthier humans. We carefully select plants to thrive in your landscape’s particular conditions and align with your appetite for maintenance, while supporting birds, pollinators, and other living things
“The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.” —Michael Pollan
Nourishing Beauty
Research documents the environmental, physical, and emotional benefits of growing food. At Root to Rise, we believe that carving out space to grow food in your landscape doesn’t have to mean sacrificing beauty. We specialize in designing edible gardens that integrate into your outdoor space.
“There is nothing that is comparable, as satisfactory or as thrilling as gathering vegetables one has grown.” —Alice B. Toklas
About Rachel
Root to Rise Garden Design is led by Rachel Unruh. Rachel holds professional certifications in horticulture and landscape design from the Regenstein School at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Prior to opening her design firm, Rachel spent over twenty years working on federal policy, commuting almost weekly between Chicago and DC. When the pandemic grounded her in Chicago, she returned to school to pursue her passion for design. A lifelong gardener, her naturalistic designs are inspired by the landscapes she wandered in growing up – from the Indiana dunes to wildflower plains in Texas, Wisconsin woodlands, Kansas tallgrass prairies, and Chicago parks and forest preserves.