DeKALB – The lawn south of the stucco and limestone carriage building on the Ellwood-Nehring property, 509 N. First St. in DeKalb, has been a bed of grass with a curious cement platform at its center for many years.

“It wasn’t always that way,” said Brian Reis, director of Ellwood House Museum. “Around 1905, Perry and May Ellwood created an intricate garden made up of flower beds stretching out in rays from a central base that held the garden’s focal point, a sundial. Nearby, a wooden pergola graced an entry point to the driveway, and a high solid wall enclosed the garden, creating a secluded space.

“We want to take the same principles that formed that early garden, but instead of creating a private garden, we’ll turn it inside out, making a very public place for all to enjoy.”