The Lurie Garden in Millennium Park is a five-acre urban oasis emerging from a harmonious blend of symbolism, landscape design and ecological sensitivity. Its design pays homage to Chicago’s transformation from flat marshland to innovative green city, or “Urbs in Horto” (City in a Garden). Colleen served as the Director of the garden in its first five years from 2005 - 2010. She worked directly with the landscape architect firm GGN from Seattle and Piet Oudolf the planting designer from the Netherlands. During her tenure there, she managed all horticultural aspects and created environmental and volunteer programs. She increased the sustainable and aesthetic understanding of the garden to the millions of visitors each year. This was her dream job.