118 Madison -- Kathryn Jamison & Robert Cox, Gardeners

This garden had 40 years of neglect before they bought it in 2014. The south side (next to 2nd St.) of the backyard is in deep shade. They kept the native woodland wildflowers and added many more natives and trees (including Hairy Solomon’s Seal, Virginia Bluebells, Wild Ginger, Nodding Trillium, a Golden Shadows Pagoda Dogwood, Elderberry, Tiger-eye Sumac, and various ferns). On the sunny side you’ll see flowers and grasses from Anemones to Salvia. Their neighbors created the stone wall, slate stepping-stone path and patio that leads to the garden room next to the cutting garden and fruit trees.

110 Madison -- Jesse & Brianna Hohman, Gardeners

For four years they worked on weed-trees, drainage issues, and years of neglect. Now there is an abundance of different shrubs and perennials from native to cultivated. After collaborating with neighbor Kathryn Jamison to link both backyards, it’s difficult to tell where one property ends and the next begins. In addition to building a dry creek bed with moss-covered rocks thoughtfully placed, gardener Jesse is a skilled stone mason with a passion for using locally sourced stone and reclaimed metal to create raised beds, retaining walls and pathways.

Hardscapes in stone and metal.

These gardeners wanted a low maintenance Forever Home with a large terrace as an outside room. Karen’s friends gifted many divided perennials and, 400 plants later, come see their woodland escape. Bob repurposed the dreaded buckthorn to form a wattle fence to screen the compost while Red Twig Dogwood and wild vines form a wattle ring around a tree. The large rain garden and the side garden are planted with pollinator-friendly plants. In front, the perennial garden’s retaining wall and planter were created from repurposed stones and architectural objects.

1115 Spring Street -- Jeanne Fischer, Gardener

Here is a free-form garden with annuals, perennials, shrubbery, and lots of eclectic art and tchotchkes throughout. Have a treasure hunt to find all the art and artistic-shaped plantings.

Steve really enjoys discovering new and unusual plants, but most of the beds are dedicated to hummingbirds and pollinators. This garden provides housing with a variety of feeders for birds, Minnesota farm-field rocks, walking paths lined with pea gravel, an eclectic collection of family treasures, hostas, and an occasional garden gnome.