Cool temperatures brought us an early taste of Fall a few days ago, but Summer—with its gorgeous gardens—is still in full swing around the Twin Cities.
As we hurry to wrap up the last of our garden photo shoots for the season, I thought I’d give you a preview of one of my favorites: the beautifully layered landscape at Lona Turner and Joe Dicker’s South Minneapolis Tudor. I scouted it recently with Scott Endres of Tangletown Gardens. It’s full of ideas for choosing plants and planning such features as pathways and outdoor rooms for smaller city spaces.
This is the landscape from the front, showing the boulevard garden. The kale is gorgeous this time of year.
The backyard includes a meandering stone path that connects a small dining patio to the house. The birdbath adds a charming touch.
This water fountain, which has weathered to a wonderful patina, blends in with the garden.
Here’s the dining patio. It sits next to a bamboo fence Joe built. Lona tells me she loves to relax there with coffee and a book.
The side yard offers yet another relaxing escape. On the right-hand side you can see part of Joe’s herb garden. People tell me he’s quite the cook. (He has an amazing collection of some 1,000 cookbooks.)
As many of you know, now is a great time to purchase and plant perennials and other landscape elements, and big sales are on at most nurseries and garden centers around town, including Gertens, Bachman’s, Tangletown Gardens, and Tonkadale. Whatever your weekend plans, have a good one!
