GARDENS open Saturday, August 19th and Sunday, August 20th
Dorothy Danforth’s Garden – Brown Deer, Milwaukee County
Dorothy Danforth’s Garden is a symphony of color, shape, texture and painterly style, even
including a “Rhapsody in Blue” garden which showcases plants in tones of blue including
evergreens, hostas, sedums, shade perennials, and artwork. Started 43 years ago with one shrub
on a half-acre corner lot with no landscaping, the garden that greets you today incorporates
annuals and perennials, including some varieties you rarely (or may never) see, over 200
varieties of evergreens, and carefully curated artwork to complement this unique garden tapestry.
This garden was featured in a profile in 2022 in the Journal Sentinel:
The Glasshouse Garden – Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee County
The Glasshouse Garden is a 15-year-old garden set on a half acre surrounding an English Tudor-
style house that is almost 100 years old. With the house as inspiration, as well as travels in
Europe, the owner has created a formal garden, overflowing with an abundance of color,
sophisticated clipped hedges and classic garden accents, including the greenhouse which is the
namesake for this garden. A visit to this garden is like a visit to Europe, without the necessity of leaving Milwaukee.
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The Playhouse Garden – Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee County
Perched high on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, the Playhouse Garden gets its name from a charming playhouse with leaded glass windows and a working fireplace that was built with leftover building materials from the main house at a cost of $150 in the 1930s. The playhouse and the Tudor stone home set the tone for gardens in the English style that slowly lead you to a sweeping vista with mature maple trees that frame Lake Michigan. Seed saving is something her mother and grandmother taught her to do, and several generations of plants grace this garden which had a cameo appearance in the 2018 movie, Small Town Wisconsin.
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DIGGING DEEPER: Saturday, August 19th
Discover the Magic of Greenfire Woods – River Hills, Milwaukee County
Greenfire Woods has both wild native areas, including a never-developed woodland along a secluded stretch of the Milwaukee River with oak, maple and beech trees (some over 100 years
old), and charming cottage and vegetable gardens, which include tall and graceful self-seeding annuals which add an element of whimsey. A highlight is artisan-made wooden accents,
including a chicken coop with a sod roof, an arbor, rustic furniture and fences, which give the property a “secret garden” vibe. Join owner Hattie Purtell as she shares her deep knowledge of
plants, her exploration of biodynamic methods for growing the healthiest and tastiest food for her family, and the wisdom of a lifetime in the garden.
GARDENS open Saturday, June 24th and Sunday, June 25th
Hill Top House – River Hills, Milwaukee County
Magnificent 15-acre estate with interconnecting pathways, artfully landscaped man-made ponds and recirculating stream, and parterre fountain and sculpture gardens, among other highlights. Formally-clipped evergreen hedges define the foundation gardens and terraces, as well as the pea gravel pathways and circular drive.
The Chimneys – River Hills, Milwaukee County
Set on 15 acres, this property features a formal rose garden, perennial and vegetable gardens,
water and woodland gardens and an extensive arboretum, along with a Gothic-inspired tree
house designed by the owner. The arboretum includes collections of rare native, European, and
Asian trees and shrubs (including a collection of more than 60 magnolias) to frame the vistas and
the water gardens.
Vineyard at River Hills – River Hills, Milwaukee County
The Vineyard at River Hills features a 2-acre vineyard of winter-hearty grapes, a large vegetable and soft fruit garden and cutting garden, wild areas, including a pond, and sun and shade perennial borders, surrounding a 100-year-old house on a 5-acre plot.
Afterglow Farm – Port Washington, Ozaukee County
Set on 120 acres bordering the spectacular Lake Michigan shoreline, this country residence was
established by Joseph and Ilma Uihlein in 1929, and remains in the family almost 100 years later.
A Germanic-style timber and fieldstone cottage and outbuildings, as well as accents purchased in
Europe to enhance the landscaping, set the tone for informal country gardens, a Circle Garden
surrounding a fish pool and fountain, and a Terrace Garden with a stonework floor inspired by the Thyme Walk at Highgrove House in England, among many other highlights.
PAST NOTABLE EVENTS
DIGGING DEEPER: Cultivating Edible Mushrooms - A Mushroom Inoculation Workshop
Due to the popularity of the Digging Deeper - Mushroom Inoculation Workshops, we are considering conducting additional workshops in the future.
Click on the picture on the right to add your name and contact information for a preferential notice of future Mushroom Inoculation Workshops.
