Spotlight Garden

The back yard of one Minnesota home is a plant collector's treasure trove, a series of garden vignettes covering two-thirds of an acre. The owners began this work in progress in 1967 as a series of garden rooms. Visitors are welcome to stroll winding paths, where they will encounter a rock garden, a water garden, raised-bed vegetable gardens, a prairie garden and a formal garden, among others.

The owners are plant collectors who created garden vignettes in order to find places for the various species. The rock garden, for example, is an alpine garden with species native to the world, not just the United States. The gardens have adapted to Minnesota winters with a lot of help from the owners, who did not know the difference between weeds and plants when they started their project. Connecting paths lead from one vignette to another and entice visitors toward a variety of surprises, including a thriving desert.

Tip: Try growing Hibiscus 'Southern Belle' and Wisteria 'Kentucky' if you live in a cold climate.

Also in this Episode

Grow It! : Episode GRW-202
•	Spotlight Garden
•	Project: Forcing Bulbs
•	Q&A: Night Plants
•	Q&A: Trees for Winter
•	Q&A: Winter Color
•	Quick Tip: Cleaning House