By Barbara W. Lyon
For 18 years, thousands of visitors have been delighted by the sights, scents and sounds they encountered while strolling through an array of local gardens featured in Stepping Stones’ Garden Tour.
For nearly a year, the hosts for the 2020 tour have been readying their special outdoor paradises for what was supposed to be the big day on June 27. And then COVID-19 appeared on the landscape.
With stay-at-home orders in place, upcoming events – including crucial fundraisers – were canceled. Even though some places are re-opening, large gatherings continue to be prohibited. Social distancing and wearing face masks are still recommended to preserve everybody’s health.
However, rather than cancel the 19th annual Garden Tour, Stepping Stones is offering a virtual tour of five gardens. Filming (including drone footage!) began at the end of June and includes interviews with each of the hosts as they share their stories and love of gardening with viewers to enjoy from wherever wi-fi is available.
No tickets needed but donations appreciated
And it’s free!
The 2020 tour will debut online on Saturday (July 25) on YouTube, Facebook, and the Stepping Stones’ website (www.steppingstonesdc.org). No tickets will be sold, but a donation to Stepping Stones – as viewers are able – will be very much appreciated.
Although this year’s tour won’t include a silent auction or plant sale, Executive Director Katherine Dutton noted, “We all need beauty in our lives, now more than ever, so we hope you’ll plan to join us!”
About the gardens
Organized Chaos – That’s what Jeanne Kussrow-Larson and her husband Harlyn Larson dubbed their garden nestled in the Knapp Hills when they started planting it in 1994. Greek philosopher Diogenes stands outside his bungalow, reading a book, while Ricky the Raccoon waves from the porch of his log cabin overlooking the charms of a cottage garden.
“Creating this garden has been a labor of love – and is always a work in progress,” Kussrow-Larson explained.
Design by Chickens – Next door, the Larsons’ daughter Amy and her husband Don Gjestin’s gardens overlook spectacular views of the surrounding hills. Many of the plants are from relatives, friends and places of great meaning to Amy. She even has a side garden where she tests the behavior of new plants before incorporating them into the main garden.
On the outskirts of Menomonie, Karen and Joel Levandoski’s house in the woods is surrounded by hostas, lilies, ferns and other shade-loving plants. With Karen in charge of the gardens and Joel of the lawn and trees, the couple has a well-established routine to keep the woods from encroaching and the deer and rabbits from lunching on “fruits” of their labors.
“We moved 12 years ago to this house with no yard or driveway,” Joel recalled. “Karen moved many of the plants from the previous yard and randomly planted around the area designated for lawn. That means the gardens define the yard.”
More gardens details
Benches, ornaments, ponds, relaxing spots to sit, and remnants of an old farm can be seen throughout Chuck and Kathy Weber’s four acres of gardens. What were originally fields and pasture for calves have been transformed into a home for hundreds of perennials like hostas, daylilies and iris enhanced with colorful annuals.
“Our original thought was that a garden of perennials would be less work,” Chuck said, noting that the loss of old trees and the robust growth of their replacements ensures that the gardens are ever changing. “The large perennial gardens keep this former dairy farmer busy!”
Located in the rolling hills three miles north of Menomonie, Cottage Winery and Vineyard was created by the father-daughter team Tom and Teresa Jorgensen in 2012. Tour visitors will appreciate the charm of the Old-World architecture and gardens of the winery and outdoor wedding venue . Tom passed away in 2017, but Teresa – with help from her mother, Arlet – carries on the legacy of beauty and hospitality.
Here’s how Teresa describes what to expect: “Stone walls and cascading waterfalls surrounded by fragrant peonies, iris, wild daisies and lush greenery. Perhaps to meander through rock gardens and arched pathways covered with grape vines, Queen Anne’s Lace and a variety of hostas.”
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Barbara Lyon is the development and communications specialist at Stepping Stones of Dunn County — development@steppingstonesdc.org or 715-235-2920. (Former Stepping Stones’ staffer and volunteer Garden Tour filmographer Cyndi Greening contributed to this story.)
Note: the contributed photo on the home page shows the garden gate leading to four acres of gardens at Chuck and Kathy Weber’s rural Menomonie home.
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