Minneapolis is a city of lakes, and one of the beautiful public gardens we will visit during the Minneapolis Fling, July 14-17, is Noerenberg Gardens on the shores of Crystal Bay on Lake Minnetonka. This garden, now part of the Three Rivers Park District, was once the estate of Frederick Noerenberg, founder of the Grain Belt Brewery. (Yes, this is the garden beer built!)
The garden was influenced by English Landscape Style, and originally featured tiered rose beds and impeccably manicured lawns. The Noerenbergs were world travelers with an appreciation for natural artifacts, many of which ended up in the garden. The Noerenberg’s daughter, Lora Noerenberg Hoppe, was chief horticulturist at the garden for many years. After her death in 1972, the garden was given to the Three Rivers Park District.
In mid-July, the gardens will be alive with color with daylilies, monarda, phlox, astilbe, allium and many other perennials in full bloom. In addition, the annual gardens should be taking off.
There will be gardeners present in the garden during our hour-long visit to fill us in on the history and plantings in the garden. This will be a great opportunity to take in the lake views, admire the blooms, walk the paths and take lots of pictures.
After visiting Noerenberg Gardens, we are in for a special treat! We’ll be visiting the nearby home garden of Arla Carmichiel, horticultural supervisor of the garden. Arla and her husband, nurseryman Steve Kelley, have a gorgeous home garden to stroll through. For plant lovers (and isn’t that all of us), Kelley and Kelley Nursery is right across the street from Arla and Steve’s home. You may have a chance to sneak over to check out Steve’s extremely well-curated collection of plants for shade and sun.
There are still spots open in the fling! Please join us for this great weekend of visiting gardens of the North.
Photos courtesy of Derek J. Dickinson/Three Rivers Park District
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