Featured Gardens: English, Japanese, and Raptors

Master Gardeners in Hennepin County will feature eight gardens and one fantastic community garden this year. This very popular and educational tour is unique to Hennepin County (and our State!). The master gardener homeowners and other master gardeners will be on-site to answer your questions and conduct demonstrations. Learn the best practices that you can use in your own yard and garden.

• One of the featured gardens includes an 1891 Victorian house with both English and Japanese garden elements. This garden is on Barton Avenue SE. You have to see how this master gardener has integrated East and West design elements to create a unique set of gardens. Experimental gardening, shade gardening with perennials, and adapting to the foraging habits of wild turkeys (and other critters) are three key features of this unique garden.

• Another set of featured gardens on this educational tour is located on Yale Avenue SE. This community garden will be a great educational experience for anyone interested in creating a community garden for their school, church, business, or neighborhood. Be amazed by how this underutilized land has been transformed into an attractive and functional green space. Residents not only grow their own food and share gardening tips and techniques, but also use the site to bond and interact with their neighbors. There is a youth garden and a brick oven used for social gatherings. Special raptors from the University of Minnesota Raptor Center will also be on display.

The 7th annual Master Gardener Learning Garden Tour is this Saturday. You can purchase your tickets online at www.hennepinmastergardeners.org or call the UMINN Extension office in Eden Prairie at 612.596.2130.

The admission is only $15 when you order in advance. Admission will be $20 the day of tour. You can purchase your tickets at any garden the day of the tour. Reduced group rates are available at 10 tickets for $125 or 20 tickets at $250. Order your tickets now! The weather will be fantastic!

When: This Saturday, the 12th, from 09:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., rain or shine.

Where: Northeast, Southeast, and the Longfellow neighborhoods of Minneapolis.