Garden visits: Ken and Jean Nordlund

Every time I've visited the Nordlund's garden, it is more lovely than the last. Ken says that he couldn't do much more than "distinguish a petunia from a pine tree" when he and Jean moved to this house in 1989. Even a brief glance at this front garden indicates this is the home of a consummate plants person. Front to back and side to side, this is a swoon-worthy garden. 

Heading around the garage (to the left in the above photo) is this walkway with a tall hedge creating a narrow garden room.

The garage wall on the right holds attractive trellises for clematis to scramble over. 

This is the view as you walk out into the gardens behind the house: big trees, hedges and deep dramatic beds of plants and grasses.  

As someone who loves a tightly clipped hedge, I am in awe of this sweep of yew setting off a space for entertaining right in the midst of the garden. 

This garden has a number of Carexs as well as grasses. 

The fenced area in the center back of the view below is the vegetable garden. 

A dairy state icon guards the veggies.

Continuing towards the back left side of the garden leads you to an entirely unexpected view. 

From the street, it is not obvious that the Nordlund's home and those of their neighbors circle a hidden park.

Ken and his neighbors are working on a prairie landscape where his and other properties adjoin this community space. 

Back in the main garden, we are now looking at the beds that border the right side of the property. If you need to reorient yourself, go back to the 3rd or 7th images which show wide views. 

Another garden visitor provides a sense of the scale of some of the hedges and plants. These borders are deep enough that that have paths running through the middle of them. 

Whether you look up . . .

or down, there is something wonderful to see.

All good things must come to an end. 

i'm already looking forward to this year's tours of gardens of members of the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society.

Comments

[Kristin]

Oh wow, goals! I wish I could get Hakonechloa to survive in my garden.

[Kris P]

It's gorgeous. That walkway garden alone is worthy of a feature in a garden magazine.

[Jane Miller]

Thanks so much for posting this Linda, sorry I had to miss the tour. It is even more spectacular than I remember from a textile event there a few years ago. The back park was an amazing surprise!

[Linda Brazill]

I think it needs a fair amount of moisture and sun that is not as hot as yours. I am having good luck with it but it took a long time to get it to "take." One of my favorite UK designers loves it, but warns it can suddenly just quit on you. Hoping that doesn't happen to me.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Absolutely stunning. Everything is so BIG. Wow.

[Loree / danger garden]

I simply cannot imagine gardening on that scale. Mind blown.

[Erin]

Two comments:
1. This garden is absolutely delightful.
2. I WANT that yew hedge. Sadly, so do my resident deer.