Update: I have posted photos from all eight gardens on my Facebook page.
The South Milwaukee Historical Society’s seventh-annual Garden Tour was in full bloom on Saturday.
What a terrific showcase for South Milwaukee!
My family visited all eight gardens on the tour, and we came away so impressed with the painstaking work put into keeping these homes beautiful. These are just amazing outdoor spaces.
I can’t thank the volunteers from the Garden Club and Historical Society enough for all the hours they put into this event. It paid off with a wonderful celebration of what makes South Milwaukee so special — our unique neighborhoods, homes, people and, of course, gardens.
So, who was the best of the best?
For the first time, I was asked to give out a Mayor’s Choice Award, and instead of one, we are giving out four. Here is the list …
- Mayor’s Choice Award Grand Prize: The home of Jerry and Kay Grant, 1414 Fairview Avenue. Their backyard is home to a working model railroad, complete with a station, and some beautiful plantings. A few photos are in this post. They receive a wonderful piece of window art from Garden Tour vendor and local resident Deb Sindric (Flowers and More by Deb), $50 in local restaurant gift certificates, a Historical Society membership and a proclamation from the city.
- Mayor’s Choice Award Honorable Mentions: The homes of Becky Gresser (906 Fairview Avenue), Judy Lewandowski (800 Lake Drive) and Tom and Peggy Bartelt (111 16th Avenue). All three of these were special in their own right, with immaculate and meticulous gardens, seating and entertainment areas. Each honorable mention winner receives a Historical Society membership, a copy of the society’s “Letters to Mettie” book and recognition in the proclamation.
Congratulations to everyone who took part in this, and I wish I could have given all eight participants an award. These spaces were that outstanding. But, in the end, the real winners here are the people who had a chance to experience these terrific South Milwaukee homes on Saturday, including a number of folks from outside our fair city.
I can’t think of a better postcard for South Milwaukee.
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