History, Gardens in the West End

VIEWS FROM THE GARDEN BY KENT PETTERSON 

Hundreds of folks were out and about on a beautiful sun-drenched June day in the West End visiting gardens for the 12th Annual West End Neighbors Garden Tour. What originally was started as a celebration of the neighborhood and its gardens has for the last six years under the leadership of Joe Landsberger also been highlighting our neighborhood history and place in the past of early Minnesota.

The gardens are highlighted early in the booklet. But much of the booklet is written about topics such as the lost homes of Butternut and stone quarries that no longer exist. Photos and research of our lost past is featured, but it also calls out so much of our history that we still have to treasure.

Over the years the tour has featured more than 100 gardens in the neighborhood. Home gardens, Community Gardens, and business gardens have all been a part of proclaiming that we are a wonderful place to live, work and visit. The event is volunteer-driven and grass roots supported, but I want to call out Jeanne Morgan, who has had her home garden on the tour at least twice and is deserving of special recognition for her work to curate this year’s set of gardens on the tour.

It is the strong financial support of neighborhood businesses that makes it all possible with advertising promotion in the 72-page spiral bound booklet. From what I understand, all of the printed copies have been distributed before and during the tour. For those that did not get to go on the tour to get a copy, the Fort Road Federation that sponsors the tour each year, will have a low resolution digital PDF available on their website at fortroadfederation.org.