A History of Wisconsin Gardens

As Wisconsin’s population moved from farmsteads into villages, towns, and cities, the state saw a growing interest in gardening as a leisure activity and source of civic pride. In Vintage Wisconsin Gardens: A History of Home Gardening, Lee Somerville introduces readers to the region’s ornamental gardens of the 19th and early 20th centuries, showcasing the “vernacular” gardens created by landscaping enthusiasts for their own use and pleasure.

Somerville, a landscape historian and master gardener, will appear at the Crossroads at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay on October 2 at 1 pm for a presentation and book signing. Originally from Liverpool, England, her home for the past 35 years has been northeastern Wisconsin.

Filled with period and contemporary images, recommended plant lists, and garden layouts, Vintage Wisconsin Gardens will interest those curious about the history of the state’s cultural landscape and inspire readers to restore or reconstruct period gardens.

The book, published by Wisconsin Historical Society Press, is available by calling 888.999.1669 or visiting http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/shop.