Turning a Large Property Into a Multifaceted Garden

In 1995 , Cindy Lindstedt and her married man , John , propel into a newly built log cabin on 142 demesne an minute outside Milwaukee . Since then , the pair has turned much of the property — then overrun with ribgrass , honeysuckle , and other invasive works — into a naturalise paradise . There are approximately 20 freestanding “ themed ” gardens , include a rock garden , hosta garden , and even a veggie garden . There is also a prairie garden , where plant that ego - sow and tend to be more robustious are placed and allowed to “ fight it out on their own , ” as Cindy allege .

Garden at a glance

Size:71 acres cultivatedLocation : Southeast Wisconsin . Zones:4–5

circumstance : Full sun to fond shade ; alkaline ground

years of the garden:27 years

This gardener has come a retentive way since her 20s , when she and her husband live in Navy housing in Connecticut . During that clock time , Cindy once purchase a flat tire of marigold and planted them under a tree in her front yard . A week later they looked awful . She went back to the garden center to complain that something was wrong with the plant . One of the baby’s room staff smile and asked , “ Did you irrigate them ? ”

A horticulture beginner turn Master Gardener . Through multiple decades of trial and error , Cindy Lindstedt has created a garden oasis .

A big footprint needs division . With more than 100 demesne to ferment with , this landscape was sectioned off into classifiable garden areas where favorite plant can smooth .

Some 50 years and one Master Gardener class later , watering is scarcely Cindy ’s job — but the size of it and breadth of the property is . Cindy turned to charter a help , Inga , once or twice a workweek to attend to with planting , weeding , and keeping the garden looking shipshape . Cindy cite to herself as an “ Planck’s constant - dame ” because of her chemical attraction for Hosta , hydrangeas , and heucheras . That said , she can not endure without her peonies , which are plentiful and stunning . Rock ’s Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree peony ( Paeonia rockii , Zones 4–8 ) is a particular favorite .

The gardens span about one-half of the property , while the other half remains unmoved and features both wooded area and pasture , where oxen and horses once roamed . Now , though , the couple is down to “ one geriatric horse , three barn jackpot , and a wiener . ” Cindy is n’t complaining though ; the Bos taurus barn is now used to domiciliate plant that need to be winter , and she appreciates that she can focus more on her horticulture .

‘ Vanilla Strawberry ’ hydrangea

‘ public eye ’ hydrangea is flanked by thge lower hosta garden .

The paniculate hydrangea is Strawberry Sundae . The hardy hibiscus in the foreground is ‘ Kopper King ’ .

Echinacea purpureawith garden sculpture

— Christine Alexander is the digital editor forFine Gardening .

picture : good manners of Cindy Lindstedt

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multifaceted garden

This is why they call their place “Big Sky.”

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A gardening novice turned Master Gardener.Through multiple decades of trial and error, Cindy Lindstedt has created a garden oasis.

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