How could such sweet and wholesome hours Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers! Andrew Marvell
English-inspired, elegant main beds
Woodland Garden
Basalt Column Fountain
Cedar gate with 'Tree' motif
Path to the woodland garden
Squire House Gardens lies in the valley of the St. Croix river. The house itself was built by Benjamin Pelham Squires, the first postmaster in Afton, around 1876. The current owners purchased the property in 1990, and planned and installed the gardens for the opening of Squire House Gardens in May, 1991. The gardens are essentially a series of intimate spaces reflecting different gardening idioms. The main gardens lie to the north of the house, (the south side is mostly nursery).
These consist of:
A main axis planted in the English style, a mixture of traditional perennials and annuals
A patio and reflecting pool
A woodland garden with spring ephemerals, wild phlox, ferns and hosta
A sunken garden sited in the foundations of the old general store
A new potager - kitchen garden constructed summer 2008.
Hedges, arbors, pergolas, paths and lawns
create divisions within the space as well as movement through it. The
gardens are designed for all-season interest (essential in Minnesota!),
but we must admit that we have certain favorite times:
Early Spring when the magnolia blooms like a treeful of parrots and the first peepers start
Early to mid May when the lilacs, tulips, alliums and woodland phlox flower
June, when the perennial beds, roses and peonies peak
August, when the native grasses look like fountains and the snakeroot spires
September, when the whole valley bursts into Autumnal fire (be sure to take in Afton's Art in the Park)
October and November, when the gardens seem to go to sleep
Most
areas of the gardens are wheelchair accessible, although some of the
pathways are wood chipped and somewhat difficult to navigate. Please be
aware that, as with all gardens, revisions and changes are a constant.
The gardens are open during business hours, and by appointment outside
business hours for touring and educational groups.
