WAUKESHA — Gardeners who have long tended their plots at the UW-Extension Waukesha County Rental Garden on Northview Road are facing the final days of the program’s final season. The UW-Extension began hosting the community garden 31 years ago. This year, there are over 100 garden plots across two acres.
University of Wisconsin Extension officials confirmed that 2025 will be the last year for the community garden, as efforts to secure a new location have fallen short. The closure means the rental garden program will not return in 2026.
“It gave the opportunity for people to learn how to grow food, which is a critical lifelong skill. Unfortunately, the county does not have another space for us to move to, and we have not found another space in the community that’s large enough, either, at this point. So, we will not have a garden extension, will not be running a garden in 2026, so that’s the reality,” said Jerry Braatz, area director of UW-Extension for the past 25 years.
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Gardeners are required to completely clear their plots of all items and plant material by Oct. 31.
Barbara Nickel, 82, of Waukesha explained that due to her mobility struggles from a recent surgery and the time frame that she was notified about the closure, it will be an issue for her to clean out her three garden plots.
“It’s just going to get destroyed. I can’t take the fences down. I can’t get the raised beds out. I’ll just have to pay whatever they say I owe for it, because I can’t do it,” said Nickel. “There’s probably other people that are in the same boat. They can’t take this stuff out themselves, because there’s quite a few elderly people there, besides me.”
Nickel has been with the community garden for over 20 years and has also completed master gardener courses. Her passion for gardening started at a young age, transitioning into her adulthood.
“I gardened with my grandparents from the time I was little. I love gardening. I love being outside, and I love hybridizing flowers. I mean, it was just something we love to do, we grew up with,” Nickel recalled.
She, along with others who rent spaces in the garden, questions whether they will continue to look for garden space for next season or whether their years of gardening come to an end.
Jeannine Wolski, 77, of Waukesha, is also a gardener who’s been with the UW-Extension Waukesha County Rental Garden since 2006.
“It’s been an awesome number of years that I really have enjoyed, and without it, like now, I don’t know. Two days ago, I couldn’t sleep all night. I was dreaming about what I am going to do,” said Wolski, in response to losing her plot at the garden, and the sense of community it gave her.
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Wolski also has a wide inventory of perennials, which she will have to discard, as her condo will not have the space for them, another reason why she chose to stay with the garden due to limited gardening space at the property.
“All my flowers, they’re blooming like crazy. They don’t know the end. I have a lot of perennials, and I don’t know what I’m gonna do with them, because I can’t store them here in a condo,” said Wolski. “I love it. I mean, my garden, I go up there almost every day, at least an hour, maybe two. I want to get out every day and do something. It is the best stress relaxer in the world.”
The final cleanup process includes removing fencing, plastic, wood stakes, tools, tarps, hoses, and raised beds. A large dumpster has been delivered to the site for garden-related garbage only.
It is advised for people who have rental plots but are unable to remove items themselves to contact the Extension Waukesha County office. Staff will assist people to ensure cleanup help will be available for them on Oct. 10 and Oct. 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We’ll have plenty of help there on Oct. 10 and 17, and I hope people take advantage of that and show up and call the extension office, set up a time,” said Braatz.
Extension staff will also review plots once they are cleared, and all parties must sign off to avoid a $150 cleanup fee under garden rules.
“For those that have gardened for many years, it’s an unfortunate situation. But we’re trying to do the best we can to help people clean up that need help,” said Braatz. “We’ve been offering many different learning opportunities at that garden site. Over the years, it’s been more than just a rental garden.”
While this marks the end of the county-run garden program, Braatz explained they are working to compile a list of alternative rental garden spaces and resources, which they plan to send to gardeners in January 2026.
“We thought January was good because it was after the holidays, and they could start planning if they’re going to do a garden next year, what options are out in the community they might be able to find, so they had proper time to plan before planting season,” said Braatz.
After everything is cleared from the rental plots, the county is going to issue requests for proposals to sell the property, according to Braatz.
Dozens of lots are still to be gutted, per an announcement that the UW-Extension Waukesha County Rental Garden officials shared with their plot holders.
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