Oflora Gardens
Bill Swanson of Oflora Gardens believes you shouldn’t have to go beyond your backyard to escape the daily grind. “You can avoid traveling by creating your own private space,” he says. “Peaceful getaways in the backyard are a public favorite.”
At this year’s Home + Garden Show, he gives showgoers what they want with not one but two garden aesthetics that transport attendees out of the cold and into tropical oases. Featuring separate entrances, the two garden personalities are connected by a whimsical walk-through pergola, bringing visitors from one world to the next. An authentic Japanese garden wraps half the display, defined by a 4-foot waterfall and large granite boulder outcroppings that form the mountain hillside terrain.
On the other side, a tropical fantasy is brought to life with weeping conifers that create intimate spaces and a serpentine pathway that winds through a forest of 10-foot windmill palms. Walls that rise and fall offer a stream-like effect and emphasize the feeling of water throughout the display.
You can avoid traveling by creating your own private space. Peaceful getaways in the backyard are a public favorite. Bill Swanson, Oflora Gardens
Holm & Olson
Holm & Olson’s backyard display is “designed for homeowners who want their home to be the hub of all social gatherings,” says Jack Dorcey. Think: an open-concept outdoor kitchen and living room space and a garden that combines usable entertaining areas with sweeping landscaping made up of dogwoods, rhododendrons, and a collection of evergreens.
The display reflects what’s currently trending in landscaping and outdoor features in Minnesota backyards. “Outdoor kitchens are becoming more and more essential to backyard landscaping,” Dorcey explains. “Covered pavilions with heating elements are popular in Minnesota to extend the outdoor entertaining season into early spring and late autumn. Artificial turf—appealing for its low maintenance and contemporary look—appears to be a growing element in Minnesota, too.”
Mickman Brothers
The “ultimate backyard entertainment garden” means something different to everyone. For some, it’s a pollinator or vegetable garden; for others, it’s a patio complete with water and fire features.
Mickman Brothers brings its interpretation of the ultimate backyard party, where a pergola-covered patio housing an outdoor kitchen and TV is surrounded by daffodils, hyacinths, hydrangeas, and juniper, birch, and magnolia trees.
“With the new age of COVID, people have rediscovered that the backyard is a wonderful place to spend time with themselves, family, and friends. Therefore, people have invested more time and energy in creating livable spaces for solitude, playing, and entertaining,” says landscape designer Paul Mayhew.
Sharing its backyard with the Green Thumb Theater Stage, Mickman Brothers was also tasked with transforming the stage area. “Rather than 100 chairs set around a 12-by-8-foot stage, we integrated some limestone cube boulders for seating, potted urns for the stage, and surrounding garden beds,” says Mayhew.
NRD Landscape Design
A multipurpose green space will be just what the doc ordered when the great thaw of 2024 hits—and no one knows this better than Eric Robertson and his team of hardscape and softscape designers. NRD’s setup at the show is intended to inspire homeowners to get as much mileage out of their backyard space as possible. “We will blend together a dining area for friends and family to gather and dine alfresco, as well as an outdoor cooking station with plenty of countertop prep space,” he says.
A lounging area near a fire feature will be replete with lush flowering plants to help define the spaces and soften the appearance of the patios. “Our space will have a nice mix of upright narrow trees, blooming shrubs, and ornamental evergreens to round out the green spaces,” Robertson adds. The feature will also include a custom wood structure to add balance and scale.
Sculptured Earth
As all Minnesotans know, our warm weather is fleeting, so it’s essential to maximize our sunny days with spaces that elevate outdoor entertainment. Sculptured Earth leans into that concept with its display at the Home + Garden Show, where fire and water features are woven into the design. “Sitting around a fire with the sound of water in the background is a very Minnesotan way to finish off a fun evening with loved ones,” says owner Josh Kiecker.
Stonewall Inc.
If you’re looking to climb all over some retaining wall ideas, Stonewall has the keys to inspire your next landscape project. Justin Ferrin and his team will be on standby to show attendees how retaining walls aren’t just random structures—they can be pretty lawn ornaments that also help keep soil in place. “Our most popular choice is the traditional retaining wall,” he says. “You can add dimension and personality to your yard with multiple tiers of landscape by building a new retaining wall.” Whether it’s for large walkways, stairways, planting, or simply elevation change, Ferrin says, “if you can dream it, we can build it.”
Tracer Pool & Landscape
The backyard has evolved beyond its traditional role, where homeowners now view their outdoor space as year-round entertainment separate from the confines of the home. David Ruoho of Tracer Pool & Landscape says his team plans on fully leaning into the pool side of their business at the show. “We’re building a patio backyard space complete with a swimming pool and pool house with a firepit,” he says. “The pool house allows for outdoor activities like parties or group gatherings—and [serves as a] place in the backyard to spend a weekend away from the house.”
This article was originally published in the February 2024 issue of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Read more from the Minneapolis Home + Garden Show 2024 »
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