Tangletown Gardens 5th Annual Garden & Art Tour
The happy comingling of art and landscape once again is on the horizon. Hosted by Tangletown Gardens, the fifth annual Garden and Art Tour take place July 25 at a variety of beautifully crafted gardens throughout the Kenwood and Lowry Hills area in South Minneapolis. As in the past, it spotlights the work of a mix of contemporary artists through installations set up within various garden showcases.
According to a press release, “Expect the unexpected, and enjoy complimentary refreshments and wine tasting throughout the day, on this self-guided tour of natural and creative beauty.”
Featured artists this year include Felice Amato, Bock Andersen, Allen Brewer, Mike Carina, Diana Darden, Jim Dryden, Emily Dyer, Mary Esch, Norma Hanlon, Dewey James, Bethany Kalk, Bill Kelly, Gib Krohn, Anita Martin, Andy McCue, Joel Pieper, Jim Proctor, Dick Simonsen, Cynde Randall, Clinton Rost, Ellen Thomson, Kate Van Cleve, Jill Van Sickle, Dale Vanden Houten, Kristen Walstead, Maureen Welter, Sarah Wieben, and Fred Yerich.
The garden presentations will be set up from 9 AM to 4 PM, but the artistic spectacle will not end there. Tangletown Gardens will host an afterparty, complete with locally grown food, wine, and music, once tour-goers have finished taking in the sights.
Tangletown Gardens is the creation of two University of Minnesota Horticulture alumni, Dean Engelmann and Scott Endres, who state on the Web site, “We have more than 30 years experience in teaching, research, plant production, design, and garden center management. We share a common passion, love, and desire for what we do, and our business is truly an expression of us”—adding that it’s “an urban oasis for both gardeners and nongardeners alike.”
The garden center prides itself on growing its own locally produced plants, in addition to using environmentally safe and sustainable practices and techniques.
While the store is in South Minneapolis, its production facility is in Plato, Minnesota, southwest of the Twin Cities, near Glencoe. That location produces an impressive array of flowers, plants, trees, vegetables, and beyond.
Tangletown Gardens, open year-round, has more than 3,000 perennial varieties, plus a variety of aquatic plants and shrubs, along with the tools to make their planting a success. Everything from garden hoses to fountains to shears to fertilizers—anything a seasoned green thumb, or amateur, would need to maintain or start a garden of his or her own—can be found at the store.
Engelmann and Scott Endres explain, “Our goal is to offer merchandise never before available in this market. We search the world over to hand-select delightful and inspiring garden-related gifts and merchandise in every price range.”
Those selections include handmade jewelry, pottery, and a variety of garden art, just like some of the work that will be displayed at the tour.
Apart from the opportunity to enjoy art in a plethora of unique settings, the event is also about giving back to the community, an important aspect of the business for the owners.
As Engelmann and Endres put it, “Tangletown Gardens is a living example of a small local business contributing to the betterment of the local economy and community in which we serve. We help support over 20 households, and have created a team of individuals who care about what we do.”
Tour tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event, with proceeds going to various public art, charity, and garden projects throughout the metro area. Interested garden-goers can obtain tickets—now on sale—at Tangletown Gardens in Minneapolis; Solo Vino in St. Paul; or Swan Song Contemporary Arts in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin. Maps will be available the day of the tour at Tangletown Gardens.
Garden and Art Tour
July 25
Tangletown Gardens
5353 Nicollet Ave., Mpls.
(612) 822-4769.
www.tangletowngardens.com
