Flowers and rain gardens

Flowers Anyone … Everyone?

The 13th Annual Artful Garden Tour is June 25 and 26. The tour begins at the Octagon House, 1004 Third St, Hudson and consists of six beautiful gardens in the area. Tour hours are 10 am to 4 pm Saturday and 1 pm to 4 pm on Sunday. Tickets for the event are $12 and available at the Octagon House on tour days.

This self guided tour is sponsored by the Hudson Women’s Club and profits from the tour go to the hanging flower baskets in downtown Hudson. Master Gardeners will be available at each location in addition to the homeowners to answer questions.

Artists and musicians will be at the Octagon House displaying their talents. The 2011 Official Garden Tour Poster, “Roses of Summer” by Joyce Ells will be available for sale ($10). Ells will also be there to sign her posters.



Artful Rain Garden Fair: Cirque du SOIL

Enjoy learning about rain gardens from plant, soil and watershed experts. Fun, hands-on activities, presentations and book signings with Rusty Schmidt and James Wilcox Dimmers. Visit the artful rain garden exhibit with includes original artwork by regional artists featuring drawings, painting, photography, etc.

The event is Sunday, June 26, 2 pm-5 pm at The Phipps Center for that Arts in Hudson and admission is free. Master Gardeners will be available to help those interested in plant selections –both in terms of what the site conditions are (in and out of rain gardens) and in terms of what the garden style is (formal, informal, naturalistic). To learn more about the Artful Rain Garden Project, visit http://artfulgaingarden.net

Enjoy the great outdoors!

Four scenic overlooks provide spectacular views of the water falls and Willow River gorge.
DNR PhotoIf you love being outdoors, this weekend is for you! June 4-5 is statewide free fishing so cast a line in Wisco waters to see if those stories about the fish being bigger and better are really true.
If you have never visited Willow River State Park, June 5 is a day you can do so compliments of Governor Walker! This is Wisconsin State Parks Open House Day and admission to all Wisconsin state parks is free.
With 2,891 acres of prairie, forests, and panoramic river scenery, Willow River State Park offers year-round recreational and scenic attractions in western Wisconsin. Located 5 miles northeast of Hudson on County Road A, the park has a campground, a boat launch, and a 400-foot beach and picnic area centered on 172-acre Little Falls Lake.
Art Along the Willow at Willow River State Park is also June 5 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. This annual event hosts 50-80 artist selling their art including wood working, homemade soaps, jewelry, yard art, weavings and more.