I live in a small, ranch style house on a large corner lot in a town of about 22,000. We are fortunate to be one of the 'original' houses in this part of town and, as a result, have a couple of decent size trees. The newer houses that have been built up to the south and east of us don't have any nice size trees. My ideal home would be either old or new (I like both) in the country! Preferably with a few acres reserved for garden!

I live in a 1931 Tudor on a hill on a corner lot in Minneapolis. We are fortunate to live on Minnehaha Creek so have park land on two sides of the house.

I live in a small old (1920 something) house in Minneapolis. I'm not sure what 'type' of house it is other than a very simple 1.5 story. The tiny yard is not enough for 3 large dogs and my garden. I dream of someday having property with acreage or maybe just a nice old house on a double lot in Minneapolis. I get so jealous of those double lots I see when I'm out walking...

We live on 20 acres of woods about 9 miles from Cambridge in a tiny little log home.

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Tim and I built much of it ourseves, our woods is a mix of maple, oak, basswood and hickory. I have planted a few spruce and white pine seedlings, and am hoping to put in a few more conifers. Most of our land is marshy and leads to a creek that runs thru. Lots of wildlife, too, wild turkey, deer, bald eagles, owl, hawks, heron, cranes and we can't forget the wolves and bear!

Crappy clay soil has been my biggest challenge aside from a lack of nice, sunny spots. But I am managing!

Linda

Tiny little log home?

Yeah, it's only 28 x 40 footprint. Currently 1600 sq feet finished. But when we finish the basement, we'll have more room.

Linda

Tudor-style. Built in the 1980s.

I live in what might be called a bungalow- in the "Spanish" style, stone and stucco exteroir, rounded door, rounded arch, sandstone fire-place, lath and plaster walls- built in the 30's by the one previous owner.
We have the blue-prints with "corrections", the building supply lists and costs, and the original brochures both from the house floorplan design people of the day- and of the developers who were trying to entice folks to "Come, Live in the Country" in Crystal!
We still have a thriving apple tree from the previous owner's orchard- and a few other "treasures" from her life of gardening like really nice well draining soil!
But- I would trade with Doyoucanoe anyday!!!

I still disagree about the tiny thing.

I have a tri-level, and now that I got rid of that ugly rusty-orange color, it is a respectable dark brown. Great for showing off my yellow flowering witchhazel and cornelian cherry that are planted near.

Yup. With me, it's all about the plants.

Rick

We're in an 1863 Italianate Victorian in the historic district of a small town of 700. Sitting on 1.5 corner lots, people think its huge but that's mostly because of 11 foot ceilings in the oldest part and a big 3 car garage which (of course) no cars fit in. After 2 rounds of scraping and painting the original siding in 23 years we splurged with steel siding...small company out of Owatonna really worked at preserving the historic character. The previous owners had just had some landscaping done mostly w foliage. Having grown up with a mother who gardened all day, all seasons in MS, I've gradually reduced the mowing area by 'bed creep' over the years.

Doucanoe, Is that you?
Kitty

Hi Mantorvillain Neighbor -

I am not sure which house is yours. Mantorville has so many really nice historic houses. I live in the old creamery up on Dodge Cty 18. The building could be beautiful, as the one is up by the Drust Brothers on 11. But since I don't actually own the building, I don't have any garden beds by the building, I just hack down the weeds once a month. But back behind the cow loafing shed I have a one-acre market garden. It has 66 rasied beds and a small hoophouse that is now overwhelmed with seedlings. I will be selling tomatoes and such at the Mantorville Farmer's Market that starts on May 16 - come - we'll talk gardening!

yep, I'm here, Kitty.

Do I know you?

Linda

If you are Linda S, with a husband Tim and a 2 story wood frame house that's got a basement/lowest level refinish in progress and you are in N. Wisc, then we know ea. other. If you're not that Linda, then I'm mistaken.
Kitty

I agree, Rick.... 1600 sq feet of finished space is "tiny" only relative to the bizarre modern world of "starter castles"!!! (Hmm, I guess that would put our 1440 sq ft bungalow, typical of this neighborhood, pretty much off the scale then, LOL!) Looks like a beautiful log house... I'd love one like it!

Well, I don't live in Minnesota, but since I've already butted in (and do so occasionally on this forum)....
Our miniscule little abode is on a 1/3 acre city lot, on a corner. We're utilizing every possible space for gardening...but I can see that I will soon have to start getting a bit selective about planting. For the time being, I can just dig out some of the commoner plants that have taken over some areas... past that, my plan is to annex the playground behind us. I'm sure no one will notice....

You know, the first few times I glanced at this posting, I saw it as "What type of "adobe" (i.e. clay) do you garden around?" - I could relate to that too, LOL!

A cute little bungalow on a postage-sized yard in urban St. Paul! I'm glad my yard is small so I don't go crazy with gardening and yard work. I had Linder's do professional landscaping around the front perimeter of the house last fall, digging up ancient (and ugly) perennials and planting a cottage-type garden. I'm excited to see that everything seems to have over-wintered and is coming back.

I've got a house most of you who've driven through Saint Paul have passed at least a dozen times (I'm right on Larpenteur Ave) One of the last remaining Como area stucco bungalow houses, cream with grey trim and an add-on off the back. Being a corner lot it's not a particularly small yard either. We have a HUGE old Silver Maple in the back yard, and the woman before us was an avid native gardener (as I am) so I have raised beds, woodland beds, a perennial butterfly garden - mostly city property but because it houses monarch butterflies and stabilizes the slope they want me to continue care of it, my rose and iris bed, etc. A bit of everything here! And I've planted a second edible crabapple too. Plus there's both red and black elderberries (mmmmmm! Jam!), strawberry bed, and I use Earth Boxes along our driveway to plant my tomatoes, peppers, pole beans, and this year Charentes melons!

-Marie

Well, Kitty, you're close. I am Linda, and my husband is Tim, but we are in East Central MN and haven't even begun thinking of finishing our basement yet. (Someday...)
But nice to "meet" you anyway! Linda

A 1916 craftsman on 40 acres in north central MN. There were flower gardens when we moved here 5 years ago. The largest flower bed is approx. 50' x 15' and I'm trying to maintain all of them including a vegetable garden we added. Also some wildflowers in the woods. We have huge old oak trees in our yard (nice for shade). Some day hope to add some fencing for a few horses and rebuild the old barn.