Rest & relax in the Picnic Garden Area

The Picnic garden area offers a scenic spot to rest or enjoy a meal during whatever activity brings visitors to the fairgrounds. The garden sometimes serves as the backdrop of trophy pictures for winners of the many horse and dog shows that are held at the fairgrounds each year. 

This segment is also where some of the Master Gardener activities take place during the Washington County Fair. In the fall, the picnic table is utilized for applicant interviews when new members apply to become Master Gardeners.

While this area is not part of the original gardens that were established in 1994, this garden does feature three rose bushes transplanted from the original U of M Extension test plots elsewhere in the garden. 

Plants in this garden, like most of the demonstration gardens, are watered by an underground irrigation system. Compost for the gardens is created in compost bins nearby, converting decayed leaves and plant materials into a valuable fertilizer commonly referred to as “black gold” by gardeners.

In 2002 the picnic area was expanded by digging out the mulch on the paths in the main garden that had gotten too deep, and gardeners brought in the rocks from their homes that were set along the paths of the main and picnic areas.

In 2022 this segment went through a complete redesign by a new Master Gardener team. The butterfly benches, which used to be orange in color and located in the cottage garden, were painted blue to match the picnic table. Another volunteer made the three trellises which will support the climbing vines of the honeysuckle Kintzley’s ghost, a rare heirloom native plant.

In 2023, the hosta portion of the picnic area was expanded to accommodate a memorial bench for a beloved Master Gardener.  The hostas featured around the bench came from her home garden.

Plant list

A	assortment of zinnia and cosmos
B	ornamental crab – Malus
C	Japanese lilac tree – Syringa reticulata
D	honeysuckle Kintzley’s ghost – Lonicera reticulata “Kintzley’s Ghost”
E	French marigolds
F	hyacinth bean vine – Lablab purpureus
G	siberian dogwood – Cornus alba ‘sibirica’
H	black-eyed Susan- Rudbeckia hirta
J	goats beard – Aruncus dioicus
K	hydrangea – Hydrangea macrophylla
M	china rose – Rosa chinensis
O	purple coneflower – Echinacea purpurea
P	russian sage – Perovskia atriplicifolia
Q	sedum – Stonecrop
R	tiger eye sumac – Rhus typhina bailtiger
S	spotted joe pye-weed – Eutrochium maculatum
T	hostas – many varieties
U	impatiens
V	Empress Wu Hosta – Plantain Lily “empress wu”
W	Autumn frost – Plantain Lily “autumn frost”
X	Paisley print – Plantain Lily “paisley print”
Y	Curly fries – Plantain Lily “curly fries”
Z	First frost  – Plantain Lily “first frost”

Garden map

Photo gallery

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