The popular annual winter “Talk and Tea” series featuring informal and lively discussions on various garden topics led by Martin Stern, landscape designer, gardener and owner of Squire House Gardens, will be held in January and February.  All Talk & Tea events are free to the public with sessions held at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. for each topic. Complimentary tea is included.

On Saturday, January 30, the topic is “Garden Structures and Ornaments”:

Is it possible to have the garden of your dreams simply by incorporating a few new features? How do you mix in new, old, repurposed, unusual, elegant or unexpected elements to elevate and reflect the personal style and function of your garden? Martin will show how to transform ordinary gardens into extraordinary spaces using educated choices about the style, scale and placement of a variety of objects in the landscape. 

Other topics include:  Saturday, February 20 – “Public Urban Gardens,” and Saturday, February 27 – “Vegetable Gardening.”

Reservations for Squire House Garden’s “Talk and Tea” events are required in advance as space is limited. To make a reservation, visit www.squirehousegardens.com, call the shop at 651-436-8080 or email  info@squirehousegardens.com.

Squire House Gardens is located at 3390 St. Croix Trail South in an 1870 historic home in the heart of the village of Afton, MN. To visit, go 20 miles east of the Twin Cities on I-94 to Exit 258 and go south 4.7 miles. Winter Gift Shop Hours are Thursday to Saturday 11 to 5, and Sundays 12 to 5.