Glensheen’s formal garden reopens after restoration

DULUTH, MN -- Something new is blooming at Glensheen.

The Duluth mansion unveiled its restored formal garden on Wednesday.

It has been closed for more than a year while crews fixed up the deteriorating brick walls, stairs, and drainage systems. They also did some work in the vegetable garden and added a new boiler in the mansion.

All projects, Glensheen leaders say, will preserve this piece of history for years to come.

“When you walk into the formal garden ... you’ll be hit with a lot more green than you’ll remember from before. And we’re finally bringing back roses in the formal garden as well, which is huge and exciting,” Emily Ford, Glensheen’s head gardener, said.

Glensheen is reporting a strong summer. They had record crowds turn out for their summer concert series and are expecting the same when Whiskey Wednesdays wrap up for the year.

Currently, Glensheen’s weekly attendance is higher than at this point in 2021, which was a banner year for the mansion.