West of the Lake Gardens

A colorful, lasting legacy of John & Ruth St. John West, founders of the Manitowoc Company, is on ‘brilliant’ display at West-of-the-Lake Gardens.  Seehafer Broadcasting visited the grounds at 915 Memorial Drive yesterday afternoon and spoke to Head Gardener & Horticulturist, Don Cisler.  He told us Mrs. West started the garden at their former home in ‘1934.’  Cisler says the gardens are open daily 10-to-5.  He follows a ‘short’ line of gardeners tending to the site.  Blooms of the 47-different varieties of roses and 18-to-20-thousand annuals are currently at their peak.  One of the seven garden staff members, Mirka Nowak, says each annual is clipped in the greenhouse….in spring.  West of the Lake Gardens is open from Mothers Day weekend until mid-October.