509 Simonet St

Dorothy Lindenbeck

You need only look at the smile on Dorothy Lindenbeck’s face to see how much joy gardening brings her. It was fitting we found her out working in her yard when we stopped by to do the honors as our second Garden of the Month winner for August.

For 34 years, Dorothy has been working her magic at 509 Simonet St., where her perennial beds always have something in bloom. This time of year, her many varieties of coneflowers are a show all their own.

Her gardens have changed over the years — mostly by design but occasionally by accident, like when the deer helped themselves to all her tulips. She’s generous with her gardening knowledge and has recently been sharing plants with a new neighbor just getting started. As the words she painted on her garden shed remind her, “Begin each day with a grateful heart.”

When she’s not sowing with an “o,” she’s sewing with an “e.” Her business, Dorothy’s Custom Sewing, isn’t far in the Zesty’s Frozen Custard plaza.

Pssst, here’s something else fun about Dorothy … This is the second time she has been honored by ABC as a Garden of the Month. The last time was in 2010 (previous winners are eligible again after 10 years). Congratulations to Dorothy on being a repeat winner and making the Village of Allouez beautiful for decades!

3213 Tam O Shanter Court

Tom Tadych

Green wasn’t always easy to come by this summer, so when we saw Tom Tadych’s lush yard at 3213 Tam O Shanter Court, we had all we could do not to take our shoes off and walk barefoot across it. (Don’t worry, we didn’t!) We’re pleased to recognize Tom as our August Garden of the Month winner.

He and his wife Amy have lived in their home for three years, and while the outdoor space had good bones, Tom has done much to enhance it. Two large trees were removed from the front yard. Landscape boulders were added to make a statement and anchor new plantings of perennials and annuals. A row of arborvitaes planted amongst river rock will grow into a privacy border. We love the many boxwoods, hostas and big stands of ornamental grasses.

Amy gives all the credit to Tom for the gardening, but she helped replant the new side and back lawns last fall. As you can see, it’s all growing beautifully and all so impeccably manicured, too.

Congratulations, Tom Tadych, for making us all a little green with envy — and making Allouez beautiful.