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If you wander into the front yard of Deen and Jon Layland, there is little indication what lurks behind the house.

Sure, there’s a beautiful lacecap hydrangea and a graceful weeping mulberry. But the front yard is sedate compared to what waits beyond the arbor built by Jon and decorated with vines grown by Deen.

Beyond that arbor is a multi-level garden that just grew and grew and grew until Jon ran out of stone and yard.

The Layland garden is one six on the second annual Holmen Area Garden Tour, sponsored by the women of Holmen Lutheran Church on Thursday, June 26.

Though it is Deen who is the gardener, it is Jon who has built her the structure on which to plant.

In fact, both Laylands depend on structure as the building block for everything else they do.

For Deen, that structure comes in the form of trees and shrubs that lend architectural structure to the surrounding plants. She limbs up the trees to provide just the right canopy for the garden and so that she can see the structure of the trees.

For Jon, the structure comes mostly from field stones, some hauled back from his brother’s property near Black River Falls, others from old stone buildings on farms. Jon never met a stone he didn’t like, says Deen with a laugh, and he’s managed to haul more than his fair share home.

So many, in fact, that he recently started the business Stone Garden LLC. He specializes in natural and recycled stone work and his best selling point is the work he’s done in his own yard.

It all started when Deen decided she needed a garden on the side of the house. Jon built her a bench and then started picturing everything else he could build to improve the look of the yard.

In the backyard, the first thing you see is Deen’s potting shed. Jon built it from new and reclaimed lumber, field stone and pieces from old farm buildings. The doors on the cupboards came out of an old granary by Witoka, Minn.

“I always keep my eyes open,” Jon said, hoping he’ll be able to acquire antique hardware, weathered barn wood, or interesting field stone.

“He does have a really good eye for things,” Deen said.

Jon took down one farmer’s milkhouse so he could have the stone and wood. He’s willing to work or pay for the materials he wants, he said, because new materials just don’t have the same look and feel as antiques.

And so the garden grew and grew. The more Jon built stone walls, the more stone walls he envisioned. Deen could hardly keep up with the planting, which is a pretty good problem to have.

Most of the stone walls have been built with field stone from his brother’s farm. Nobody else in the family has this affinity for rocks, Jon said, so his brother was happy to have Jon haul the rocks off the property.

“My brother has 234 acres and this was all over the place,” Jon said.

With no experience at building walls, Jon found a wall he liked, studied it, and then set about duplicating it in his own yard. With trial and error, he learned how to stack rocks so that they supported each other and the gardens Deen has planted around them.

But walls weren’t enough. Jon built a pergola on which Deen grows grapes. He’s also built some patio spaces with reclaimed stones and pavers. On one of those spaces they have walls hiding a tucked-away firepit where they sit on cool nights and enjoy the fire.

Pieces of an old stove have been built into walls and other antiques are sprinkled throughout the garden.

Even the brush pile is picturesque. When Jon wanted to hide it, he built a “temporary” wall of stacked cordwood. Though the wall looks pretty permanent, Jon didn’t use any mortar so he can move the wall if he ever wants to rebuild it somewhere else.

This building just comes naturally to him, Jon said.

“I picture things in my mind all the time.”

And those pictures have a way of becoming reality, Deen said.

“He doesn’t just sit around. He’s not a good sitter,” she said with a laugh.

But Deen is no lollygagger, either.

“I build it and she decides what would look good there,” Jon said.

“It’s beautiful in the winter,” Deen said, because all of Jon’s structures are on display along with the structure of the trees and shrubs.

Geri Parlin can be reached at geri.parlin@lee.net or 791-8225.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: The second annual Holmen Area Garden Tour, sponsored by the women of Holmen Lutheran Church

WHEN: 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 26

OTHER ACTIVITIES: There will be food, music, vendors, crafts, farmers market, perennial sale and flower show. People interested in being a vendor or participating in the flower show should contact Ellen Hesselberg at (608) 781-2238 or ehesselberg@gmail.com.

ADMISSION: $5 tour tickets are available at The Blue Cup, Christen Farm Nursery, Ethel’s Attic, Festival Foods in Holmen and Onalaska, Hardware Hank, Holmen Meat Market, and Rudy’s. Tickets will not be available at the gardens.

WHERE: Holmen area gardens on the tour include the following:

Holmen Garden Club, 612 N. Main St., Holmen, located on the corner near the Frosty Mug in Holmen. Circle planted and maintained by the Holmen Garden Club members

Garden of Terry and Barb Larsen, N7304 Hwy. HD, Holmen. This new home is nestled in five acres of woods and the Larsens are in the process of seeding and growing native and wildflower prairies on the acreage. There is no lawn to mow. See the hundreds of perennials that were transplanted in 2004, and the additions since then including more than 85 varieties of hostas. Hosta and shade gardens are in the back yard and sun loving perennials in the front with many handmade garden stones guiding the path. Custom designed pond, waterfall, and firepit are built of natural river rock boulders, which match the fireplace in the great room. Sounds of trickling water originate from several fountains surrounding the yard. A potting shed features antique shutters painted burgundy to match the house.

Garden of Dennis and Jeanenne Grokowsky, 430 Russell Drive, Holmen. This garden lost a 100-year-old oak a year ago so the Grokowskys are learning to plant in the sun instead of the shade. The garden also features rocks collected from trips all over Wisconsin

Garden of Larry and Donna Felber, W7636 James St., Holmen. This garden features a patio and fireplace.

Garden of Debbie Thesing and Harley Evenson, N5893 Cottage Lane on Brice Prairie. This garden features shade plants in front and a large variety of perennials in back.

Garden of Deen and Jon Layland, N7044 Sunrise Drive, Holmen. This garden features many perennials, trees, shrubs and lots of stone walls and structures.

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