Sanger House Gardens

When the current owners bought the property in 1985, the 2/3 acre yard was full of box elders, ‘tree of heaven’ and black walnut trees. The only cultivated area was a vegetable garden on the south side. There had been at least 3 other houses on the south end of the current lot, which had been demolished prior to 1975. The owner at that time purchased the vacant lots and added them to the existing double lot. The south end of the property originally sloped down to the Vine street level. The previous owner had fill brought in to create an 8 foot high plateau for privacy. There is only 1 remaining original tree; all other deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs were planted by the current owners over the last 35+ years.

The current owners, inspired primarily by English and Mediterranean garden traditions, have designed the garden as connected ‘rooms’ which have different themes, and which are set up to prevent the visitor from seeing the entire space. There are several water features the large red sandstone urn on the far south end, the round pool in the sunny gravel space, the arched fountain against the house, and 2 small frog ponds. These water sources and abundant seed- and berry-producing plants encourage visits by birds, rabbits and occasional coyotes. Fall blooming flowers and trees attract hummingbirds, monarch butterflies and many other pollinators and migrating birds.

The current owners originally planted a large perennial bed where the pool exists today. The ‘floor plan’ today is set up to allow open space for events-weddings, etc. Plantings are primarily trees , evergreens and shrubs, plus some grasses, bulbs and perennials. Over 100 containers add the color of annual flowers, plus tropical and desert plants (which spend the winter in the heated garage). Throughout the garden, salvaged cobblestones, limestone walkways (which were curbs from city streets), and architectural elements (from local razed buildings) have been put to use as hardscaping and decorative accents. A recent project is the big lathe house on the west, which provides a shady shelter and event venue, and a potting shed with a ‘living roof’ on the southwest corner of the lot. There is also night lighting throughout the garden. Sanger House Gardens is usually open to visitors on weekends when the owners are present, except when there is a private event scheduled. See the signs on Palmer and Vine streets for ‘open’ days.

Sanger House Gardens is a feast for the eyes, filled with trees, shrubs, and perennials and plants of all kinds. Built high on a hill overlooking the young city of Milwaukee in 1872, Caspar Sanger’s Cream City brick Italianate house still dominates it’s setting, but now it rises from almost an acre of lush landscaping just blocks from downtown. Over the past 3 decades, the current owners have created a complex, richly layered series of garden rooms that have inspired thousands of visitors. The gardens include Mediterranean and English styles, and celebrate the urban surroundings with recycled cobblestone and limestone materials, as well as historic architectural elements. Water features and plantings attract a wide variety of birds, as well as the occasional fox. Somewhere in the garden you may find a setting that sparks your imagination and leads to a transformation in your own landscape-and even if you aren’t a gardener, the beauty of our special place may bring joy to you just the same.

Caspar Sanger, a German immigrant who had made his fortune in the tannery and millwork businesses, built his first grand house in 1872. He occupied it for only two years and sold it to a fellow German-American businessman Joseph Phillips, it was owned by his family until 1911. Today it is owned by Steve Bialk and Angela Duckert who acquired it in 1985. They have done a major restoration on the house. It has 5 marble fireplaces, a mahogany staircase, original pine floors, plaster rosettes and cornices along with reproduction wallpapers produced by Bradbury and Bradbury which are an interpretation of William Morris, a famous designer of the 1860-70’s. Many other improvements and upgrades have been done. The property is part of the Historic Brewers Hill historic district. The owners have also renovated the horse and carriage barn along with construction of a new carriage house which is used for events and an AIRBNB stay.