By Hannah Wente | Photography by Shanna Wolf
When Mary and Jim Baliker built their house in the Town of Middleton 20 years ago, the backyard was … blah. With a goal to beautify and improve their yard, the couple set out to create a reflective space for themselves and their friends to relax in. A Japanese garden seemed like the perfect fit.
Jim spent his early childhood in Japan due to his dad’s military post. Mary always had an interest in Japanese gardens because of their connection to nature.
“[A Japanese garden] can be a healing garden,” Mary says. “They can inspire reflection. To me, a garden is very calming for your mind and body.”
Back in 2004, the couple worked with a local landscape architect who designed the couple’s Japanese garden, balancing plants, trees and special features so the space could evolve over time.
“With a Japanese garden, you want to make sure you have certain features,” says Mary. “You put in rocks, water [elements] and ponds.”
The couple divides and conquers in the care of their garden. Jim does main- tenance on the ponds, moves rocks and digs holes. Mary cultivates the plants, planting anew each season and replacing ones that don’t make it. She regularly researches Japanese gardens to identify new flowers the couple can add. Her advice? Work with a local garden center to special-order plants that you can only find online.
Decades after its installation, the couple is working this summer with another landscape architect, Midwest Japanese Garden owner John Matthews, to explore updating their green oasis.
The meticulous upkeep of their Japanese garden is worth it, and continues to be a getaway for the couple — just steps away from their home.
“It’s really a passion of ours, and even during the height of the pandemic, we had dinners outside with friends. Everyone wants to sit out in our garden. When it’s cool, we can sit by the fire pit. It’s just great to get away from a normal yard,” says Mary.
She loves the sights and sounds that connect her to nature on a daily basis.
“You hear the water splashing and the fish swimming,” she says. “I’ll get hummingbirds feeding on the flowers. A lot of birds will fly in and have a bath in the water.”
Sounds like summer. We’ll be right over, Mary.
