Basking in Summer Blooms at Munsinger Clemens Gardens in St. Cloud, Minnesota

Admiring Summer Flowers at Munsinger Clemens Gardens in St. Cloud, Minnesota

Munsinger Clemens Gardens in St. Cloud, Minnesota dazzles visitors with a patchwork of beautiful gardens right along the Mississippi River. We quickly fell in love with the beautiful assemblage of plants and striking aesthetics of fountains during our visit.

Munsinger Gardens borders the Mississippi River as it gently meanders by.

Discovering Munsinger Gardens

Munsinger Gardens once was the site of a sawmill. In the 1930s, Superintendant of  Parks Joseph Munsinger began to use labor from the WPA and CCC in order to create parks across St. Cloud including Munsinger Gardens.  Meandering through Munsinger Gardens, we basked in the outstanding vision of Joseph Munsinger. Just spectacular!

A fountain surrounded by brilliant blooms and
verdant plants of summer dazzles at Munsinger Gardens.

Norway and Scotch pines give Munsinger its shady environment whereas Clemens Gardens is in the open sun. Visting on a glorious summer day, we did enjoy the shade. As we began our walk through the gardens, we noted a fountain that would be just the first of many. The fountains of Munsinger Clemens Gardens add such an extra joy. 

A charming fairy garden delighted us.

Wandering the paths of Munsinger Gardens, we discovered an adorable little fairy garden. Little bits of whimsy inspire smiles in all of us no matter how tough life may be at the moment. Love these little discoveries! Fairy gardens also remind us to pause and look for the little joys in life.

An eagle's nest rises above the gardens.

Additionally, we learned that Munsinger Gardens is currently home to bald eagles. We spotted a nest high up in a pine. The pines of Munsinger actually date to about 1915 -- before the CCC's garden development. At that time, the city had purchased the old sawmill to create the park.

A Summer Wander Through Clemens Gardens

Roses explode in jubilance at the Virginia Clemens Rose Garden.

After admiring the collections of Munsinger Gardens, we headed up a gentle incline to the upper gardens otherwise known as Clemens Gardens. Clemens Gardens began with the Virginia Clemens Rose Garden. The rose garden was established by William Clemens as a garden for his wife Virginia to enjoy from her window while she suffered from MS. With all of the roses in full glory, the garden is striking! Just outside the garden, we also found an incredible sculpture memorializing Virginia and Bill Clemens looking at their garden.

A stunning memorial of Virginia and Bill Clemens looking at their garden.

The trellis so elegantly adorned by gorgeous flowers was one of my favorite parts of Clemens Gardens. Very charming!

Flowers charmingly adorn a trellis at Clemens Gardens.

The Renaissance Fountain with Cranes captivates in the summer sun.

In the 1990s, Clemens Gardens would begin its expansion east. The fountains in both Clemens and Munsinger Gardens craft breathtaking focal points. Adjacent to the rose garden, the Renaissance Fountain with Cranes absolutely dazzles. The magnificent fountain draws such joy as it rises above and dancing water glistens in the sun. The fountain represents one of the tallest outdoor fountains in Minnesota.

Stunning view of Clemens Gardens in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Even though summer has kind of had a slow start here in the Midwest, the gardens really sparkled with blooms during our June visit. From the Treillage Garden, we savored a sweeping view of the rest of Clemens Gardens. Just magical and a fantastic way to cap our visit. Munsinger Clemens Gardens are open spring through fall and admission is free. So, the gardens offer such a fantastic adventure for any St. Cloud, Minnesota trip.