Her sparkling collection of dragonflies significant and smaller spill out into the property and back garden she and her spouse Ron have grown from scratch in excess of the last 30 many years in southwest Wadena. The dragonfly is a day-to-day reminder of the couple’s son Ben who died 20 many years ago this thirty day period in a terrible three-automobile crash triggered by an inattentive driver around Alexandria.

It was in the course of Ben’s funeral that a dragonfly transpired to occur buzzing by and Gretchen took it as a indicator of her son. From there it’s come to be an addition that lights up the Noon’s garden, backyard garden and life.

Each way you look you'll find butterflies and dragonflies in the yard of Ron and Gretchen Noon in southwest Wadena. The metal art reminds them of their children Bria and Ben.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

Each individual way you search you’ll find butterflies and dragonflies in the yard of Ron and Gretchen Midday in southwest Wadena. The metallic artwork reminds them of their youngsters Bria and Ben.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

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There is certainly extra to the Noon’s lawn that catches your eye. Around the a long time the couple has filled the 2.5 acre area with over 100 trees. Quite a few are planted in memory of cherished types, lots of still living. A majestic northwoods maple was planted by the metropolis of Wadena in honor of Ben who worked at the town for a year. You can find also apple trees, spruce, sugar maple (Gretchen’s favored), lilacs and additional. A backyard garden drop developed by the Wadena-Deer Creek High University learners is painted like a barn in remembrance of the farm Ron arrived from.

“It can be been a function in progress,” Ron said. “She’s the resourceful 1, and I’m the employed labor.”

The Noon’s yard features a good deal throughout the highway, exactly where their massive flower garden retains expanding. The yard is packed with a kaleidoscope of hues this time of calendar year as a lot of plants are in bloom. Gretchen reported she wished the lilies experienced been in bloom when a recent team from the Wadena Backyard garden Club stopped by. They ended up there to existing the Noons with the Wadena Garden of the Thirty day period honor for July. There was no shortage of elegance to be witnessed.

While not all flowers have popped, the ones that have are abundant in the Noon flower garden.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

When not all flowers have popped, the ones that have are plentiful in the Noon flower yard.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

Though they get a great deal of pleasure and peace doing work in the backyard, it really is their hope that other people passing by can discover it uplifting as well.

“A flower backyard, if it can provide joy to another person, that’s my most important intention is just the satisfaction of it,” Gretchen claimed.

With an expansive array of blooms, the backyard modifications every single day.

“Oh yeah, that just opened up nowadays,” Gretchen said as Ron pointed out a pot stuffed with yellow day lilies.

The couple’s other boy or girl Bria, who is still living and preparing to be married in a yr, is remembered all over the room by butterflies. They make certain to preserve an abundance of milkweed growing in the course of the house with hopes that monarchs will go on to migrate below and stay a even though. They lately found various caterpillars feasting on the crops in preparing for their transformation.

A caterpillar clings to the underside of a milkweed plant at the Noon garden. The Noons try to keep milkweed abundant in their garden to attract butterflies each year.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

A caterpillar clings to the underside of a milkweed plant at the Noon garden. The Noons attempt to continue to keep milkweed abundant in their backyard to catch the attention of butterflies each individual yr.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

Bria proceeds the developing of miniature irises that Gretchen’s terrific grandmother grew in Germany. The flowers have been passed on now over 5 generations from that humble patch abroad. With the extraordinary heat and dry climate, the couple have been watering daily to protect the investment decision of plants.

The flower back garden includes black-eyed Susans, which Gretchen has renamed brown-eyed Bria’s in her daughter’s name. A huge advancement of Johnny Jump Ups is a further reminder of Ben, who made use of to always pick them for mother. She calls them Benji Soar Ups.

A favorite of their son Ben Noon, who died in a car crash in 2001, these Johnny Jump Ups thrive in remembrance of his life.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

A beloved of their son Ben Midday, who died in a automobile crash in 2001, these Johnny Bounce Ups prosper in remembrance of his life.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

The Noon’s went to superior faculty with each other in Cottonwood, Minn., (near Granite Falls) and married there. They moved to Wadena in 1987 when Ron took a job on the Wadena Law enforcement Department. He retired from that career 9 yrs back and started out a cell MRI business enterprise 7 many years in the past. He is effective a handful of times a 7 days. Gretchen meanwhile has labored as a dental assistant, as a exclusive education and learning paraprofessional and most not too long ago is effective at Oma’s Bakery and Restaurant in Wadena.

“It is really just tranquil out in this article,” Ron said. The few spends a great deal of time with each other tending to this room and sitting together experiencing all the things it generates.

Although the Noon’s enjoy a fairly peaceful area of Wadena, they will not head at all if you appear see their yard at 10380 Mohawk Road.

Ron and Gretchen Noon stand by the "Yard of the Month" sign, indicating they were chosen to be honored for the month July 2021.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal

Ron and Gretchen Noon stand by the “Property of the Thirty day period” indication, indicating they ended up picked out to be honored for the month July 2021.
Michael Johnson/Pioneer Journal