2025 Tour Homes

Welcome to the 2025 Palmer Woods Home & Garden Tour! Explore a curated collection of the historic homes and lush gardens that make Palmer Woods one of Detroit’s most beautiful neighborhoods. Below, you’ll find a preview of each featured property—complete with photos, brief biographies, and links to full descriptions. Whether you’re planning your route or simply admiring the architecture and landscapes, this guide offers a glimpse into the charm, character, and creativity on display throughout the Tour.

Tour Map

Tour Homes

Home #1: 1405 Balmoral Drive

Built in 1921, 1405 Balmoral is Palmer Woods’ only Dutch Colonial Revival home, but its true charm lies in its exceptional gardens and historic Lord & Burnham conservatory. Meticulously restored in 2021, the conservatory features a Pewabic-tiled fishpond, rainwater collection system, and classic quarry-tile flooring. The front garden, once famed for its thousands of tulips and daffodils, has been revived in a lush Edwardian style. A reconstructed 60-foot pergola leads to a whimsical stumpery garden, blending heritage and horticultural creativity. This home is a living testament to Detroit’s garden legacy, lovingly cultivated for a new generation.

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Home #2: 1370 Balmoral Drive

A true gardener’s paradise, 1370 Balmoral is a 1929 Tudor surrounded by a lush, homeowner-designed landscape. This “Hosta Lover’s Dream” features five unique varieties that frame ever-changing beds of begonias, lilies, tulips, coneflowers, and more. The passionate gardener—known for reviving wilted blooms and sharing plants with neighbors—tends the entire property herself, creating a vibrant display from spring through fall. Thoughtful use of pots, shade, and sun ensures continuous color and texture. While the historic home boasts original stained glass and carved walnut, it’s the lovingly cultivated garden that steals the show at this Palmer Woods gem.

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Home #3: 19305 Afton Road

Now in its third summer, the garden at 19305 Afton blends formal European design with native Michigan plantings. Designed by Brian Rankel and Danny Jones of B & D Garden Design, it features clipped boxwood hedges, a central fountain, statues representing the four seasons, and a classic teak Lutyens bench. Native plants and herbs attract birds, bees, and butterflies, while the layout offers beauty in every season. Inspired by the gardens of Villandry, this peaceful retreat reflects the homeowners’ love of structure and sustainability.

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Home #4: 1350 Wellesley Drive

Built in 1928, 1350 Wellesley is one of Detroit’s finest English Tudors, designed by renowned architect Wallace Frost. The home features hallmark Frost elements—arched doorways, slate roof, and varied ceiling heights—combined with innovative reinforced concrete and steel beam construction, thanks to original owner Maurice Goldenberg, a TRUSCON Steel executive. With nearly 6,000 square feet, it housed multiple generations of the Goldenberg and Rattner families. The original gardens, designed by horticulturist James Burford, have been thoughtfully restored by current owners, offering a lush, layered landscape that enhances this architectural gem’s historic and aesthetic significance.

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Home #5: 19551 Burlington Drive

This meticulously restored 1925 Tudor Revival stands as one of Palmer Woods’ architectural crown jewels. Designed by Leonard Willeke, the 8,000-square-foot home honors its historic roots with preserved plasterwork, rare German silver details, hand-hewn wood, and a soaring 1,000-square-foot great room. Modern updates—central air, second-floor laundry, updated kitchen—are discreetly integrated. Original elements, including a fully functional Chrysler-Koppin refrigerator, showcase early 20th-century innovation. Uniquely constructed of Kentucky schist stone in the rare Cotswold cottage style, the home sits amid private gardens and mature trees. This is not just a renovation—it’s a masterful resurrection of Detroit craftsmanship, ready for its next chapter.

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Home #6: 19480 Cumberland Way

Built in 1928 for automotive executive Clarence Tollzien, this Tudor Revival gem blends historic charm with thoughtful modern updates. Designed by Lewis C. Miller, the home features original leaded glass, plasterwork, Pewabic tile, and an imaginative turret entry. The current owners have meticulously restored the interior—including a custom kitchen and eclectic art-filled spaces—and transformed the once-neglected yard into a sustainable, English-inspired garden. Highlights include a koi pond, raised vegetable beds, native perennials, a 2020 rain garden, and stormwater-fed cistern. With its architectural integrity and vibrant landscaping, this home beautifully bridges past and present in Palmer Woods.

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Home #7: 19425 Gloucester Drive

Built in 1930 by architect Richard Marr, 19425 Gloucester is a Tudor Revival gem set on a uniquely positioned lot that once extended to Strathcona Drive. While the home retains its original slate roof, lead portico, and rich architectural detail, its gardens have undergone a thoughtful restoration. Inspired by O.C. Simonds’ vision for Palmer Woods, the landscape now features a colonnade garden wall, koi pond, three cascading waterfalls, and a serene pool area. Mature trees and layered plantings create a lush, private oasis—seamlessly blending historic elegance with vibrant outdoor living. A true garden sanctuary in the heart of Detroit.

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Home #8: 1743 Strathcona Drive

This soulful garden is more than a visual feast—it’s a space for inspiration, self-discovery, and joy. Bursting with vibrant flowers, playful ornaments, and a shimmering pool, the landscape invites visitors to explore both outer beauty and inner meaning. A quiet gazebo offers space for reflection, while a thoughtfully staged dining area encourages connection and laughter. Personalized touches and poetic prompts throughout create a deeply personal experience. Guests receive a keepsake scroll with inspiring messages to take home. Music completes the atmosphere, making this garden not just a destination—but a transformative, memorable journey.

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Home #9: 19271 Strathcona Drive

Built in 1928, this stately English Tudor Revival home blends architectural elegance with a deeply personal garden sanctuary. Once dominated by a 1950s pool, the backyard has been lovingly transformed by the owners into a lush, tranquil retreat. Shade-loving hostas, ferns, and astilbe fill cool corners, while sunny spots bloom with sedum, roses, and pollinator-friendly plants. Seating is tucked throughout for entertaining or quiet reflection. With minimal professional help, the garden honors mature trees and invites peace and connection. Indoors and out, this home reflects a graceful balance of historic charm and intentional living.

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Home #10: 19145 Strathcona Drive

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1955, the Turkel House is the only two-story Usonian Automatic ever built and his only structure in Detroit. Constructed from over 36 types of precast concrete blocks, the home reflects Wright’s vision of integrating architecture with nature. Its lush gardens—installed a decade ago—feature Michigan-native plants, sculptures, and prairie-style landscaping that softens the home’s geometric lines. Designed by Richard Hass and maintained by Tuzinowski Landscape, the grounds create a tranquil oasis, muffling city noise and enhancing Wright’s signature harmony between indoor and outdoor spaces. Visitors are encouraged to explore and enjoy.

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