The Mill House started in 1984 with Chef Geno’s starting his unique and unusual “garden” planting in the yard.  His artistic side took hold and he created his little jungle and “alligator alley’.  Alden’s Mill House staff currently maintain Geno’s “gardens”.

In 2004, the year Geno’s passed, a winter storm took out most of a 90-foot white pine. They left the 12-foot trunk.  It took five people to find someone who would carve “Genome”.  David W. from East Jordan and Wendy Barnes went to work! They cut off the top six feet and Wendy carved “The Mill House Chair”.  Given a yard ornament as a sample, David started carving the most  incredible gnome!  Genome! Since the trunk was a live tree, he sadly has started to deteriorate. While we had the incredible carver, Larr’s from Outback Unlimited brought us what now stands as “Joynome”.  David adored Joy so much, he carved a heart on her backside (she looks a little like ‘Sacajawea’)

They both live on strongly as “The Mill House Gnomes”