Boerner Botanical Gardens
Encyclopedia
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
s located on the grounds of Whitnall Park in the village of Hales Corners
Hales Corners, Wisconsin
Hales Corners is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,765 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hales Corners is located in southwestern Milwaukee County...
, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The gardens are named for Alfred Boerner, who designed the original five formal gardens. The Annual, Perennial, Rock, Rose and Peony Gardens were constructed in the 1930s. Later additions included trial, herb, lily and shrub rose gardens, as well as the Bog Walk.
The gardens are part of the Milwaukee County Park System and maintained by professional horticulturalists
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
. Many species of plant life are cultivated and displayed. The gardens include test and display gardens for All-America Selections, and is an American Hosta Society Display Garden.
Boerner Botanical Gardens is open from late April to early November, and closes for the winter.
Within the gardens and adjacent to them in Whitnall Park, and along the Root River Parkway is the arboretum, which showcases arranged groves of trees and shrubs. Nearby are the Wehr Nature Center and the historic Trimborn Farm
Trimborn Farm
Trimborn Farm is a Victorian era estate located in Greendale, Wisconsin and owned by Milwaukee County. Spanning 7.5 acres and nine buildings, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
estate, which are also maintained by the county park system.