National Public Gardens Day was created in 2009 to increase awareness of the educational resources public gardens provide to local communities. Local programming includes such topics as home gardening and landscaping, plant and water conservation, and preservation of green spaces.
Boerner Botanical Gardens
To observe the day, visitors to Boerner Botanical Gardens, 9400 Boerner Drive, may select from four tours—or take them all.
Each tour, led by a staff horticulturist, will begin as a general overview but will emphasize different garden spaces. At 9 a.m. Lorrie Burrows will focus on the Rose and Perennial gardens. At 10 a.m. Peggy Gibbs Zautke will highlight the Herb Garden, Bog Walk, and Whitnall Park Rotary Circle. At 11 a.m. Ben Habanek will feature the Shrub Mall, Rain-Harvesting Garden, and Rock Garden. At 1 p.m., Jessica Cloninger will spotlight the Butterfly and Trial gardens.
Also celebrating National Public Gardens Day, Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens will offer a $10 discount on annual memberships. The memberships, available in the gift shop, allow for free, unlimited admission to the Botanical Gardens, discounts in the gift shop and café, early notice and discounts on classes and events, and reciprocal admissions to over 300 American Horticultural Society Gardens participating in the program.
Admission to the Botanical Gardens, which includes the tours and parking, is $5.50 for adults age 18 and up; $4.50 for students of any age with ID, Milwaukee County seniors age 60 and up with ID, and people with disabilities; and $3.50 for youths age 6–17.
For more information, call Boerner Botanical Gardens at (414) 525-5601.
