Sure we're all intimately familiar with our treasured Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory Domes right here in Milwaukee – but if you're willing to road trip it, there are a handful of other nearby gardens that you might not yet be familiar with. Check one or more of these out to get in a springtime state of mind.
Boerner Botanical Gardens
9400 Boerner Drive
Hales Corners, WI 53130
http://boernerbotanicalgardens.org/
There's a reason everyone wants to get hitched here when the weather is pleasant. You can lose yourself in the rose gardens alone. The grounds are spacious enough to get a good hike in, and climbing the mossy trails when they are ripe and green is a sensory treat. Pack a picnic for the free concerts on the lawn in the summertime, too.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
A time-honored tradition in Mad-town, this year-round staple has been around since 1952. Perhaps best known for its Thai Pavilion, Olbrich additionally boasts a waterfall and many themed gardens, including Rock, Serenity, and Birch. Also home to Sunday Concerts in the Gardens, and other community events and classes.
Paine Art Center and Gardens
1410 Algoma Blvd
Oshkosh, WI 54901
I fondly recall many regular strolls to this particular set of gardens with my grandmother, who lived right around the corner. Not only do you have the lovely tudor-style gardens, lush with foliage and herbs in the peak season, but a beautiful amber trapped-in-time museum to peruse. Added bonus: that museum has an intriguing haunted past.
http://www.wisconsinlife.org/story/ghosts-memory-oshkosh
Rotary Botanic Gardens
Janesville
1455 Palmer Drive
Janesville, WI 53545
608-752-3885
http://www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org/
Admittedly, this is the only one of this compilation that I have not personally had the pleasure of visiting as of yet. Guided tours and local artisans' wares are available in their gift shop. Since it makes many a "best of" Wisconsin gardens to visit list, it is still on mine.
