Sometimes referred to as a living museum, visitors can tour this botanical garden near Milwaukee. Guided tours are available mid-April through mid-October, and are led by a docent and last one hour. The gardens feature hers, shrubs, annuals, daylilies, peonies, one of the state's largest crab apple collections, over 500 varieties of roses, and forty acres of formal gardens. The garden is the work of Charles B. Whitnall, who served as Secretary of the Milwaukee County Park Commission for nearly 40 years. He was a supporter of land near the lakefront of Milwaukee being owned by the public, and his desire was to offer city dwellers a large tract of land where they could enjoy the lakes, wildlife, trees, and flowers. In 1924, he found the plot of land and spend the next five years developing it, and it later became known as Whitnall Park. It was later in his life with his friend Alfred L. Boerner that he began another development project which later became Boerner Botanical Gardens.
Today, the park couples with area attractions and offers all-inclusive tour packages. There are three destinations on the docket, including Boerner, Trimborn Farm, and Historic Greendale. At the farm there is a guided tour of the grounds and a slide presentation. Lunch is served at the Gardens flooring a 1 1/2 hour tour, and then the group heads to the Reiman Publication Visitor Center for a 20 minute guided tour of Greendale, and a visit to the Taste of Home Outlet store and complimentary gift bag from Reiman Publications.
Family Garden Walks are offered during the season and are a great opportunity with parents whose children are age 2 -12 to enjoy and learn about the garden. There are also Walking Garden Classes that allow visitors to get an in-depth look at the gardens while enjoying the outdoors and getting exercise. These are held Wednesdays starting in May and each week they feature a different section of the gardens.
If you are enjoying the garden before Sunday brunch, head over to Nell's Garden Caf,. This space is also available for private rentals, but on Sundays they offer a menu to the public that includes breads, meats and cheese, pates, smoked fish, waffles, sausage, potatoes, carved prime rib and turkey, bacon, omelets, salads, and desserts. There are plenty of places near Milwaukee where you can enjoy Sunday brunch, but few are surrounded by such beauty and grandeur.
Those who would like to take their wedding photos at the Gardens are invited to do so by gaining a wedding or photo permit. Space is available for the ceremony for two hours in one of six settings in the gardens. If more time is needed to capture the wedding photos, a special photo permit can be purchased. Settings are available for 15 to 150 guests.
Wisconsin winters can be cold and gray. Once the weather turns warm and the flowers begin to bloom, soak it all just minutes from downtown Milwaukee. A visit to the Boerner Botanical Gardens means an afternoon filled with enjoyment.
