This 2 1/2 acre garden is considered one of Madison's best outdoor classrooms. The gardens change on the regular basis and are an educational reflection of nature offering opportunities for training and research. Whether you are a student of botany interested in studying plant identification and nomenclature, or just a visitor looking for a quiet place to reflect in the beauty of nature, the garden is a great place to visit. Those who want to share their knowledge with the public are encouraged to volunteer and the garden welcomes volunteers from the novice gardener to the advanced horticulturalist. The garden is an impressive part of Madison's rich landscape and a proud part of the state college systems natural studies programs.
The garden takes its role in education seriously and its mission statement includes, "The mission of the Garden is to provide outdoor instructional and laboratory facilities for a broad range of disciplines in horticulture, landscape architecture, and related areas of interest. A continuing goal of the Garden is to provide state-of-the-art demonstrations and information on the use of traditional and novel horticultural plants in diverse landscape settings.'' The garden makes it a priority to stay current with developments in horticulture and landscaping. In addition to serving college students, the garden also welcomes K-12 students, garden clubs, Master Gardeners, and various members of the landscaping and horticultural industry.
On the grounds of the garden is a Victorian gothic house that is known by several names: the Fred House, Lake Dormer, 10 Babcock Drive, and the Agricultural Dean's Residence. The building was one of the first in the University of Wisconsin system and served as the home for the college's first four deans. It was in the 1980's that plans for the surrounding gardens to be cultivated in a manner that would allow for study by university students. Today, the house serves as the offices for the Agricultural Research Stations. In 1984, it became a part of the National Register of Historic Places. It is not uncommon for visitors to assume the gardens are much older than they actually are. The planning and care of the garden makes it seem as if it has been a part of the landscape for decades.
A popular destination for outdoor weddings, services are permitted through the month of May through the first weekend of October. Both the Lawn Garden and the English Perennial Garden hold up to 200 guests, while the Woodland Garden and Terrace Garden are designed for a more intimate gathering. In order to preserve the integrity of the grass and garden areas, the Lawn and English gardens are available only every other weekend during the season. Brides should keep in mind the gardens are not equipped to service receptions, and should plan only to have their wedding ceremony on the site. Three weddings are permitted each day on the site and pre-arranged time periods are listed on the garden's website. Costs for rental of the gardens is based on the number of attendees, and all wedding regulations and guidelines must be followed by everyone in attendance.
Whether you are a student of botany or horticultural, or someone in search of a serene place filled with natural beauty, the Allen Centennial Gardens in Madison is a great destination.
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