Lauritzen Gardens are a

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe 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, an ...

s and arboretum located at 100 Bancroft Street in the

South Omaha South Omaha is a former city and current district of Omaha, Nebraska, United States. During its initial development phase the town's nickname was "The Magic City" because of the seemingly overnight growth, due to the rapid development of the Union S ...

neighborhood of Omaha,

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

. The gardens are open daily during business hours; an admission fee is charged.

History

The gardens began in 1982, following two years of preliminary planning. Construction started in 1995 on the

rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

garden. Other early gardens included a shade

hosta ''Hosta'' (, syn. ''Funkia'') is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name gibōshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is currently placed in the fa ...

garden,

herb garden The traditional kitchen garden, vegetable garden, also known as a potager (from the French ) or in Scotland a kailyaird, is a space separate from the rest of the residential garden – the ornamental plants and lawn areas. It is used for grow ...

, children's garden, and spring flowering walk. The arboretum represents seven regional plant communities:

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

hickory forest,

maple ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...

linden forest, farmstead windbreak, marsh, and flood plain river margin. Since opening, new garden areas have been added each year. The garden also features a parking garden and arrival garden with annual and perennial flowers. The festival garden, with colorful annual plantings and open lawn expanses, is the site of several annual events; the Victorian garden combines characteristics of both English and Victorian gardens; the Song of the Lark Meadow is reminiscent of Nebraska's prairies and is filled with wildflowers and the arboretum and bird sanctuary contains seven regional plant communities and demonstrates how to attract and identify Midwestern birds. In 2003, the woodland trail, which winds through a native hardwood community and features hilltop overlooks, and the Garden in the Glen, a space with a stream, pools and small waterfalls, were dedicated. A rose garden staircase and woodland waterfall were 2004 additions. The Sunpu Castle Gate and Mt. Fuji replica were constructed on the site of the future Japanese garden in 2005, and the tree peony garden and English perennial border were installed in 2006. In 2007, the model railroad garden opened in July with an expansion opening in June 2008. The Garden of Memories opened in the Spring 2009. Open since October 2001, the visitor and education center includes a floral display hall, an education wing containing two classrooms, and one of the region's only horticultural libraries. Additionally, the visitor center houses the great hall, community room, café, and gift shop. The floral display halls holds three major floral shows per year; the fall chrysanthemum festival, holiday poinsettia show, and spring bulb show. The vaulted glass roof of the center, standing tall, makes it the predominant visible feature from the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 as travelers cross the Missouri River into Nebraska. The Marjorie K. Daugherty Conservatory, a $20 million greenhouse addition, opened in 2014. Today, the site thrives near downtown Omaha. The garden hosted 220,000 visitors in 2015 and currently has more than 12,000 member households and 250 regular volunteers.

References

External links

*{{Official website, www.lauritzengardens.org Arboreta in Nebraska Botanical gardens in Nebraska Parks in Omaha, Nebraska Tourist attractions in Omaha, Nebraska 1982 establishments in Nebraska

History

See also

References

External links