May 12: Boerner Botanical Gardens, Milwaukee Domes Host Special Tours

MILWAUKEE, WI – Boerner Botanical Gardens and the Mitchell Park Domes will celebrate National Public Gardens Day with special tours May 12.

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.

Mitchell Park Domes

To mark National Public Gardens Day, The Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd., will have a schedule to keep patrons engaged throughout the day.

From 9 a.m.–5 p.m., visitors will receive scavenger-hunt sheets to explore the three domes. Currently on view in the Floral Show Dome is For the Birds, an exhibit sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited. The show is blanketed by a rainbow of flowers, including Forget-Me-Nots, heavenly scented Stock, Primula (primrose), Ranunculus (buttercup), Salpiglossis, and Gerbera Daisies. Interspersed in the landscape are models of birds at birdhouses and bird feeders. Some models are purely decorative; others are of bird species seen in Wisconsin. Tip sheets with bird-friendly ideas will be available throughout The Domes.

From 11 a.m.–1 p.m., visitors may watch Disneynature’s Wings of Life, a film that celebrates hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and bats as flying pollinators. The film features high-speed time-lapse photography and narration by Meryl Streep.

From 1–2 p.m., Maria Telikiozoglou, the Show Dome horticulturist, will lead Design Your Own Floral Show. Armed with layouts of the Show Dome and plenty of colored pencils, guests will use symbols to sketch what they envision for a floral show, including placement of plants, water features, and props.

From 2–2:30 p.m., Marian French, the Desert Dome horticulturist, will guide visitors through the Desert Sensory Experience. New sensory planters will be featured. Guests may use their senses to see plant textures, to smell creosote, and to touch Steve The Bearded Dragon. Taste will be added to the experience with a sampling of a desert treat, and hearing will be aroused by the cooing of resident birds.

From 2:30–3 p.m., Mary Braunreiter, the Tropical Dome horticulturist, will explore Foods of the Rainforest. Visitors will learn about products such as papaya, sugarcane, and coconut. Guests will also have the opportunity to taste 100-percent cocoa samples.

From 3–4 p.m., Paula Zamiatowski, the Conservatory interpretive educator, will lead the Outdoor Green Garden Tour, a nod to the sustainability efforts of The Domes. Visitors will learn about the capture of stormwater and its reuse in the plaza fountain. Guests will also learn about the self-sufficient permaculture plant beds and the pollinator-friendly beds on the Mitchell Park grounds.

From 4–5 p.m., kids of all ages will be invited to create make-and-take projects for the birds. Planting sunflower seeds will provide food, and assembling string, twine, and ribbons will offer nesting materials for the feathered friends in the backyard. While the kids are working, parents may select from garden tip sheets to take home.

Admission to The Domes includes the National Public Gardens Day activities and parking. The fee is $7 for adults age 18 and up; $5 for Milwaukee County Seniors with ID, persons with disabilities, students of any age with ID, and youth age 6–17; and free for children age 5 and under. For more information, call The Domes at (414) 257-5600.