As I entered the Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, a small town in Wisconsin, I expected a similarly sized garden. The spacious grounds of the park, however, with multiple lovely and peaceful spots, impressed me. The 20 acres provide 26 types of interesting gardens with 4000 varieties of plants throughout. Pleasant views, restful benches, and interesting flora abounds.
History of the Garden
In 1988, a retired orthodontist, Dr. Robert Yahr, dreamed of turning a former quarry, then BMX racetrack and storage space for the parks district, into a garden for the public. He recruited the two Rotary Clubs in Janesville to lease the land from the city, clean up the debris, and create the Rotary Botanical Gardens. Over the next 20 years, the grounds were improved and structures added, including the Environmental Center with meeting rooms and offices.
Highlights of the Gardens
After passing through the entrance at the Environmental Center, I emerged into the charming formal gardens of the English Cottage Garden, Italian Gardens, and French Rose Garden. In the center, multicolored koi swam beneath lily pads with vibrant blossoms.
Nancy Yahr Memorial Children’s Garden / Judy Karnia
I passed under an arch with metal geese to the playful Nancy Yahr Memorial Children’s Garden. Colorful flowers, chosen to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, surround a sculpture of a boy flying on a paper airplane. Gary Lee Price, the sculptor, said that his inspiration for “Journeys of the Imagination” was his exuberant young son.
In the Japanese Garden, I marveled at the number of shades of green and various shapes of the plants. The rushing waterfall, gently flowing stream, wavy sand of the dry creek, and the wooden zigzag bridge offer places for contemplation.
The red Japanese Arched Bridge leads to the North Woodland Path and Woodland Walk encircling the pond. Wooden benches with thought-provoking quotes about nature line the path. I struggled between wanting to move on and see more and wanting to spend more time sitting with the peaceful views.
Entrance to the Sunken Garden / Judy Karnia
A carved stone arch with a halo of flowering vines leads into the Sunken Garden. I walked down one side of this rectangular space bordered in white and pink blooms to reach the burbling fountain at the far end. The secluded space felt like I had gone back through a portal in time.
What to Know
The Rotary Botanical Gardens offers a variety of programs and workshops for adults and children, most of which run spring to autumn. The Holiday Light Show features 1.6 million lights to celebrate the end of the year and bring in the new one.
Observation Pier / Judy Karnia
Admission fees are only required April 1 to October 31 and range from five to nine dollars. There is free parking on site and restrooms are available in the visitor center. Light refreshments are available for purchase, or you can pack snacks and eat them at tables on the Terrace Garden. For more information visit https://rotarybotanicalgardens.org/
When You Go
Janesville, WI, which boasts of being “Wisconsin’s Great Outside”, makes a perfect weekend trip from nearby cities. Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee are less than two hours away by car.
Lodging options include hotels, bed and breakfasts, and camping sites in and around the town. The Cobblestone Hotel & Suites is comfortable and located right across the bridge over Rock River from Main Street.
Antique stores, thrift stores, and other fun shops occupy Main Street. Public art abounds along this street and others in downtown with over 20 murals as well as several sculptures. In September of every year, Janesville also hosts Art Infusion with many public activities.
Local Activities
The Lincoln-Tallman House a large Italianate structure built in the 1850s, contains a large proportion of the original furnishings and décor. The home is named after William Tallman, a land speculator, who invited Abraham Lincoln to stay in his guest room while visiting for a speech. The adjoining Helen Jeffries Wood Museum displays interesting rotating exhibits connected to local history.
The Ice Age Trail, a 1000-mile-long National Scenic Trail, passes through Janesville. Devil’s Staircase, a trail in Riverside Park, offers views of the river along a moderate hike. Velocity Multi-Sport and Cycling, just outside the downtown area, rents e-bikes with a map to the over 20 miles of easy and scenic bike paths along the Ice Age Trail.
Twice weekly during the summers, visitors can enjoy the Rock Aqua Jays, multi-year National Champions, perform a free waterski show at Traxler Park.
Where to Eat
Great restaurants for dinner in the downtown area include Genisa for Italian food in an elegant setting and Drafthouse a spacious pub with Wisconsin craft beers.
Mocha Moment and Havana Coffee are a few minutes outside town but offer a great start to the morning.
Featured image – Koi Pond in the formal gardens / Judy Karnia
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Judy Karnia is a freelance travel writer living in Scottsdale, Arizona. She loves to travel to urban and natural areas, exploring any gardens and art museums that she can find.
