11 Wisconsin Flower Gardens for Beautiful Blooms

Between its lakes and rivers, hills and valleys and wildlife and forests, Wisconsin is home to an abundance of natural beauty. But the list of the state’s outdoor attractions also includes its abundant public gardens, perfect for sweet-swelling strolls and memorable photo-ops. Read on to learn where to find gorgeous flowers in Wisconsin.

Olbrich Botanical Gardens & Bolz Conservatory – Madison

One of the most popular botanical gardens in the state, Olbrich includes 16 acres of diverse gardens, including an English-style sunken garden, a shady Birch walk, a stunning Royal Thai Pavilion and more. In winter, the indoor Bolz Conservatory offers a tropical oasis within a 50-foot-high glass pyramid. Here you’ll find colorful orchids, a rushing waterfall and free-flying birds. Whenever you choose to visit, you’re sure to be blown away by beautiful blooms and more.

Boerner Botanical Gardens – Milwaukee

Visit this extensive, formal garden and arboretum in Milwaukee that’s home to over 500 varieties of roses, among many other blooms. Kids will love Margie’s Garden, featuring an enchanted village and bug garden and everyone will enjoy the sculptures throughout the grounds. A special Trial Garden includes over 500 new types of plants being tested for their suitability to the Great Lakes Region.

Green Bay Botanical Gardens – Green Bay

Explore 47 acres teeming with 65,000 plants from Wisconsin and around the world at Green Bay Botanical Gardens. From spring blooms, summer concerts and field-to-fork dining events to the WPS Garden of Lights in winter, this space offers year-round fun for everyone in your group.

Rotary Botanical Gardens – Janesville

In Janesville, the Rotary Botanical Gardens includes one of the few fern and moss gardens in the U.S., as well as 25 other garden styles. Wander through the Japanese and French Formal gardens, the Cherry Blossom Walk, the StoryWalk for children, plus more peaceful spaces.

The Paine Art Center and Gardens – Oshkosh

The centerpiece of this English-inspired country estate is a historic 1920s mansion transformed into a museum with over 1,000 artworks in its collection. Not to mention the 4 acres of superb gardens that wind throughout the grounds. Discover a tulip tree from George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in the Secret Garden as well as a monochromatic or “moon” garden featuring plants with blooms or foliage in shades of white, silver and gray.

Allen Centennial Gardens – University of Wisconsin-Madison

Allen Centennial Garden is the artful living laboratory and public botanical garden of the Horticulture Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Stop in for events such as bouquet-making, concerts and workshops on topics like using plant-based dyes, drying flowers and more. The 22 gardens serve as an outdoor classroom for students on campus, so the newest varieties are always on display.

The Garden Door – Sturgeon Bay

Visit the only free public garden in Door County to explore a magical fairy garden, a cold-hardy cactus garden, a peaceful pond and more. Picnic in the gazebo or pergola and wander paved paths to enjoy plots curated by Door County Master Gardeners.

Scheig Center Gardens – Appleton

In Appleton, Scheig Center Gardens features a serenity butterfly garden, fragrance garden, both formal and native rose gardens and much more. If the architecture of the Learning Center looks familiar, it’s probably because it was designed by Charles Montooth, a senior architect at Taliesin and a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Warren J Taylor Sunken Flower Garden – Kenosha

This picturesque garden within Lincoln Park in Kenosha is a popular photo-op and local hidden gem. One of the state’s few formal gardens devoted solely to annuals, the fifty varieties of flowers are laid out in contrasting rows for the ultimate spectacle.

Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum – Milwaukee

On a hill overlooking Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, you can find a museum and garden straight out of Italy. Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum is an Italian Renaissance-style villa filled with fine and decorative arts spanning from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The masterpieces continue outside, where the formal garden contains 16th-century Italian plantings and is the only one of its kind in the state.

Riverside International Friendship Gardens – La Crosse

Part of La Crosse’s Riverside Park, this Friendship Garden celebrates a partnership between the city and sister communities in China, Germany, France, Russia, Norway, Ireland and Cameroon. The plantings here reflect these other parts of the world and include climbing roses in the French garden, ginkgo trees in the Chinese garden, ornamental hops in the German garden and more. Visit for a quick international stroll with friends.

Keep exploring with a trip to these outdoor sculpture gardens in Wisconsin!