I'd agree with pretty much all the sites already mentioned, and add the emphasis on getting to know the ones local/regional to you in SE Wisconsin. The rest are pretty window dressing and cool places to see plants, but with little applicability to your gardening possibilities. This is a way to prioritize where you invest your efforts, and gain the most value. Additions not yet mentioned (colder upper Midwest sites): **Chicago Botanic Garden **Hidden Lake Gardens **Secrest Arboretum **Dawes Arboretum **Stan Hywet Gardens **Kingwood Gardens **Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Places that aren't often considered arboreta/botanic gardens, but are a treasure of plant collections, landscape maintenance, and high visibility: **Every cemetery in the rural landscape style (Spring Grove Cemetery, Cave Hill Cemetery, Lexington Cemetery, Mount Auburn Cemetery, etc.) **Many many zoos (Cincinnati Zoo, Evansville Zoo, etc.) **Many many parks **Many many college campuses (UWisconsin, UIllinois, Michigan State University) **Many state capital grounds **Large wholesale nurseries (for you, Johnson's Nursery and any of the Klehm family properties should be must-visit locations) As you might imagine, you could make this part of your lifestyle if able to loosen the shackles of everyday thinking. The most mundane trip to the grocery becomes an excuse to take the long way 'round just to see plants that you've not driven past before. Always carry the digicam to record things. Finally, a list of my favorites: **Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati OH **Bernheim Arboretum, Clermont KY **Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville KY **All the Olmsted parks, Louisville KY **Lexington Cemetery, Lexington KY **UK/LFUCG Arboretum, Lexington KY **Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati OH **Secrest Arboretum, Wooster OH **Dawes Arboretum, Newark OH **US National Arboretum, Washington DC **Washington DC - esp. the downtown streets/landscapes **Dunbarton Oaks, Washington DC **Evansville Zoo, Evansville IN **Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis MO **Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain MA **Polly Hill Arboretum, North Tisbury MA **Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College, Swarthmore PA **Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square PA **Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia PA **Donald Kendall Sculpture Garden at Pepsico, White Plains NY **Morton Arboretum, Lisle IL **Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago IL **Boerner Botanic Garden, Milwaukee WI **UW Arboretum, Madison WI **Durand-Eastman Park, Rochester NY **Highland Park, Rochester NY **Biltmore Estate, Asheville NC **JC Raulston Arboretum, Raleigh NC **UGeorgia Botanical Gardens, Athens GA **Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle WA **Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek CA **Eddy Arboretum, Placerville CA **Huntington Botanic Gardens, Pasadena CA ...to name a few.

I live only an hour away from St. Louis and am a member of the Missouri Botanical Gardens; in fact, I was once a volunteer worker there during college. I was surprised to find this post here in the Far North forum! (I am just a zone 6 lurker who comes here for the great photos.) I just wanted to tell you all that this was an amazing exhibit that has drawn huge crowds to the Garden this year. I have never seen so many people there at one time. I know it is a pretty long way away, but if any of you are ever in this area, you should plan to see MBG. My favorite place in the world!

Thank you both for the photos, there are some great photos there Kent. I especially like the third and second to last photos you took, good shots. Thanks for sharing. I will try to visit this garden soon. Cheers Jando

Yes I Always enjoy the St. Louis BG. ..I've visited many times over the years... And I am not steamed ...But in reality they should not specify it as "botanical" but rather a simlpe garden if plants and trees are just placed there and not identified. Now there may be a master map ...thats something I will check into...but I think reguardless of volunteers, donations etc it is ashame to not have stuff identified and in fact not proper if they wish to keep the "botanical" monicer. There is nothing "scientific" about a garden with plants not identified it becomes a simple garden or PARK...therefore it is improper IMHO to call it such.That DOES not take away from the beauty of it or make it less of a place to visit but In my opinion it is NOT a true botanical garden and they do have a resposinbilty especially since they charge and are well endowed to have it better organised and tagged if they wish it to be "botannical". David