Beautiful. I hope you've taken more pictures than these. Have you ever visited the Blue Spring Botanical Gardens on the White River below Beaver Dam Sandy? It is a private garden as I recall, and I don't remember us having to pay to tour it. It is at the top of a bluff and you can look down at the river. Gorgeous and quite expansive. It's woodland section is on a slope. We were there in spring when the hosta were unfurled, well past dogwood time, and the Mountain Laurel and other late spring shade flowers were gorgeous. The large spring, and adjoining pond are on a flat on top of the slope. It is bricked and very formal, and has a large viewing pagoda extending over the pond where you can watch the beautiful Koi in the pond. We got a big kick out of a Roadrunner in the wildflower field that was as curious about us as we were of it. I couldn't resist the temptation to go "beep-beep". hoping it would take off in a cloud of dust. I "beep-beeped" and it just stood there staring at me like I was 'nuts' - which I think I am. It was obviously a regular visitor because there was a sign along the trail that said "Keep and eye our for a Roadrunner", Anyway, thanks for sharing your Springfield visit with us. If you get a chance next spring to visit Blue Spring I am sure you would want to share pictures of the gardens with us also. Theresa

I've come to appreciate tasteful garden art and even the touches of whimsy but for the 'life of me' I can't understand why the colorful 'wall art' was chosen out of that particular hosta HEAVEN to win FIRST PLACE, over so many more interesting and dramatic pieces they otherwise had in it! The carvings of standing dead trees were really awesome and some of the other examples of 'tasteful' garden art were spread all through that truly AWESOME place!! Thanks for sharing your photos with us, Jim--I'm really enjoying them all!

Bluegrass & Blossoms Saturday July 28 2pm-4pm Close Memorial Park, located at 2400 S. Scenic, is hosting a gathering featuring Bluegrass Bands & Awareness of the proposed Botanical Gardens!! Friends of the Garden, a local non-profit group, is leading a fund raising effort to raise $4 million toward the construction of 19,000 square foot Botanical Center. The building has been environmentally designed by Drury University architects Jay Garrott and Bruce Moore in cooperation with H Design of Springfield. The center will look over Drummond Lake, adjacent to the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden and the public gardens in Nathanael Greene and Close Memorial Gardens and Park at 2400 South Scenic. Stop by and enjoy great music and learn about this exciting project!

Will second what Jay said. Hornbaker Gardens is worth the detour. Not sure where in Northern Illinois you are but Anderson Gardens in Rockford is an incredible botanic garden and one of the best kept secrets in the state. Designed by Hoichi Kurisu. Rarely crowded, incredible gardens, but a lousy website. :) Here are a handful of pics in case you don't make the stop.