Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is a 16 acre outdoor botanical garden and 10,000-square-foot conservatory in Madison, Wisconsin.[1] Founded in 1952 and named for its founder, Michael Olbrich, the gardens are owned and operated jointly by the City of Madison Parks and the non-profit Olbrich Botanical Society.
Noteworthy additions to the gardens were the Bolz Conservatory in 1991, and a Thai sala, a gift to the University of Wisconsin–Madison from the Thai Chapter of the Wisconsin Alumni Association and the government of Thailand through its king, Bhumibol Adulyadej.[2] Opened in 2002, it is one of only six sala outside of Thailand and one of two in the United States (the other is located in Hawaii).[3]
Gardens and grounds
The gardens are made up of several separate areas. The Sunken Garden is in the form of a traditional
The Thai Garden contains the sala, which is joined to the gardens by a 155-foot (47 m) arched footbridge crossing Starkweather Creek. This garden has a shallow reflecting pool near the pavilion and is filled with small examples of Thai sculpture. The plants in this garden were carefully selected to give a tropical appearance to the garden in the summer, while choosing plants capable of surviving Wisconsin winters.[3]
A Rock Garden is constructed of a rocky hill, designed to simulate a mountain slope. Plants here are mostly
and small pond. Here again, a wooden footbridge crosses the stream.A Meadow Garden combines
The Rose Garden is an ongoing project featuring more than 700 varieties and 125
The Starkweather Creek and Atrium Shade Gardens features a semicircular
Bolz Conservatory
The Bolz Conservatory is a 10,000-square-foot
In addition to the tropical plants, the conservatory is home to
While admission to Olbrich Botanical Gardens is free, a small fee is charged for entry into the conservatory.[1] Daily hours are 10am-4pm.
Gallery
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Rose Garden from the tower -
Rock Garden waterfall -
Sunken Garden with the top of the Rose Tower visible in the distance -
Inside the Bolz Conservatory -
Meadow Garden -
Fountain in front of Thai sala -
Thai pavilion with a bronze elephant sculpture
See also
References
- ^ a b c Clark, Brian E. "Wisconsin botanical gardens and arboretums are a tropical escape in winter". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
- ^ Splinter, Heron (31 May 2022). "Olbrich's Royal Thai Pavilion Needs Repair". WORT-FM 89.9. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ Greenfield Recorder. Archivedfrom the original on 22 September 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Bolz Conservatory".
- ^ "6 Modern Pyramids that Show Timeless Geometry is Here to Stay". archdaily.com. 17 January 2015.
External links
43°5′33″N 89°20′6″W / 43.09250°N 89.33500°W
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