botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
Interstate 74
}
Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa (Quad Cities); the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange ...
, in
Mahomet, Illinois
Mahomet () is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,434 at the 2020 census. Mahomet is located approximately 10 miles northwest of Champaign at the junction of Interstate 74 and IL 47.
Geography
Mahomet is ...
.
History
The garden is named after H.I. Gelvin's wife, Mabery, who died in 1971.
Gelvin, as founder of the Forest Preserve District, donated $100,000 to build a garden and designed the garden with the aid of
University of Illinois
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ...
students. The garden was dedicated on June 30, 1974.
In 2014, renovations were conducted to bolster the garden's infrastructure, such as the waterfall, pond, and accessible paths. A ceremony was held on September 12, 2019, to celebrate the completion.
In March 2022, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Museum Capital Grant Program awarded $726,900 in grant funding to the Champaign County Forest Preserve District. The grant helped provide plant production space and upgrade greenhouse infrastructure.
Features
The garden includes waterfalls, a Japanese style red bridge, and a one-acre koi pond. The waterfall and pond are inspired by the
Chicago Botanic Garden
The Chicago Botanic Garden is a living plant museum situated on nine islands in the Cook County Forest Preserves. It features 27 display gardens in four natural habitats: McDonald Woods, Dixon Prairie, Skokie River Corridor, and Lakes and Shore ...
.
An All-America Selections Display Garden features bedding plants and vegetables.
Operations
It is open during daylight hours; admission is free. Wedding rentals are permitted at this facility.