Rotary Botanical Gardens is a non-profit

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 ...

located in

Janesville, Wisconsin Janesville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat and largest city in the county. It is a principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Madison–Jane ...

that is open to the public.

Overview

The 20-acre site contains a number of themed gardens, including Japanese, Scottish, French formal, Italian, and English cottage gardens. The Japanese garden borders a pond that is spanned by a red Japanese-styled bridge.Linda Brazill, "Rotary Gardens: A dialogue among flowers and cultures in Janesville", ''The Capital Times'', Madison, WI, June 30-July 1, 2001, p. B1, cols. 1-3. A sunken garden is surrounded by limestone walls and perennial plantings. Its entrance is a Tudor-style stone arch that was once the entrance to the

Parker Pen Company The Parker Pen Company is a French manufacturer of luxury writing pens, founded in 1888 by George Safford Parker in Janesville, Wisconsin, United States. In 2011 the Parker factory at Newhaven, East Sussex, England, was closed, and its producti ...

's world headquarters formerly located in Janesville. There are also less formal gardens, such as a fern and moss garden, and shade, prairie, and woodland gardens. Rotary Botanical Gardens is a self-sustaining non-profit organization. With over 100,000 visitors annually, it is the most frequented tourist destination in Rock County.Shelly Birkelo,
Rotary Botanical Gardens announces events to celebrate 25th year
. ''Janesville Gazette'', April 16, 2014. Accessed April 24,2014. It is also a popular site for weddings and receptions. The popular Holiday Light Show event started in 1996 and features over 1 million lights and has become a regional attraction. Rotary Gardens Janesville 2011

History

Rotary Botanical Gardens was established in 1988 by Janesville

Rotary Club Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, profe ...

s on the grounds of a defunct sand and gravel

quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envi ...

.Rotary Botanical Gardens
Our History
Owned by the city, the site was filled with debris and equipment. The city leased the site to the Rotarians, who began a multi-year cleanup project. After tons of rubbish were removed, gardens, walkways, benches, and gazebos were added. A ramshackle building on the property was rehabilitated and turned into a visitors' and environmental center. In 2002, meeting rooms, classrooms, and a gift shop were added and an addition to the Rath Environmental Center was completed in 2005.Kathleen Ostrander, "Fund-raising drive launched for gardens", ''Wisconsin State Journal'', Madison, WI, June 10, 2001. p. C3, cols. 5-6.

Awards

* 2012 - First-place winner in category III of the

All-America Selections All-America Selections (AAS) is an American organization which tests new varieties of seed for use in gardening, and promotes those judged to perform best through an awards scheme ("AAS Winners"). The testing program involves horticulture profes ...

(AAS) Landscape Design ContestWIFR.com.
Rotary Botanical Gardens Wins Second Year of Landscape Design Contest
. * 2013 - First-place winner in category III of the

(AAS) Landscape Design Contest

Overview

History

Awards

See also