About Us
The
highly visible site of the Allen Centennial Gardens reveals facets of
an ever-changing panorama of beauty to the thousands of people who are
on campus daily. The Gardens serve as an outdoor classroom, offering
opportunities in plant identification and nomenclature as well as
ecological and site management techniques for one of the few
horticultural departments in Wisconsin's higher education system. The
natural beauty of the 2.5-acre outdoor classroom provides many
opportunities for students, public, green industry professionals and
anyone else interested in horticulture, botany, landscape architecture
and other aspects of gardening. For those not interested in
horticultural based activities, it offers visitors a peaceful respite, a
beautiful walk and a visually stimulating place to relax amid a
multitude of botanical delights. The Gardens are open to the public 365
days a year from dawn to dusk with no admission fee.
Garden staff are comprised of students and volunteers.
Allen Centennial Gardens is a public botanical garden that serves as an outdoor classroom for the Horticulture Department of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The 2.5 acre garden demonstrates thousands of ornamental plants including annual flowers, perennials, tropicals and temperannuals, deciduous trees and shrubs and conifers including 21 individually themed gardens. Landscape architecture and landscape design styles are featured and highlighted. Allen Centennial Gardens is open from dawn to dusk at no charge to visitors 365 days a year.
Allen Centennial Gardens' operational budget is 100% self-funded, including salaries. Volunteerism is encouraged and welcomed. Donations are appreciated; the beauty and education we provide is based on the generosity of others. Weddings and other events may be held at the Gardens and photography permits for professional photographers are available.
HISTORY
ALLEN CENTENNIAL GARDENS (ACG or the Gardens) sits at the corner of Babcock & Observatory Drive and surrounds a stately Victorian house. This beautiful structure was built by the College of Agriculture (today called the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) to specifications of William A. Henry, the first professor of agriculture and later dean, as provisions to his tenure. Three other deans lived in the house during their tenure, Harry L. Russell, Christian l. Christensen, and Edwin B. Fred, who served as dean for only two years before he became University president in 1945. He and his wife Rosa continued to live in the house until their deaths in 1980 and 1981. The house was then converted to office space, which remains its use today. In 1984, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the early 1980’s an addition to the Plant Sciences building for Agronomy displaced the horticulture teaching gardens. A decision was made to move those gardens to the 2.5 acres around the house. In the process of soliciting donations to accomplish this goal, generous donors provided enough money for the creation of a more expansive teaching garden, in fact, a botanic garden open to the public. The largest contribution to the Garden’s endowment fund is from Mrs. Ethel Allen, a former UW faculty member, along with her bacteriologist husband, Dr. Oscar Allen. Naming the Gardens after the Allens in 1989 coincided with the 100th anniversary of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, thus the name “Allen Centennial”.
The Gardens’ mission is to serve as an outdoor classroom for University students and staff but also serves as educational outreach to the public from community and region as well as the professional green industry and visitors from outside the state. You can find a more expansive history of both the house and the Gardens on our web site.
PERMANENT GARDENS
At ACG, you will find a mix of historic garden styles, plant materials, and design innovations within 21 individually themed gardens. The foundation is based upon horticulture, gardening, botany and landscape history & design in a combination of art and science. The style and approach to gardening may be directed by landscape architectural history, a passion for a particular type of plant material or region of adaptation and trends and/or concerns. Overall the goal is to demonstrate the enormous diversity within the plant kingdom, the importance of that diversity to human sustainability and how homeowners and professionals can use plants effectively in their own landscapes.
Perennial plantings include conifers, deciduous trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. Some gardens highlight plants with large numbers of species and cultivated varieties such as conifer, lily, peony, iris and daylily. Other gardens demonstrate regional, cultural and environmental plant adaptation such as rock, woodland and wildflower. Other gardens demonstrate particular design styles, both historical and current. Additional areas highlight utility such as kitchen, herb and small fruits. Future additions will include areas of demonstration with focus on small-space gardening, organics, sustainability, “home-grown” safe and fresh produce and other gardening based concerns.
ANNUAL THEMES
Literally thousands of seasonal plants are also demonstrated annually, providing the most obvious change in the Gardens’ appearance every year. They are selected based on themes determined by current trends and public and industry. For instance, the 2009 theme of “Ornamental Edibles” highlighted plants both decorative and edible and the 2010 theme of “Pretty & Practical” expanded on that focus with even more categories of plants both decorative and with utility. Newly released annuals & perennials plant trends are also highlighted.
ORIENTATION
A large sign with a permanent map is provided in the Orientation Garden near the entrance. You will find a self-service brochure station adjacent to the map with additional information including a self-guided tour and a guide to the annual theme. Interpretive chalk boards are also placed throughout the Gardens and moved regularly to highlight plants and areas of particular focus that week.
Many visitors enjoy a panoramic view of the gardens from the Terrace, sitting at the signature U.W. Memorial Union tables and chairs. The Gardens’ is also is a favorite site for weddings and other events. See the web site for specifics on garden rental.
F UNDING
The Gardens’ is funded primarily from private gifts with some augmentation through rentals. Maintenance, enhancements, education and projects are possible only through the generosity of those who consider the Gardens’ to be an asset to the region and community. A donation box next to the orientation map is available for visitors. Larger gifts earmarked for the Gardens’ are distributed through the University of Wisconsin Foundation, an independent, tax-exempt organization. Designated gardens and projects have been and continue to be underwritten by generous donors but there are many ways to invest. Donations and gifts of any size are welcome and appreciated by all who use the Gardens. All gifts to the UW Foundation are tax deductible; confer with the Foundation for specifics. Contact Jodi Wickham, University of Wisconsin Foundation, 608-263-2027.
STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
ACG is staffed by one full-time person, the garden director, and seasonal student interns. The Gardens provides valuable experience for college students who intend to find careers when they graduate. Dedicated volunteers provide much of the necessary skill, expertise and labor to run the Gardens; we welcome all regardless of abilities or time commitment. ACG volunteers enjoy camaraderie, classes and organized nursery & garden tours in addition to experience and satisfaction in assisting the Gardens.
VISITATION, PARKING AND TOURS
Allen Centennial Gardens is open from dawn to dusk 365 days a year. There is no admission fee. Donations are welcome and appreciated.
TOURS: See Tours & Group Visits page
Garden director, Edward Lyon, can be contacted by email at eslyon@wisc.edu (preferred) or by telephone at 608-576-2501.
