I think Cincinnati has a botanical garden. I think it's close to the zoo. The zoo itself is extremely nice botanically.

Janet

Yeah I found that one doing a search. Since it is connected with the zoo I am wondering if it is a true *botanical garden* worth making the visit or just a picnic area with flowers. Their website says that their "botanical garden" is not separate from the children's zoo, but mixed in. Sometimes places over exaggerate their gardens. I am scratching my head on what their proclaimed *Dinosaur Garden* is. I don't want to waste a day looking at Stella D'Oro along walkways and Peonies in pots. I am wondering if anyone has made the visit and found it worthwhile?

I am looking for something similar to Old World Wisconsin in Eagle, WI where they have rare heirloom plants in natural settings and a plant store where some can be purchsed. I love that place for purchasing heirlooms.

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/oww/gardens.asp

Any professional educational, botanical gardens are sought.

I am also looking for anything along the way between Chicago and Cincy, not just Cincinnati area. I am not flying there. We will be driving. So the chance to stop along the way to visit unique gardens would be great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Old World Wisconsin Botanical Gardens

not really a botanic garden, but more of an arboretum - Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati. Some state and national champion trees - the place has been in existence for a while - and their mausoleum features 12 or 16 different stained glass window rooms that portray biblical horticultural verses.

I've never been but it has been reported the Indianapolis Museum of Art has noteworthy gardens.

Arrgh wrote a bunch and accidentally closed the window....

Anyhow, I will try again. I think think the Cincinnati Zoo has fabulous gardens. I was just there on Tuesday and they looked great. Now, it depends what you want. They do a lot of plantings intermixed with all the animal exhibits. They have tons of specimen trees, exotics, annuals, and bamboo. Not everything is labeled though. They have a strong horticultural program that includes an ark to save endangered plant cultures. I would call them and see if you can arrange a tour. You might get more out of it that way.

Columbus is a bit out of the way and to be honest I have not been to their gardens, but I have heard rave review of the Franklin Conservatory. http://www.fpconservatory.org/

There is Rowe Arboretum in Indian Hills, a suburb of Cincinnati.http://www.ci.indian-hill.oh.us/departments/rowe.html. If you like evergreens, this is the place to go.

Krohn Conservatory is also in Cincinnati.http://www.ci.cincinnati.oh.us/cityparks/pages/-3452-/. I haven't been there in years so you will have to judge by the website.

I am in Dayton and we have Cox Arboretum and Wegerzyn. Wegerzyn just installed a ten million dollar children's garden that is worth a look. It is small but a gem. A lot of it is annuals though so, it depends when you plan on visiting. www.metroparks.org

As to art, you might want to check out Pyramid hills. It is a little bit from Cincinnati in Hamilton. It is a sculpture park. Because of where it is it gets overlooked.
http://www.pyramidhill.org/aboutthepark.php?pid=1

If you are into military planes and the like, the National Airforce Museum is in Dayton. If you are into that kind of thing, definately stop there. There is nothing in the world like it. Including all past Airforce One planes...

Hope that helps.

Thanks to everybody for the suggestions! Keep 'em coming please. I've been checking out the websites and saved them so I can keep checking for updates of events.

Not sure how you're driving. But, if it's not out of your way, I heartily recommend Kingwood Center in Mansfield OH. It's a home and gardens, owned and maintained by a private foundation.
Mansfield is north of Columbus, about an hour away. Here's a link to their website: http://www.kingwoodcenter.org

Thanks. I'll try to add that to the trip.

Bud - if you come to Dayton, OH, I really recommend visiting Aullwood Gardens Metropark - it's listed in www.metroparks.org but there's no justice listed there as to what you'll find. Read the history and it remains pretty much as it was when it was the home of Marie Aull. A small place along the Stillwater River so it won't take long to see it all. Try going there during the week when Sheree the park horticulturist is normally there and tell her Marshall sent you - we're good friends.

bud, if you are going to make it to kingswood in mansfield you might as well hit the gardens in columbus mentions, asd well as Dawes Arboreteum in the newark area, and secrest arboreteum in wooster and if you re that far north its only a hop and a skip to the cleveland botanical gardens as well as holden arboreteum in kirkland, from mansfiled you could also take in phillips conservatory in pittsburg in another hour or 2 of driving
diggerb

There is an art museum near the Krohn's Conservatory in Cincinnati.
http://www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org/

Down in Cin. there is the Union Terminal which has a natural history museum and an IMAX.
http://www.cincymuseum.org/

I have been to the indoor part of Krohn's when they have the butterfly show in the spring. It is pretty cool.

And in Newport Ky (a short distance away) there is an aquarium.
http://www.newportaquarium.com/

Have you checked out the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. off interstate 88? I used to get great ideas. They have a hedge area where you can see different plantings in hedge form. And, an herb garden, roses etc. and lots of varieties of trees. Or, the Chicago Botanical Garden off 94 or 294 in north Chicago suburbs?

All worthwhile in any season.

So I wonder - "where did Bud visit?"

Wouldn't it be nice to hear back from folks after they request information such as Bud did?