As part of the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum strives to be a resource for horticultural and environmental information, a center for research and public education and a place to inspire and delight visitors with quality plants in well-designed and maintained displays, collections, model landscapes and conservation areas.

The Arboretum consists of 1,137 acres of unique public gardens, natural spaces and research areas. The Arboretum has 32 display and specialty gardens, 48 generic plant collections, 5,000 species of plants, and 8 native and restored environments. Innovative natural science and horticultural education programs are offered for individuals of all ages. The Arboretum serves a broad audience throughout the year, with more than 320,000 visitors and over 21,000 members last year.

MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM GOALS

• To educate a broad spectrum of the public about plants and the environment, through a wide variety of programs for all ages, along with interpretive displays and replicable models.

• To develop and deliver innovative, interactive programming that immerses children and active learners of all ages in direct experiences with nature and helps them understand the essential role of plants in sustaining our lives, and the role we all play in preserving and improving the quality of the environment.

• To conduct coordinated research programs that deal with the acquisition, evaluation, breeding, culture, physiology, and use of plants in northern climates and urban landscapes.

• To inspire visitors with beautiful, accessible gardens and display areas that offer respite and renewal.

• To promote public understanding of issues related to the urban ecosystem through dissemination of information about the urban environment and how it is affected by human interactions with it.

GARDENS AND COLLECTIONS

Beautiful display and specialty gardens delight visitors and offer many replicable ideas for home landscapes. Specialty gardens include the Bailey Shrub Walk, the hosta glade, the shrub rose garden, the ornamental grass collection, the Japanese garden, and a wildflower garden. In the parking area, a rain garden is designed to allow rain water to collect in areas planted with hardy perennials and native plants and then slowly seep into the soil. This helps recharge groundwater supplies, maintains the base flow of streams, filters out pollutants and prevents erosion.

The Arboretum has preserved and restored several native environments including maple and basswood forests, prairie, woodland, sedge meadow, wetland, tamarack bog, and oak savanna. Visitors can enjoy the gardens and grounds via a three-mile drive, docent led walking tours, a narrated tram tour, or along accessible pedestrian pathways. Seven miles of nature trails are open year-round for hiking and cross-country skiing.