Chicago Botanic Garden

During a recent stay in Chicago I had a chance to visit this gem. It is a bit of a drive from downtown Chicago but well worth the trip. There are 2.5 million plants in the garden's acreage. We only had time to glimpse an itsy bitsy portion of all those plants. I will definitely have to go back again to see more.

The Victoria waterlily in the Heritage Garden is absolutely spectacular. The blooms only last 2 days but what a glorious show for 2 days!

One of my favorite plants...what's not to love about rudbeckia?

Are you like me and miss the fragrance of roses? So many of the new hybrids are beautiful but have no scent. There are rose species in the gardens that came from plants in the 1800's. The only downside to the beautiful roses is that even the pros have to do battle with Japanese beetles. I am lucky that they haven't migrated to my area of CO but that doesn't mean that they won't be here someday. They are very destructive to roses and such a nuisance.

And who wouldn't love to have a waterfall in their garden? 

The Japanese garden is exquisite. What masters the Japanese are at incorporating texture, shape and sound into a setting that is so serene and calming. And they do all this without the profusion of color. I could have spent hours here. 

The gardens are definitely worth checking out if you are in the Chicago area. The entry price is $20 per vehicle. Just be sure to allow plenty of time to leisurely explore all of the beauty on these grounds.