The Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary opened for its 116th season in April. This sanctuary is the oldest public wildflower garden in the nation.
Located on 15 acres within Theodore Wirth Regional Park, its legacy dates back to 1907, when Minneapolis botanist Eloise Butler and botany teachers successfully petitioned the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) to create a natural botanic garden to preserve native flora as the city grew. Three acres of bog, meadow and hillside were properly fenced and the Wild Botanic Garden opened April 27, 1907.
Dates and times open this season: April 18-October 15 on Tuesday-Sunday 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and Thursdays open until 8 p.m. Closed Mondays. Weekends only from October 21-22, 28-29.
Join garden staff for Early Birders, “What’s in Bloom” Garden Tours and more for all ages! These programs are free, no registration necessary.
Garden Walks, Tuesday-Sunday, 11-11:45 a.m. Join a Garden Naturalist any day the Garden is open for a tour to learn about seasonal plants in bloom.
Early Birders (May-August), Saturdays, 7:30-9 a.m. Meet at the EBWG Parking Lot ($1.50/hour fee to park). Learn to identify birds by sound and sight as you walk through Theodore Wirth Regional Park with a garden naturalist.
Find info at the Garden: 1 Theodore Wirth Parkway; 612-370-4903; ebwg@minneapolisparks.org; minneapolisparks.org/ebwg; and on Facebook and Instagram.