Lauritzen Gardens – Keenefick Park
Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha’s botanical garden, is a community asset like no other. A living museum of four-season plant displays, it is maintained to the highest standards of environmental stewardship and offers meaningful educational and aesthetic experiences for all.
A portion of the garden will be temporarily closed beginning in October 2012 due to sewer separation work as part of the Martha Street Sewer Separation Phase I project. During this time, the Visitor and Education Center will be open and all educational programs, seasonal plant shows, the gift shop, cafe and horticultural library will remain fully operational. Click here for more info.
English Perennial Garden
A favorite among visitors, the English Perennial Garden opened in 2006. This casual garden features perennial flowers and shrubs. The design of the perimeter borders changes seasonally.
Lauritzen Gardens is a great place to explore seven regional plant communities including prairie, savannah, oak hickory forest, maple linden forest, farmstead windbreak, marsh and flood plain river margin.
This 4-acre arboretum is a great way to get to know Nebraska’s natural habitats. The arboretum includes a Japanese Garden, fern grotto, rose garden, herb garden, model railroad garden and children’s garden.
The garden is one of the highlights of a visit to Omaha’s botanical center. The outdoor gardens are beautifully arranged in themed sections and have ever-changing exhibits that add to the beauty of this 100-acre property.
Festival Garden
The Festival Garden is a large lawn site designated for celebrations and events located near the entrance. It features colorful annual plantings and open lawn expanses.
The Rose Garden, Spring Flowering Walk, Tree Peony Garden and extensive Children’s Garden are other notable areas at this Omaha botanical garden.
The garden also has a model railroad garden where you can travel through dozens of miniature replicas of Omaha’s landmarks. The structures are handcrafted from natural materials such as leaves, bark, pine cones, gourds and cinnamon sticks. Here is another spot to visit.
Arboretum
The Arboretum at Lauritzen Gardens/Kenefick Park Omaha NE is a wonderful place to spend the day. It’s a place to see year-round plants, take educational tours and enjoy the scenery.
The four-acre arboretum includes seven regional plant communities demonstrating how different plants thrive in Nebraska’s environment. It also teaches visitors how to attract and identify Midwestern birds.
This area features several wildflowers including black-eyed Susans, prairie grasses, dwarf red plains coreopsis, lemon mint, yarrow and blanket flower. The garden also contains a stainless steel sundial accurately providing central standard and daylight-saving time.
Another area resembles a Southern garden with moss-covered oak trees, blooming azaleas, crepe myrtle, and pine needle mulch. It’s the home of a mum show in the fall and has brick pathways and a courtyard feel.
Children’s Garden
Located on a bluff just west of the Missouri River, Lauritzen Gardens/Kenefick Park is a 100-acre natural escape. It offers exhibits that change with the seasons, a cafe and gift shop.
Reviewers said that the garden’s 20 themed gardens are an exciting way to experience nature and learn about botanical history. In addition to the gardens, visitors can take a tram ride or explore the conservatory and model railroad garden.
This 100-acre garden paradise features themed gardens that showcase Japanese flowers, Victorian landscaping and model trains. A must-visit for families, the gardens also have a cafe and gift shop.
Gift Shop
The Gift Shop at Lauritzen Gardens/Kenefick Park is a great place to shop for gifts and home decor. It has a wide selection of items that will suit everyone’s tastes.
The 2,000-square-foot shop features garden-inspired gifts, tools, books and more. Members can save 10% off purchases in the shop with a membership card.
There are a variety of themed areas within the gardens, so be sure to spend some time exploring each one.
Another must-see attraction is the Model Train Garden, which runs G-scale trains along four rail lines during warm weather months (May through September). Volunteers are often retired Union Pacific employees and train fanatics who love sharing their stories with visitors. Next article.
Driving directions from American Arborist to Lauritzen Gardens/Kenefick Park
Driving directions from Lauritzen Gardens/Kenefick Park to Fun-Plex Waterpark & Rides
