Botanical Garden of the
Ozarks: 4703 N. Crossover Road (Highway 265),
Fayetteville,
AR 72702 (479)750-2620.
- A unique destination in Northwest Arkansas that draws
80,000 visitors a year, The Botanical Garden fo the Ozarks is a collection of twelve themed gardens
and includes the region’s only butterfly house. The 40 acre site includes
twelve themed gardens, water features, sculpture, structures and a butterfly
house. The Klingaman Arboretum is being developed next to the Garden.
Blue Spring Heritage
Center Gardens: Scenic Highway 62 West (5 miles west of Eureka Springs), P O
Box 362,
Eureka Springs, AR 72632 (479) 253-9244.
- Located 5 miles west of the Victorian village of Eureka
Springs, this gorgeous botanical garden, surrounding a deep natural spring,
features 33 acres of lovely woodland, meadow, hillside and rock settings.
Compton Gardens: 312
N. Main Street,
Bentonville, AR 72712, (479) 254-3870.
- Compton Gardens showcases 6.5 acres of native woodland
plants, walking trails and prairie at the former home of Dr. Compton, a
noted physician, writer, photographer, founding member of the Ozark Society
and "savior of the Buffalo River".
Fort Smith Officer's
Wives Garden: Parker Avenue,
Fort
Smith, AR 72901 (479)783-3961
- The Fort Smith National Historic Site boasts a
National Award winning re-creation of a 1860's Officer's Wives Garden
showcasing 1860s plants and seeds along with 1860s gardening
techinques. Youth participants from Girls Incorprated ranging from age
5 to 14 work in the garden weekly while wearing the period dresses that
children would have wore during that time period. Gardens include
vegetables, flowers, herbs and a mini-orchard.
Garvan Woodland
Gardens: 550 Arkridge Road,
Hot Springs National
Park, AR 71913 (501)262-9300 or (800)366-4664).
- Verna Cook Garvan insisted that the woodlands, purchased
for its timber, not be cleared. Instead, she planted hundreds of rare shrubs
and trees, including camellias, magnolias and over 100 different kinds of
azaleas. The Border of Old Roses, a Japanese garden (with Japanese maples
and tree peonies), rock gardens, a conifer border, and perennials and bulbs,
enhance this remarkable setting. Visitors arrive aboard the Belle of Hot
Springs, a restored riverboat, across Lake Hamilton. The gardens are now
owned by the University of Arkansas.
Historic Arkansas Museum:
200 East Third Street,
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501)324-9351.
- Five historic structures including Arkansas' oldest
building, the Hinterleiter Grog Shop, make up this restoration of Arkansas
frontier days. Outside the Woodruff Printshop, a medicinal herb garden,
maintained by the Arkansas Chapter of the Herb Society of America, features
native and imported plants used by settlers and native Americans for
healing.
Little Rock Zoological
Garden: #1 Jonesboro Drive,
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501)666-2406.
- Lions and tigers and bear, oh my! Plus gorillas, rhinos, and
giraffes, and over 500 more wild and exotic species, all living in a 40 acre
park-like landscape.
Mountain
Valley Spring Water Company: 150 Central Avenue,
Hot
Springs National Park, AR 71901 (501)623-6671 or (800)643-1501.
- A beautifully restored historic building houses the water
company's headquarters in Hot Springs National Park. Hydroponic gardens
demonstrate the ability to grow plants in the company's natural spring water
without soil.
Ozark Folk Center State Park Gardens: 1032 Park Avenue,
Mountain View, AR 72560 870)269-3851.
-
Dedicated to preserving the Ozark heritage and sharing it in an entertaining way, this state park keeps the crafts, music
and herblore of the Ozarks alive. Gardens include the Heritage Herb Garden, a Kitchen Garden (used by the Skillet Restaurant),
native plants around a spring, waterfall and pond feature, the Folk Kids' Mountain Garden (showcasing classic children's
literature), a Dye and Fiber Garden (used by the textile artists), plus heirloom vegetables and fruit trees.
Essential oil plants and Mediterranean Herbs complete the story of the herbs important to the Ozarks.
Peel House Museum and
Historical Garden: 400 S. Walton Boulevard,
Bentonville,
AR 72712 (479)273-9664.
- The grounds of this 1875 Italianate Mansion are graced
with vignette gardens that serve as an outdoor museum of historic roses,
perennials and native plants.
South Arkansas Arboretum: 501 Timberlane (Mount Holly Road and Timberlane
(adjacent to El Dorado High School),
El Dorado, AR
71731-7010 (870)862-8131 x144.
- The South Arkansas Community College operates this 13
acre Arboretum which showcases plants indigenous to Arkansas's Gulf Coastal
Plain region and exotic species, including flowering azaleas and camellias.
State
Capitol Rose Garden: Arkansas State Capitol,
Little Rock,
AR 72201
- The lovely grounds of the capitol building contain two
rose gardens including an All-America Rose Selections accredited rose garden
and display over 1,500 rose bushes.