Western Kentucky Botanical Garden

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE WESTERN KENTUCKY BOTANICAL GARDEN

1993-present

In 1993 a Master Gardener’s class in Daviess County, Kentucky dreamed of creating a botanical garden. Pursing this dream Dr. and Mrs. William Tyler donated approximately 8.5 acres to the City of Owensboro for the start of the garden and the 501(c)(3) organization was born and named the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden. A few years later another acre was purchased to create a separate entrance to the Garden. (Would you like to see a pictorial history?)

Under the guidance of the Board of Directors and many local horticultural professionals and enthusiasts, The Garden is becoming a center for the growth and display of hundreds of outstanding plant selections as well as a beautiful location for social gatherings, weddings and receptions. Special events, educational tours and classes are provided for all ages and a new library reference center serves the community with information on plant life. The Garden demonstrates practical solutions to the gardening problems of our region.

Today, there are nine gardens already established in the Garden: The Children's, Rose, Daylily, Iris, Herb, Japanese, Fruit and Berry, Ericaceous and Ornamental Grass gardens. To learn more about each garden please reference the Walking Tour Guide, which describes each in detail.

A lovely gazebo has been built in the Garden with money donated in memory of a local cardiologist’s wife. Another doctor donated a house, which was moved ten miles across the city to be installed in the Garden. That house is now used as our Welcome Center, event and educational facility.

Educational programs have been developed for seniors, area schools and groups such as the Girl Scouts, Girls Inc., etc. Botanical, horticultural and environmental information in offered through our newsletter, library, special events and classes in conjunction with our plant sales and volunteer workdays.

An 1890s doctor’s office building was moved to The Garden in 2006 and is located in the Fruit and Berry Garden. This building is being preserved for displays to show the use of herbal medicines at the time the building was in use during the late 1890s and early 1900s.

In 2006 McIlwain & Associates, a Kentucky Landscape Architect firm, which has extensive background in designing gardens, developed a revised Master Plan for the Garden. This plan includes a conservatory for a butterfly garden and rotating programs and an amphitheatre. Plans are being made for the future gardens such as one for the developmentally disabled and a Kentucky native plant garden