Itineraries for Groups

Sample Garden Tour Itinerary

DAY ONE: WEDNESDAY

Travel to Janesville, WI
5:00 pm – Catered Cookout at Traxler Park

7:00 pm – Rock Aqua Jays Ski Show
The Rock Aqua Jays are a nationally ranked ski team that performs on the Rock River every Wednesday and Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There is a special welcome for motorcoach groups. Cost: Free, with suggested donation.

DAY TWO: THURSDAY

10 am – Williams Tree Farm
Williams Tree Farm is a family-owned farm that produces Christmas trees for many area communities. During their summer tour, they take visitors on a hayride through the farm, explain the history, provide a demo on planting trees, and explain how the family can hear trees. Cost: $5/person.

11:30 am – Picnic Lunch at Beckman Mill
Beckman Mill is a serene location set within a beautiful prairie garden. During the Beckman Mill tour, visitors will see a restored 1868 grist mill, a fish passage, a covered foot bridge, and a restored cooperage.

12:15 pm – 1:30 pm – Beckman Mill Tour
During the Beckman Mill tour, visitors will see a restored 1868 grist mill, a fish passage, a covered foot bridge, and a restored cooperage. http://www.beckmanmill.org. Cost: $5/person.

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Anderson Japanese Garden – Rockford, IL
This is an authentic Japanese garden that offers guests a place of peace and tranquility. http://andersongardens.org Cost: $6/person.
5 pm – Dinner

7 pm – Relax at hotel

DAY THREE: FRIDAY

10 am - 10:30 am – K&W Greenery’s Greenhouse
K&W Greenery has been named one of the most revolutionary garden centers in America for the third year in a row. During this behind-the-scenes tour, you will learn about commercial growing, including drip irrigation systems, soil refilling machines, and their computerized fertilization systems. Cost: Free

10:30 am – 12:00 pm – Shop & Explore K&W Greenery or participate in an educational session
K&W Greenery can offer a number of educational sessions, based on the groups interests. In May and June, some popular education topics include caring for perennials, what’s new in the perennial family, etc.
12:30 pm – Lunch on Rotary Garden’s Outdoor Terrace

1:15 pm – 3 pm – Rotary Botanical Gardens’ Tour
Rotary Botanical Gardens, a 20-acre non-profit botanic garden, is home to many dramatic and themed gardens. Some have an international focus, such as the Japanese, Scottish, French Formal, Italian and English Cottage Gardens. Also included are less formally-structured gardens including one of very few Fern and Moss gardens recognized by the Hardy Fern Foundation in the United States, as well as Shade, Prairie and Woodland Gardens. Cost: $6/person.

3:30 pm – 5:30 pm – Relax at Hotel

6 pm – Dinner

7 pm – EnRoute Musical Entertainment
Right after dinner, enjoy musical entertainment by EnRoute. EnRoute is a musical group that performs sentimental classics, and humorous originals. Cost: $300.

DAY FOUR: SATURDAY

8:30 am – 11:00 am – Capital Square: Enjoy the WI Farmer’s Market
Drive to Madison and enjoy a Wisconsin summer classic – the outdoor Farmer’s Market on the Capital Square! Enjoy musical entertainment, taste delicious items from local vendors, and explore the State Capital grounds.

11:30 am – Lunch on State Street

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Longenecker Horticultural Gardens – UW Madison
This garden features an internationally recognized collection of trees, shrubs, and vines, and is a major resource for the study of landscape plants by educators, the public, and the nursery trade. The gardens hold major displays on lilacs, flowering crabapples, viburnums, conifers, and many other plant groups.

2:30 pm – 4:30 pm – Olbrich Gardens – Madison, WI
Stroll 16 acres of outdoor gardens featuring stunning landscapes and Midwest-hardy plants. Visit the tropics in the Bolz Conservatory, filled with exotic plants, flowers, orchids, birds, and a waterfall. Cost: Free.

5:30 pm – Dinner

7:30 pm – Return to Hotel in Janesville

DAY FIVE: SUNDAY
Depart for Home