Friends of the Wild Flower Garden  
For 60 years - Dedicated to Protecting, Preserving and Promoting
The interests of The Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary		  

About the Friends:
Our mission is to protect, preserve, and promote the interests of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary and to educate and inspire people of all ages in relating to the natural world. Membership is open to any interested person or organization that wishes to support the Garden.

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 Friends - 60 Years

Join the Friends
We invite you to join us by becoming a member of the Friends of the Wild Flower Garden, Inc. By becoming a member you will join a diverse group who have recognized the value of this small patch of land and wish to honor the vision of an extraordinary woman, Eloise Butler, who first sought to preserve it over a century ago.

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 Friends group

Garden Support
The work of the Friends is funded primarily via donations, gifts and memorials made to the Friends. Virtually all such funds received go toward fulfilling our stated purposes of advancing, promoting and safeguarding the interest of the garden. Our work has two components: Education and material projects. Donations are tax deductible.

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 Martha Crone Shelter

About the Garden
The Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary is a 15-acre native plant reserve. It is the oldest public wildflower garden in the United States. The Wildflower Garden is owned, operated, staffed and maintained by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Learn about Eloise Butler, the plant community, plant photos, Garden location, open dates and visiting hours.

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 Front Gate to Eloise Butler

Volunteer at Eloise Butler
Volunteer work at the Garden can be very rewarding as a time for contemplation of the surroundings and for a feeling of satisfaction from useful work accomplished.
Learn about becoming:
A Garden Shelter Volunteer
A Legacy Volunteer
An Invasive Plant Patrol Volunteer

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 Volunteers

Seasonal Photos
Follow the seasons at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden. Look at the flowering plants by season, individual plant information sheets, the landscape of the Garden, seasonal thumbnail sheets and historical photos of the Garden.

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 Oak on the central hill

Newsletter - The Fringed Gentian™
Published four times a year and available to members by mail or email. Eight pages of Friends activities, educational articles, President's column, Garden Curator's notes. Archive of past issues and articles on this site.

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 Newsletter graphic

Archive
Visit our web archive of:
Educational Articles
Garden History
Friends History
Newsletter columns
Past Newsletter issues

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 1935 cabin photo
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Friends Projects and Programs Historical Notes Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
Avery Birding Terrace Eloise Butler Upland Garden
1. 2011 Woodland Herbaceous Plants & Canopy/understory trees
2. Children's Transportation Grant
3. Cary George Wetland Project
4. Friend's Past Garden Projects		 Seasonal History - Winter of 1912, 1937, 1962, 1987, 2002 About Eloise Butler
Garden history
Most commonly seen plants
Seasonal thumbnails - spring
Seasonal scenes - winter
 
blank Historical Garden Plant

Eloise Butler's Words
“Not many days later a group of teachers were talking about violets. One asked another, “How many violets are native to Minnesota?” “I do not know,” was the reply. “Can you tell us Miss Butler?” “Seventeen,” I flashed, as one would answer to what is twice three, but immediately exclaimed, “Why did I say that? I haven’t the slightest idea of the number.” However, consulting two authorities, we found that the answer was confirmed.” from "Occult Experiences of a Wild Gardener"

A seasonal poem and reflection

The feathery outlines of the goldenrod
Bring to your mind its fullest Autumn glow, -
And still, thro’ all the darkness of the wood,
Is blown the filmy veil of drifting snow.

The pine-tree stands in somber silence now,
Forgetful of the life that stirred its veins
When liquid notes fell from the topmost bough,
And thrilled the air made soft by April rains!

Taken from "Woods in Winter", by Dora Read Goodale (1866 - 1915)

 Northern Green Orchid
"A walk in the frosty woods is an experience well worth trying. If you search you will find constantly new beauty and fresh surprises." Martha Crone, Garden Curator 1933-1959 Leafy Green Orchis
Platanthera aquilonis Sheviak
Minnesota native orchid. introduced by Martha Crone in 1933. No longer extant.
 

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This Site

 

President's Letter (pdf)

Garden Curator's Notes (pdf)

Plant information and plant photos are found in the Photo Gallery and in the Site Archive.

The Wild Gardener
Martha Hellander's
book on Eloise Butler

Wild Gardener Book

New Plant Information Sheets
Ironweed Chokecherry Black Chokeberry Black Cherry Burdock Prickly Ash Purple Giant Hyssop

Posting History

Links to other sites

Did you know graphicmonarchs

  
© 2012 Friends of the Wild Flower Garden, Inc., P. O. Box 3793, Minneapolis, MN 55403. www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org or www.friendsofeloisebutler.org. All articles and photos are the property of the Friends of the Wild Flower Garden Inc. unless noted otherwise. Pages on this site will view best at screen width resolutions of 900 pixels or higher.

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LAST SITE UPDATE 02/11/12