Demonstration Gardens
Our Extension Master Gardener Volunteers plant and maintain several demonstration gardens on our grounds and elsewhere. All of the gardens on our grounds are free to visit at any time during daylight hours. We endeavor to keep all of our plants labeled so that you can identify plants that you want to try at home.
Sedgwick County Extension Arboretum
The entire grounds are considered a part of the Sedgwick County Extension Arboretum. The arboretum features several different gardens and over 300 different trees. The trees planted on the grounds are either ones that are known to do well in our area or that we have planted on a trial basis to see how they do in our area. Most of the trees are planted and maintained with minimal water.
Demonstration Garden
The Demonstration Garden is located on the west side of our building. It is home to our vegetable and herb gardens, the Outdoor Learning Center, and the compost demonstration area. Many of the containers and nearby beds are planted to Prairie Star annual flower trials.
Shade Garden
The shade garden is attached to the Demonstration Garden and features shade loving annuals and perennials.
Great Plants of the Great Plains Garden
The Great Plants garden is on the hill across the parking lot from the Demonstration Garden. This garden features plants from the Nebraska Arboretum's Great Plants of the Great Plains program. These are prairie plants with landscape value or other plants that can thrive in a prairie ecosystem that are maintained with minimal water.
Cactus Garden
The cactus garden is near the Ridge Road entrance. There are a variety of winter hardy cacti and succulents in this garden.
Landscape Rose Garden
This garden is at the back of the gravel parking lot, surrounded by beautiful, vertical, 'Taylor' Junipers. The garden features a variety of low maintenance shrub roses, including EarthKind Roses, Griffith Buck roses, and others. These roses are given minimal water and pruning.
Modern Rose Garden
This rose garden is near the 4-H Hall entrance on the Ridge Road side of our building. This garden includes hybrid teas, floribundas, and other modern roses that do well in our area. These roses are watered, fertilized, pruned, and sprayed for disease regularly.
Miniature Rose Garden
This garden is across the sidewalk from the Modern Roses, near 4-H Hall. This garden features a selection of miniature roses that do well in Kansas.
Daylily Garden
This garden is on the corner of the property, facing the 21st St. and Ridge Rd. intersection. The daylilies were planted in partnership with the Daylily Society. There are over 30 varieties of daylilies.
Entrance Gardens
The gardens at each of the entrances feature a selection of spectacular annuals that excel in full sun and hot conditions.
Hosta Garden
This garden is near the 4-H Hall entrance on the 21st St. side of the building. Each of the hostas were named Hosta of the Year in the past.
Other Collections
Throughout the arboretum there are numerous ornamental grasses and shrubs that are of interest. The largest shrub collection is the viburnum collection.
Historic Herb Garden at Cowtown
The Master Gardeners plant and maintain the herb garden at Cowtown. This garden features herbs that were of culinary and medicinal use in Kansas during the 1800s.
