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To discover, observe and enjoy the wonders of our environment…For more than 25 years, the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden has grown to serve Owensboro, Daviess County, the tri-state region and Western Kentucky as the only dedicated botanical garden in the area. With an outstanding collection of plants, educational programming for youth and adults, entertaining events and meeting locations for all occasions, The Garden provides essential “quality of life” benefits to our community, and is an important tourism driver for the economy.
The Pathway to Growth Capital Campaign reflects the opportunity for our community to create a center of excellence right here in our own backyard. Success means leaving a mark for future generations to enjoy and learn from our great teacher, Mother Nature. We invite you to read more about our plans to expand our facilities and gardens to create sustainability for the Botanical Garden on our pathway to growth! Thank you for taking the time to help us explore this unique opportunity.
-Sara Williams, Board Chair |
Please view this short message from our Campaign Team...learn about the vital role we play in the community and why The Garden needs your support today! Just click the play button at left.
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The Pathway to Growth Capital Campaign will fund a dedicated Welcome Center at the WeatherBerry, a multi-purpose Pavilion, and expansion of the gardens themselves. These projects will allow more people to utilize The Garden for educational purposes and enjoyment of life celebrations, while providing financial sustainability for The Garden into the future.
The projected cost of the Pathway to Growth is $2.8 million. This will allow the project to be completed in three phases over a five year time period. The funds needed for this plan will be secured through private and business donations from the community and from foundations through grant support.
The projected cost of the Pathway to Growth is $2.8 million. This will allow the project to be completed in three phases over a five year time period. The funds needed for this plan will be secured through private and business donations from the community and from foundations through grant support.
Phase 1: WeatherBerry Welcome Center
$800,000
Purchase, modify, and maintain WeatherBerry as a new, innovative Welcome Center.
- Restore and maintain the building
- Renovate (with ADA compliance) to serve as Welcome Center
- Construct a new parking lot
- Expand and improve existing road structures to meet the requirements of Planning
and Zoning - Build new and integrate existing pathways
Phase 2: Garden Expansion
$900,000
Hire a landscape designer to plan and implement the expansion and integration of new gardens, utilizing a design focused on the way people use The Garden. Create green spaces that promote interaction, including visitor features across the new eight acres of land, in addition to reserves for ongoing maintenance.
- Landscape designer
- New plants, propagules, & cultivars
- New land and hardscaping
- Reserves for maintenance & upkeep
Phase 3: The Pavilion
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Click here to take a 3-D journey through the design of our new Pavilion Event Space.
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Help us Build our Pathway with a Named Gift
We have multiple naming opportunities in the Pathway to Growth Campaign, including the Pavilion itself, and several rooms in the Weatherberry Welcome Center and in the gardens. Click below to see all the details.
Opportunities in WeatherBerry
Opportunity |
Donation |
Great Room |
$200,000.00 |
Front Porch |
$100,000.00 |
Grand Hallway |
$75,000.00 |
Back Porch (Has already been named! Thank you!) |
$50,000.00 |
Conference Room |
$25,000.00 |
Front Porch Rocking Chair (Only 4 remain!) |
$5,000.00 |
The Weatherberry front porch. You can view the rest of Weatherberry and read about our plans in the Owensboro Living article linked to this photo.
Opportunities in our Gardens
Opportunity |
Donation |
Landscaped Area |
$ 50,000.00 |
Bench placed in The Garden |
$5,000.00 |
Capital Campaign Pathway Brick (see below) |
$250.00 |
Fundraiser Brick (click here)
You can include up to two lines of text to honor someone you love, recognize your business, commemorate an anniversary or other special event, or simply to include your name in our beautiful space. A brick pathway will be created especially for use of the fundraiser bricks adjacent to the newly installed butterfly sculpture.
Name the Pavilion
$500,000.00
Click here to take a 3-D journey through the design of our new Pavilion Event Space.
The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden was built on a vision for community engagement.
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In the beginning, the Daviess County Extension Master Gardener program realized the need for a botanical
garden to enhance horticultural knowledge and enjoyment in our community. Eight acres of land were donated by Dr. Bill & Susie Tyler, a governing organization was established, a master plan was developed, and the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden was off and growing. The start came in a completely barren, flat, former tobacco and soybean field. Initial funding came from small fundraising events and donations. The philosophy of “if you build it, they will follow” guided The Garden, and the results proved this thought to be true. |
With the guidance of a dedicated group of community visionaries, the progress of the Botanical Garden has been remarkable. Highlights include:
- Development of 13 themed gardens, including diverse plant collections featuring more than 800 different varieties of daylilies, a collection of redbud and Ginkgo trees, and a large collection of herbs and roses.
- Youth and Education – Education is a cornerstone of The Garden’s mission. Our programming is tailored for elementary-aged children, summer camps, and preschool groups. A partnership with the Daviess County Public Library provides quality programming for preschool and elementary-aged children. Adult programs are coordinated with guest speakers representing Green River Area Master Gardener Association, Joe Ford Nature Center, and the Herb Society.
- Alternative Energy – The SmartFlower in The Garden is the second site in Kentucky and one of the few in the United States, and uses a creative means of harnessing solar energy for use on the property and for educational purposes.
- Dazzling Daylily Festival - A week-long celebration with various fun and educational events. This is a signature event for the botanical garden, and has been recognized as one of the 20 Best Festivals in the Southeast.
- A dramatic increase in both visitors and memberships since early 2020 - People see The Garden as a safe, healthy space for community engagement.
Boys & Girls Club visit: Summer of 2022.