Because they are close by you could go there anytime, but you wait.
Mineral Point Road on the west side of Madison where city starts turning into the countryside you can find the modest University Display Gardens. Modest because it doesn't really call attention to itself. Which is too bad.
Just from my first visit I came away with an appreciation for what it offers. Over a couple of acres, it has a little of everything - apple trees, grapevines, hops, lots of flowers, and a variety of vegetables.
It has wildflowers and the annuals and perennials we plant in our garden spaces at home.
Late summer means the garden is beginning to take on the look of harvest. Ripe apples beckon on heavily encumbered trees. Shiny red tomatoes look ready for hamburgers. Pumpkins the size of small boulders seem prepared for early Halloween.
You can check it out with no admission charge. It's open from dawn to dusk. It's part of the UW Agriculture Research Station which grows field crops (corn, soybeans, small grains, and alfalfa) for research purposes and provide feed for the university's dairy barn on campus.
It's impressive for the number of different things to enjoy and the ease to walk around the display gardens to see them up close.The Gardens work with Commercial Flower Growers of Wisconsin to run trials on new flowers and offers classes for budding urban gardeners.
There's a lot more growing on than just producing something pretty to see.
But if your thumbs tend more to black than green it's still a great place for a walk.
There are signs posted in front of each group of plants so you don't have to make up names for your favorite flowers anymore.
As you can see, it's a great place for pictures. And I was treated to see several Monarch butterflies during my stroll through the gardens.
More on that tomorrow.
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