UW-MADISON. Essentially an outdoor learning facility, these gardens occupy 2½ acres surrounding a Victorian Gothic home on the UW-Madison campus. Although they were completed in 1989, the gardens convey the sense of much older landscaping. The site includes woodland and wetland gardens, boxwood parterres, rock gardens, and many more garden rooms and horticultural specimens. Along with the ornamental perennials, you'll also find annual beds and seasonal displays.

DOWNTOWN. Hugging Lake Monona in the midst of downtown Madison, this impressive structure was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1938, although it wasn't approved and completed until 1997. Even then, it wasn't without controversy, and although the exterior remained true to Wright's design, the interior was reworked by a Wright protege. These days, the sweeping structure is a study of circles, arcs, and framed vistas, and it bridges the space between the lake and the State Capitol. Rooftop gardens distinguish the building, which offers ample space for meetings, conventions, and special gatherings. Tours explore architecture and construction details and last approximately one hour.

Named for Michael Olbrich, a local attorney dedicated to the proliferation of parks and public lands in Madison, this park arose as a result of Olbrich's own personal and financial commitment. Over the years, land was reclaimed and developed until, today, the park boasts both outdoor venues and a dramatic glass conservatory filled with tropical specimens. Ten themed gardens define the outdoor space, including ones devoted to roses, hostas, wildflowers, herbs, and perennials. An authentic Thai pavilion adds a note of Asian beauty to the grounds.

UW-MADISON. Outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers relish this stretch of preserved land. Spread across more than 1200 acres, the arboretum features a variety of terrains, including prairies, savannas, hardwood forests, evergreen forests, marshes, and ponds. Many of them were restored to their natural status (as they would have been before European settlement); others are in the works. Additional attractions include planned gardens, Native American burial mounds, a visitors center and nature trails criss-crossing the acreage.