What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 4pm Tuesday 9am - 4pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 9am - 4pm Friday 9am - 4pm Saturday 9am - 4pm Sunday 9am - 4pm

Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden

Name: Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden
Address: 2715 S Main Street, Rockford, IL, 61102, US
Telephone: (815) 965-8146
Price range: $
Rating: 4.6

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Rockford, IL
Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden

For those not familiar with Klehm, here’s a little more about us… Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden is Winnebago County’s largest public garden. Bypass 20.
(187)

Explore every season in the Heart of the Arboretum District: majestic colors of fall, blooming crabapples in spring, butterfly gardens in summer, and snow-covered evergreens in winter. Our property began as a tree nursery when Landscape Architect, William Lincoln Taylor opened the Rockford Nursery in the early 1920’s. Many of the rare trees in our arboretum are a result of his experimental plantin

gs. Taylor continued running the Rockford Nursery with the help of his family until 1968 when he sold the business to Carl and Roy Klehm. The Klehm family owned the business until Carl Klehm passed away in the early 1980’s. Carl’s family had been inspired by a visit to Severson Dells and decided to donate the land to the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District (WCFPD) in 1985 on the condition that it become an arboretum. With the help of volunteers and organizations, originally operating as Northern Illinois Botanical Society, Klehm Arboretum grew into the special place it is today. Visitors can still see evidence of the property’s history especially on the West Loop where visitors often stop to marvel at a row of large European Larch. Klehm continues to operate in partnership with the WCFPD. The 1990’s saw the addition of the paved paths comprising the East and West Loop, many gardens like the Nancy Olson Children’s Garden and our Visitors Center and the Clarcor Pavilion. With almost three decades to grow, our property has become an essential part of the community and a popular tourist destination. Many people don’t realize we are conveniently located only a few minutes south of downtown Rockford and north of U.S. Our grounds include 155 acres of gardens and woodland paths. It’s important to us that everyone can enjoy a connection to nature on our property. We ensure that our grounds are accessible by being ADA compliant and make a point of telling visitors that we are very dog friendly and encourage owners to bring their pets for a walk. With two miles of paved paths and two and half miles of unpaved trails, we’re a great place for healthy fun. To maintain a living museum for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of all people. Education is important to us. As a place to learn, Klehm offers a variety of educational opportunities for people of all ages from nature-themed Family Fun Days to Botanical Lectures, group tours for schools and adults as well as a full schedule of activities and programs based around gardening and creatively engaging with the natural world, throughout the year. As an arboretum, Klehm is Rockford’s living museum with over 300 species of trees and shrubs and an additional 200 cultivars enhancing diversity of the many collections. As a botanical garden, Klehm is home to many specialty gardens, like the daylily garden, butterfly, fountain, rhododendron, wildflower and hosta garden, styled in formal or casual elegance. Additionally, we choose to support our local food pantries with a Plant-a-Row garden. Mission Statement: To maintain a living museum for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of all people.

11/17/2024

Morning! We are open today from 9AM - 4PM if you'd like to take a Sunday stroll 😊

11/16/2024

Have a fantastic weekend! 🍁🍂🍁🍂

11/15/2024

Release yourself to the forest on this, the longest night of the year.
There will be no sunlight to guide your journey.
There will be no moonlight to show you the way.
But you will have your senses and the light of your spirit.
Let the night envelop you and teach you
that you can be the light to dispel the darkness.

This is a slow, silent, guided contemplation walk through the forest. Please join us!

For more info and to register, please go to: https://klehm.org/solstice-tranquility-walk/

11/14/2024

Join us for donuts, coffee and a year in review! With a new calendar ready to be hung and a full year ahead, join Executive Director Alex Mills for an informal year-in-review presentation and Q&A session lasting approximately 45 minutes on what will hopefully be a bright and sunny Saturday morning - we hope to see you!

Program registration is requested in order for us to obtain the right number of donuts and coffee (waste not, want not) and the modest registration fee is simply to help offset the cost of these goodies: https://www.simpletix.com/e/donuts-coffee-and-a-year-in-review-tickets-193556

11/13/2024

If we live in a circle of gratitude, where sometimes we receive, and other times we give, then Thanksgiving is not a day, but rather, is a lifestyle. Join us Saturday, November 30th, to give special focus to the many gifts that nature offers. Gifts that are given freely. But gifts require care and nurturing if they are to be enjoyed for years to come. Stroll through the night forest using your heightened senses to find the gifts that await, and make them your own.

For more information and to register, please visit: https://klehm.org/gratitude-tranquility-walk-2/

11/12/2024

Thank you to all the Veterans who served our country bravely and proudly. Your service and sacrifice is appreciated not only on Veteran's Day, but every day!

11/06/2024

Happy rainy Tuesday! We have some fun fall items in the gift shop, including the ultimate rakes from The Little Black Rake which will make your autumn raking so much easier and even enjoyable! Stop in when the rain passes - we'll be happy to see you! 🍂🍁🌧🌧

11/02/2024

Don't forget...we all get an extra hour of sleep tonight!

11/01/2024

Can you believe it's already November?! Happy leaf-falling month! 🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

10/31/2024

Happy Halloween! Come and join us for the FINAL night of Eerie Autumn Lights! Whether it's an alternative to Trick or Treating or you need to let the kids burn off their sugar rush afterwards, come in costume and enjoy the rest of the evening in the glow of autumn 👻🦇🎃🦇👻🎃

Tickets are on sale online at: https://klehm.org/eerie-autumn-lights/
Adults/$12 and Youth/$6 (12 and under)

A huge thank you to our presenting sponsor Tree Care Enterprises and our partner sponsors: Enjoy Illinois , John and Anita Richards, Brubaker Charitable Trust, Project First Rate, and Joel Zirkle & Christina Valdez. Our media sponsors are 13 WREX and Northwest Quarterly Magazine (Old Northwest Territory Edition). We are so incredibly thankful for your support of this event!

10/30/2024

It's a beautiful, breezy day at Klehm! Come on out for a mid-week walk...we're open from 9AM - 4PM 🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

10/29/2024

Happy National Cat Day! We hope you can take a moment to appreciate a fuzzy feline in your life today 🥰🐈‍

This guy is hoping to have more visitors tonight at Eerie Autumn Lights! We are open every night until Halloween...get your tickets here: https://klehm.org/eerie-autumn-lights/

Adults/$12 and Youth/$6 (12 and under)

A huge thank you to our presenting sponsor Care Enterprises and our partner sponsors: Illinois, John and Anita Richards, Brubaker Charitable Trust, Project First Rate, Bank of Rockford and Joel Zirkle & Christina Valdez. Our media sponsors are 13 WREX and Quarterly Magazine (Old Northwest Territory Edition). We are so incredibly thankful for your support of this event!

10/28/2024

Happy Spooky Monday, everyone! To celebrate the week of Halloween, Eerie Autumn Lights will be going on tonight, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings! If you haven't had a chance to experience the fun, be sure to get your tickets and come on out!

Adults/$12 and Youth/$6 (12 and under)
Tickets are on sale online at: https://klehm.org/eerie-a

A huge thank you to our presenting sponsor Tree Care Enterprises and our partner sponsors: Enjoy Illinois, John and Anita Richards, Brubaker Charitable Trust, Project First Rate, Northwest Bank of Rockford and Joel Zirkle & Christina Valdez. Our media sponsors are 13 WREX and Northwest Quarterly Magazine (Old Northwest Territory Edition). We are so incredibly thankful for your support of this event!

10/25/2024

When you come to Eerie Autumn Lights this weekend, don't forget to stop at our Ghostly Market, stocked with fun vintage Halloween items, t-shirts (including a design from Rockford Art Deli) hoodies, and season themed children's books! There's a little something for everyone!

Adults/$12 and Youth/$6 (12 and under)
Tickets are on sale online at: https://klehm.org/eerie-autumn-lights/

Address

2715 S Main Street
Rockford, IL
61102

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm
Saturday	9am - 4pm
Sunday	9am - 4pm

Telephone

(815) 965-8146

Website

http://www.klehm.org/

Alerts

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Videos

Catch Eerie Autumn Lights before it vanishes! 👻 Now nightly through October 31st - tickets are online-only at Klehm.org! 🦇

Little ones need to get to bed early? 🎃 Don't worry, there's still tons of fun at Eerie Autumn Lights! 👻 Check out the action beginning at 5PM each night and get your tickets at Klehm.org!

Come see what all the spooky fun is about at Eerie Autumn Lights at Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden - tickets are online-only at Klehm.org!

Yacht-Rockettes at Klehm!

A favorite moment from last night...⚓️❤🎉🎉🎶

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

Spring cleaning at Klehm...so satisfying! Thank you Forest Preserves of Winnebago County!

Spring Cleaning continues...so satisfying! Thank you Forest Preserves of Winnebago County!

Happy Holidays!

From all of us at Klehm, we sincerely hope you have a most special day! 🎄 #happyholidays #klehmarboretum #gorockford #enjoyillinois

Enjoy the evening!

Beautiful Day!

It was a beautifal day on the paths today 🌞

Thank you!

Yesterday, our goal was 100% met! From the staff, the Board and volunteers at Klehm, thank you to all of our donors who have made our goal a reality. We are all tremendously excited and grateful for your support!!

Just two weeks ago, before all of beautiful leaves fell...we miss them already! #underthecanopy #fallleaves #klehmarboretum #gorockford #enjoyillinois

Come and see the cutest conifers around in our Dwarf Conifer Garden!

Come and see the cutest conifers in town! #dwarfconifergarden #klehmarboretum

Come on out for some FUN today from 10am-2pm!

There are more details for Family Fun Day at: https://klehm.org/1367-2/

Autumn at the Arboretum is here! Today starts free admission for the whole weekend! Come on out and celebrate with us! 🍂🎃🍁🥳 For more details for the weekend go to: https://klehm.org/1367-2/

Shortcuts

Our Story

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden is Winnebago County’s largest public garden. Our property began as a tree nursery when Landscape Architect, William Lincoln Taylor opened the Rockford Nursery in the early 1920’s. Many of the rare trees in our arboretum are a result of his experimental plantings. Taylor continued running the Rockford Nursery with the help of his family until 1968 when he sold the business to Carl and Roy Klehm. The Klehm family owned the business until Carl Klehm passed away in the early 1980’s. Carl’s family had been inspired by a visit to Severson Dells and decided to donate the land to the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District (WCFPD) in 1985 on the condition that it become an arboretum. With the help of volunteers and organizations, originally operating as Northern Illinois Botanical Society, Klehm Arboretum grew into the special place it is today. Visitors can still see evidence of the property’s history especially on the West Loop where visitors often stop to marvel at a row of large European Larch.

Klehm continues to operate in partnership with the WCFPD. The 1990’s saw the addition of the paved paths comprising the East and West Loop, many gardens like the Nancy Olson Children’s Garden and our Visitors Center and the Clarcor Pavilion. With almost three decades to grow, our property has become an essential part of the community and a popular tourist destination.

We are conveniently located only a few minutes south of downtown Rockford and north of U.S. Bypass 20. Our grounds include 155 acres of gardens and woodland paths. It’s important to us that everyone can enjoy a connection to nature on our property. We ensure that our grounds are accessible by being ADA compliant and make a point of telling visitors that we are very dog friendly and encourage owners to bring their pets for a walk. With two miles of paved paths and two and half miles of unpaved trails, we’re a great place for healthy fun.

As a place to learn, Klehm offers a variety of educational opportunities for people of all ages year round, including group tours for schools and adults as well as a full schedule of activities and programs based around gardening and creatively engaging with the natural world. Klehm also prides itself on being an area of natural play, specifically in the Nancy Olson Children’s Garden with its newly renovated Kid’s Creek and splash pad play area.