Friends of the Wild Flower Garden Inc

Our purpose is to protect, preserve, and promote the interests of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary.

The Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary, the oldest public wildflower garden in the United States, is a part of the Minneapolis Parks System and is owned and managed by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. The Garden, located within the boundaries of Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a 15 acre site maintained as a naturalistic setting of woodland, wetland, oak savanna and prairie environments, with encircling unimproved pathways and a staffed rustic shelter where educational materials and guidebooks can be found.

The work of the Friends of the Wild Flower Garden is funded primarily via donations, gifts and memorials made to the Friends. Virtually all such funds received go toward fulfilling our stated purposes of advancing, promoting and safeguarding the interest of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. Our work has two components: Education and material projects.

Some of our educational endeavors have involved funding for the Garden Guidebook, for resource material and the donation of books to the Garden Library. An ongoing undertaking is the Student Transportation Grant Program in which The Friends provide transportation funds to bring school age children to the Garden for an educational experience.

Garden projects, such as refurbishment, special or general plantings, major repair and special programs have been funded by the Friends. The Garden visitors center was funded and constructed by The Friends and donated to the Park Board.  The  boardwalk in the wetland was 50% funded by The Friends. Our use of these funds for projects is in cooperation with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board and approved by the Park Board and the Garden Curator.