Places to Visit

There are many places around Bellevue and around Nebraska to visit to learn more about native plants or native prairie and deciduous forest landscapes. We are able to use these areas for future visits and tours and you are welcome to explore them on your own!

Nature Associations

• Lauritzen Gardens (Parking lot plantings, Song of the Lark Meadow, Conservation Garden, and Woodland Trail, and Woodland Waterfall areas specifically)

• Neale Woods & Fontenelle Forest

Prairies and Parks

• Bellevue Cemetery entry hill and Green Burial site

• Griffith Prairie near Aurora, NE

• Bauermeister Prairie in West Omaha

• Ninemile Prairie near Lincoln

• Heron Haven in Omaha, NE

• Bellevue Public Library

• Spring Creek Prairie

• Haworth Park trail in Bellevue, NE

• Trailhead Rain Garden near 36th and Cornhusker in Bellevue, NE

• Everett Park (newly planted native bed located southwest of the bridge and cottonwood trees on the far south end near the tennis courts)

• Bellevue University native plantings behind R. Joe Dennis learning center

• Prairie Plains Institute sites
  • Gjerloff Prairie
  • Sherman Ranch
  • Lincoln Creek
  • Olson Nature Reserve
  • Ratzlaff Prairie
  • Guadalcanal
  • Pokorny Prairie

_{Gjerloff Prairie in Early Summer (Photos Courtesy of Stephanie Barelman)}

• The Butterfly Bistro Garden located inside Cryer Park in Omaha, NE near 114th and Center Streets: 3 large gardens comprised of about 2000 plants, 95% regional native, designed by the Arboretum in partnership with the Skylark Cryer Neighborhood association.

_{The Butterfly Bistro Garden (Photos Courtesy of Jane English)}

• The Omaha Bee Club Apiary inside of the Bohemian Cemetary: Two large teaching gardens with very visible plant labels. Up to about 65-70 regional native species on display, about 90% sourced from Midwest Natives, with plans for more. Supported by the Douglas/Sarpy Master Gardeners.

_{Bee Garden at the Bohemian Cemetary in Omaha (Photos Courtesy of Jane English)}

• UNL Pollinator Garden in Lincoln near 48th and Holdrege Streets

• The Backyard Farmer Garden on East campus at UNL. 3850 Center Street, Lincoln, NE 68603

• Wildflower Viewing Roadways (as recommended by the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum) Click here for Nebraska Department of Roads website
  • Highway 2 from Grand Island to Alliance
  • Highway 20 from Valentine to Chadron
  • Highway 83 from North Platte to McCook
  • Highway 83 from North Platte to Valentine
  • Highway 6 from Imperial to McCook
  • Highway 8 from Falls City to Fairbury
  • Highway 11 from Scotia through Burwell to Butte in Boyd County
  • Highway 61 from Ogallala to Merriman
  • Highway 71 from Gering to Crawford
  • Highway 12 from Ponca to Valentine
  • Highway 87 from Alliance to Hay Springs
  • Highway 29 from Mitchell to Harrison
  • Highway 92 from Oshkosh to Gering
  • Highway 34 from Benkelman to McCook
  • Highway 275 from Clearwater to O’Neill