Lyndale Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lyndale Park |
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Heffelfinger fountain
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Area | 61 acres (25 ha) |
| Created | 1907 |
Lyndale Park is a beautiful city park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It sits on the northeast side of Lake Harriet. The park is also close to Lakewood Cemetery and Bde Maka Ska.
Lyndale Park is part of a huge green area called the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway. This byway is a big loop of parks and parkways that circles through Minneapolis. It's like a green necklace around the city!
The park is part of the "Chain of Lakes" district, which is one of seven special areas within the Grand Rounds. The whole park system is managed by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. It's designed so that most homes in Minneapolis are close to a green space.
Lyndale Park covers about 61 acres (250,000 m2). It's famous for its four amazing gardens: the Peace Garden, the Rose Garden, the Perennial Garden, and the Perennial Trial Garden. Right next to the Peace Garden, you'll find the Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary.
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Discover the Arboretum
An arboretum is like a living museum of trees and plants. Lyndale Park's arboretum was planned in 1907 by Theodore Wirth, who was the Park Superintendent. Most of the trees were planted by 1915. Many of these original trees are still growing strong today!
You can find large collections of beautiful roses and crabapple trees here. Some of the oldest or largest trees in Minneapolis, called "heritage trees," live in this arboretum. These include the Cucumber Magnolia, River Birch, and Golden Larch.
Explore the Rose Garden
The Rose Garden at Lyndale Park is very special. It's the second oldest public rose garden in the entire United States! Theodore Wirth also designed this lovely garden.
It covers about 1 acre (4,000 m2) of land. During its best season, the garden can have as many as 60,000 roses blooming at once. Imagine all those colors and smells! The garden was built between 1907 and 1908.
In 1946, an official AARS (All America Rose Selections) test garden was added. This means new types of roses are tested here. The garden has over 4,000 rose plants and 250 different kinds of roses.
Two beautiful fountains are found near the garden. The bronze-and-marble Heffelfinger Fountain was brought from Italy. It was given to the park in 1944. This fountain has a cherub riding a dolphin and faces showing different ages.
Visit the Perennial Gardens
The Perennial Garden was created in 1962-1963. A special fountain called the Phelps (or turtle) fountain was moved here. It sits at the east end of this garden.
This garden has two long borders filled with perennial plants. Perennials are plants that grow back year after year. There are also six beds with annual plants, which are planted new each year. Many people choose this garden for their wedding ceremonies because it's so pretty.
The Perennial Trial Garden is a newer part of Lyndale Park. Here, different perennial plants are tested over several seasons. They check how strong the plants are, how well they resist diseases, and other features. Volunteers from the Men's Garden Club of Minneapolis help take care of this garden. It's a winding path of plants that leads towards the Peace Garden.
Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary
This sanctuary is a wonderful place for birds, especially during spring. Many songbirds stop here during their long journeys. Warblers are a big attraction for bird watchers.
The Minnesota Audubon Society offers free tours in April and May. It's a peaceful spot to enjoy nature right in the middle of the city. The main entrance is in the Lyndale Park Gardens parking lot. Trails lead through the back of the Peace Garden.
The sanctuary is named after Thomas Sadler Roberts. He was a doctor and a founding member of several bird and nature groups.
Lyndale Farmstead Park
There is another park nearby with a similar name, Lyndale Farmstead Park. But it's a separate park! It's located a bit further south, between West 38th and West 40th Streets.
Lyndale Farmstead Park has a recreation center. It also has the Theodore Wirth house, which is a historic building. This house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Images for kids
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Phelps fountain
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Phelps fountain
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Roses in bloom
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Some of the beautiful plantings
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More lovely plantings
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Crabapples in the autumn
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A plaque in the Peace Garden
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The peaceful garden
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Another view of the Peace Garden
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Engraved words: breathe truth dream beauty imagine justice
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Engraved words: grieve honestly nurture nature remember humanity
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Engraved words: accept fragility return love
North of the arboretum is the Peace Garden. In 1998, the rock garden was officially renamed the Lyndale Park Peace Garden. It's a place for quiet thought and reflection.
