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 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. 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.
