The Boerner Botanical Gardens, owned by Milwaukee County, were developed as a public garden intended to be a place of beauty, an outdoor classroom and a living museum for all to enjoy. The gardens were named for the landscape architect who designed the original five formal gardens, Alfred L. Boerner. The gardens include more than 40acres of formal gardens, professionally labeled and evaluated plant collections, one of the largest crab apple collections in Wisconsin, rain water harvesting and recycling project, extravagant display of over 500 varieties of roses, among other great features.