linmar gardens

From start to finish, Linmar Gardens offers sights you'll find nowhere else. We visit every time we return to Galena, IL, and see new and exciting additions every time! Typically, one of the owners is available to provide a guided tour, or to answer questions. Even on your own, you will be overwhelmed by the beauty and planning that combine so eloquently in this wonderful and scenic setting!

We called ahead to find out the ticket price, which was a trash in itself, as the gentleman said he didn't understand what we were asking, and also told us he would be closed for the season after the upcoming weekend. Then, when we went the next day, we couldn't find anyone, so we called the number only to have the guy tell us he was closed for the season!! Why didn't he say so the first time we called??

Very nice place, Relaxing too! Don;t give up if you can't find it as it is up high behind the high school. Take your camera

The view was awesome! I enjoyed hearing the history of the gardens. We were the only one on our tour so we got a little extra attention. The gardens were pretty. It is difficult to be showy this time of year but I could still see the beauty.

My husband and I had no trouble finding this place at all. You can drive and park right on their grounds though we parked on the street and walked down their drive. We enjoyed the relaxed and informal guided tour, which also describes the garden. It's hard to believe this has been tucked away in Galena for over twenty years and we just discovered it this visit. This may not be a formal garden but it is beautifully done. We were happy to pay to see this lovely spot. Thanks for sharing!

I don't think it's really worth the $10 per person, but it was still a very nice walk-through in the garden. The host was a really nice gentleman and very funny too. They even provide mosquito repellent for the guests that visit.

We ended up here on recommend of the Trolley Car guide. Do not miss this "secret treasure". Bob will give you a fun, informative and story-filled tour of his 3 acre, privately owned garden. Wonderful. I WILL be going back for the tour again. I am telling all friends to go to Galena and make sure you visit Linmar Gardens. do not miss this treasure !!!!

this private garden must take much work and planning. the owner who guided us through is very dedicated to the beauty and enjoyment of the garden. There are water, plant and ornament features as well as a little history woven throughout.Very interesting and pretty.

Wife and I like gardens so we decided to take the tour. was very difficult place to find, could not drive to it, was uphill all the way there on foot. You must call ahead for a reservation as there is no one on site if you just walk up, no store or place to check in. So if you want to walk around and see a collection of private back yard gardens make sure you call ahead.

If you want to take a break from the shops of downtown Galena then take a short walk up to these gardens. For $10 you will get a nice little tour by an older gentleman who is friendly and welcoming. This is not a botanical garden by any means, just someone's nicely landscaped very large "yard", complete with unique sculptures and little fountains, & waterfalls. i would definitely not bring children here, as it is a slow- paced garden walk. It was just a shady, quiet place, nothing spectacular, but still very enjoyable.

We love to visit local gardens when we travel. Linmar garden in Galena was a hidden gem. Yes it was buggy but the liberal use of spray and real vanilla ( a natural repellant that few folks actually know about) worked fine. Bob proved to be an entertaining guide. The quirky sculptures scattered throughout were fun additions. This by no means is a formal botanical garden but an example of what can be done with reclaiming an unusual plot of land using native materials. Enjoy.

After reading reviews, I was so excited to get to Linmar Gardens! I thought this would be such a great, relzing walk in a beautiful garden.Wrong.I doused myself with the bug spray before we started, as my friend and I were getting eaten alive by gnats and mosquitoes, it was horrible. Some parts of it were beautiful, but it was a waste of ten bucks. I still feel itchy thinking about it (a month later). The tour guide was nice, but that's about it!

These gardens are a great option while traveling in Galena after you have shopped, wine sampled, and eaten. We have been to Galena a few times, and meant to visit this, but they only have 2 tours a day (11 & 2). We really loved the garden and the tour guide we had made the visit extra special. He is an older gentleman with a cane and an inspiration to hear his stories. He fully admits he is no gardener, but knew plenty about the trees and perennials. The gardens are beautiful, and just a nice peaceful escape. We weren't there on a very humid day, so bugs weren't too bad, but we did take the advice to put some vanilla extract on to repel the gnats.

I want to commend the extreme kindness of all these reviewers who said this place was Excellent. They undoubtedly felt compassion toward the tour guide, an affable octogenarian with a cane.As the old codger frequently admitted, "I'm no gardener." And it's true that he can't always identify the things growing in Linmar Gardens. But he is folksy and entertaining.Here's the facts. As the tour guide said, the gardens are built on a former garbage dump that was cleaned off down to the rocky Galena hillside. So, the gardens were built on dirt that was poured on rock. Plantings that require deep roots can't last here.Take a look at the photos placed by those who "loved" this "treasure." Though a few spots are organized and sport some wacky trinket, most of the gardens are similar to what you might see when hiking on a narrow path through a dense forest.Speaking of a dense forest, I noticed a can of Deep Woods Off on a table near the starting point. I should've taken the hint and sprayed myself heavily. These gardens are in a moist shaded area, and gnats and mosquitoes are abundant (at least they were for us in late June). At the beginning of the tour, I noticed that the aged tour guide was dripping with repellent, and I soon learned why. Gnats love me, but don't bother my wife. I had gnats in my ears, in my mouth, in my eyes, and in my nose. Yes, really. I spent most of the time swatting around my head and blocking access to my nostrils. Our tour was 7 hours ago, and I'm still fidgeting and twitching from the trauma. My wife acknowledges that I deserve a medal for my extreme tolerance and valor in the face of insurmountable odds.But there are a few highlights, such as the few spots where they have installed pipes to carry water to create the illusion of natural springs and mini-waterfalls (and attract gnats and mosquitoes). He also had four nice small raised-bed gardens with rock walls. Besides that, there's not much to see here, folks.Now I must qualify my review. My wife is the gardener; I'm merely the dutiful husband who enjoys a well-kept yard or garden. We've visited many gardens such as Olbrich in Madison (fabulous) and Anderson in Rockford (good). But frankly, my wife's garden far surpasses Linmar Gardens. She could charge 10 bucks to people to view her gardens, but we don't live in touristy Galena, where lots of older folks come with fattened wallets. (The native Galenians have learned how to get the most from the town's abundant tourist traffic.)Tours are daily at 11 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Ours lasted one grueling hour, but I learned that others might be 40 minutes. Tickets are $10-$11, but you can save 50 cents by buying them at a visitor center-type store on the south end of Main Street. But be sure to get explicit directions to these gardens. They're only two blocks up the hill from the south end of Main Street, but they are maddeningly hard to find.

Wow!!!! What a find. Beautiful garden tucked away from the hussel and bussel of main street. The tour guide was a peach. Not just flowers but also sculptures and a unique way to learn about Galena and the people who live there. A must for garden lovers and history buffs.