Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens

Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens Rockford IL

The Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens are the centerpiece project of the 100th anniversary of the Rockford Park District in 2009. The Conservatory is named for the lead donor family in honor of their parents, William and Ruby Nicholas.

Fun facts about the Conservatory
  • Temperature inside the Conservatory is between 70 and 105 degrees
  • It is the third largest conservatory in Illinois
  • The Coconut Palm was grown in a backyard garden in Florida, and took three months to remove
  • The elephant featured in the lobby mural is "Babe," from the Rockford Zoo at Blackhawk Park (1919-1921)
  • The Conservatory features a rare Carpoxylon Palm fron the Vanuatu Islands of the Pacific originally discovered in 1859, and thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1987
  • The highest point in the Conservatory is 52 feet

For information about donations to the project, click here or call the Foundation Office at 815-987-1632.

For information about Nicholas Conservatory programs, please call 815-987-1689.