Heritage Park

Midway Village Museum’s Heritage Park reflects the developments in turn-of-the-century gardens. The late 19th century became known as the Golden Age of Horticulture, in part, because of the effects of the Industrial Revolution. Increased leisure time sparked an increased interest in gardening. It became fashionable to plant newly discovered exotic species like Cannas, Coleus and Elephant Ears.  Floral carpet bedding plants became all the rage and resulted in elaborate planting designs of these low growing, long blooming annuals. Geraniums, alyssum and begonias, which had been unknown to American gardeners before the 19th century, became wildly popular. 

Heritage Park is based on postcard images in the Midway Village Museum’s archives of Rockford parks at the turn-of-the-century. It reflects the Victorian fascination with the foliage of sub-tropical plants and carpet beds with mass plantings of annuals in circular and ribbon beds.