Allen Centennial Garden is open to the public year-round from 7AM to 7PM with no admission fee. Please stay on the paths and do not harass or remove any plants, but do take some time to enjoy the garden either before or after your find. If a private event is happening, please avoid that area of the garden. There is no need to leave the path to find the cache – respect the garden. Please use official paths to get to the geocache, which means going around the house to find the correct path instead of cutting through the vegetation.
Allen Centennial Garden is located on the 2.5 acres surrounding the Agricultural Dean's Residence, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately, this historic building is not open to the public and renovations are in progress. This hidden gem on the University of Wisconsin – Madison campus opened in 1989 after a generous donation from Mrs. Ethel Allen made construction of the garden possible. Mrs. Ethel Allen was a member of the UW faculty as was her husband, Dr. Oscar Allen, a bacteriologist who taught on campus from 1948 to 1976. The garden is part of the Department of Horticulture, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1989. The Allen Centennial Garden name comes from honoring the Allens and the 100th anniversary.
The garden is constantly evolving with a diversity of plantings and hardscapes, and beauty abounds there at any time of the year, but it is at the best when the plants are in bloom. Allen Centennial Garden hosts many events every year including free concerts during the summer. Come enjoy the garden and let the beauty surround you. Learn more about the garden at https://allencentennialgarden.org/index.php
The cache should be an easy find with absolutely no need to leave the established paths. Department of Horticulture staff granted permission for this cache. Please respect and enjoy the area, so fellow geocachers can do the same in the future. You may search for the cache between 7AM and 7PM. If a private event such as a wedding is happening, please avoid the area of the event in the garden. Feel free to enjoy the many public events hosted there. Please return the cache as found and be gentle with the camo.
Parking may be a challenge, especially during the day, Monday-Friday. Lot 35, 655 Babcock Drive, and Lot 34, 1480 Tripp Circle, have limited meters available and are free on most weekends and after 4:30PM Monday-Friday. Be sure to check the signs at the parking lot entrances for the parking restrictions. UW Transportation Services enforces all parking lots and checks them on a regular basis.