The Chicago Horticultural Society was founded in 1890. At its heart was the nderstanding that the city of Chicago was incorporated with the Latin words Urbs in Horto, meaning "city in a garden." The Society hosted nationally recognized flower and horticultural shows and supported Chicago's lakeshore improvements and park system.
After a period of inactivity, the Chicago Horticultural Society was restarted in 1943. In 1963, the Chicago Horticultural Society was granted 300 acres of forest on the outskirts of the city, and the Chicago Botanic Garden established roots. With the groundbreaking for the Garden in 1965 and its opening in 1972, the Society created a permanent site on which to carry out its mission. The mission encompasses three important components: collections, education, and research.
The Garden continues to strive to meet the lofty goals set more than a century ago. The Chicago Botanic Garden, with its world-renowned plant collections and displays, is one of the country's most visited public gardens and a preeminent center for learning and scientific research. The 385-acre Garden features 24 display gardens and four natural areas, uniquely situated on nine islands surrounded by lakes.