Minn. Landscape Arboretum Wins Best Botanical Garden Contest

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska has been named the Best Botanical Garden in the country.

After four weeks of voting, the Minnesota arboretum learned it won the 10Best Readers' Choice Award Friday. Arboretum Director Pete Moe announced the win in a staff gathering after learning of the win.

"We already knew we were the best but now the whole country knows it too,'' Moe said, thanking the staff, arboretum members and social media fans.

Here's a list of the top 10 winners:

1. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum - Chaska, Minn.
2. New York Botanical Garden - Bronx, N.Y.
3. Missouri Botanical Garden - St. Louis
4. Desert Botanical Garden - Phoenix
5. Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens - Fort Bragg, Calif.
6. The Dawes Arboretum - Newark, Ohio
7. State Botanical Garden of Georgia - Athens, Ga.
8. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park - Grand Rapids, Mich.
9. Atlanta Botanical Garden - Atlanta
10. Chicago Botanic Garden – Chicago

A panel of experts picked the initial 20 nominees and the top 10 winners were selected by a popular vote.