50 Years of The Six Flags Great America Greenhouse

For more than half a century, the Six Flags Great America greenhouses have been the heart of the park’s natural beauty, growing thousands of flowers and plants seen at the park each season to create the vibrant landscapes guests know and love.

History of the Greenhouses

Built in July of 1975, under Marriott’s Great America, before a single guest entered, greenhouses were constructed to ensure the park's natural beauty came from within. Today, Six Flags Great America continues that environmentally friendly tradition with a total of five greenhouses and five heated hoop houses (greenhouses made from large, curved frames covered with clear plastic that hold warmth and moisture inside, allowing plants to grow in colder or poor weather conditions).

An Abundance of Plants at Six Flags Great America

Not only does the landscaping team at Six Flags Great America plant 35,000 astonishing tulips each season, but they also plant an abundance of perennials and annual plants that wow guests each season.

With over 300 different plant varieties and color combinations grown each season, including 40 varieties of Coleus, the greenhouses truly have no off-season. Even in the harshest of Chicagoland winters, the seeding process begins in January, and the plants grow just before opening day each season in April.

The plants inside the greenhouses are not the only unique creations made by the Six Flags Great America landscaping team; they also create, steam, and sanitize their own gardening mix instead of purchasing pre-made potting soil.

After eight to twelve weeks of growing from seeds or from cuttings (the process of taking a small portion of a plant, such as a stem or leaf, and rooting it in a suitable environment to produce a new plant), around 230,000 flowers or plants, including 218,000 from seed, make their way to guest eyes, being planted around Six Flags Great America.

The gardening mix is just the beginning of how the Six Flags Great America Gardeners keep environmentally friendly, as every single plastic container that is used is sanitized and reused for future park beauty. From seed to soil, every step of the process reflects the care and dedication of our team. Our landscaping team ensures that the park blooms beautifully each year, creating a colorful, welcoming environment that delights guests the moment they arrive.

Ready to see it for yourself? Plan your visit today and see Six Flags Great America in full bloom.