In 1936, the task of planting the Garden began. The Jensen plan called for 28 species of canopy trees, 14 species of intermediate-sized trees, 23 varieties of shrubs, and 11 varieties of wildflowers. All of these species are native to Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, Lincoln's three native states; Jensen was one of the first U.S. landscape gardeners to eschew the use of exotic plants. Construction of the Garden was helped by donations from the family of drugstore CEO Charles Walgreen. The Garden was dedicated in 1939.