It was long Mr. Hauck's plan that his horticultural garden and tree sanctuary become a public park. In 1957, the estate was donated to the Cincinnati Park Board with a life estate provision. Following Mr. Hauck's death in 1967, his wife remained in residence until her passing in November 1985. The Cincinnati Park Board's Horticultural Division is developing the residence into its new headquarters. A visitor to the Hauck Botanic Garden sees mostly original planting like the naturalized bulbs that spread springtime beauty over the garden and its Wildflower Garden.
Visitors come to simply enjoy the leafy green shade or to study the trees.
The specially fine beech collection includes such species as the American Beech, the European Weeping and Golden European Weeping Beeches, Rivers Purple Beech, Fernleaf, Golden Leaf, Tricolor, Copper, and Pyramidal Beeches. The Oak collection includes the rare Lea's Oak, a tree so scarce and difficult to breed that Mr. Hauck deeded to his Lea's Oak a life-time interest in the property on which it grows. A gift from the Civic Garden Center, tags giving the scientific name, common name, and country or origin, label the trees in the Hauck Botanic Garden. Several structures provide visitors a secluded place to sit and enjoy the view. This open shelter is a replica of a 1939 World's Fair Building.