The 12 Best Botanical Gardens in Indiana

The land in Indiana has more to offer beyond agriculture. In fact, the state has some of the most beautiful public botanical gardens in the Midwest. The lush vegetation, hearty trees, and colorful flowers growing in these arboretums, conservatories, and parks bring people from around Indiana to enjoy them. If you want to visit the best botanical gardens in Indiana, here are the ones you should check out.

1. White River Gardens  

Take a trip to the Indianapolis Zoo to visit one of the best botanical gardens in Indiana. The White River Gardens creates an immersive nature experience on 3.3 acres. The indoor section includes a tropical oasis housed within the Hilbert Conservatory, a charming glass greenhouse. On the other hand, the DeHaan Tiergarten outdoor section provides at-home gardening tips and inspiration. It’s divided into smaller sections, including the Border Garden, which features vines, shrubs, and a variety of perennials. Learn about the importance of pollination in the pollination garden by watching the monarchs flutter about or tag along with a zoo expert inside the hive of over 20,000 honey bees. 

2. Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory

Fort Wayne has one of the best botanical gardens in Indiana. The Foellinger-Freimann collection contains a 24,000-square-foot seasonal showcase garden in an enclosed conservatory. You can also wander through the Tropical Garden, featuring colorful orchids and rich green palms. Cool off beside the cascading waterfall, or travel to the Desert Garden for peace and quiet. You will find 2,000 plants in 1,000 varieties from 100 plant families. There are also four outdoor gardens where you can find ornamental grasses, ponds with goldfish, and pollinator plants.    

3. Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest

See Indiana’s largest collection of oak trees at the Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest in Valparaiso. The nature preserve also features an award-winning garden railway. The property is 300 acres, containing a prairie, savanna, woodlands, and wetlands. Display gardens feature Japanese maples, conifer, and viburnums. There are also native state plants in the Joseph E. Meyer Memorial Pavillion. Roses are found in the Audrey and Leonard Hitz Family Rose Garden. There’s even a train garden! The diverse collection and the University’s dedication to education and conservation make Gabis Arboretum one of the best botanical gardens in Indiana.  

4. The Garden at Newfields

The 52-acre Garden at Newfields is one of the best botanical gardens in Indiana with its collection of seasonal displays. The sprawling campus is divided into smaller, themed gardens that meet the interests of different types of nature lovers. For example, the Garden for Everyone is an accessible area for anyone and everyone to take a moment to themselves along the multisensory space. However, there is also the circular Nonie’s Garden, dedicated to the late Eleanor “Nonie” Krauss. This year-round garden is the perfect place to smell the flowers, birdwatch, and admire the seven sweetgum trees. Moreover, the Ravine Garden features spring blooms, fall foliage, and three water pools.   

5. Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens 

The urban park that covers 128 acres in Indianapolis is Garfield Park Conservatory. It was constructed in 1916 by German landscape architect George Kessler, making it the oldest park in Indianapolis. Today, the Conservatory houses various trees, including palms, ferns, cacao, coffee, bananas, and vanilla. You will also find beautiful sculptures throughout the Conservatory that volunteer donations. The plant variation in the Conservatory and Sunken Gardens makes it one of the best botanic gardens in Indiana.

6. Wellfield Botanic Gardens 

Come to Elkhart and traverse over 20 themed gardens on 36 acres. Additionally, there are over 18 acres of lakes, streams, waterfalls, and other water features. One of the most interesting aspects of the Wellfield Botanic Gardens is the working source of hydropower that has provided drinking water since 1885. But what makes this one of the best botanical gardens in Indiana are the peaceful and intentionally set spaces. For instance, the Quilt Garden has yearly updated flowers and greenery to create a quilt design. They also have the Conversation Garden Walkway, where visitors can dedicate commemorative pavers to the memory of a loved one or a special event.      

7. Azalea Path Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

Hazelton is home to one of the largest collections of azaleas in this part of the country. The Azalea Path Arboretum & Botanical Gardens includes 60 acres with a collection of more than 4,000 azaleas. In addition to these colorful blooms, visitors can enjoy a variety of plants and trees native to Indiana, koi fish, a waterfall, and sculptures. Along the three-mile trail, you will encounter pops of pink, purple, and red that stand out along the rocks. The view along a few of the babbling brooks will provide comfort and peace.   

8. Friendship Botanic Gardens

The Friendship Botanic Gardens in Michigan City is home to diverse natural habitats and various native wildlife. You can explore all 105 acres of the land from May 1 to October 31. Walk along the formal gardens or hike through the nature trails. You can also take a trip around the world in the historic Heritage Gardens, commemorating numerous cultures. On top of that, there is an interactive and educational Children’s Garden where kids can enjoy nature’s playground. It’s the perfect setting for hiking, picnicking, hosting a wedding, and participating in annual events.   

9. Christy Woods 

Considered an “outdoor classroom and laboratory,” Christy Woods at Ball State University provides 17 acres of hands-on learning opportunities and observation of natural processes. The focus of this arboretum is on native plants and ecosystems. Most of the area is filled with tall grass prairie and mature forest consisting of oak, ash, walnut, and maple trees. You can also walk by the University’s four greenhouses, one of which houses the Wheeler-Thanhauser Orchid Collection and Species Bank. Some popular animal species that visit Christy Woods are tiger swallows, red bats, and scarlet tanagers. 

10. Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse

It’s technically a greenhouse located at Ball State University within Christy Woods. However, the Wheeler-Thanhauser Orchid Collection and Species Bank deserves a spot as one of the best botanical gardens in Indiana. The incredible greenhouse has a stunning orchid collection. Over 2,000 colorful orchids line the shelves alongside various tropical plants, fruiting trees, and coffee trees. The colorful array of orchids comes from different parts of the world, showcasing the species’ diversity. There are also frogs, turtles, and fish living within the water features inside the greenhouse. The collection helps conserve rare and endangered species of orchids while educating students and the public.    

11. Ogden Gardens 

Ogden Gardens in Valparaiso provides 4 acres of floral displays, including annuals, perennials, roses, shrub beds, and different types of trees. There is also a Japanese Garden where visitors can walk on trails alongside streams and ponds, and over beautiful, decorative bridges. Make sure you visit the tea house where koi fish swim in a pond. The quaint garden is the perfect place to explore nature or relax with a picnic in the grass. Visitors may even find hand-painted rocks that artists leave around to help bring a smile to the faces of anyone who finds them.   

12. Clegg Memorial Garden

Nestled in the hillside of Lafayette, overlooking Wildcat Creek, is the 17-acre Clegg Memorial Garden. You only have to walk a few miles to visit four different ecosystems. In fact, the looping hiking trail takes visitors through oak woodland, grave hill prairie, riparian corridor, and the savanna. While the landscape is beautiful at any time of the year, what you see during your visit depends on the season. For instance, the prairie shines with vibrant wildflowers in the summer, but the forest canopy is brazen in fall with dark leaves. The Clegg Memorial Garden honors Jerry Clegg, the late son of Harold and Ruth Clegg, who converted their private garden into a Memorial Garden in his memory.  

Summary of the 12 Best Botanical Gardens in Indiana

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