Have you ever wanted to visit beautiful botanical gardens in Texas, but weren’t sure where to start? Well, we have created a concise and informative list of the best botanical gardens in Texas you must visit! Botanical Gardens were originally started in the 16th Century as a way for professors of botany to grow medicinal herbs and plants!
Nowadays, botanical gardens serve two main purposes. First, they focus on the conservation and preservation of plants. Second, they provide an opportunity for the public to have access to a variety of the world’s plants in one area. Oftentimes, even if people have the opportunity to travel to foreign countries, checking out the plant life is not their first priority! Botanical gardens make it a one stop shop to discover more flora than what you have in your backyard.
Everything is bigger in Texas, and the botanical gardens in Texas are no exception! Scattered all over the glorious state of Texas, their botanical gardens offer flora from every corner of the world. The varying climates across the state from dry to humid, allow a variety of plants to flourish thus creating beautiful gardens in Texas.
This list will introduce you to all types of gardens in TX! Whether you are an experienced botanist, a plant parent, or just looking to see some pretty things that grow you are sure to find the perfect botanical garden in Texas for you to explore!
12 Best Botanical Gardens in Texas You Must Visit
Japanese Garden Houston
One of Houston’s hidden gems is the Hermann Park Conservancy. The Conservancy houses a dog park, and an historic clubhouse. The most visited feature is the Japanese Garden, one of the best botanical gardens in Houston.
Founded in 1992, the Japanese Garden recently had a facelift as it was becoming overrun with plants that were native to Texas. Renowned landscape architect Terunobu Nakai and his Japan team brought the garden back to its roots. They fly out each year to check the garden’s progress and condition. The on staff gardeners were trained to prune the flora in the traditional Japanese style. They have also installed bamboo fencing, and planted new plants, shrubs, and trees native to Japan.
The Japanese Garden at Hermann Park Conservancy includes azaleas, Japanese maples, lotus, Japanese wisteria, dogwoods, and so much more. In October of 2012, twenty cherry trees were planted to mark the 100th anniversary of Japan’s gift of cherry trees to the United States!
Open daily at 9am, there is no admission charge for the Japanese Garden! The garden has waterfalls, paths, bridges, and vegetation! If you are in Houston, this is one of the most beautiful public gardens in Texas!
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is one of the best botanical gardens in Dallas! Nestled on the edge of White Rock Lake, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens span 66 acres!
The Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Society, Inc. was founded in 1974, but did not have land to begin their work. In 1978 the city purchased the DeGolyer Estate thus beginning one of the most expansive gardens in TX.
Despite the worldwide pandemic in 2020, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens still attracted over 600,000 visitors. They pride themselves on changing the way the world views Dallas! Inspired by the beautification of North Texas, the board works hard to be an active member of the Dallas Community.
With nineteen different gardens on the property, the scope of plants and the message they convey is wide and varied. The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden aims to connect children to nature! Their main focus is to educate everyone but believe in starting with children about the importance of plants and wildlife. The Margaret Elizabeth Jonsson Color Garden is 6.5 acres of seasonal flowers. During Spring and Summer, this garden truly is a bed of color.
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens requires reservations and the admission cost varies by season. These gardens are one of the most world renowned gardens in Texas and a must visit if you’re in the area!
Houston Botanic Gardens
As far as botanical gardens in TX, Houston Botanic Gardens is designed to be an experience! The entry garden, is designed to give you a preview of what is in store. The Botanic Lane is lined with live oaks to help you transition from the busy life outside to the serenity of the gardens.
Once inside, there are several groves for relaxing. The picnic grove has picnic tables for those who have brought their lunch. The pine grove is a space for rest and relaxation. The Welcome Fountain is surrounded by aquatic plants and provides a water feature. The Global Collection Garden has tropical, subtropical, and arid zones spanning three acres.
The Houston Botanic Gardens also has a Culinary Garden where they grow edible and medicinal plants. The plants are from the Mediterranean and the American regions. The Woodland Glade has a field of magnolia trees. There are also gardens encapsulating the wetlands and prairies. The Houston Botanic Gardens also have a community garden.
Open everyday from 9am-5pm, reservations are required and there is an admission charge. If you are looking for another one of the best botanical gardens in Houston, The Houston Botanic Gardens is a must see!
Tyler Rose Garden
In Tyler, Texas is the Tyler Rose Garden, the largest public collection of roses in the United States! The Rose Garden features more than 32,000 bushes. There are also 600 plant varieties that have been cultivated through selective breeding. The Tyler Rose Garden is one of the best pubic gardens in Texas!
Although the land was purchased via federal grant 1938, construction did not actually start until 1950 due to World War II. Once construction began, the most extensive part was removing the red clay soil. They replaced it with fertile topsoil, sand and sludge. Instead of replacing all of the red clay, they only replaced the soil in the garden beds! Interestingly enough, they used a cemetery backhoe, which was the perfect width.
All the planning and hard work by the people of Tyler paid off! In 2018, The Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association named the Tyler Rose Garden one of the Greatest Public Space in Texas! In 2019 the National Register of Historic Places recognized the Tyler Rose Garden as a National Treasure!
These roses are free to the public and open from sunrise to sunset! If you’re near Tyler, take some time to stop and smell the thousands of roses at the Tyler Rose Garden, one of the most fragrant public gardens in TX!
Grapevine Botanical Gardens
The Grapevine Botanical Gardens in Heritage Park are some of the most picturesque gardens in TX! With seasonal gardens, the gardens will look different every time you visit!
Open a half hour after sunrise to a half hour before sunset, the Grapevine Botanical Gardens are the perfect place to unwind after a long day. Surrounded by the serenity of the gardens, it’s the perfect place to take a peaceful stroll.
The Grapevine Botanical Gardens advertise themselves as the perfect place for romance. From proposing to engagement photos, to even having your wedding, the gardens are the perfect place! From family photos to senior portraits, the Grapevine Botanical Gardens have the perfect backdrop all year long! And bonus: admission is free!
Halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth is Grapevine, Texas. Home to Heritage Park and the Grapevine Botanical Gardens, the most picturesque gardens in Texas!
South Texas Botanical Gardens
The South Texas Botanical Gardens is one of the most extensive botanical gardens in Texas! Located in Corpus Christi, one of Texas’ most popular beach towns these botanical gardens have so much more than just flora.
Starting with the flora, the South Texas Botanical Gardens have a tropical garden, bromeliad and orchid conservatory, plumerias, rose, and a sensory garden. Additionally, there is also a butterfly house, a garden featuring Texas trees, a hummingbird garden, and arid garden.
The South Texas Botanical Gardens go a step further and also have fauna for their guests to enjoy. There is a reptile room, tortoise exhibit, parrots and wild birds! Moreover, they also have a wildlife corner with a rotation of different animals so it’s always a surprise what you’ll see!
On property, there are nature trails, a lake, and boardwalks to explore. If you’re in South Texas, the South Texas Botanical Gardens are one of the most adventurous gardens in Texas!
San Antonio Tea Garden
Originally just a lily pond, the area that is now the San Antonio Tea Garden was expanded in 1926 by Kimi Eizo Jingu, a local Japanese-American artist after he was hired by the city. He expanded the lily pond to include a garden and light lunches and tea were served. His family continued to operate the tea garden until 1942 when they were evicted due to anti-Japanese sentiment. The city rededicated area in 1984 at the Japanese Tea Garden. Now the San Antonio Tea Garden is one of the most beautiful tea gardens in TX.
The garden features year round gardens, floral displays that shade the garden walkways, koi ponds, paved walkways, and a 60 foot waterfall.
This stunning tea garden is open sunrise to sunset, wheelchair accessible, a free entry. Available for rental, this would be a beautiful space for a weeding, anniversary or retirement party! If you’re near San Antonio, the San Antonio Tea Garden is one of the most beautiful and serene gardens in Texas!
Centennial Gardens Houston
Back at the Hermann Park Conservancy is the Centennial Gardens, one of the more modern gardens in Texas! These gardens were opened in 2014 to commemorate Hermann Park’s centennial!
Spanning eight acres, Centennial Gardens includes a spacious lawn, surrounded by 490 new trees of over 50 species, 760 hedge shrubs, 55,000 perennial bulbs, 650 azaleas and 4.5 acres of grass. Visitors can explore the various themed garden rooms. Some of the gardens include the Celebration Garden, Rose Garden, Pergola Walk, Arid Garden, Family Garden, and the Woodland Garden.
Open to visitors year round the hours do vary based on season. If you’re visiting the Japanese Garden already, the extra stop at Centennial Gardens is a must! Please don’t miss one of the most celebratory gardens in Texas!
Discovery Gardens Dallas
The Discovery Gardens in Dallas are the most sustainable gardens in Dallas. Their mission is be a place where where children and adults discover and learn to sustain the natural world.
Spanning 7.5 acres, the Discovery Gardens has native and adaptive plants covering the grounds! Also, there is a two story butterfly house that contains tropical plants!
This is the first public garden to be classified as 100% organic from the Texas Organic Research Center! The gardens are cared for by sustainable methods that conserve water and help to protect the environment! Open year round and offering free admission days, Discovery Gardens is the perfect place to take your family (or just yourself) to learn about how to be more sustainable and protect the environment. Discovery Gardens is one of the beautiful gardens in Texas that also help bring the community together!
Fort Worth Botanic Gardens
Partnered with the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth Botanic Gardens is one of the most informative gardens in TX! With over fifteen spots to see, there is plenty to see, hear, and do at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens.
Some of their exhibits include a Pollinator Pathway that has flowers for butterflies and bees to pollinate! They have a water conservation garden to teach about and encourage water conservation. They also have a cactus garden, rose garden, Japanese garden, and perennial garden!
Fort Worth Botanic Gardens is set up on a 1.75 mile loop and walking the entire botanic gardens takes about an hour. However, you could stretch that to take up a half day learning about and spending time in nature. Fort Worth Botanic Gardens is one of the hidden gems when it comes to gardens in TX and a must visit if you’re in Fort Worth!
Zilker Botanical Gardens
The Zilker Botanical Gardens is the best botanical garden in Austin! Nestled right in the middle of bustling Austin, is an oasis of plant life, the perfect place to decompress and look at beautiful things!
Zilker Botanical Gardens include the Taniguchi Japanese Garden, Hartman Prehistoric Garden, and Rose Garden! Started by garden clubs in 1946, Zilker now covers 28 acres and is the jewel in the heart of Austin.
There are so many things to do in Austin, from concerts to historical landmarks. The best botanical gardens in Austin should be a must stop! Please visit the Zilker Botanical Gardens!
Mercer Botanic Gardens
Perhaps the biggest gardens in Texas is Mercer Botanic Gardens in Humble, Texas. Spanning almost 400 acres, these gardens are divided into East and West by a road. The east side is the botanic gardens and the west side is the arboretum!
The botanic gardens have over 60 acres featuring bamboo, color displays, daylilies, endangered species, ferns, gingers, herbs, tropicals, and more. The arboretum has two playgrounds, cypress swamp, maple collection, and a barbecue and picnic area.
If you are near Humble, it is definitely worth it to set aside a day and visit the Mercer Botanic Gardens, the largest gardens in Texas!
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