Visit an urban oasis in Tucson that is billed as “American’s Best Secret Garden” by Reader’s Digest. The secret is out and Tucson Botanical Gardens are sure to delight. When you visit the Tucson Botanical Gardens you’ll wander through a variety of gorgeous specialty gardens including cactus gardens, herb gardens, butterfly gardens, historical gardens and more.
Tucson Botanical Gardens stimulates the senses with a series of Sensory Patios. Each themed patio soothes your soul as you learn about patio gardening with themes such as floral patios, kitchen courtyards, desert ramadas, wildlife sanctuaries and even a Zen garden.
You’ll enjoy learning about the life cycle of plants as you wind your way through the whimsical and educational Children’s Discovery Garden.
Native American crops are included in one of the gardens with traditional seasonal crops such as corn, chiles, squash, melons, peas, onions and wheat. Take the Plants of the Tohono O’odham Path to learn more about the relationship between the plants of the Sonoran Desert and the Tohono O’odham people. You’ll learn how the Saguaro cactus and other native plants were used for food, shelter, medicine and clothing.
Get a true feeling for the gardens of Tucson by strolling through the “Nuestro Jardin” which translates into “Our Garden”. This garden is a tribute to the gardens commonly found in the Tucson area complete with adobe walls, a shrine, bird baths and fruits, flowers and herbs.
Each garden in the Tucson Botanical Gardens peaks during various seasons. While open year round, it’s fun to see each garden during its peak performance. During the spring be sure to check out the Herb Garden and the Wildflower Garden. The Shade Garden is the spot to be during the summer and so is the Butterfly Garden. Fall and winter often have special exhibits such as the Butterfly Magic exhibit where you can get up close and personal with butterflies from around the world in the Tropical Greenhouse.
The Tucson Botanical Gardens also shows you how beautiful a low-water garden can be when you stop by the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden. You’ll learn how to design a water-saving garden using drought tolerant plants and water-saving irrigation systems. A mini-oasis patio and several unique ramadas put the Xeriscape plan into action and demonstrate these important principles for desert gardening.
Tucson Botanical Gardens offers numerous exciting classes year round with a full schedule of free and paid classes, workshops and field trips. Topics range from art projects, history, culture, conservation, bird watching, wildlife, gardening, landscaping and more.
Admission to the Botanical Gardens is just $5 for adults with discounts for members and children. You can take a self guided tour, browse the gift shop or eat at their Garden Café. Free guided tours are also available at various times and covering different aspects of the gardens. A beautiful picnic area lets you enjoy your own refreshments among cypress trees, citrus trees and rosebushes.
Art exhibits, plant clinics, composting demonstrations and a private reference library are other amenities the Botanical Gardens allows access to. The gardens also make a spectacular setting for weddings, retreats, meetings and parties.
The Botanical Gardens are open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM year round except for New Year’s Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Tucson Botanical Gardens
2150 N. Alvernon Way
Tucson, AZ 85712