My brother and I visited the Cleveland Botanical Garden in mid-September and enjoyed our time there. The Botanical Garden is situated on a smallish 10-acre piece of land not far from downtown yet is filled with lots of beautiful and nicely presented plants. It began in 1930 as the Garden Center of Greater Cleveland and moved to its current site in 1966 on land that was previously Cleveland’s first zoo. The current name – Cleveland Botanical Garden — was coined in 1994. A signature glasshouse was added in 2003, allowing a significant expansion to the garden’s collection.
Shortly after paying your admission, you pass the Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse (about 18,000 square feet), which was the high point of our visit. The glasshouse features two indoor biomes:
- Madagascar’s spiny desert, with unusual succulents and other plants
2. A Costa Rican cloud forest/rainforest, with lush tropical plants…
Besides showing an interesting assortment of vegetation, you’ll find living animals in both areas of the Glasshouse, like these:
There’s a lot to see outside, with a variety of themed gardens including:
- The Japanese Garden: Not as fancy as many others around the country, but still nicely manicured and enjoyable.
The Hershey Children’s Garden, with a treehouse, paths, sand, and play areas designed for kids to explore. I would have loved to come here as a kid.
An assortment of small gardens like rose, herb, sunken, and other seasonal display gardens comprise the rest of the 10 acre site:
There is also a horticultural library, café, gift shop, and regular educational and community programs
If you visit:
The garden is located at 11030 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106 (University Circle, on Wade Oval)
Plan several hours for a visit – a full day if you wish to explore in detail and at your leisure.
Hours are Tuesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday noon–5 p.m., closed Mondays.
Summer often adds Thursday evenings; winter features special holiday related events.
Regular daytime admission is currently $21 adults / $15 children 3–12 (under 2 free; members free). Seniors, military, and groups.
There is an on-site (pay) parking garage. The Garden can also be accessed by public transportation.
Always confirm the day you go on holdenfg.org, because special events change hours and prices.
I’ll conclude my visit to the Cleveland Botanical Garden next week, with a look at some beautiful blossoms we saw during our visit.
