Top 5 Reasons to Visit the Denver Botanic Gardens

In the heart of Denver and abutting the well-known Cheesman Park, the Denver Botanic Gardens is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. The garden was established in 1951, and at a sizable 23 acres, it holds a ton of interesting and diverse plant species and gardens to enjoy. There are, in fact, over 32,000 species spread out among 45 gardens. Here are my favorite parts of the gardens, as well as some tips for planning your visit!

The Best Parts of the Denver Botanic Gardens

The garden has a lot of different attractions, including a zen garden, bonsai pavilion, tea house, a rock garden, fountains, a science pyramid, an amphitheater, and so much more. If you only have an hour or two to spare during your trip to Denver, I'd recommend studying the map before you arrive so you can strategize as to what you want to see.

1/ Monet Pool

Near the back of the gardens (compared to the main entrance), Monet Pool (#51 on the map) was definitely my favorite part of the gardens. The pool is filled with blooming lily pads and aquatic plants, which I love. There's a beautiful gazebo in the middle, and the walkways are lined with interesting plants.

2/ Bonsai Pavilion and Tea House

If you've read my blog before, you know I'm obsessed with bonsai. The bonsai area (#21) in the Denver Botanic Gardens is fairly small but still entirely charming. There were a lot of bonsai on display, all different from one another and well-maintained. The area itself was a rock garden that had recently been raked into clean lines. It was a nice, quiet back corner of the garden that inspired peaceful contemplation among visitors.

If you follow the rear path out and head deeper into the corner of the Denver Botanic Gardens, you'll come to the Tea House (#23), which is a hidden gem of the gardens. It's not hard to find, per se, but it was removed from the easiest walking path and overshadowed a bit by the nearby Monet Pool. It was definitely worth seeking out, though. While you can't go in the Tea House, I loved the decor, plants, and walkways in this area. There was a charming footbridge, and it's quite a tucked-away and hidden by trees area of the gardens.

3/ The Greenhouses

A large part of the north side of the gardens is dedicated to indoor areas, including the Tropical Conservatory (#22), Marnie's Pavilion (#25), and the Greenhouse Complex (#E), which you can't go in but can peek through the windows.

The Tropical Conservatory is a large, cavernous room with a winding staircase to the top, so you can get awesome views of the plants and trees from all angles. If you look closely, you can also find tanks of poison dart frogs along the wall. After you've seen everything you want in the conservatory, the exit takes you right into Marnie's Pavilion (#25), which I personally loved. There's a beautiful giant cycad, which looks like a palm but is actually a closer relation to the pine tree, an adorable jade bonsai, some aquatic plants, and a couple of display cases filled with carnivorous plants.

4/ Outside the Greenhouse Complex

After you exit Marnie's Pavilion, you can walk along the greenhouse via the Orangery (#40), which is a covered walkway filled with beautiful ferns, potted palms, and benches for resting. A parallel walkway called Shady Lane (#48) is separated by a wall of beautifully colorful flowers that made an excellent backdrop for some portrait photos. These areas also had a lot of bee- and butterfly-friendly plants, so you can look forward to seeing some pollinators in this area.

Finally, at the top of the Greenhouse Complex was one of my favorite areas. Nexus Garden (#14) is a xeriscaped rock garden, filled with cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistant plants. I love seeing landscaping done like this, and this, too, was an Instagram-worthy spot.

Photo credit: Anthony Gupta

5/ Four Towers Pool

In a completely different part of the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Four Towers Pool (#50) surrounds two sides of the Science Pyramid (#I). The pool has some more aquatic plant species and, at the time of our visit, a family of ducks. Nearby, I enjoyed the flowers in the Ornamental Grasses Garden (#15), as well as the Fountain Beds (#33).

How to Visit the Denver Botanic Gardens

If you're in Denver, I highly recommend a trip to the gardens. It's an awesome walk through beautifully landscaped areas, and it's a great way to feel one with nature despite being in the heart of Denver.

How much does the Denver Botanic Gardens cost?

Conveniently for us, we happened to visit on the day of the annual plant sale, which meant that we got in for free. There are also free days throughout the year - check the website for tickets! Otherwise, the garden is extremely affordable. It's $16 for adults, made more expensive during a special event (for example, there is a sunken amphitheater (#J) that hosts concerts in the summer), or less expensive with a Denver CityPass.

Where is the Denver Botanic Gardens located?

There are actually three locations of the Denver Botanic Garden. The main location, which is where we went, is at 1007 York St. There is free street parking nearby, as well as a parking garage that is also free.

The Denver Botanic Gardens also has two other locations: Chatfield Farms, which is a plant refuge and working farm that hosts an annual 5-acre corn maze; and Mount Goliath Natural Area, which is a nature preserve with a hiking trail located west of Denver near Idaho Springs.

How long does it take to walk through the Denver Botanic Gardens?

Honestly, we could have spent a good three or four hours there, had we more energy for all the walking. If you want to make a longer trip out of it, there is a cafe (#H) and a garden bistro (#F), which serves food and ice cream, as well as tons of seating all around, so you can rest your legs wherever you might need.

On the shorter side of things, I would say that while an hour won't feel like enough time, you'll certainly be happy you went if that's all the time you can spare. This was actually my second visit to the Denver Botanic Gardens, and I won't hesitate to visit again the next time I'm in the area!