Botanica, The Wichita Gardens

My kids 8 & 11 loved it here! This ended up being one of our best stops on our road trip! We came during an evening and although we saw it all, we had to make our way through very quickly and I wished we had planned more time. It's a very big place!! The carousel wasn't working the evening but the attendant took the time to show us the automatic music machine, which was kind of like a player piano and honestly I think we enjoyed it more than we would have the actual carousel ride. I was so grateful for that attendant's time and patience to show us that! This is an absolutely gorgeous place! If I lived closer, I would visit here weekly!

Beautiful place. Quiet and peaceful during afternoon hours. Really enjoyed the green trees, fresh air and resting under the shade. They have a kids play area with pavilion. It was really beautiful , my kids enjoyed it. Children library is small but really great for kids. They have few limited food and drinks available for purchase.

Botanica was absolutely beautiful! My daughter in an aspiring photographer so she loved the experience of being able to take her own photos (not shared below as they are still being developed). We loved how everything was labeled so it was easy to identify. The fountain was definitely my favorite as it was surrounded my lilies, my favorite flower. The only downside is that there isn't anywhere to really cool off. It was super hot and while we were able to find shade and some relief in the building with the carousel, that was about it. We skipped a good section of the gardens just to get back to the main lobby and hang out in the children's lobby to cool off.

Very pretty place to walk around and reasonably priced. There are a lot of bees and wasp, which is to be expected, but definitely something to keep in mind if allergic. Staff is helpful and there are snacks and drinks to purchase as you walk through the park.

This garden is amazing. We spent an easy 2 hours walking the paths and observing different plants & sculptures. We did not come with kids, but this park had many areas to keep their interests. Plants were labeled & easy see, the glass and metal sculptures just added an extra layer of beauty to the gardens.

Gorgeous outdoor gardens with mostly paved walking trails throughout. Very well-kept with beautiful variety and signage labeling the plants. The small animal sculptures, artistic elements, numerous benches, and water features add a special touch. Fun, engaging areas for kids, a walk-through butterfly house that’s included, and a great selection of indoor succulents. I’ve been to the National Botanic Gardens in D.C. and they pale in comparison to the Wichita Botanica. This is well worth your time!

It has been almost 8 years since I have been! Lots to see and do. Absolutely beautiful. My favorite spot was checking out the butterflies.

Beautiful grounds, play areas and more. The entire family enjoyed the garden and what it has to offer. It was unfortunate to see how unkempt the bee area/room is as it’s very beautiful. From spiders, webs and dirt, we weren’t in here long.

The Christmas display was beautiful. I love that the carousel is inside and repurposed. The only downside was the bottleneck in the butterfly house and some gal eating cheetos not paying attention to where she was walking. Get tickets early because it will sell out, even after Christmas.

Visited while passing through as we earned reciprocal admission with another botanical garden membership. I may have watched too much Wizard of Oz as I expected Kansas to be very brown, but this garden was the opposite! It was well unkept and the special exhibit they had with Lego builds throughout the landscape impressed! I also loved the lawn games hidden in the drooping tree shade. It made for a majestic experience with friends. If I end up in Kansas again I will be back!

The flowers especially the late summer varieties were pretty to look at, and there was even a miniature koi pond. There were quite a few butterflies flying around especially at the Butterfly Garden. The lego sculptures add a nice unexpected touch to the botanical garden. However, some parts were gimmicky.

I don't live in the area, but I have been to Botanica several times for events. Mostly during the Christmas season ,for Illumination, and once for a wedding. The layout of the gardens is lovely and the paths are well maintained. This year for Illumination, they directed you on a route, instead of having people wander willy nilly. The lights this year were not as impressive as in the past and they were just cycling through the same three songs over and over. If you don't like that Blake and Gwen Christmas song, you're really going to hate it after the 5th time round. They also had PLENTY of places open trying to sell you things, and made you go through the building by the gift shop, to continue through the garden. We enjoyed ourselves, but this visit felt more like a push for consumerism than a holiday treat.

Fairy land of flowers, trees, and such. Something to discover and delight around every corner. We actually purchased a family pass for our kids/grandkids because it was just so wonderful. A perfect little children's play spot/library on campus as well. Highly recommend.

I have tried this garden first time. The herb garden is small, but the air is very clean and it is a good place to learn how to build yours. If you are a family with kids, you probably prefer to be here on weekend, so that your kids can encounter with other kids and it must be easier to ask for a help when you need one. I was with my husband, and some of male employees here try to encounter with female visitors more frequently compared to other paid facilities. On the other hand if you are one of the kind of empty nested couples or prefers to walk around alone, weekdays are more recommended. There are one small space that has an air conditioner in the garden and that place can be packed pretty easy, especially when it is hot outside. Bringing a water bottle is still a good idea in September.

It was pretty and really peaceful! I kept running into wedding guests in suits or dresses cause they were using on of the buildings as a wedding venue.It's pretty funny cause I rolled up in my hey dudes,jeans and a hoodie, and all these other strangers were in nice fits. I love the Chinese Garden of Friendship- the koi pond and the Chinese style wall and roofing were really cool! Don't walk on the stones next to the pond even tho they're not slippery we almost had some kids fall in (and this was at the start of our experience lol) Almost didn't see an employee driving a small vehicle through the paths and had to jump in the flower bed a bit Made a wish in the fountain in the Shakespeare garden (the only use for pennys anymore lol) The flowers everywhere were beautiful but we couldn't see the ones in the butterfly house cause it was coned off unfortunately. The kids areas were fun- I got to ride the carousel, although when someone to me we were riding the carousel I thought they said Ferris wheel- which would be dope take notes Botanica. There was like this grass hill that you could play on that looked like a sleeping giant and that was really fun to take a running start and slide down. I def almost mowed down some elementary school kids along the way lol The greenhouse was really pretty and I'm def gonna go back there for some insta pictures if for nothing else- or maybe a birthday party 8 out of 10 - a cool place

We enjoy botanical gardens and are members at our local one in Austin. On a recent road trip, we had the opportunity to visit Botanica. If you're ever in the Wichita area and have a few hours, it's worth the visit...especially with children. There are fountains, statuary, ponds, fragrant and colorful flowers, and lots of ideas you could use in your home garden. There is a beautiful recently restored carousel in a separate building. It's operating now, and is sanitized between customers. We would definitely visit these gardens if in Wichita again!

Beautiful gardens! We went for the blooming tulip display. The environment is so visually and emotionally pleasing. The statues are intricate, the pathways are spacious, and they have different themed gardens to visit. Arrangement and multitude of plants and flowers are amazing. Definitely a nice spot to enjoy with the family. They have a kids zone, a carousel, a butterfly house, and a bee hive you can view safely. You can also feed the koi and other fish at different spots ($0.25). Gift shop sells the honey the bee's make The koi pond and the tropical room both were stumbled upon by happy surprise. I can't wait to come back with the kids later on during the summertime.

Lovely Botanica, very relaxing, and worth the $9 admission fee for adults. Lots of benches throughout the Botanica so you can sit, take a breather, and enjoy the beautiful surrounding. Very well kept and easy to navigate. I highly enjoyed my Saturday morning walk around the Wichita Gardens :) I will definitely check out the Christmas lights if I'm in town for business in December.

Customer friendly and parking is closer to the building. Beautiful garden and flowers to explore. The place is clean and well kept. If you are in Wichita area and looking for something other than the zoo to explore, definitely a place to visit. Both adult and kids will enjoy. They have the kids corner and also carousel rides. They have different variety of plants and flowers to enjoy in nature. For Wichita, great place to visit and pricing is not bad.

I traveled from Arizona to surprise the grand kids. One of our adventures was the light show at Botanica. What an amazing experience. Wonderful customer service. My favorite was the Christmas town and rail road. The whole experience made us feel like a VIP. This event really made our trip special.

A great experience for young children, especially the butterfly garden. Botanica is a great place to teach children about pollination.

I spent almost 3 hours perusing the gardens here and not a second of that time was wasted or felt boring. I took so many pictures. The grounds are absolutely immaculate and so stunningly pretty, you kinda forget you're still on Earth.... In Kansas. In my life, I have had the privilege of going to the Botanical Building and famous rose garden in San Diego, the Dallas Arboretum, and Central Park in NYC (several times) and this place is better than all of those. It's absolutely surreal how many types of flowers are here! And they are all so pretty. I could have happily camped out here for my entire vacation. This place should be on every single person's bucket list.

We are members and try to hit all the special events(Christmas lights, halloween, tulip fest exc) my wife loves the place, and honestly it's nice. Friendly staff, pretty scenery, and clean toilets. What more. Can you ask for

I was traveling from out of state on a whim and out of all the places I was hoping to see while in Wichita, The Botanical Gardens was at the top of my list. To be frank, I've never actually been to a Botanical Gardens before, but the one here is absolutely gorgeous. I'm no botanist, but there's a wide variety of flora all throughout the gardens in different sections. Beautiful fountains, a butterfly garden, gorgeous floral arrangements, memorial statues, quiet alcoves, lilly ponds, a koi pond, and much more await you here. After a long year of stress and anxiety, being away from everything for a few hours was therapeutic. I'd definitely recommend seeing it for yourself if you're in the area.

It's a very lovely place to enjoy by yourself or with family. We have a memorial brick for our loved one that had passed on, so it's nice to reflect at that spot near the beautiful plants and flowers. I'm there a few times a year with family and it's a peaceful place to relax. I will say that there was a time they played loud music on the deck and it was hard to enjoy the setting and sounds of nature. Also, when walking to the area that says Gold Star Family memorial, there was nothing planted in that area. As an unfortunate member, that was a bit disappointing. All in all, I would still recommend for visitors to enjoy the beautiful gardens.

We have been big fans of Botanica for years. They always have something fun and new to see and the kids love going to see the butterfly's every year. This last visit they got to see the bees and the giant bugs. We visited the gift shop as well and the lady who helped us was very friendly. The new carrousel is also very cool and the kids got to ride it 5 times and loved it.

What a fun place. We brought our lunch and ate at one of many tables. The gardens were beautiful but the highlight was the many activities for children. My grandson (3 years old) would have spent the whole day watching the model train. The Carousel was also a big hit. The reason for 4 stars rather than 5: We enjoyed the model train in the morning. However, the person operating it did not seem happy to be there. Then, when we returned later in the day no one was there to run the trains. We asked and we told they did not have enough volunteers to have someone at the train. How disappointing for our grandson. If I lived closer I would volunteer to do nothing but operate the train.

My husband and I bought tickets for illuminations and it was a parking cluster. I have been to concerts in Denver with better direction and thought. I am sooooo disappointed. Thought pre selling tickets was making it better. HA! We didn't even go in. Asked the security guy and he says 'they will let you in any time'. So what's the purpose of selling tickets for a specific time? If you want to go drive around and have security wave batons at ya with no direction- this is the place. I think we will go to Winfield to Isle of lights instead.

We went there this afternoon - and although it's a small place, it's very pretty and we enjoyed it. There's a lot of nice statuary and some lovely lily ponds. AAA members receive a small discount on the admission price.

Great selection of plants. Minus one star because one of our party fell through the board walk over the koi pond and got stuck. Staff was very helpful to unstick him! Will be returning!

Received 3 tickets for Jack O lantern event and the manager stated they were invalid tickets and did not let me enter. Why would you donate tickets to Wichita organizations and not accept them? All time slots were sold out but that's should've included tickets given to organizations. My family and I were happy to go to the event but BOTANICA REFUSED THE ENTRY!!! Gas wasted and all family was upset. I'm sure the manager could've accommodated a family of 2 and 1 kid. Instead I was refused the entry and that's embarrassing.

Great time of year to visit! We saw thousands of butterflies along with the amazing gardens. This is truly one of Wichita's gems. Beautiful day!!!

Beautiful in the Spring and Summer when everything is in bloom, but also beautiful in the Winter for their Illuminations event when everything is covered in lights! A great spot to take photos, go on a relaxing date, or just to get some fresh air and enjoy nature. Definitely one of Wichita's prettiest spots. They've also recently added more attractions for kids--like the carousel--so don't worry about keeping kids entertained here.

We've always loved coding Botanica and seeing the different plants and displays they have. The gardens are well kept and quite beautiful throughout the year. During special events like Illuminations, prepare for a crowd. Sometimes there are so many people you're just walking in a line with little enjoyment. I wish Botanica made it more clear you could purchase tickets in advance and skip the line. The ticket line is usually 15-30 minutes long into the parking lot. While they have someone towards the ticket booth announcing the cash only lanes, it is unclear farther back in the lines. Be prepared for cash or card to avoid delays if you should unknowingly pick the wrong line. I've given them 4 stars as typically this is a very good place to visit.

Hit Botanica this morning between downpours. What an amazing garden. I was able to get in for free with my Denver Botanic Gardens membership card but admission is a reasonable $7 for adults. The children's garden was especially nice, as was the Chinese Garden. Got an iced tea at the small cafe and was ready for round two.

Peaceful and serene. Would be a great place for a wedding event or proposal. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. We arrived one day when the business was closed for a wedding party but since they had just finished the staff let us tour the gardens for free.

I was having a great time with my boyfriend and brother. Until we got to the part we wanted to go to, which was the 100 ft. tree. When we come upon some lady she automatically says " we're closed now ", in a tone. Then my boyfriend asked if we could take a picture and she said "no it's closed". When the lights were still on and more people were around us as well. After she said we could take just one picture meanwhile was rushing us. While my boyfriend was taking pictures of my brother and me. We hear "Hurry up, let's go, Really guys". We wanted good pictures. When were leaving and she continued to bother us. That's when my boyfriend got mad and overwhelmed. I had told her to stop treating us that way. There were other Adults on her side and were looking at us from far away. Instead of minding their business. We started heading to the exit and they were walking behind us. I felt very uncomfortable and treated like I didn't belong there. The lady was talking to them in a very kind way. That's when I felt a rush of sadness. I realized she was most likely being racist and discriminating against us. I started crying because it was my first time experiencing that. We wanted to take more pictures farther up to the exit. She was still on us and she would not leave us alone. When all we were doing was taking pictures. The lady said she was going to get security on us when all we wanted was to take pictures. She would be staring at us while taking pictures. That made me feel very uncomfortable. I was trying my best to not cry. When we were closer to the exit she says go this way, which was a shorter pathway to the exit. I told her "We have done nothing wrong, please leave us alone, and that she's going to have to stop it. She walks away and proceeds to get a security guard on us. He never said anything to us and later on left us. We leave couldn't believe her attitude, selfishness, and unkind behavior. Will never want to go back after experiencing such rude behavior.

I have to give this place 5 stars for its beauty, atmosphere, and ambience. I found this a relaxing place to visit. We came here for a wedding and ended up taking a small tour after it. If you love plants or are a botanist, you'd be doing yourself a favor to visit here.

Gorgeous garden, totally serene and lovely to walk through and a historic Chinese garden as well. Lovely staff, cute gift shop and located amongst other museums and tourist sites in the downtown area. I took my mother here specifically for the butterfly house which was the highlight of the visit. And leave it to the wild life to make this visit even more magical. A bunny and a squirrel munching on some food together in the bird area. A regular wonderland where I felt like Alice among the flowers. And so affordable! My only issue was it was SO hot and humid we didn't make it through the whole place but that's no one's fault. If you're going during a hot day, dress comfy! And bring cold water to stay hydrated. Or grab a lavender lemonade slush from the cafe!

Botanica is no secret in Wichita. It's an amazing garden in the summer and one of the best Christmas light displays in the winter. Last weekend they had a record attendance of 7000 people for their holiday display. I went on a cold night so it wasn't as busy, thankfully. They have free visits and photos with Santa as well! I'd highly suggest going any time of the year, but the spring is the best.

A wonderful light experience at the Botanica. It's only $8 to get in for an adult and it's $1 for hot cider. You can walk through the botanical gardens and enjoy the Christmas spirit that takes place around you. After you view all the light shows head inside to warm up with baked goodies and handmade treats. Truly a cool Christmas experience; especially for the family.

I'm not sure I'm qualified to rate a botanical garden but I can say are family had a great time seeing the beautiful sites at Botanica. There are a lot of diverse garden set ups plus a children's garden that our grandson loved. I'd like to come back and see the gardens in the spring and summer.

I have been coming to Botanica since I was very young, usually on school trips and at least once for the Teddy Bear Tea in third grade (I wonder if they still do that?). In recent years, I've attended a couple of large banquets, a wedding, and the Illuminations, which are a beautiful winter/Christmas tradition. I've always had a special place in my heart for Botanica, because it's one f the first places I was really able to discover my love for nature and wildlife. It's not a huge garden, but it's a nice place to stroll and spend an afternoon among gorgeous flowers and plants during the spring, summer and fall months. The Illuminations make the winter months a little brighter as well. I believe that they have community events year-round that are open to the public, but probably require some kind of registration. They have a large hall which is available to rent for banquets, dinners, and other events. There isn't much else to say about Botanica except that if you live in Wichita and have never checked out the gardens, you are missing out on one of the city's real treasures. Especially during these lovely spring days, an afternoon at Botanica is a treat for everyone!

We took our grandchildren to the Christmas Lights this year. It was COLD too. But what a fun experience we all had. There were lots of people, but we didn't feel it was over crowded. They had chiminea's and tall gas heaters that you could warm up at all around the place. There were lights set to music, a candyland, a sleigh you could take a pic at and send to your phone, plenty of refreshments...hot cocoa, popcorn, etc. The gift shop was open too. The piano room was open with musical entertainment where we sat and warmed up before making our way out to the car. We have been there in the summer and the Children's Garden is wonderful. There are giant musical instruments to play with, a little playhouse, a treehouse, and the Butterfly House is a special feature. Be sure to put it on your to do list. Well worth it.

This is a great place for the whole family. The children love the butterfly house and hands on children garden. You can easily spend half a day here.

So I took my family today to visit Botanica it was me my wife my mother in law my 12 years old step daughter and my 2 years old son, so we got there sometime after 2:45 pm we proceed to pay so I found out that I have to pay for 5 adult that's right my 12 year old daughter and my 2 year son I didn't mind consider my daughter as an adult but when I found out that I have to pay adult price for my 2 years old son I thought it was taking advantage and it was extremely outrageous so I refused to pay those prices and I took my family to cow town which it happened to pay free. As for Botanica I will never ever go back there. Yes

On 4/27/13, my wife and I rode our bikes to Botanica and had a great time. We used some passes my Uncle gave us (they are members), so the price was right. The Tulips were magnificent and every section of the garden offered different smells. When we returned home, we realized my wife didn't have her key to the house, and I hadn't brought mine. We called Botanica and spoke to Natalie, who helped us out with finding the keys. We picked up the keys at about 5:20 PM, even though they close at 5 on Saturdays, and were very impressed with Natalie's helpfulness. Thanks, Botanica! You turned a possibly bad and expensive situation into a best-case scenario.

Was very disappointed in Tuesday on the Terrace this week. Music offerings this summer have been poor at best. This week the music was SO loud you couldn't converse with someone at the same table!! ( and we were near the back!) The other issue was a number of people smoking, at the table adjacent to ours and several others walking around smoking. Disgusting. I was under the impression that Botanica was a smoke free establishment. Guess not. We have been members for a long time, but going forward, my membership renewal might not be automatic any more. Botanica is a beautiful addition to the city. It's a shame such issues occur. No more Tuesday on the Terrace for us until these issues are addressed.

So much variety and so well kept! It's less than $10 to get in (further discounts for senious, military, AAA), so worth the couple of hours spent walking around and seeing ALL the variety: blooming plants, succulents, lillies, vegetables. I was amazed at all of the different plants right in the middle of the prairie :D I would love to go back and volunteer to help with maintenance. It would also be a wonderful place to take kids: my aunt and I were completely enchanted by the children's garden.

Went to visit family last week and went to see the gardens. Very pretty flowers and layout. Went towards end of day so didnt get to spend more time but the new children's area was real nice, my 6 yr old loved it. Will definitely want to go back during holidays to see the lights display. Also my son loves trains so the train dispay scheduled to open in Sept looks cool.

I had my wedding at Botanica. It was a very beautiful setting. We had a weekday wedding to keep our costs down and was wonderful. Linda, the events coordinator was there every step of the way and even came in on the day of to make sure everything was how I wanted it. In terms of payment they set me up on a payment plan and called me a few days before each was due so that I didn't forget. Which was extremely helpful! In all I'm so glad I chose to have my wedding at Botanica!

Wow! What an awesome Garden, a real gem. A must see for any garden lovers. Still lots of colorful flowers in bloom until the first frost hits so go see the color display while it lasts. Lots to see. Spent almost 3 hours enjoying the various gardens.

I went here on an art field trip and enjoyed it quite a bit! They were still doing a lot of planting because it was early springtime, but beautiful nonetheless! The arrangement and assortment of plants and flowers is awesome.

A consistently experience beautiful experience every time. Beautiful gardens with plenty of special events that cater to a large swath of different potential audiences. A must see for kids!

I found myself more interested in buying fish food (from the cheap machines) and watching them gather for food, than reading about what oregano looks like in the wild. Of course the wife liked it so much more and wanted to stay longer (yawn).

I have a seasons pass for the family since they built the childrens garden. My son is happy to spend hours playing in the treehouse and farmhouse there. They are also in the process of restoring the Joyland carousel and installing it for the kids to enjoy. Not sure when that will be finished but can't wait to see it. Anyhow the gardens are a nice place to walk around and enjoy. This is a bit smaller than some cities botanical gardens but nice. Only real downside to the garden is the entrance to the parking lot. Poorly designed if crowds are there (like for illuminations). Pedestrians have nowhere to walk except in the driveway. We tried to go Dec 22nd and people were lined up in the driveway to the front gate trying to get in the gardens. Needs a major redesign for safety.

My boyfriend and I enjoyed our visit to Botanica. I was torn between a 3 and 4 star rating but chose the latter due to the simple fact we visited at the beginning of April when most of the gardens were still in planting season and/or "hibernation". They seem to have a booming children's program (I have no clue of the details as we're not parents, but the place was swarming with kids and they have a special kids' section as well as a small model train that seemed to be a draw). Overall, Botanica is quite a bit smaller than we expected. There is not a lot of indoor or greenhouse space included so I would recommend going during nice weather only. The price of admission was fair, considering. We liked the bird area and watching tons of red squirrels. The flowers and trees that were in bloom during our visit were lovely. I'd return again, but later in the season to see everything at its peak.