Idaho Botanical Garden

We had the best time at the Holiday light walk through! They had a silent disco, free hot chocolate and cookies, a candy cane forest, and lovely decorations everywhere. Santa visited so the kids could take a picture with him too. Really cute little village and train set up. Very pretty and fun for all!

The Idaho Botanical Garden is the kind of venue that makes outdoor weddings feel both grand and intimately romantic. During our Pride & Prejudice-inspired shoot, the Garden gave us everything we hoped for: lush plantings, graceful walkways, soft filtered light, and spaces where heirlooms, vintage china, and personal details look like they belong. With 15 acres nestled in the Boise foothills, the Garden offers varied foliage, mature trees, rose beds, and English garden charm that transforms with the seasons. It’s ideal whether you’re imagining a large guest list or a more intimate gathering; the English Garden, Dry Garden, Meditation Garden, and lawn spaces give you flexibility. What I love as a photographer is how natural beauty here doesn’t compete. It frames. The way light dances through trees, shimmers off blossoms, reflects in ponds, and filters through leaves gives your photos depth, warmth, and that storytelling vibe. If you value authenticity, natural elegance, and an outdoor venue that feels like you, this is one of the best in Boise.

We attended the Winter aGlow event. Beautiful lights, lovely atmosphere. Cookies and warm beverages available. A festive area was set up for the kids to get a photo with Santa. Christmas music near the entrance was a wonderful touch. There were 3D goggles available for purchase for an added magical experience.

The Idaho Botanical Garden is a beautiful Boise, Idaho must see. It is located behind the historic Idaho State Penitentiary, and it has a large well used space. There are several events hosted throughout the year, but the best time of year is when they put on the Winter Garden Aglow. This is their largest annual fundraising event, I believe, and it gives you the opportunity to wander through the garden lit up with thousands of Christmas lights. In addition to the gardens themselves, this event has activities such as a Christmas themed silent disco, a visit with Santa, free hot chocolate and cookies, and more! They also have a gift shop, and the entire setting is beautiful with plenty of great pausing points to take fun holiday pictures. This venue deserves attention all year long, but the holidays are when it shines the brightest.

Had an awesome night catching the Sam Barber concert at Outlaw Field! The atmosphere was exactly what I look for in a summer concert—fun, spacious, and really well-maintained. There was plenty of room to spread out (chairs are allowed, which is a major plus), and the whole venue felt clean, even with a big crowd. Bathrooms were easy to find and never had much of a line, which made the night hassle-free. We grabbed food from Gyro Shack and it hit the spot—delicious, fresh, and the portion size was perfect for concert snacking. Drinks were flowing, with lots of beer and cocktails available. The $12 token system was a little confusing at first, especially figuring out how to tip, but the staff were friendly and patient, which helped smooth things out. The crowd was lively but not overwhelming, and the energy during the show was fantastic. I’d highly recommend catching a show here during the summer series—definitely one of the better outdoor venues in town.

Cute walk for checking photos. Hot Chocolate was great. Kids had a blast. Gunna make this a yearly thing for sure!!

We visit the Idaho Botanical Garden a few times each summer for the Outlaw Field concerts, and it’s always a fantastic date night. This year, the Sam Barber event was the highlight — perfect weather and great beer deals made it even better. Pro tip: bring a lowback chair or blanket, pack a dinner, and grab a 6-pack from the beer line. Arriving early is your best bet for a prime viewing spot. Parking is rough — park at your own risk. My tip: bike into the event or park nearby and ride from your car. Event parking is brutal, and good luck getting an Uber afterward. Overall, an amazing experience. The setting is super cool — being next to the old penitentiary and surrounded by the foothills makes it extra special. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a relaxed, fun summer night out!

Beautiful botanical garden!! It was a good size and I thought there was a lot to see. I loved how art was incorporated in the garden through sculptures and the fairy house exhibit. The old graveyard was interesting and I loved the koi and their history. The location is cool because you can go visit the penitentiary right next door too. We brought in lunch and ate at a bench in the garden, and there was plenty of areas you could do that.

Fairy Garden starts 5/3 and ends 5/31...worth the drive and the walk. My 6yr old can't stop talking about it and wants to build her own at home now. We will definitely be coming back again.

Visited Winter Garden aGlow. Super disappointing for the cost. It was $80 for 4 adults. Scentsy lights were better and they're free or download the treasure Valley lights tour, which is also free and much better entertainment. The Winter Garden of glow had little to know holiday music, no light shows and the lights they had up were mediocre best.

Excellent gardens and staff! Concerts are always on time and high quality. Appreciate that they are so organized and welcoming.

A great spot to get engaged!!!!! Obviously biased, but we had a great time at the Idaho botanical garden. The koi pond, the different gardens, everything was beautiful. We downloaded the app, so it was nice to follow along and hear the history behind the old prison grounds and buildings. Plaques and such from donors and people who've passed were very touching. Lewis and Clark and Sacajawea area was the toughest walk. But overall a very peaceful, nice experience. Including a photo of the bridge in the meditation garden where I became a fiancée!

I had a wonderful time wandering around with the family. It's a beautiful place with plenty to explore. It's also got a bit of dark atmosphere being on the old prison grounds.

I went to the Winter Garden A Glow Christmas event with my fiancé this evening for the very first time after hearing about it over the radio and we weren't very impressed. Yes the lights are colorful and pretty and I appreciated the complimentary cookie and hot chocolate and the fire pits, the snow globe bar was also adorable but aside from those things I just mentioned, it's not really worth the admission price they charge. At Christmas events I expect holiday music to follow you everywhere you go.. here they played some jazz music that had nothing to do with Christmas and they didn't even play it in all areas of the garden. Additionally, they only have honey buckets on site, no regular restrooms available. it's overly crowded. The gift shop is tiny and dosen't offer much. The walkways are uneven. This was essentially a good walk to do for an hour but also a mostly boring one that offered very little Christmas spirit. I'd skip this one and would suggest you check out Christmas in Color instead. Their drive thru Christmas light show is much more impressive and inspiring.

Got to experience the Christmas lights at the Idaho botanical garden this weekend. It is such a beautiful place to walk to see Christmas lights. They had hot drink booths as well!

Listen, before anyone comes for me.. I realize that we visited in March and it is still winter conditions in Idaho! With that being said, it was the mere fact that this company was still okay charging us $14/person and claiming "oh it's still very pretty year round, things just haven't fully bloomed yet". Understatement of the year. We were walked over to the entry gate by an employee (that was locked) to be let in and were told, just unlock the gate when you're done. This should have been our first clue. I can't explain how ugly and dead everything was, which again, we understand how nature works... but do not charge for this! The koi fish pond was covered in tarp, all water fountains turned off, most pathways blocked with a "staff only" sign. It was comical at this point. So my best advice to people is not to even add this to your to-do list until late April may be even later, unless you want to walk through what appears to be a cemetery. My advice to the company, do NOT charge for winter walk through's... $28 for me and my friend ?! Insane. We quickly ended this tour, found our way out through the huge locked gate and made our way to the old penitentiary, which was worth every dollar and cheaper ! Botanical Gardens was a HUGE bust.

My family and I enjoyed our day here. The gardens are well done. The view of the mountains here were so pretty

We had the best time here! It's so beautiful and a great activity for families. My husband sister invited us to the garden. She is a member and was able to get us in for free! We loved all the different areas. Most notable was the koi pond, fairy houses, sand pit, and the picturesque fern tunnel! Free parking too!

Very relaxing and beautiful environment. Took a class and it was so much fun! I didn't get to see everything but I enjoyed all that I was able to see. Will be back again soon.

This is a beautiful and unique botanical garden, with great native plant areas. The gardens and pathways include both traditional more formal areas along with lots of meandering pathways through wild areas. There's a great section on fire-wise plantings. And the area paying tribute to Lewis & Clark, along with Sacajawea & Native Americans was especially interesting. We took about an hour to enjoy the garden, but could have used another hour to do it justice.

I love visiting botanical gardens when I go somewhere new, and the Idaho botanical gardens were awesome! I could see how it would be an awesome concert venue as well. The one thing that freaked us out was all the hornets and bees but that's to be expected haha. The plants were beautiful and there was a lot to see. We paid to get into the garden and penitentiary and it was a good deal. Glad we checked it out!

We have seen the Botanical Gardens and they are worth a visit. What I thought would be helpful was to share a few tips if plan to attend a concert at Outlaw Field: Tickets: discounted tickets are available if you are a member of the Botanical Gardens. Also, you can purchase seating in a "VIP" area and sit in comfy There is a VIP Adirondacks. The Sun and grass: The VIP section is very private, but be forewarned that the sun is going to beat down on that area until sundown, so if it goes you are in the midst of a Boise heat dome, it can be uncomfortable. Better choice might be to just find the 3-4 shady places, set up your chairs, and enjoy the music from there--- you can move forward later if needed. The field is grassy, very comfortable, bring a blanket too. Security: the security folks, friendly as they are, are militantly thorough in checking every single item coming in. A fan who drove in from Missoula complained about them taking his stash (he wasn't arrested though). Chairs: They even measure the actual height of your chair which is limited to 30". We saw several people unhappy with that predicament. It can be a long walk back to the car. Water and other containers: containers are allowed, but must be empty. They don't care what's in it. They literally open the bottle and pour out the contents. Reason? To preserve alcohol sales for the inside vendors. Tip: put ice in the container only-- helpful later and they will allow that in. Beer: purchase one token ($10) for two cans of beer-- a bargain and they have a good selection. Tip: as SOON as you enter, get your wristband and head for one of the beer lines. Send one of your friends. They can buy 4 cans. Travel to & from: As far as getting there is concerned, if you can ride your bike, even better. Stay for the encore if you want, but exiting can take a while. Hope this helps someone! It really is a great venue.

Idaho's Botanical Garden is a serene oasis of beauty. The flowers are stunning and expertly arranged, creating a peaceful and visually captivating experience. A must-visit for nature lovers and those seeking a tranquil escape.

One of my favorite venues for an outdoor concert in Idaho! I've been so many shows there and will continue to go to shows!

Don't go in early Spring There is hardly anything blooming in early May. Not really worth your time. I hear it's nice later in Summer.

We went to see the Christmas lights at the Botanical Garden's and they were nothing short of amazing! You have to pay $15 a piece to enter the "exhibit", which I thought was so worth it. They have beautiful lights everywhere as well as interactive experiences along the way. They have free hot chocolate and cookies as well as items to purchase (food trucks, kettle corn, coffee, etc). I will definitely make this an annual trip!

Went here for the Winter Garden Aglow on Dec 28. It was fantastic. We are new to Boise, but found the lights and walk to be amazing even in the cold - just bundle up. They had hot cider or hot chocolate and cookies (please donate!). They also had a few stands set up if you wanted a beer or food. But the treat was the lights! Since this is a night event, and we had never been here before, it is hard to comment on the Garden itself, but we did note a few of the areas that were lit up by lights and noted that we HAD to come back in nicer weather and with items abloom. Definitely will be back for a totally different experience.

I love this place. We get the membership and come visit when the kids are not at school during the summer. Their highlights are the fairy houses, koi pond and the rose garden. We bring picnic and play and enjoy the garden. Membership offers 2 free additions to your choice of event like garden aglow in December that is beautiful albeit COLD. But they have vendors to warm you us with hot cocoa and snacks. They also have monthly pop ups and many activities. Beautiful location.

I was looking for something to do one Sunday morning and was hoping to shoot some nice images. The Botanical Garden was recommended by several people. There happened to also be a wedding as the same time I was visiting. The guy at the ticket booth was very nice and gave me some of suggestions for my visit. I avoided the wedding area and walked the well laid out paths. I found some beautiful flowers and trees. One of my favorite things was the petrified tree and the flowers near by. If you are looking for a few hours of peace and quiet and would like a leisure walk you can't go wrong.

What an amazing treat to tour the Winter Garden a Glow! We attended this fabulous light display at the Idaho Botanical Gardens on December 27th. Walking the paths, trying to hit each one open, we spent two and a half hours enjoying the displays. It was fun to meander to the top, take in the breath catching display of lights in the gardens and of Boise as well. We waited until after Christmas so the crowds would be less and went early for the same reason, arriving at 6:00pm. We had some of the paths to ourselves as we sauntered which made the evening more enjoyable. Through all the paths my mind I kept saying..."I want to come back when Spring hits," even buy a season membership because watching the plants as they bloom at different times will be something spectacular! I did take a few minutes to warm up in the gift shop and peruse the items for sale. I will be back for sure as I found several items I'd like to own. Of course I visited when the Century Link outage happened, so I thought I'd wait to buy. As an avid gardener I was able to imagine the different garden settings and put pictures in my mind of what they would look like when Spring and Summer show these plants in full glory. As one of the winners of the Yelp ticket give-away...I am honored to be able to see this event, enjoy myself through the cold winter night, and take home some beautiful memories. My one regret...I need a new phone. My camera didn't do any of the amazing scenes justice. If you glance at the photos you will probably agree. Just know that the garden lights were so much better than I was able to portray through my photography.

I absolutely love botanical gardens and this little gem in Boise is a great spot to visit. It's near some other choice spots in east Boise, including the Old Penitentiary, the trail head to Table Rock and Eagle Rock park. Several parts of the garden are unique to the arid desert climate in the Boise area, with some great trails and interactive displays. Cool art & statues can also be found throughout the garden. There's a lot for young families to enjoy on the grounds. It's a smaller grounds so you can easily make it around in an hour or so. Don't skip the koi pond! Above and beyond there are seasonal events, music, educational events, and special events always happening here. Don't miss Winter Garden Aglow! My only wish would be for a paved parking lot as visiting the garden in snow or rain can get a little messy.

One of Boise gems near downtown. Pretty accessible and definitely a place to visit if you want to find a quiet place to heal and breathe. Please be mindful many parents bring their children here to educate them or for some quality time with family. That said try to plan your visit if you truly need a quiet time. To bad gardens are not treated as a church. Parents should be considered of people that are trying to find a quiet place or meditate.

First time visitor to the gardens. We haven't yet been during regular daytime hours. The event we attended was a nighttime holiday extravaganza called Winder Garden Aglow. We paid extra for the nighttime tickets to see the lights. They open at 6 and go until 9. I highly recommend buying your tickets online for a small discount and getting there right at 6 or a bit before to enjoy the gardens before the crowds arrive. It was a bit too crowded by 7:30 and lines got long for the free apple cider, hot cocoa, and cookies after that time. Earlier, we were able to quickly get through the free refreshment line as well as the wait to see Santa was short. In addition to the free refreshments, they also have a few vendors for purchasing coffee, sweetened nuts, etc... There is a gift store with pricey gift items on site. The garden is tiered and if you follow the paths, you will end up above the gardens to see a nice view of downtown and the gardens below. Some of the lights were really pretty but some were just ok, overall it was a nice walk around. My favorite was the blue and white tree, the lighted tunnel, small train, and light tent. They do have fire cans for warmth but that doesn't help much when you aren't standing right by one. Bundle up!

Really great place to take kids or just go for a nice stroll. Our family has a pass and it's a great deal!

There was plenty of picturesque spots throughout the garden. They have a small information spot that serve as a snack store, over priced. I asked for a map of the place . They have a kids spot, I saw some musical instruments that the kids can interact and play with and a kid section that looks like a nice jungle gym . The parking is a dirt parking lot .

Great venue except the people wait too long for the beer line if you show up with tokens ready to pay. The scam is you skip the line and buy tokens and they bypass everyone who came prepared. My biggest complaint is can someone from this place explain why we couldn't show up with chairs over 27 inches, but you allow adults to stand? I am fairly close to the front and I have been listening to Whiskey Myers for over 30 minutes and couldn't even tell you what they look like.

Awesome place, well kept and lots of secret places to see! The rock formations are beautiful

The Idaho Botanical Garden offers a 15 acre lush, blooming paradise just a few short minutes from downtown Boise. A few of my favorite things about the garden: + I love the area that shows the different sorts of lawn, how it grows, and what it looks like in Idaho's climate. A surprisingly handy thing when you're purchasing lawn seed. +I love that they display indigenous plants that flourish here without watering (aside from natural rain/snow) +Outlaw Field! Great concerts in a beautiful setting! +The fact that you can bring in a picnic! We did this last Mother's Day and it was a lovely treat. There are tables here and there at picturesque spots throughout the gardens, so we were able to dine amidst colorful abundance +October Fall Harvest Festival, The Scarecrow Stroll, and Winter Garden Aglow! A relaxing, gorgeous, and reasonably priced (general admission is $7) way to spend an afternoon. Get to it!

I was a little underwhelmed by the Idaho Botanical Garden, but I appreciate the effort of showing off the beauty of nature in the area. The garden is directly next door to the Old Penitentiary east of downtown Boise. Parking is free and abundant. The gardens have clearly evolved over the years with the older exhibits lacking the detail and labeling of the newer ones. The classic English and meditation gardens are lush and attractive, but lack much description. The newer sections have much more information and structure. The garden is a bit awkward to navigate especially with morning field trips and classes. It can get hot here during the summer so be prepared. This would be a nice combination trip with the penitentiary in cool weather. With so much natural beauty in and around Boise, there is just too much competition outside the garden!

Really nice Botanical Garden. My wife was a fan and enjoyed a variety of plant life, much never seen or not in a long time. The path gets a little confusing but there are areas to sit and/or hide in shade. I really liked the Lewis and Clark history info and Walking the Labyrinth, but hey, that's just me. If you like Botanical gardens you'll like this one.

My fav time to go to the gardens is on the winter... their Winter Aglow event is lovely, & very well staffed. No gluten free items, & accessibility is challenging due to the hilly, winding paths- on uneven gravel/asphalt mixed paths... but doable with assistance. I had the delight of attending a sneak peak via a private party. I was impressed that cocoa, cider & a bar was available throughout the night.

Checked out the Winter Garden aGlow event. Although online tickets state you can enter over a window of time, they do close the front gates at 8:30 so don't arrive too late. We pretty much had the lights to ourselves. All vendor booths and Santa were already closed, but we came for the lights so it was fine for us. The garden was literally aGlow with various light displays, tunnels of lights, and many feature items lit up. Was very nice to wander through and enjoy all that was put together. Bundle up though..... it's a bit chilly out there.

This is a great place to go & see what types of plants will flourish in your own yard. Also you can see the plant in full size. I wish they had little signs by the plants. Several of the staff were not able to identify the ones I asked about.

When you are looking for a wonderful place to have a concert in the summer look no further! You can bring your own food in and enjoy the sunset over the hills why you listen to great music. There's also local bands on Thursday night with dancing in the garden with wine for sale. It is an amazing place to spend some of your summer.

Stopped by the Botanical Gardens for a quick self guided tour this weekend, and even though it's still early in the season (some flowers haven't bloomed yet) it was such a beautiful and interesting adventure! I'm going to apologize in advance, I didn't take any pictures for you all. But that just means there aren't any spoilers for you to see here and you get to experience it first hand! The Botanical Gardens are directly behind the Old Idaho State Penitentiary which provides the garden with an interesting history which you can read about on several placards around the property. The Gardens are a great way to get the family outdoors, with plenty of routes and trails for walking, and endless beauty. My favorite parts of the property were the Meditation Graden, the Fairy Garden, the Old Penitentiary Cemetery, and the Koi Fish pond! At $9 for an adult ticket, you simply cannot pass this up. *Date night tip: the Meditation Garden is a gorgeous place to have a picnic for you and your significant other :)

Absolutely beautiful. Dirt parking lot and a bit of a walk to get to it; I don't suggest heels to try to look cute, ladies (although this would make for beautiful pictures in spring or summer.. if you must wear heels for your pics maybe bring them in a bag to change into when you get to the top). Sitting areas, hidden cottage meadow type feel in one area, koy pond, and more. Beautiful flowers. Watch out for snakes, we some some right on the trail. Deer in hills nearby show themselves sometimes. All in all, beautiful.

The gardens, located next to the Old Idaho State Penitentiary, are an Idaho gem. The garden was established in 1984 and operates without government funding. There are several themed gardens, including an Idaho native garden, a rose garden, English garden and even one featuring plants matching those collected by the Lewis and Clark expedition between Great Falls, Montana, and The Dalles, Ore. Other highlights include a garden comprised of plants that don't require a lot of water and a firewise garden of plants meant to increase the safety around homes in areas prone to wildfires. Around the holidays, the Winter Garden aGlow attracts thousands of visitors nightly for a lighted display. Buy a household membership for $30 during August and save 50 percent on the regular price. Get $1 off each admission with a AAA card.

This botanical garden is gorgeous and I was very impressed with the size of it for the size of Boise! Not only was it laid out well but the features within were just superb! The kids garden was extremely cute and perfect for young inquisitive minds who like to explore and imagine, and the Lewis and Clark garden was not only informative but extremely beautiful as well, especially the area dedicated to Sacajawea. My favorite area was the veggie garden; even with the cooler temps the veggies were abundant and it was neat to see all the kinds right there. We went during Fall Fest and the live music just died to the beauty of the place. Walking the labyrinth to meditate while listening to beautiful music and kids laughing was exactly what my heart needed. I will say, if you visit Boise, try to make a stop here for a beautiful, reasonably priced respite from the desert and city around.

Beautiful Botanical Garden! Great collection and scents we rarely experience. Thoughtful sculptures and a beautiful Koi Pond. Workers mostly volunteers and very nice! Highly recommend to all!

I love the Idaho Botanical Garden! It is such a beautiful place to visit. It is my zen place in Boise. The Rose Garden and English Garden are just a couple of my favorites here. The gift shop is just too cute. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable of the different types of plants.

Let me start by saying my rating is based upon the time we visited, November. I should have been wise enough to know that during this time, not much would be in bloom. I figured since it was open and they were charging money to enter, there had to be something worth seeing. I have no doubt this place is gorgeous at the peak times but if you visit in the off season like we did, save your time and money and go to the MK nature center and/or green belt. You will see much more. Someone else posted the garden has too much competition outside and he is absolutely right! The ponds were drying up. The various gardens looked abandoned. I think the coolest thing was the cemetery. The lady at the front told us to definitely spend some time at the labyrinth. Upon seeing it, I'm not sure how much time you can spend there but then again, I am not into that sort of thing. Perhaps others are and it would be a good stop.

Winter Garden aGlow volunteer event with my Apple Boise Towne Square posse! The garden is beautiful this time of year, with meandering paths through trees adorned with LED lights, a selection of yummy food trucks, fire pits for warming yourself, the Ustick Elementary Honor Choir, and best of all complementary hot cider, hot cocoa and cookies served up tonight by friendly Apple elves!

Beautiful!! Kind staff and peaceful next to the prison lol! We lived the afternoon here and would recommend checking it out anytime!

I love our botanical garden and bring my out of town guest here in every season :) Winter boasts the Garden Aglow, which I try to hit every year on thanksgiving eve but it runs for all of December. At least. This is the 3rd year in a row we've brought an out of towner and they are always delighted!! My son calls it *another world* and it truly is magical ! This year they beefed it up a bit with a Dutch bros truck, kettle corn and another snack vendor. Smart. Spendier, but smart. We were grateful for the warm drinks. They also beefed up the prices too- $8 for adults but on fri and sat. $10. I believe the last few years it has been $6 or $7 for adults regardless of the day so that's a pretty big price hike! I wasn't super pleased with that but I would rather "overpay" to support our local botanical garden than someplace like waterslides and other for profit monsters etc. As always the botanical gardens offers free hot choc and cider and cookies ...but it pales in comparison to Dutch bros with a whipped cream stick (my 6 yo actually threw his cookie away so that says something) soooo another $10 spent but *shrug* we were warm and happy. In the fall we do the scarecrow stroll, fun, especially the last few years with the warmer October weather. The leaves are turning but many of the plants are still in bloom and you can buy a pumpkin there if you want although the selection Isn't huge. Summer concert venue is awesome. The ability to bring your own picnic is a huge plus. Works well for a variety of music. I've seen everything from Cake to Crosby stills& Nash go James addiction and the grounds and outhouses are well maintained The staff, whether paid or volunteer have always been friendly and helpful any time we go. I love the way they represent and demonstrate the native Idaho plants and continually improve the landscape. And then. There's Sacajawea. I love the statue and the honoring of her. She's my favorite in the winter Thanks Boise botanical gardens!

An old guard tower from the abandoned State Penitentiary caught my eye as I admired a sculpture in the Idaho Botanical Garden. It took me back for a moment, to think of people once incarcerated at this spot where I was enjoying the freedom to roam a beautiful place created among stark surrounds. My husband and I went in for what we thought might be an hour visit and ended up enjoying more than two hours with so much to see. With a modest entry fee, multiple garden themes and good accessibility this is recommended for Boise visitors of all ages for however much or little time you choose to spend. A tip if you're there in warm months, as we were, take sun protection and water! ENTRY You enter the garden site from the grounds of the old penitentiary. (Also open for visiting.) We were confused about how to get into the garden itself, so offer this heads up: turn right at the small garden administration building and you'll see a kiosk to pay your admission ($5 for adult) fee to the garden then continue driving up until you get to the gravel lot just outside the garden's entry. LAYOUT The garden is on 33 acres leased from State with about 15 acres developed into roughly 15 different themed areas that rise in elevation from lower to middle and upper gardens demonstrating four habitats. As examples: on the lower (entry level) you'll find English and Rose gardens, then rising up through areas like Herb and Meditation and Children's gardens and on up to Lewis and Clark Native gardens. The latter, installed in 2006 I learned, was my favorite with the chirping sounds of big covey of quail running through the plantings, a round house structure with a plant roof and at the highest point a great view out over the old Penitentiary and towards the city. SCULPTURES & ART Recycled material sculptures, bronze sculptures and other art installations are throughout the garden created an outdoor gallery of sorts among the plantings. PATHWAYS Slopes can be steep in some places given the natural elevation of the site but the folks who designed the garden have done a good job of leveling out the cross slopes of the pathways so people pushing strollers or using wheelchairs should find them navigable. Surfacing of most, but not all, of the garden is firm and stable and installed it seems with the idea of being appropriate to the theme of that particular garden area. As examples: cobblestone pavers in the English Garden, brick pavers in the Rose Garden outlook, hard pack dirt surfaces on some other trails and so on. The most accessible surfacing is at the higher elevation gardens with broom swept cement. The flaws for accessible connectivity include the grassy meditation garden, some rough patches of gravel covered pathways between areas and that the parking lot is loose gravel to be navigated before getting to the firm surfacing at the entry. (Anyone who has pushed a stroller across deep grass or loose gravel knows why that doesnt' work for a wheelchair or crutches either.) UNIQUE TREEHOUSE "Woohoo worthy" is a treehouse that seems to have been recently installed at the Children's Garden. That treehouse is set up in universal access design that allows children using wheelchairs to have level in access from a pathway and participate along with all others. Very nice. Having seen children with disabilities being left on the sidelines again and again, this was a delightful element. Of course, this works too for children beng pushed in strollers. And PS - for parents using wheelchairs, as in my acquaintance whose legs were severed in Iraq, it is equally cool for him to be able to join his toddler son there as all other dads might do. Everyone wins. SEASONAL EVENTS SUMMER: Hosts occasional public concerts about which we heard a lot of kudos from locals. Also other monthly events (like cooking and food showcase) that are public. WINTER: Lit for the season with thousands of lights in "Garden Glow" which starts on Thanksgiving Day and runs through January 5. Santa themed elements are included for kids and kids at heart. Glow event is evenings only, roughly 6p - 9p. (Higher entry fee may apply? Check with the garden.) Open Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, New Years' Eve and Day. THIS N THAT: 1) SWEAT & FUNDING: Land is leased by a private non profit from the State of Idaho and is funded by donations and entry fees; receives no government funding. The gardens, all designed and cultivated since 1981, are lovingly maintained by staff and volunteers. 2) HOURS VARY WITH SEASON: March - November: 7 days a week roughly 9a to 9p (or dusk whichever is sooner). Check garden site for winter hours. 3) FREE ENTRY MORNING STROLL: During some months there are no entry fees from 7:30a - 9:00a. Can't think of a more beautiful time of day to visit this peaceful place. 4) PETS: None allowed.

They had a scarecrow hunt when we visited. It was fun to look at the various gardens and seek the scarecrows too. We rode the Boise City Bikes from our hotel downtown, along the greenbelt to the Gardens and back. Miles of Smiles. So much fun.

The Idaho Botanical Garden & Idaho Penitentiary are on the same grounds & are both very nice. We've been to many events & concerts here and it's just a wonderful place. This summer, my wife & I have been to several concerts and the grounds are ideal for large concerts since the weather here is so mild and the views are so good. The grounds have hills on 2 sides and if you don't feel like going to the concert & mingling with the large crowds, you can join the hundred or so people who sit in the foot hills and, although you can't see the performers, you can enjoy the music fairly well. If you go to a concert, please know that only low back chairs are allowed. Food trucks and beer & wine are available on site during concerts. In the winter, if you've never been, this is a great place to visit during Winter Aglo (?) and it's always a good place to visit to just relax and walk around. It's a great sanctuary.