This is an excellent spot to bring the kids with a kids discovery garden, kids veggie garden, and a topiary garden with and elephant you can 'ride'. Among other things like the pond and ampitheater. The garden is on both sides of the road. They have a crosswalk w/signal to cross safely. Areas within the park are a mix of sun and shade with several shady benches scattered throughout. The gift shop has plenty of items including cold drinks. Parking lot is gravel. Public restrooms are available read more

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We have not been to the Berkshire Botanical Garden in probably 15 years and it has certainly grown and improved. Lovely gardens mostly identified with the type of plant which is always helpful. We used passes from our local library so we did not have to pay admission. The gift shop is difficult to leave empty handed. A great way to spend two hours outdoors. read more

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We visited a week ago and were so disappointed. There were big gaps between plants; everything looked dry, distressed and untended. Very little beauty to be seen, and entrance fee isn't inexpensive. read more

Lovely small garden with a terrific art gallery. And the folks who run it are very nice and friendly.

#500 22 Sept 2024 Partly Sunny Warm 74°F The Berkshire Botanical Garden is a lovely sanctuary in the midst of the bucolic surroundings of Lenox / Stockbridge MA. There are many floral and plant species to enjoy, with various places on the small 24 acre site to sit and linger. Take an hour and indulge. *Entry: $18 for adults - $16 for seniors * Happy first day of Autumn! read more

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My family and I really enjoyed these gardens There are so many unique gardens within the "garden". We started off seeing the art exhibit in one of the buildings. Then we moved on to the herb gardens (loved the lavender). The topiary garden is fabulous, plants shaped like anmals. My 2and favorite garden was the lillies. Plenty of free parking. read more

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Visited the place with my family on Saturday and place was packed with people. Nice place to enjoy but there's only a few flowering plants for the meantime. Luckily enough to see some with flowers for my mom to enjoy. Quite small for a botanical garden plus the entrance fee is $18 for adults and $16 for 65 years old and above. The garden is a very relaxing place plus the staffs are polite and friendly. read more

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This place is a joke. There is nothing botanical about it. There are no flowers and barely any trees . They should not charge admission to this glorified park. Definitely skip it and save your money! read more

What a lovely way to spend a fall day! My friend and I enjoyed wandering amongst the plants and trees, although we went the week after their fall festival and things were still a little messy (although staff did warn us when we arrived). The only thing that would take this location to a five star is more information about the plants and trees that you are looking at! read more

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Very "earthy" gardens that are substantial and offer a well balanced look at plants for the average gardener in New England, especially woodland gardens. There are a couple of greenhouses on the property and other facilities for propagation, etc. Good selection in the gift shop, including plants for sale. Parking can be a problem during special events. read more

terrible, not worth the price of admission. nothing is well kept, no one around and staff are rude. dont bother! Free parks in the area are much better! read more

I visited on a Tuesday, and it turns out that Tuesdays you can visit for free. I'm not sure what the charge would be and what that would include, but it was a nice surprise to hear that. The grounds are very pretty and you can actually cross the street and there is more to look at. There's a nice building with nice bathrooms and a little art gallery of flower stills. I've read that there are programs available for kids, but as an adult there isn't much to do other than walk around and enjoy the flowers and sculpted bushes. I'm glad that I visited, as it was a relaxing afternoon of walking around and taking photos Period you could probably spend 1 to 2 hours there. read more

Berkshire Botanical Garden - On the grounds - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Wonderful layout and assortment of plants. I particularly like the way each tree and planting had a label. Very interesting to learn the name of the different plants. The garden had everything from large healthy trees to small herbs. Flowers still in bloom were gorgeous. read more

It was a cute activity for the curious at heart! The walk through in the first/main section was kinda quick. It was overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time. There was a lot of little things to see, yet not so much to look at. I think more information, or something like fun facts to read would make this place more interesting. As I'm writing im realizing that the learning part is what was missing. I would have loved to have learned something interesting. The most interesting part was watching a spider carry his prey home, which showcased its incredible jumping and climbing skills. Yes, there was a map, but I also wish there was more guidance or direction. Its not the largest space but it was like did we see that, did we go that way, what did we miss? The Indoor things are were closed due to covid. I read there was an art exhibit somewhere. Heard there was a gift shop somewhere??? The second part across the street had a more leisurely, romantic feel. It had the amazing trees and large plants and bushes. The topiary garden was awesome!!! I just couldn't find the herb garden that was on the map and that was disappointing since I love to cook and eat... and that was one of the exhibits that I was most interested in. Reservations(time slots) were required to enter. The plus side to that is that in Limiting the number of visitors, it allowed for a more peaceful, relaxing time! Maybe I'll return once everything is fully open and I'll have a better experience! read more

Berkshire Botanical Garden - A Rooster and a Hen - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Stockbridge, Massachusetts

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Love this place! The gardens are really lovely. We had kids with us who were not happy about going to the botanical garden when we got there and by the end they were cheerful and happy. That says a lot! The plantings were lovely with a lot of interesting small garden shacks and artworks dispersed throughout. The kids really loved the pond area where there were Lots of frogs, the fragrance and culinary garden with things to touch and smell, the goats and chickens, and the little bug scavenger hunt they had for kids. I liked the art exhibit they had with bird sculptures, the green wall, the little greenhouse, and the little garden shack with the sedum roof. They had a few pots of carnivorous plants that everyone found interesting and are beautiful. And the topiaries were loved by all! This was a great time and if you are in the Berkshires it's a great place for a couple of hours. Also admission is free on Tuesdays (at the time of this review you need to make reservations online ahead). read more

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Must visit when in the Berkshires!! There is so much to see and ground to cover! Everything was so beautiful. Beware of the mosquitos! Pro tip- pack the bug repellent! read more

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We have been here a few times and enjoy the tranquil setting as well as the well marked plantings and exhibits. read more

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Lovely beautiful place but I had read somewhere that it was handicapped friendly. The little pebbles and stone walkways were terrible for wheeled walkers and elderly walking. Not recommended for people with mobility issues. Also, the restrooms were a distance from the gift shop and office. read more

Berkshire Botanical is a great place for a relaxed day trip from the Boston area or a pleasant place to stop to stretch your legs and take a nature break if you're driving through the Berkshires en route to another destination. It's not the largest, most impressive botanical garden I've ever been to, but it's still a nice place, especially considering that there's not a lot going on in this area. Also, it is part of the American Horticultural Association so if you have a membership at another botanical garden, you can likely stop here for free. I have been here twice, once before COVID for their Fall harvest festival and craft fair and once after COVID to enjoy a nice outdoor activity. The harvest festival was very crowded and filled with very overpriced crafts and other goods from local vendors. This was disappointing especially considering we also had to pay to enter the festival, although the admission fee supports the gardens. There was a cool section that was like a community yard sale that was much more reasonably priced and enjoyable to browse. We also enjoyed some of their food offerings and the amazing succulents in pumpkin arrangements all over the gardens. My second visit, even though it was during COVID restrictions, was much more pleasant. No crowds due to the need for social distancing and it was very peaceful. I was able to take lots of beautiful photos without anyone stepping into my shot. The attention to detail here is great and almost all the plants and herbs are labeled well. It's definitely worth a stop even though it doesn't quite have the wow factor of some of the larger, more cosmopolitan botanical gardens like Montreal. read more

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Beautiful grounds with well tended plantings in a natural environment. Map and audio guide (via QR code) explains what you see. read more

Berkshire Botanical Garden - Wall of ferns - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Stockbridge, Massachusetts

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Absolutely stunning! I went in late summer but I bet it really transforms during spring and early summer. I highly recommend to check it out! Also, if you are from the Albany area, the libraries offer passes to the garden. read more

Super cool, the mansion ruins are worth it. Absolutely amazing, and I hope to get married there someday honestly. read more

Berkshire Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Stockbridge, Massachusetts

A delightful small garden that makes for a refreshing and educational visit. We thoroughly enjoyed our one-hour stopover, which gave us opportunities to admire most of the 26 display gardens. Kids should enjoy the children's flower and vegetable garden space which offers lots of hands-on play. We were especially drawn to the perennial garden, the gorgeous daylily borders and the partially shaded walkway that winds past a rock garden, a magnificent hosta garden, the cooling pond garden and, curiously, a small cottage garden designed by Martha Stewart. The Botanical Garden is well-signed, easy to follow and is certainly a pleasure for the eyes. There's a small visitor center and gift shop, too. Be particularly alert if you have kids: the garden is split by a busy roadway; there's a marked crosswalk, but do be careful about speeding vehicles anyway. Admission is $15 if you're not a member, and we feel it's well worth it. read more

Berkshire Botanical Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Very lovely place it was a nice outing. We went late in the day so we had to race through it and it was in September. read more

The Berkshire Botannical Garden is truly a gem. After spending and hour and a half there (we would have spent more but my wife was getting tired), I decided that it's one of the best and most enjoyable public gardens I've seen (and I've been to Sissinghurst and Kew in England, Longwood and Wave Hill in this country, and many others). BBG isn't the most spectacular but it has a wide variety of very well done "rooms" (pond, rose garden, topiary, kitchen garden, perennial garden, etc.), all superbly well maintained and (mostly) well labeled. And the whole place can be enjoyed easily in an afternoon. Of course, as is true of most gardens, the view changes throughout the seasons (we were there in late September and there was still plenty in bloom). It's all anchored by a large selection of conifers that add structure and texture and don't care what the season is. There is plenty of bench seating throughout and wheelchairs are available for loan with an advance reservation (advance entry ticketing is required in this time of COVID-19). We will certainly return the next time we're in the Berkshires - probably during a different time of the year. read more

I visited on July 30th. Not much in bloom - only lilies. Lots of individual gardens but poorly executed. Water feature was a small man made pond. Great idea but, again, poorly executed: no aeration so water was cloudy (water should be clear), no fish in water, no water lilies. You can't build a pond and walk away. Pond maintenance is pretty basic stuff but no one on the staff knows what to do. Hopefully his place will improve with time. read more

I have always loved this place and it seems to have gotten better and better. The series of art installations and exhibits has been a wonderful excuse to return repeatedly . Check out their end of season plant sale. read more

This is a very nice little garden that covers two plots, divided by a small country road. When we visited there was a special exhibit of small houses built by local artists to convey different senses of place and experience...these were a big hit with my son. Also a big hit was the animal farm, which featured a rabbit, a chicken coop, and a pen with 2 calves, a llama, and about 6 goats and sheep. He really enjoyed those. The garden area itself is nice; features the standards like a rose garden, a pond with running water, a few greenhouses, and some landscapes. The lily walk was in bloom when we visited, that was nice. It is a bit pricey, but thankfully we have reciprocal privileges so got in for free. I think this would be a great place to be a member, could see spending a lot of time here on a nice day. Would be ideal for a picnic, or for reading a book, or otherwise just enjoying a pleasant sunny spot. However, if just paying for a one time admission the fee is a bit steep, not sure it is worth it unless you plan to make a day of just hanging out in the garden area. read more

Of course compared to the great botanic gardens of the world, this is not a 5 star location, however, on the drive from Albany to Boston, it is a lovely place to stop and stretch your legs. It is rustic and very child friendly. of the road and be very careful crossing. While there is a cross walk, the cars travel down the road very quickly and may not see you in time to stop. Hold your children's hands very tightly! There are tiny houses all over and we made sure to stop and sit in each and every one. It was the perfect time to be there and see many thing in bloom. We were there late in the afternoon so beware of mosquitos. read more

Truly a beautiful garden across the street. I noticed a lot so so reviews and realized some folks failed to read their map, The garden is on the next block. read more

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Although the Gardens are pretty. There is much in need of upkeep. The place promotes being used as a wedding venue, but I don't recommend it for any venue! It is terribly difficult for any vendor, caterer, music, florist, everything to bring in or remove equipment and they won't let you drive anywhere close to the area that your "event" is located. The. To add insult to injury, they are untruthful, saying the party planner didn't inform them that power is needed. The staff at the gardens are rude. For example, the "manager" (old woman with short gray hair) replied to a musician who said "have a nice day" with a terse "well, I hope you don't!" She single handedly insulted, angered and "took the wind out of everyone's sail" today from the live musicians, the Florest, the catering staff, the party planner and her staff, and a DJ! She definitely needs to have some professional development around interpersonal skills. If you don't like people and you don't like events in the area you manage, get a new job and don't be a manager. read more

Not huge but immaculate in every regard and well organized with a daunting quality of educational programs. I'm thoroughly confused when I see how poorly others have rated this garden. My only guess is that the subtle New England charm just doesn't catch the average passer by for the cost but honestly the flora us daunting and the maturity of some of the species here is unbelievable. I also thought the children's garden and structures were about as good as it can get without going overboard. read more

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We just visited the Berkshire Botanical for the fifth time in as many years and I can't say enough about this tiny gem. First of all, a little bit about the Berkshire Botanical Garden. From what I can glean the emphasis of this garden is on indigenous plantings, so stuff that actually might grow in your garden. What I like about this is that it works for all ages. I've got three kids ages 8, 10, 13 but have been stopping by this on our annual outing to the Berkshires since our youngest was a toddler. So for starters, they have a great kids garden. The activities are simple, yet really engaging (in fact, it often takes us awhile to get out of this section). The water brush blackboard arts area is cool. Kids love pumping water at the old fashioned water pump, the baby chicks, bunnies, and various animals are ALWAYS a hit. What I like most are the main exhibits. One year we went and they had an incredible tree house exhibit. They had gotten about 20 or so artists to design elaborate tree houses. Seriously, people could have lived in these tree houses, some were camouflaged some had secret passages, some were crazy.... Another year when we went they had a display of sundials. Again they had reached out to multiple artists, craftspeople who had designed cool sundials. This was an aesthetic/scientific/historical experience for the whole family...Turns out the world of sundials is pretty cool for example did you know there are several types of sundials, analemmatic, canonical, etc? Anyway, other years we've stopped by on the vegetable, flower design competitions. Folks from around the area submit all sorts of vegetables into categories for judging. Sort of like a county fair. As a person who plants a family vegetable garden it's been eye opening what one can achieve (clearly I need to use more compost). They also run a Farm in the Garden camp which I put my two youngest in last year. The kids LOVED this camp. They planted crops, harvested, helped feed baby pigs, played with llamas, goats, baby chicks, spun wool, made pesto, various teas, (in fact they did a cooking project every day). played games, ran through sprinklers, did crafts. My son and daughter came home dirty, happy and tired everyday. Anyway, the various gardens, the gift shop, the signage are all well done. The staff is super friendly and always willing to talk about a particular planting, sculpture exhibits, answer questions. The place is wholesome, current, local, fun and interesting and the camp is terrific! Enjoy! read more

15 dollars definitely wasted... I saw more flowers in neighboring houses than at this garden. Could have gone to the park for free (and I am a very open-minded person and easily entertained and enjoy simplistic sceneries but this was not enjoyable) I don't know if it was because of the time of year, but there were more bushes than flowers. read more

So disappointing and oversold and over prized I wish there was an option for zero stars The other reveiws must be all employees or freinds neighbors or people who feel sorry for this poor excuse for an botanical garden maybe a learning center but visitors really dont feel like wasting their time or paying 15.00 to support a non local learning center avoid this one read more

This has been totally improved since my last trip in 2009. Wow! Innovative and creative displays. I loved the bunnies and the vegetable garden. The staff were very helpful and knowledgeable. read more

Decided to stop here today as it was on my route home from NY. Very easy to get to from Route 90. The kid at the counter stood there staring at me when I walked in, and could barely muster the effort to mumble "15 dollars" under his breath when I asked for a ticket and a map. Gardens themselves were neither well-organized nor well cared-for, and a walk around the whole place would take 15 minutes, 30 if you stop to take photos like I did. Since I was just passing through from out of town, it would have been nice for the staff to mention that their was a thunderstorm about to roll in (skies were clear when I arrived) but it wasn't surprising that he didn't given his attitude. Most of my time in the gardens was spent waiting in a shed. Overall, worth $5 tops for the mediocre gardens and crappy employees. read more

Really enjoyed our walk through the garden. It was lovely!

Really lovely, a great place to spend an afternoon. I also picked up some new ideas for my own future garden!

Yay for gardens! Um I just looked at the website and saw that there is a $7 entry fee but somehow i just walked in and wandered around the garden for free. go me. The plants highlighted aren't exotics, but things that grow well in this climate and while I was there I saw some beautiful day lilies in half a dozen colors, huge hydrangeas and a shady quiet nook of hostas near the pond. It is the kind of place that you're not scared to walk around on the grass and where you can sit on the scattered benches taking in the summer afternoons for hours. check it out! read more