Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Olbrich Botanical Gardens

    4.6 (214 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Olbrich Botanical Gardens Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Olbrich Botanical Gardens

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    map
    Scott W.

    Came to Madison for a bike ride around Monona Lake. After lunching at Ian's Pizza (at Garver Feed Mill) we took some time to stroll through Olbrich Botanical Gardens. First time, and boy were we impressed. Most of the garden is free, with the exception of the Bolz Conservancy which is $6/person. Very reasonable pricing. There is lots to see. And if you wanted to see it all without rushing through, you should probably set aside a couple of hours. There is ample parking in a lot out front. Inside you will find the information desk, a gift shop, entrance to the conservatory, or doors to take you back outside to the many different garden spaces. We walked through the Great Lawn, the Prairie Dropseed, Perennial Gardens, and ended up a the Thai Pavillion & Gardens. Most of the walking is in shade, which helped a lot on this very hot day. There is lots more to see, so we will definitely need to come back.

    Jen W.

    Such a lovely place with great programming! I've been a few times for different events - GLEAM, the butterfly exhibit, a mocktail night, a tree identification class, and a watercolor class - just to name a few. Every time I'm there I feel like I'm seeing a new side of Olbrich and it just keeps getting better! The summers are stunning and the quails that live in the greenhouse are a huge delight in the winter. I love wandering around the different exhibits they have and especially the sensory garden! Overall this is one of my favorite places in Madison with lots of incredible people and activities!

    Dragonflies
    Ophelia M.

    Olbrich Botanical Gardens is an absolute delight. I do like to seek out botanical gardens when we go places and have enjoyed many a lovely wander through such gardens. Olbrich ranks among one of my favorites. It's lush, blooming, and beautiful to wander through. I love the inclusion of art installations and light up features throughout. It's whimsical and adds delight around every turn. Added bonus? Entry is free! Our party of five enjoyed an afternoon here. You'll want to reserve at least a couple of hours to really see everything. Get to it!

    Joanna T.

    Olbrich punches way above its relatively small size - this is an absolutely wonderful garden. Because of Covid, the indoor part is closed but the outdoor gardens are open with limited hours. The best part is, it's free! But you can and should make a donation to support this beautiful place. I loved so many things about this place - it's so peaceful, and full of wandering paths that take you past ponds, through trees and into beautiful floral displays. I loved the relative informality of the plantings and that despite being fall there was a ton to see and plenty in bloom. We saw tons of bees and beautiful hummingbirds which always makes me happy. Best of all, they seem to use lots of unusual (to me anyway) plants as accents which really adds to the overall displays. I loved our time here and I can't wait to come back - this place is a treasure!

    Manish C.

    Some of the top attractions in Madison, Wisconsin have free admission, so despite having limited time, I made it a point to venture out to Olbrich Botanical Gardens. The outdoor gardens are free of charge, and there is a nominal fee of $6 to visit the conservatory which I was told houses plants that bloom in more tropical/humid environments. The outdoor gardens are so peaceful and serene, and well manicured. I especially liked the sunken gardens as there were a lot of blooms there and it was my favorite place to wander. They have a pretty impressive Thai garden pavilion over a bridge at one far end of the gardens. While some of the gardens didn't have much in bloom, it was the perfect respite and admirable for a smaller city like Madison. I'd definitely return on a future visit and dedicate some extra time to visit the conservatory. The staff were all super friendly and there's plenty of free parking. Overall, I'd recommend a visit to Olbrich Botanical Gardens to all visitors to Madison who like a peaceful garden experience.

    Wendy L.

    This is a stunningly beautiful garden! I can't believe they don't charge admission and parking is free too. We came late in the afternoon at 4pm so we didn't get to see the conservatory, which does have an added cost but closed at 4pm the day we went. We did get to ride the tram which takes a brief tour of the garden. Our guide was fun and entertaining and gave us a good overview of the 16 acre property. We have to come back here to visit the Thai pavilion because it was still being renovated so we didn't get to see the actual structure. Definitely check this place out if you visit Madison!

    Orbs from a distance under the triangle arch
    K J E.

    Amazing experience! Spent half of our Sunday afternoon wandering these beautiful grounds. The Thai garden is one of the highlights of these gardens as well as the floating silver orbs. The orbs moved and shone in the sunshine reminding me of bubbles in a bathtub! So cool!

    Chris W.

    Absolutely beautiful & well worth the visit. The gardens have an amazing assortment of perfectly cared for plants. Well maintained pathways & a tram for guided tour. The butterfly atrium is a perfect addition.

    Jenni H.

    I am shocked at the quality of the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Oh, and its free! We came over on a Tuesday morning (after a torrential rain) and were not disappointed! The only thing you must pay for here is the Bolz Conservatory. Which is a glass pyramid filled with gorgeous plants, colorful flowers, a calming waterfall, and some adorbz birds... oh and like a kajillion butterflies. It was super humid when we perused this gotta-see. And because it had rained, the butterflies weren't fluttering around-- they were all drenched, drying their wings. What a beautiful walk around the grounds. There were a plethora of gardens but my two favorites were the Perennial Garden and Sunken Garden. (Peep those lily pads!) Overall, Olbrich Botanical Garden is worth a jaunt around. It's good to get out in nature and the grounds here are very well maintained and gorgeous. (If you're not wanting to walk, there is a tram offered-- as well.) (NOTE: We were visiting with someone in a wheelchair and she had no problem getting around both the Conservatory or the grounds themselves.)

    Savanna B.

    Olbrich Gardens is a magical FREE place to check out in Madison. It's simply beautiful and there's lots of trails to explore and lovely flowers to admire. Their gift shop is also super cute- we were able to find a few unique souvenirs for my son, and the staff were all tremendously helpful.

    Anna B.

    I love walking around Olbrich Gardens, rain or shine the gardens are beautiful and it's so peaceful. I love that there are tons of paths to different gardens, you could be there for hours. The rose garden is probably my favorite but they are all stunning. After we walked around the gardens we checked out the gift shop that had lots of great items from artists (yard/garden decor, puzzles, jewelry, etc.). We didn't go into the conservatory this time but I love it there. Especially during winter months, it feels like an escape to the rainforest. You can tell Olbrich is a place for everyone. We saw young family, a senior group that was touring by golf cart, school groups, couples, friends, etc. An awesome place to go during every season. Tip: we grabbed coffee from Ledger Coffee in the Garver Feed Mill and then walked over to Olbrich Gardens and enjoyed our coffee while walking through the gardens. There's a path behind Garver that takes you to the front parking lot of Olbrich (about a 2-3 minute walk).

    Alexandra Z.

    My husband took me to Olbrich Botanical Gardens for a date, and it was honestly such a vibe. Super chill, beautiful paths everywhere, and the conservatory with all the tropical plants was really cool. We even stumbled on this awesome Thai Pavilion -- felt like we were on a mini vacation. It's crazy that a place this pretty is right in the middle of the city. We just wandered around, talked about everything and nothing, and completely forgot about the world for a bit. 10/10 date spot if you're into relaxed and beautiful places.

    Reflecting pool
    Chris S.

    What a delightful afternoon activity. The large outdoor garden is available for free and has a host of different thematic areas including a Thai inspired area with an interesting history and an English garden. During the summer months a tram drives around and gives informative tours. The garden also includes a beautiful tropical garden that is available for a small donation that I was unfortunately lacking time to visit but look forward to on the next visit.

    See all

    2 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    22 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 4
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 3
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K J E.
    0
    20
    22

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Max B.
    2
    75
    2

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris W.
    0
    95
    148

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jenni H.
    2180
    831
    8144

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anna B.
    278
    179
    1232

    2 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Beth A.
    124
    291
    1107

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Angry P.
    9
    496
    1218

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John B.
    469
    820
    1312

    5 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 1
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Steven T.
    244
    2290
    38802

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    A beautiful place to stroll in any season. Walking through the conservatory in winter feels like being transported to a rainforest.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 11
    Thanks 0
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Olbrich Botanical Gardens

    Review Highlights - Olbrich Botanical Gardens

    the Thai Pavilion is probably the exception as the gold leaf and smooth stones stand out at anytime of year.

    Mentioned in 26 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Aspen Garden & Landscape - Bluestone Retaining Wall

    Aspen Garden & Landscape

    5.0(5 reviews)
    11.0 mi

    Aspen Landscaping is amazing! From start to finish, the process was smooth, professional, and…read morestress-free. Eric and Lindsey's creativity and passion truly transformed our yard, and the crew (special shoutout to Sam & Anders!) went above and beyond. If you want a team that really knows landscaping and cares about every detail, Aspen is the one to call!

    * Very talented. * Very able…read more * Very communicative. * Very friendly. * Very dedicated to their craft. * Very honest. If Aspen Garden is available at the moment, man, are you ever lucky. Take the opportunity to grab 'em while you can. When Aspen gets busy, they get VERY busy, and Eric -- I conjecture -- don't quote me -- would need to turn away clients or ask them to go on a waiting list for the following year. Mr. Eric, Ms. Lindsey, and the rest of their brilliant crew have been working on a multi-year project for me putting in hardscape, including grading and, ultimately, changing (soft-scaping) our two acres from lawn to native plants+wildlife flower garden. Eric and crew are experts on native plants. The more I read about "lawns," the more I cringe every time I pass one on the road. Lawns, being non-native plants, they are animal-torturers -- ironically, lawns passively mow down animals. Think of lawns as efficient animal-disposal machines. Do the planet (and your neighborhood) a favor and make your land friendly to critters by insisting on native plants. Native plants and animals evolved together over millions of years, so when one's land doesn't have native plants, wildlife starves, all the way up and down the food-chain. Lawns are gasoline- and water-guzzlers. The lawn industry uses up a humongous amount of petroleum products merely in lawn-mowing. I am a "Gone the Lawn" person now. Lawns are appropriate ONLY under certain circumstances, like one is a croquet fanatic. I never knew that gardening was year-round. April is the month everyone waits for, but planning starts the previous autumn. Eric's physically-demanding season winds down in mid-November, so let him see your plot before the snows hide the land. Autumn is the best time to start brainstorming the design phase for the following April. Eric and crew are not only landscapers but artists.

    Photos
    Aspen Garden & Landscape - Stone Retaining Wall

    Stone Retaining Wall

    Aspen Garden & Landscape - Wisconsin Native Plant Garden

    Wisconsin Native Plant Garden

    Aspen Garden & Landscape - Brick Patio & Dry-Stacked Limestone Garden Walls - Nakoma

    See all

    Brick Patio & Dry-Stacked Limestone Garden Walls - Nakoma

    Olbrich Botanical Gardens - gardens - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...