Houston might be a bustling and ever-evolving city, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t some great gardens to visit. There are great nature spots all over Houston!
Houston is a vast city easily bigger than New York! Its size often takes people by surprise. You’ll find great gardens all around the city too. If you feel like traveling to see some, make sure you consider the journey time, especially because many public gardens will close in the evening. The Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, for example, closes at 5 PM.
So, If you want to see some local wildlife, take a relaxing walk, or simply snap some photographs, any of these gardens in Houston would make a wonderful place to visit.
The 6 Best Gardens in Houston
With so many gardens to see all around Houston, choosing our top picks wasn’t easy. But by looking at the location, opening times, and size, we’ve managed to pick 7 of the best gardens in Houston for you to visit.
1. Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
| Address | 1 Westcott St, Houston, TX 77007-7009 |
| Phone No. | 713.639.7355 |
| Website | N/A |
The Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens are two separate attractions. The fantastic gardens cover 14-acres and feature stunning scenery, including statues, bridges, pavilions, fountains, and much more.
The gardens are quite literally a picturesque paradise! You’ll be able to enjoy the quiet, relaxing sounds of nature and take in some beautiful scenery. A ticket to the gardens costs $7.50 for adults and $5 for youths aged 13 – 18.
Children younger than 13 can visit them for free! You can also book tours around the gardens as well to learn more about their incredible history. The gardens overlook the Bayou Bend museum, which is also well worth visiting.
If you are looking for a relaxing, insightful, and educational way to spend a day in Houston, we strongly recommend a trip to the Bayou Bend Gardens.
2. McGovern Centennial Gardens
| Address | Hermann Park Conservancy, 1700 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004 |
| Phone No. | 713-524-5876 |
| Website | https://www.hermannpark.org/visit/mcgovern-centennial-gardens/ |
The magnificent McGovern Centennial Gardens opened in 2014. The garden is on the former site of the Houston Garden Center and covers 8-acres. While the garden is free to enter, there are some essential rules visitors must follow.
This is a garden that is better suited to adults and older children because of this. But if you’re looking to simply enjoy the sights and sounds of nature, then exploring this stunning garden is highly recommended.
The garden encompasses several themed rooms, including a rose garden, celebration garden, arid garden, woodland space, and much more. We particularly love the themed fruit gardens that showcase how fruit grows!
Children of any age will be sure to enjoy the educational family garden and spacious central lawn. With plenty to see and do, a visit to the McGovern Centennial Gardens is sure to be a good time.
3. Hermann Park’s Japanese Garden
| Address | 6000 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030 |
| Phone No. | 713-524-5876 |
| Website | N/A |
If you’re looking for a garden with some traditional Asian flare, then we strongly recommend a visit to Hermann Park’s tranquil Japanese garden. The garden celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and is well worth seeing.
The garden is a real labor of love, and in 2007 it underwent a massive redevelopment to ensure it kept its original Japanese-inspired beauty. The garden sees continuous improvements/ additions every year, so there is always something new to see!
The main highlight of the garden is a unique dry steam and stone garden known as a Karesansui, which Japanese landscape architect Terunobu Nakai designed. If you’re looking for a calming place to relax, a trip to the Japanese Garden is highly recommended.
The garden is also home to a variety of wildlife, including ducks and herons. While the garden is free to enter, it can get very busy during peak times, so re recommend visiting earlier in the morning if you can. It opens at 9 AM and closes at 6 PM, giving you plenty of time to visit.
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4. The Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden
| Address | Montrose Boulevard at Bissonnet Street Houston, TX 77006 |
| Phone No. | N/A |
| Website | N/A |
Now this garden is a little different! While there is some beautiful greenery, trees, and a stunning hillside fountain, the wonders of this garden are the sculptures. There are sculptures from both the 20th and 21st centuries made by many great artists.
You’ll find sculptures by artists including Louise Bourgeois, Henri Matisse, Auguste Rodin, David Smith, and many more! If you are interested in the Houston art scene (or simply art in general), you’ll be sure to enjoy exploring this garden.
It is a great place to visit for photographs, and you get to see art, culture, and history up close! Sculptures cover numerous styles, including classical and modern, so there is something for everyone to enjoy.
There are even tours around the garden available from the nearby Fine Art Museum if you want to learn more about the history of the sculpture garden. While it’s not your traditional garden, it’s well worth seeing, and best of all, entry is free.
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5. The Cane River Gardens
| Address | 4205 Lyons Ave, Houston, TX 77020 |
| Phone No. | N/A |
| Website | N/A |
Just a short walk from downtown Houston you’ll find the fabulous Cane River Gardens! This splendid garden is a community hub and is tended to by a team of passionate volunteers. If you want to see what the people of Houston can do when they work together, this garden is well worth visiting.
It’s a celebration of teamwork and a lovely spot to rest and relax. If you’re looking for a break from hectic city life or a downtown shopping trip paying a visit to the Cane River Gardens is sure to be a good time.
The garden’s main highlight is the numerous vegetable and herb gardens. You can enjoy some beautiful fragrances of fresh produce as you rest and relax in this little haven. While it might not be the grandest garden in Houston, we love its history and passion. If you want a break from downtown, make sure you stop by.
6. Houston Botanic Garden
| Address | 1 Botanic Lane, Houston, TX 77017 |
| Phone No. | N/A |
| Website | https://hbg.org/visit/ |
Could any look at the best gardens in Houston be complete without talking about the Houston Botanic Garden? Well, we certainly don’t think so, and there is plenty to see in this glorious garden. Open from 9 AM to 5 PM; this garden is a place where you could easily spend the whole day exploring.
The garden is split into six distinct zones, each offering plenty to do and see. For example, the global garden houses plants and flowers worldwide, while the culinary garden is covered with edible plant life.
You can even tackle a giant maze surrounded by beautiful spiraling lagoons. You can even visit a family center to learn more about the numerous plant life housed in the garden. Numerous special events are held throughout the year as well, giving you even more to do.
There is so much to see and do at the Houston Botanic Garden, and we could talk endlessly about it. But in short, anyone visiting Houston will be sure to enjoy visiting. Tickets are $15 for people aged 16 and up. They are slightly cheaper at only $10 for children aged 3 to 15, and anyone under three years old can visit for free.
Verdict
So, that’s six great gardens to visit in Houston. Taking a break from the city to enjoy some nature is sure to be a highlight of any trip. There are plenty of glorious gardens to visit in the beautiful Bayou city.
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