This is my first experience in a botanical garden, so I dont have much to compare it to. I was impressed with how well manicured it was and how easily I could find the names of flowers and bushes. The many water fountains, ponds and falls made it very relaxing. It was a joy to sit on a bench and take it the sights, smells, and sounds. I look forward to coming back again on our next trip to the region.

This place was great! Free (donations accepted) and well spaced out. Had lots to see in the outdoors that we spent time looking at. We didn’t make it to the inside this time. Really well cared for gardens. Worthwhile to make some time to visit and recharge with nature’s beauty.

Amazingly beautiful and diverse gardens. Spent a pleasant few hours wandering the paths and taking pictures of the floral displays. The Thai structure was gorgeous!

Beautiful fall walk through the gardens! Especially loved the Thai pavilion. So many unique spots of vegetation over a huge area! We spent an hour and a half meandering through the paths and probably didnt see everything. Several paths were closed but we didnt mind. We plan to bring the kids back in the spring.

The simple fact that these incredibly beautiful gardens are free and open to the public makes Olbrich a top attraction in Madison. How lucky are we to have such a magical space (and pollinator habitat) right in the heart of the east side?! Definitely worth a visit; spend a lunch break or an entire afternoon, there are plenty of perches to stop and rest while taking in the view.

Very large outdoor free garden and amazing indoor garden with many different plants! Loved the pitcher plants and little ground foul inside! Indoor garden is $6 but worth it. Inside is also small falls and koi with a very large light colored veiled koi!! The out door also had a large donated Thai shrine.

Gorgeous peaceful place to walk around. I rode around, actually. I needed a wheelchair - which was nice (and they provided), but some of the paths were quite bumpy for a regular chair. Fortunately they also provide (at least 1) motorized scooter for those who need it. It was life saver.

Olbrich botanical gardens is beautiful. I love the fact that its free. Definitely somewhere I think everyone should go at least once.

What a wonderfully beautiful place! We had a very nice walk around. The gardens are gorgeous. The atmosphere very pleasant. Was a little worried about some of the very mean looking bugs, but they didnt attack us, so all was well. Saw some wildlife, and lots of bees. People were kayaking and biking in the area. Well worth the trip!

Love this place. Its free to enter but donations are encouraged. A lot to see outdoors and inside when the weather isnt as pleasant. The Blooming Butterflies exhibit each summer is one of my most favorite events. Definitely worth a visit.

Late summer visit here - it was incredible! Very beautiful and well maintained grounds with plenty to take in while having a leisurely stroll on a sunny day. The wide array of trees, shrubs, flowers are wonderful enough, but once you add in the breathtaking architecture you start to realize how special this place truly is - and you can visit for free! We donated at the front door, and if you can spare it, please donate...a few dollars is a miniscule amount to pay for a few hours of good old fashioned family fun!

A friend and I decided to rent the BCycle e-bikes today in the Olbrich Gardens parking lot area. After a nearly hour-long ride, we dropped by the beer stand at Olbrich Park and ordered their warp speed draft beer. Quite enjoyed it and Im not even a big beer drinker! Sat at a table overlooking Lake Monona and chatted while watching the boating activity on the water. Perfect fall weather with the sun still shining and crispness in the air. Doesnt get much better than biking, beer, boat watching and a bestie!

I. Freaking. Loved. This. Garden. Friendly for all ages, a lot of different plants and areas to see. There is also an activity (right now at least) for kids to learn about pollinators, and how to be helpful with the environment, and I think that is wonferful! There are honey bees, bumble bees and butterflies constantly roaming around, and in this time of COVID, I really appreciated seeing this beauty. These pics are just a few glimpses of the gardens!

Several acres with both formal and informal gardens. Plants are well labeled. Easy parking. Greenhouse for winter.

Great grounds to explore, and its free (donations accepted).

The gardens were beautiful with an incredible variety of flowers, decorative plants, pools and ponds. So many trails to walk each with a different theme.

FREE!! beautiful scenery, huge gardens to walk through. Fun for family or even fun for a date. Try and bring a few singles to tip the garden box.. its free to enter so tipping if you can is always appreciated and helpful. If not dont feel bad, your not obligated. They also have a gift shop!

We had a very pleasant experience at the Olbrich gardens. First of all, entry was free (though we left a donation). Second, the gardens are beautifully maintained, and throughout the grounds, there are many hidden gems of mini gardens, ponds, fountains and the gorgeous Thai garden.This isnt exactly the biggest botanical garden Ive ever been to, but that makes it very walkable and a really lovely detour while in the Madison area.We found several measures in place due to COVID-19 that made the gardens feel safe to peruse. This did mean that some sections were closed, and a lot of paths were one way, but it made for a great, safe environment.

Gorgeous gardens set up in lovely themed displays. Such an amazing variety of plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees! The visit gave us lots of ideas for things we can do in our own garden. The bonus is that the outdoor gardens are free admission. Touted to be one of the best places to visit in Madison. Definitely worth the visit!

Because of the covid a lot of restrictions but the garden itself is very nice. A lot of roped-off area that you cannot get to to sit down. All of that thoe is for social distancing to make sure nobody could get sick understandable. Love the bridge all of the structures.

A perfect afternoon! We are new to the area, this was our first visit and we didnt have any expectations. It was a lovely bike ride up the Capital City State Path from Yahara river. We grabbed a BCycle and there was a station at the gardens which was super convenient. The man working was very kind! The outdoor gardens blew my mind - it was the perfect balance between manicured and natural. Very classic and beautiful yet had whimsical details if you are paying attention. I loved the use of veggies mixed in.The diversity of plants was amazing and I saw so much that I have never seen before. This is such a Madison gem! I cant wait to get the full experience once Covid is over. We plan to come back quarterly -if not more!!

A beautiful place to wander and forget the world outside the gates.

Its always a great time at Olbrich Botanical gardens, tonight was pretty awesome as well. Cocktails in conservatory turned out to be a pretty cool event. DJ was able to create a nice atmosphere, the lights were dancing in the tall trees and thick bushes of the Arboretum. The drinks were tasty and went down pretty good.

Absolutely gorgeous place. There are so many plants and flowers! They are also labeled very nicely so you know what you are looking at. If you are want to get lost for a few hours in a stunning, well kept park; this is the spot to go. Did I mention its FREE! Thank you to the sponsors!

Certainly a very quiet and interesting place to visit get ideas with plants and just walk around and enjoy the atmosphere and environment.Entry is by donation and you can purchase for a small fee to go look at the butterflies lots of parking here.All in all a great place to visit

Very nice . Lots of varieties of flowers & herbs and a very fun family outing!

The gardens are as beautiful as always. They have made clear path markers so you know when a walking path is one way or both ways. Go enjoy the gardens! Sit beside a fountain. Look at some bees. Poke some sensitivity plants.

It was free to get see the outside gardens, which took us about1 1/2 hours, and we didnt do much stopping except for pictures. The plants n flowers were beautiful and also so many Ive never seen before. Very large, you receive a map to follow and children receive an activity packet and a coupon for ice cream. For me, a disabled senior, they had the use of comfortable scooters, FREE OF CHARGE, or I wouldnt have gone far. There is also an indoor area also.

Even during Covid-19 , Olbrich Botanical Gardens look stunning, my family has visited this place multiple times and I love it. A very good time to go is early summer when many plants are bright green and flowers are blooming. My hope is that theyll reopen all of the paths so that all the little alcoves with sitting spots are available. In my eyes, another trip is inevitable.

Beautiful flowers Variety of plants along the pathways you would not see anywhere else and much more

Absolutely gorgeous. A must-see in Madison. Incredible that the outside gardens were free too! I cant wait to see the indoor conservatory someday.

Visited this beautiful landscape during the month of October. A wonderful design by the landscape architects. Highly recommended for nature lovers for the diverse vegetation one can experience with almost free of costs. Both the open gardens and the indoor tropical conservancy were mesmerizing, as I wasnt expecting such diverse flora. Will plan for a multiple visits and for families n individuals touring Madison its a must experience from the cityscape.

Amazing place and its free (even more amazing)

Beautiful gardens, first time visiting and I was shocked at how big the grounds are! Admission is free, donations are appreciated. We will definitely go back! The Thai Gardens were amazing.

Such a beautiful place, but its impossible to practice safe social distancing without walking off the path (please dont do that), and most of the visitors I saw there were not wearing masks despite the emergency order in Dane county. Also, I wish they had 18+ only days, as the peaceful gardens are often ruined by loud children. Im glad that the garden is open again, but please wear a mask when you visit!!

Olbrich Gardens is beautiful and still expanding! Make sure to come here during the late summer to see the butterfly show.

Always a wonderful selection flowers and folliage. The Thai Temple is extraordinary.

Olbrich is a beautifully landscaped oasis that brings you close to the sights, sounds, and smells of nature without leaving busy Madison.

This is an amazing feature of the city. I was very impressed after going for the first time. Absolutely beautiful. This is a free attraction.. please be respectful and donate when you come in.

Beautiful gardens, well maintained. Lots of paths gives a sense of privacy. Its a great way of getting away from things for a bit.

Outdoor garden was beautiful! indoor was closed at the time I went.

Beautiful garden and friendly staff , with a visit but get there early as parking is hard on the weekend afternoons

What a peaceful walk through a well-curated and presented botanic garden this was. Ive been to before and Chicago botanical garden is one of my favs. The Olbrich botanical gardens is an absolute delight. The Thai pavilion is a standout and unique staple to check out. Its not just the only one in the country but the only one outside of Thailand. I definitely recommend stopping by here and take a slow stroll to take it all in.

I liked it there. It was a little unkempt but it is a garden and free at that.

The spring flower show was such a great break from the cold weather. Extra friendly staff made our visit a memorable experience.We will definitely come back the next time we are in Madison!

Wow, such a beautiful place! There are so many different paths and secrets to explore. The golden pavilion is something thats really worth experiencing, and overall the ambiance of Olbrich is incredible. Highly recommended!

Very fun layout, with more fun structures than many botanic gardens. They are very involved in the community too

This place is a must visit for nature lovers like me. Gorgeous trees, colorful flowers everywhere. The staffs are nice. Great for a romantic walk or just an hour of alone time.

Beautiful natural gardens that are a jewel in an urban area. Loved walking the acres of gardens on a fall day!

Its worth visiting. Theres so much work that has been put into this place. Every where you look is beautiful. Be sure to see the Thai Pavilion Garden its a special place. Thank you for those who work so hard on these gardens.

I have been there 2 times and really is a beautiful place. Quiet,not crowded,very well cared for and a lot of plants I have never seen before.

Stunning gardens. Loved that promotion of native bee species. Beautiful butterflies.COVID-19 changes - masks are mandatory, and narrow pathway are changed to 1-way traffic to allow for social distancing.

Everything is awesome about this place. You can’t notice the quietness and peace you feel when you sit outdoor to read, or think, or just to clear your mind. The conservatory is free before 12 pm. You feel you are in Malaysia or India due to the unique plants they have. The gardens outdoor are spacious and nice, but you feel you are in a maze. 2 suggestions if they like to improve: please add signs to the exit as I almost lost the way twice inside the garden and please add trash bins. The night show seems to be miracle and enchanting, but I didn’t have the chance to see. You can’t have enough of this place.

Always a treat! We saw so many Monarch butterflies and bees. My kids (2 and 7) love to explore the different gardens!

Beautiful day to be out. Spring flowers just blossoming. Several areas closed for maintenance but should be open soon as workers were busy cleaning out dead brush. The Thai pavillion, which we really wanted to see, was open. Will be going back in summer to see the gardens in full bloom.

A beautiful place to get out and walk.

Beautifully done and enjoyable walk through lush gardens. Authentic Thai Pavilion, the only one in the United States! Fun little paths that weave in and out of main pathway. Easy for seniors and disabled to navigate. Highly recommend for families as well. New construction taking place on grounds.

Awesome place. Lots of little paths for walking. I love the pavilion.

What a lovely place! A must see if you are in Madison and appreciate greens. The entrance to the gardens is for free but the greenhouse is not, only 2 $ and worth every penny of course. There are a variety of plants, flowers,trees from different regions of the world. Also there are nicely themed areas. It might get confusing for a first timer to find which way to go, but maps sold at the entrance would be of great use. Once inside you might spend a good 2-3 hrs easily. Definitely recommended!

Very nice place, just sucks during covid because trails had to be closed. Would love to come back when the conservatory is open.

Beautiful botanical gardens. Very enjoyable even with partial closure.

This is our second time here Ive always recommended it to anybody and always will it has a wonderful Temple Oriental temple in it I will recommend it to anybody if youre in the area make sure you stop

Fabulous gardens. Everything was very natural, the way all the flowers, plants and bushes blended together. Nothing was that structured...just enough to make it neat. Huge walking area all around the park.

Wonderful place to visit on a cold winter day. Make sure you wear a cooler top as it is quite warm / humid. Beautiful plants from all over. Nice ambience and flowing water. Highly recommended.

Olbrich Gardens is beautiful! A little Garden of Eden right in Madison. And its free if you dont go into the biodome thing. But thats only $2 or so.

This place is huge! Such a beautiful botanical garden

A small, but well curated botanical garden, the Olbrich is a nice place to visit during down time in Madison. Free of cost, the outdoor garden area has many beautiful plants and structures for taking beautiful photographs no matter what the season is. Our favorite area is the sunken garden where there are beautiful water lilies are grown. Otherwise, probably the most popular area for most is the Rose Garden where the big stone tower is located.

Ive Loved Olbrich Gardens since I was a child, now that Im older Im taking my own children there and they love it as well. Hoping that one day and get married there at the top of the tower in the back of the gardens. This place will always have a special spot in my heart.

A seriously magical place! I came here today on a whim and I was blown away by how beautiful and serene it is. I spent about 2 hours walking around the gardens but could have easily spent all day. Admission to the gardens is free - the tropical dome costs $2/person and is totally worth it!

Ive been coming here for years, and am never disappointed!

Olbrich is a great spot to walk around or take photos with plenty of small nooks. The indoor part is a lifesaver in winter.

So nice to be outside in November. Lovely place to walk.

Beautiful garden that is surprisingly larger than you would think. The earlier you get there better if you like peaceful and quiet walks. It is so nice here I nearly fell asleep on one of the comfy chairs they have near a cabin.

Beautiful place to take your family! Recommend going on late spring and summer while the flowers and such are in bloom!

Our favorite Garden in Madison, Wisconsin! There’s always something beautiful to see in the garden every season. A must Garden to visit again and again. Great sites for pictorials and do walks to remember for life! This is our go to place almost every Saturday

Our company, Tree Health Management, is honored to help care for some of the trees here; absolutely a magical place to visit.

Illegally turned us away because of our certified and trained service dog. Will never return and wont recommend, especially to the families with service dogs we know! Very disappointed!

Very beautiful. Wonderful location for a date or photography.The current construction made it a bit difficult to get back to the building from the outdoor gardens.

I truly love this place! Ive been going there since I was born and now take my children there. I love seeing all the beautifully maintained gardens. Its such an enjoyable place to visit! I love that its basically free but always give a nice donation because I really enjoy visiting! Im sure Ill be coming back for years to come!

Love this place. Even with all the restrictions in place my family had a great time. This is always a great way to spend a few hours.

Beautiful gardens! A little more description on some of the plants would make it 5 stars.

Wonderful garden in Madison! Must go!I went there alone by bicycle.the trail from midtown to Olbrich is a stunning one. I like the ways they decorated and various types of plant.

I would love to come back when its fully operational again. The gardens were beautiful, but it was clearly not the full experience it was designed to be.

Pleasant surprise to find do many followers on bloom. An abundance of annuals certainly added colour throughout the various sections of the gardens.

Its always a beautiful place to go in the middle of winter. It was a lovely surprise to get there today and find out there was also an special orchid exhibit.

Always beautiful grounds, so a very nice place to walk through and enjoy a little bit of nature at its finest. Very peaceful. A great place to take pictures.

Great place to go get outdoors while in Madison. Beautiful gardens and the Thai Pavilion is an absolute must-see, especially once you learn the history and symbolism behind its delivery! The flowers and gardens are simply amazing with plenty of places to sit, relax and read. It is with a short walk of Lake Monona and minutes from downtown Madison. There is ample parking. The gift shop is handicap accessible. The grounds have partially paved paths and some gravel/dirt paths. Moat of the paths in the gardens should be accessible by wheelchair.

What a gem! It is a great place. So many different plants to see that are organized in a cool way. The tram tour is worth it. After, you can then walk around and have a better idea of what you are looking at.

Very peaceful, serene, and relaxing environment to spend an afternoon in while wandering the trails and taking the the scenery.

Gorgeous gardens and beautiful butterflies. We watched a giant swallowtail emerging from its chrysalis!

This place is beautiful, its free and well maintained even though they dont charge you for entry

Olbrich Garden is a great place to be! They have an exotic collection of plants in a controlled temperature environment and you get to see many different kinds of plants and birds. The rose garden and Thai garden is pretty good too. Nature-lovers will love this place! Great place to spend your time at. Go during fall to see amazing cherry blossoms and tulips in full bloom.

Beautiful gardens. How lucky to have this right in Madison. I had never been here before, came for the Iris sale, and stayed to tour the gardens. Cant wait to come back and spend more time here!

A great botanical garden! Small but has a lot of plant collections. Beautiful!

Beautiful gardens, quiet, peaceful and not crowded. A great way to spend an afternoon.

I love the beautiful scenery everywhere you went, I love every smell it brought to my nose would recommend for your next family trip.

Excellent winter time activity for the whole family. Attractive and lively garden center with train and holiday display to visit in addition to the conservatory. Gardens still had some plants to see despite the cold weather and the stroll through the outside paths made for good exercise. The indoor conservatory transports the visitor to a tropical paradise and allows for an educational walk with flowers, plants and birds not available in Madison.Construction of the new educational facilities in ongoing. Will be a fantastic set of buildings when completed.Easy to borrow a scooter for people with mobility challenges. Holiday Cafe set out for refreshments.

Great experience!The tropical area is amazing and very well maintained.

Gleam at Olbrich Botanical Gardens was spectacular this year! Many interactive light installations, with lots of opportunities for patrons to participate in the art. The bird sculpture in the Thai Pavilion was particularly beautiful, while the musical sphere was eerily moving.

Nice garden. For all ages!