I loved walking around the gardens! I went mid-summer for a friends birthday. It wasnt painfully hot but I would recommend a Fall visit (to see more blooms around the gardens). Obviously gorgeous views regardless... wear comfortable clothes & plenty of sunblock!

I was here for silent reading and reflection. A great place to be surrounded by nature and all its glorious sounds.

What a beautiful place! The conservatory stands out as you enter the garden... just so lovely!

This is such a beautiful place to take a walk or take pictures! We went tight before noon and it was really a nice day! The flowers, the landscaping, the different area to explore! Also inside the ticket/food hall/gift shop building is super pretty! Can’t wait to come back!

Magnificent gardens. Beautiful little walking paths. Rose garden was outstanding. Greenhouse had the most unusual flowers and plants. Spent three hours there but could spend all day soaking up nature. Visiting from Cleveland for a wedding and this was first to pop up on things to do in Richmond. Glad we went. Well worth the visit.

Was looking for covid safe kid friendly outdoor place to take kids and stumbled upon this as an option. Being a free admission day I decided it was worth the hour drive and YES, we would do it again! It was sooo kid friendly and yet had really nice adult relaxation areas too. Lots of bridges, archways, tiny houses, a tree house, building blocks, a sand pit, bubble machine, the list goes on. Just go!

Recently sprung for the membership here as I’ve found myself going quite a few times during the year. This garden is beautiful, diverse, absolutely uplifting & peaceful to check out for your first time or going simply for a change of scenery.The Lewis Ginter Botanical garden is educational beyond expectations. Almost every single tree, flower, and beyond has a name and they’ve taken care to provide them all with their proper names.Highly recommend stopping by for their orchids, the Japanese tea house, gift shop, or simply fresh air and beautiful scenery. The membership and all events are listed with ease of finding through the website! Great for all ages 💐

Beautiful botanical garden. Very well laid out and accessible. The bridge ways over the pond and streams are lovely. Excellent collection of orchids. Great childrens garden area. Would love to visit again.

Absolutely amazing place to bring the family! The staff was extremely welcoming and helpful. They take care of the property and there is so much to look at.

Its a cool place for a nice get away, they also have a huge kids area with a giant tree house. Its a lovely place to see all sorts of plants and trees

Top 5 best places to visit in Richmond. Regardless of season there is always something special to enjoy. Peaceful, relaxing setting, educational. Great for kids (children’s garden) and elderly (lots of seating throughout).

During the later part of March in 2010, I had the privilege of being able to tour the wonderful glass art exhibit of Dale Chihuly. Its amazing how well this exhibit was integrated into the gardens and conservatory. These amazing displays really played very well with Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. For years it has been a joy going to the botanical garden for its own beauty, and seeing the glass sculpture exhibition back in 2010 was a huge additional attraction!

Was a beautiful day with husband and friends and so much to see 👀 💕 💗 ❤ 💖 💛 will recommend 👌 👍

Wide open. Lots of space to social distance. Rose garden is exceptional. Great places to take photos

I love this place! Just went for the second time today and it turns out admission is free on labor day! My girlfriend and I got a membership anyway because its such a beautiful garden.There are tons of different kinds of plants and almost all of them are labeled so you know what youre looking at. TONS of cool spots to sit or stop and enjoy the lovely flowers and plants and trees.A fantastic date idea or even somewhere just to chill for an hour or two.

A beautiful oasis for all ages conveniently located to Richmond.

Tonight we visited the Garden of Lights, they put on a wonderful array a Christmas lights and decorations throughout. We have been members for years and the Gardens of Light is a spectacular event. Even if your not a member you should come and enjoy the lights. They always have a little hot chocolate and boozy drinks for the adults. The whole place is beautiful anytime of year and they have great events yearlong. The Butterfly 🦋 😍 event is awesome as well. Once a year the hatch a bunch of butterflies in the Arboretum and get to walk through all of flying around. They have a nice Tea House on site as well, where you can grab a snack, have lunch or a nice dinner. Well worth your time any time of year. Highly recommend getting a membership, they have lots of membership only events.

I loved spending a few hours walking around the gardens. Some of the areas are so fragrant its like someone has sprayed perfume.

There blooms were lovely. 😀I might come back in the fall when its cooler.

Lewis Ginter is always a wonderful place to visit. The season doesnt matter, there is always something to look at. Beautiful.

The gardens were beautiful and very well maintained!

Beautiful Landscape and Well laid out and Conservatory was a nicely curated with lots to see.

Beautiful location. Awesome kid area. Nice way to spend a couple hours

Great botanical garden. Perfect balance between showcasing a lot of plants and also creating interesting scenes.

We enjoyed our evening at the Botanical Gardens Fido’s After Five event. The gardens are spectacular. I felt like I was in Europe. We purchased sandwiches, cheese boxes and salads for dinner and were very pleased with the quality and taste. It was nice having a choice of concerts.

Amazing experience, staff were friendly and the gardens were gorgeous.

Weve been enjoying everything this venue has to offer for many years. From grooving in the gardens to the festival of lights at Christmas time. Last night we were able to introduce our 3 year old to the fun. We enjoyed hot chocolate and treats before heading into the lights. This year seemed exceptionally beautiful.

Visited recently because of discounted tickets. Loved the greenhouse area and the staff was friendly. It was nice that it wasnt busy at all. Great gift shop too. Im definitely coming back in the spring/summer when the outdoor section will be alive.

Beautiful day for a work outing!! It was my first time visiting. Its beautiful place, so many favorite things to see. The giant greenhouse (glass building) was pretty cool, there is an orchid display, cactus display (not really display) but several different trees and such in there. There is some sort of house in there that looks like its decorated for Easter. The flowers are beautiful. There is a treehouse, a cafe, an area outside of the cafe thats like a bamboo garden .... I could go on and on. The garden shop was also a hit with me..lots of gift ideas, bird houses, tee shirts, kid stuff. I recommend this to families, couples with no kids, anyone. Go on a sunny day. Its beautiful!!

I’m really late posting these pictures as they were taken this past fall, but wow what a photographers dream. I can’t wait for the start of spring as I’ll be buying a membership. I was amazed at all the flowers that were still in bloom for so late in the season. The walking pathways are wonderful, no hills and even pavement throughout, with plenty of places to sit when needed. Just remember to buy your ticket online in advance . Once inside the gardens you can enjoy them all day. I was at first disappointed the butterfly house was closed due to COVID, but quickly became excited when I found many throughout the garden. It’s definitely a place you must try!

The whole family attended the Garden Fest of Lights. Even though is was dark, it is evident there has been steady and numerous improvement to the grounds & facilities over the years. Nicely paved walkways, a beautiful, curving bridge, and an updated childrens area are a few of the major updated that. I observed. Parking and admittance is easy, especially has we followed the required Covid protocols. The lights were simply beautiful. From the moment you entered the gardens your mind is impressed with the visual influx of brilliantly lit colors against a black backdrop. Everywhere you turn is a scenery of tens of thousands colored Christmas lights. From wrapped trees w sprawling branches and sidewalks bounded by illuminated creatures and mirrored reflections doubling themselves off the waters surface, the variety and number of lights were both impressive and entertaining. Our two year old grandson absolutely loved identifying the light-covered critters, studying the trains as they whistled & chugged along, and entangling himself in the peacocks tail. Great for the family, esp on a cold, wintry night

NOTE YOU DO HAVE TO PURCHASE ADMISSION TICKETS PRIOR TO ENTRY! They do not allow walk ins at this time although getting tickets is very easy and straightforward on their website. This was a gorgeous property and I loved every minute of roaming the many little paths they have throughout the gardens. You do have to wear a mask for the entirety of your visit and they do have specific directions for entering and walking through the buildings. I suggest that you use the restroom as you first walk in to scan your ticket since you are not able to re-enter after going into the gardens. There is however a bathroom in the educational building if you need to go after youve entered! Even though some sections are closed off due to COVID there is plenty to see and took me about and hour and 30 minutes to walk through alone, but you could easily spend hours here especially if you have children. Highly recommend checking this out of youre in the area!

This past weekend I visited Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden with my family and was quite impressed. Im no green thumb, but there were certainly more exotic plants than I had expected, or even just incredible amounts, sizes, colors, or beautiful placement of ones with which I had already felt familiar. I guess because of COVID-19, much was closed, but there was plenty left to impress us. The greenhouse was pretty amazing, but we also enjoyed the trails. The various elaborate metal wind art sculptures that move around in various ways were also a treat to observe.

A perfect social distance activity. Roses are just stunning and the orchids in the greenhouse are a must see. The pond is pretty to walk around and expect a wedding on the weekends. Mid may the azalea bushes were in full bloom.

Loved it! So big, so many things to see.

Awesome space to visit for an outdoor activity, especially during COVID since it’s fairly spaced out and most people wore masks.Tons of great spots to enjoy a day with great weather and there are plenty of sculptures on display now (through October if I remember correctly).Definitely recommend spending an afternoon smelling the roses, taking in all the plants in the greenhouse, and admiring the sculptures.

Phenomenal garden! Cannot say enough about how beautiful it is. We greatly enjoyed the dynamic sculptures. Its a temporary exhibit so if you can get there soon, do! If not in person, they have online tours available for $10 a few times this month.

Absolutely wonderful and amazing. The warmth of the beauty and the lights makes you forget the chill of the air. Automatically transports you to a magical place. You leave swept up in the holiday spirit.

A perfect place to spend all day, relaxing. So many great things to see and do! My wife and I had a great time with each other taking in all of the many plants, flowers, and features. We drove 2 hours, up from NC, and arrived hungry. The cafe onsite is so good! I had a terrific turkey sammitch and a craft beer. It was so good, I wanted to hug the lady in the kitchen! And, take a camera, leave the cell phone in the car! We stayed until closing, and I was impressed with how all the employees seemed to be happy at work, and cared about what they do.

Not much blooming in winter, but thats to be expected. Cacti & orchids in Conservatory are very nice. Lights are pretty but expensive and dont select the 4pm time for lights like we did. You wont be able to exchange for a later time and its not dark enough for the lights to be truly resplendent. Choose 5:30pm or later. Trust me.

Great botanical gardens with plenty to see! Everything was well maintained. Lots of pretty plants and places to sit and enjoy! Cant wait to visit again.

Amazing Christmas lights!!! Highly recommend for a family trip, friend reunion, or date idea. If you live out of the area and want to make a day out of your trip to Richmond, theres a lovely shopping center called Short Pump 20 min away too.

My haiku were on display in the Garden near the Cypress Knees which look like the poems. I also read several poems. These stellar events were sponsored by The River City Poets.

We arrived late in the day. Around 2pm. It closes at 5:00pm. Daily. Costs $14 per adult. There was a wedding going on the day we were there. So it must be a wonderful place for that. Many photo opportunities anywhere here. I will be returning.

Really enjoyed it. We finished the garden tour in about two hours. I thought wed be there longer. The gift shop is not to be missed though. I spent over 30+mins alone in the gift shop!

Spring tulips are in bloom. Lewis Ginter never disappoints.

My wife and I discovered this little gem of a garden when looking for a place for a stretch break on a run between NC and DE. This is a beautiful garden with many unique plants, sculptures, and a conservatory. We particularly liked the set of Forrest paths. We recommend it as a unique stopping place off the beaten path!

Wife and I have been members for years. Their Holiday Light display is a cherished annual event that we love seeing. The lights bring out the kids in all of us.

A nice Christmas light set up and gardens. We purchased a ticket of $19 each, which we found a bit expensive. Generally, its good for a family and kids.

The atmosphere in the botanical gardens is just bliss... peaceful, warm, and like being in the country. Theres nothing better if youre looking for a relax or to clear your head. I highly recommend this Botanical Garden!

Breathtaking flowers and scenery. Must see.

Beautiful outdoor space to get out with the kids. Lots of beauty to be found even in the winter.

A quality experience no matter the time of year that you visit: Annual blooms in the spring and summer. Perennial blooms in the summer and fall. A spooky Halloween vibe in October. A wonderful holiday experience in November and December. An annual pass is recommended for nature lovers.

Roses, irises and peony blooming. So beautiful and fragrant.

Visited for OktoberFest event. Fabulous! Beautiful place, great food & music, did a good job following Covid-19 guidelines.

Always a nice visit. Beautiful day, beautiful landscape... walking the paths is always good for the soul.

Beautiful as always.

This is a well developed and organized garden with lovely vistas and lots of water features! I am going to put this garden on my seasonal rotation!

Gorgeous any month of the year and most importantly, year round interest. I went in January and still found new things in bloom and winter interest. Also more kid-friendly and interactive than I would think. Hit the kids area in the back, build a gnome home, and watch your kids playing like we did as kids in the woods while you enjoy the tranquility of the flowers and the calm (obviously I have young children).

Perfect day, weather wise! more visitors than I had anticipated, but not crowded... had to be patient and wait for pictures with no passerbys 😊

Beautiful evening, COVID-19 has taken away from past years joys but they put on a beautiful display in spite of what we are all facing. It brought some peace and beauty to the difficult times.

Attended the Spring Plantfest Plant Sale. Happy with the selection of vendors and what they brought. Love my new plants!

Absolutely magical! The lights were everywhere and the staff was wonderful. Must visit

I love Lewis Ginter! The Garden Fest of Lights is my favorite Richmond Christmas tradition. The display gets better every year!

Beautiful place with beautiful plants and beautiful decorations. Easy couple hour adventure, would definitely go again

The Garden Fest of Lights each holiday season is not to be missed.

I had a really great time. I hoped there were more activities but overall it’s awesome and fun

Absolutely beautiful gardens! Staff are very friendly and helpful. Admission prices are very reasonably priced for what you get. There isn’t an extra fee for the butterfly 🦋 exhibit which was a nice surprise. Our little one really enjoyed the splash pad! It is near the children’s garden and a great stop on a hot summers day. I really enjoyed the Origami artwork presently exhibited throughout the gardens. One of my favorite parts was the kaleidoscope potted 🌱plants, very interactive and innovative! I would recommend to anyone that loves exploring gardens!

Great place to lose yourself for a few hours. Inspirations for my own gardens.

First post-Covid visit and it felt safe to visit. Appointments required, masks required but so good to return to a favorite place.

Was so beautiful

A great experience, a variety of exotic plants.

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden was beautiful the highlight of the botanical garden was the butterfly garden. The butterfly garden offered a variety of butterflies and plants that support the butterflies. The botanical garden is an amazing place to the children place with a water area, sandbox, clubhouse and numerous house and greenhouse for children to play and have fun. For the adults just walk around and enjoy the beauty of flowers, trees and other plants. I highly recommend the botanical garden.

Awesome place to go when its nice out

Went in August, great experience first time. My wife and I were in the area and wanted to check it out great area for kids as well.

Being amongst so many colorful butterflies was exhilarating.

Excellent light show. Will be back in the spring!!!

Very enjoyable morning at Lewis Ginter. They did a great job with social distancing and the Wind, Waves & Light displays were awesome!

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden currently features artist Box, whose origami stainless steel sculptures are out the box. Butterflies Alive! is now open. Visit the conservatory to witness its beauty and then explore 50 acres of immaculately manicured grounds, the botanical library, cafe, restaurant, and gift shop. Let the kids swing from an ancient tree, build homes for creatures with logs, dig in the sand, climb or stroll up to the wheel-friendly observation tower, play in the mini house, splash in the little water park (summer). No wonder this garden is ranked as one of the best in the country!

I got the membership after my visit. It was a pleasant outdoor space with something for everyone. There was both sun and shade, pleasant water features, staff and volunteers were working but happy to answer questions and provide information. Theres plenty of space to sit and rest. Easy access for all ages.

Superior botanical garden with WAY more to it than I originally thought. The outdoor gardens were way larger than was expecting with was a very pleasant surprise, especially so since they were impeccably manicured.And the greenhouse is SPLENDID. Visiting the botanical garden was an awe-inspiring experience!

Came down to Richmond for my nephews orientation at VCU for two days.On the second day we stayed back at the hotel but my little girl wanted to go somewhere. Checked out things for kids to do in Richmond and this place was suggested. The website mentioned a play area for children which included a spray ground. So, we decided to check it out. Im so glad I did. This place is absolutely breathtaking.

We went for the Thursday night concert. The group playing was an REM cover band, which seemed a little strange considering the audience. The singer was off key quite often. But the gardens were amazing, I especially enjoyed the orchid section.

Only been at Christmas time but it was really beautiful! We had free tickets so I don’t know if I would pay full price to do it again but we had fun with our two nieces. I loved that they had a fire going and hot chocolate to sell. The tree in the green house was beautiful!

This is a beautiful place. Last time I visited during Christmas Eve and that was amazing.. Beautifully decorated with lights and it was a fantastic experience.Visited it again today on the fourth of July 2017. Its free admission today and it is fully crowded but the staff and volunteers were so helpful that it remained yet another memorable day.Definitely worth a visit.Also included pics from my Christmas visit..

Good place to hang out with family and kids. Nice collection of flora. May not be super big but very apt for the place. Kids can enjoy the place too. Nice botanical green house with wide variety of flora. Nice display stalls.

They have the most beautiful plants here, and some amazing exhibits. I recently visited for the LEGO exhibit, and wandered into the Butterflies Alive!, which was wonderful. The Childrens Garden and play area is incredible.

Gorgeous. Tons of places to sit and enjoy the day. Very spacious, easy to respect social distance guidelines.

Love the Plantfest especially Veras Vettles. Ready for spring 2022!

This was my first time visiting the gardens and I loved it! You buy your tickets in advance to accommodate social distancing. Everything was beautiful! I will visit the patio restaurant on my next visit.

The roses are in bloom! Take a relaxing (socially distanced) walk and forget about the madness.

Absolutely stunning. Will definitely make this a yearly tradition. Not only were the lights beautiful, but our dinner was amazing and our server was a true delight. I think you did a great job with social distancing, creating one way traffic and ensuring everyone wore masks. Every single detail was perfect and the entire event was perfect. Thank you for a spectacular evening

My family and I had a wonderful visiting the garden of lights this year. Always a must see in my book. Yall do such a amazing job putting this together. Thank you

Beautiful gardens and so well maintained. Ideal for a date location or to bring the whole family.

Very clean, quiet, peaceful and pleasant. Love the variety of plantings on display.

Beautiful gardens. Staff was friendly and helpful. While we were there, they were setting up for their Christmas light display. We didnt get to see it, obviously, but judging from what we saw, it should be amazing. We also got a sneak peek of their Christmas tree made of flowers. It was very striking. The greenhouse had some amazing plants and the fountains and ponds across the property are gorgeous. Highly recommend for a relaxing afternoon stroll. Will be back!

Beautiful gardens and lakes. The views are amazing. There is also a butterfly garden but you have to make sure you come before 5. Also if you are a student you can get the 1 year membership for half the price. Totally worth it. It is also very family friendly with places for children to play in the water.

This is a beautiful area. Spent almost two hours touring the grounds and I still feel like I havent seen it all and that return visits are a must. We came out to see the LEGO sculptures that are currently being featured at the time of this review and they did not disappoint. In addition to being wonderful pieces of art, the Gardens provided educational information to accompany each sculpture. Our admission was free today to honor those who have been affected by some of the recent violence in our country which was a welcome gesture. If youre in the area you owe it to yourself to visit both to see some natural beauty and to learn about nature and conservation.

Amazing Xmas light display as always!

Beautiful place and definitely visit the conservatory.