New Orleans Botanical Garden

What is New Orleans Botanical Garden?

The New Orleans Botanical Garden covers several acres within City Park and is made up of a series of smaller gardens, each with its own character. Visitors walk along grass paths lined with camellia hedges, brick walkways, and through garden rooms filled with roses, azaleas, camellias, and magnolias. There are formal areas with water features, a conservatory with a glass dome housing tropical plants, and outdoor sculptures. The garden also includes a palm collection, demonstration beds, and spaces for events.

The history of New Orleans Botanical Garden

The garden opened in 1936 as the city's first classical public garden, created during a major City Park redevelopment funded by the Works Progress Administration. Its design reflects the art deco style popular in the 1930s, with input from architects, landscape designers, and artists. Over the decades, the garden experienced periods of neglect, followed by restoration and expansion beginning in the 1980s, including the addition of new garden sections and the restoration of historic sculptures.

What there is to see

The garden is organized into themed sections, such as the Zemurray Azalea and Camellia Garden, the Original Garden with its rose beds, and the Conservatory of the Two Sisters. Plantings include both native and exotic species, with seasonal displays. The garden's layout features hedges, arbors, fountains, and pavilions. Newer additions include a Japanese garden, demonstration vegetable beds, and a sculpture garden.

When to go

Open year-round, the garden welcomes visitors for walks, educational programs, and special events. It is a popular site for weddings, concerts, and seasonal celebrations like Celebration in the Oaks, which draws large crowds each winter. The garden also serves as a venue for horticultural demonstrations and community gatherings.

Parts and collections

Within the garden, visitors can find a variety of plant collections, such as the rose garden, azalea and camellia walks, palm court, and tropical displays in the conservatory. The Japanese garden and demonstration gardens offer different horticultural styles. Sculptures by Enrique Alférez are a distinctive feature throughout the grounds.

Why New Orleans Botanical Garden matters

The garden is a landmark of New Orleans, known for its art deco heritage and as a center for community events. It has played a role in the city's cultural life since the 1930s, hosting music series, holiday festivals, and educational activities. The restoration of its historic sculptures and buildings reflects ongoing efforts to preserve its legacy.

The flowers of New Orleans Botanical Garden

RoseWoody perennial plants with showy, often fragrant flowers in many coloursOrchidA vast family of colourful, often fragrant flowers found almost everywhere on earthLilyTall bulb flowers with large, colourful blooms in many gardens and culturesRhododendronA vast group of shrubs and trees with showy blooms in many coloursCamelliaEvergreen shrubs and trees with showy blooms, best known for tea and garden flowersChampakA tall tree with fragrant yellow to orange flowers, prized in South and Southeast AsiaCampbell's MagnoliaA Himalayan tree with large pink or white flowers blooming before the leavesCamellia reticulataTall pink-flowered camellia from Yunnan, grown for gardens and tea oil

Questions people ask about New Orleans Botanical Garden

Good reading and sources

• New Orleans Botanical Garden on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data