Diverse gardens and facilities at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden offer something for all ages and interests. During your visit to the botanical garden, explore its beautiful gardens, marvel at nature’s bounty and relax in beautiful settings.
The E. Claiborne Robins Visitors Center
Start your visit to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in the E. Claiborne Robins Visitors Center, the gateway to the Garden. Housed in a classic Georgian-style building that celebrates the history and heritage of the state of Virginia, the E. Claiborne Robins Visitors Center features an exhibit gallery, outdoor terraces, the Garden Shop and Garden Café.
The Central Garden
The Central Garden consists of: the North Terrace Garden, the Four Seasons Garden, the Healing Garden, the Arbor Walkway and the Fountain Garden. Uniting the Visitors Center with the Conservatory and the Education and Library Complex, the Central Garden let’s you explore three acres of progressing gardens with classical design and artistry, fascinating plants, intimate spaces and spectacular views.
The Rose Garden
80 varieties of roses, carefully chosen for re-bloom, fragrance and disease-resistance can be found in the Rose Garden. Take in the sweet scents and beautifully framed views across the lake to the historic area of the Garden as you stroll along the Rose Garden’s meandering paths.
The Education and Library Complex
The Education and Library Complex is considered the heart of learning at the Botanical Garden. Divided into the Charles F. Gillette Education Center, the Lora M. Robins Library and the Joan Massey Conference Center, the building features classrooms, laboratories, research and meeting spaces and a multi-use auditorium and houses a 5,000-volume book collection, journals and herbarium.
The Conservatory
The Garden’s Conservatory, crowned by a 63-foot-tall dome, is one-of-a-kind. Explore exotic and unusual plants from around the world and seasonal displays. The Conservatory includes a central Palm House, its semi-tropical wing featuring the Garden’s orchid collection and two wings with changing themed displays.
Asian Valley
Discover plants native to East Asia in Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Asian Valley. Incorporating the spirit of Asian design, Asian Valley features dramatic tree forms, cascading water and rocks throughout. It provides the perfect setting for meditation and relaxation.
The Henry M. Flagler Perennial Garden
Boasting acres of winding paths, shrubs, trees and bulbs, the Henry M. Flagler Perennial Garden is one of the most diverse perennial gardens on the East Coast. Explore portions of the Birding Trail, take a Woodland stroll, or study the romantic sculpture Slow Dance in the Henry M. Flagler Perennial Garden.
The Martha and Reed West Island Garden
Learn about the unique group of plants which thrive in wetland conditions and the diverse ecosystem which develops in conjunction as you wander along the bridges and boardwalks of the Martha and Reed West Island Garden. Giant Japanese goldfish, native birds, turtles and Great Blue Heron are just some of the wildlife that can be spotted in the Martha and Reed West Island Garden.
The Grace Arents Garden
The Grace Arents Garden is a Victorian-style garden restored to reflect its original 1900s design by the Garden Club of Virginia in 1990. Inspired by its gazebo, the Grace Arents Garden features period-appropriate plants, arches covered in climbing roses and traditional boxwood border.
The Lucy Payne Minor Memorial Garden, the Margaret Streb Conifer Garden, and the Vienna Cobb Anderson Meadow
The Lucy Payne Minor Memorial Garden, the Margaret Streb Conifer Garden and the Vienna Cobb Anderson Meadow offer year-round beauty and interest from its specialty collections of daffodils and daylilies to its dwarf conifers and meadow flowers that change with the seasons.
After you’ve explored the botanical gardens, enjoy lunch in the Garden Café or Tea House. In the E. Claiborne Robins Visitors Center you can dine in the Garden Café. This self-service café features a salad bar, soups, sandwiches, entrée specials and deserts. In Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Asian Valley, the Robins Tea House is a full service restaurant that overlooks the Garden. Choose from soups, salads, vegetarian dishes, sandwiches, entrées and desserts made from the freshest ingredients and prepared on-site.
Travel Tips
- Benches are conveniently located along the Garden’s pathways for visitors who wish to rest, or simply relax in the tranquility of the Garden.
- Be sure to browse through the Garden Shop. Housed in the E. Claiborne Robins Visitors Center, the Garden Shop carries accents and tools, home décor, jewelry and fashion, educational games and toys for children, gardening and nature books and other unique gifts and keepsakes.