10 of the best botanical gardens and arboretums for fall color
Fall colors enhance every corner at Biltmore Gardens and Grounds — Photo courtesy of The Biltmore Company
Flower gardens aren’t just for springtime. Many botanical gardens, arboretums, and public flower gardens around the U.S. are in bloom with colors all year long, and they welcome visitors to their grounds no matter the season. Many are perfect add-ons to a more extended visit to a region, a wonderful morning or afternoon activity, or a reason to plan a trip to an area you’ve long heard about.
Enjoy autumn’s rich palette at one or more of these stunning gardens. They’re a great excuse to get outside before the chilly weather sends folks inside again. Here are 10 gardens we love.
Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Columbus, Ohio
Pumpkins abound at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens — Photo courtesy of Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Moving beyond the typical plant and flower varieties, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens weaves in whimsical seasonal decor to spice up a walk through the venue. Enjoy blooms of red, orange, purple, and rust and leaves that reflect a fall palette. Woven through it all are pumpkins, scarecrows, and autumn garden decor.
Welcome the season with a stroll through the grounds and visit the special exhibitions featured here, such as Pumpkins Aglow, which adds a vibrant spin and spooky nighttime glow to things.
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Dallas, Texas
Fiery colors dance through the grounds of the Dallas Arboretum — Photo courtesy of Dallas Arboretum
Beauty grows among the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden’s incredible 66 acres. Wander through paths lined with all things autumn. From one of America’s best pumpkin festivals to gourds, squash, and more than 150,000 beautiful fall blooms, this is the place to experience the season’s scenic best.
Enjoy flowers, trees, shrubs, and decor in colors from gold to maroon to scarlet to orange that line the walkways, walls, and open spaces.
Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island, Washington
The changing colors show their splendor at this botanical garden in Washington state — Photo courtesy of Keith Brofsky / Bloedel Reserve
Bloedel Reserve’s 140-acre natural wonderland beckons visitors to see, listen, and reflect on the season as they walk the curated gardens, observe the many structural features, and admire the distinctive landscapes. This premier public garden brings the beauty of fall to everyone who enters.
Smell the season’s enrapturing scents, admire the orange, crimson, browns, and golds, and envelop yourself in the seasonal textures. Forest bathing, nature walks, foliage spotting, and flower appreciation are welcome and available here.
U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, D.C.
Autumn solace graces the bonsai garden at the U.S. National Arboretum — Photo courtesy of U.S. National Arboretum
Established through an act of Congress in 1927, the U.S. National Arboretum consists of 446 acres of inspiring and visually captivating scenery. See the National Capitol Columns surrounded by autumn’s colors, visit the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, or walk the grounds and admire the asters, goldenrod, native grasses, bright fall foliage, and yellow witch-hazel blossoms, as well as a sky full of red-flamed leaves.
San Francisco Botanical Garden, San Fransisco, California
Hues of autumn frame the Moon Viewing Garden — Photo courtesy of Saxon Holt / San Francisco Botanical Garden
Autumn is the best time to see San Francisco Botanical Garden’s Cloud Forest Garden in bloom. Look for the vibrant yellow ginkgo biloba trees leading the way towards the Bamboo Pond. Leaves of flowering plums that are starting to turn soft yellow, the colorful Japanese maple trees, and abundant autumn leaves scatter about the pathways as you walk the grounds here and bask in the autumn season.
Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver, Colorado
The flowers at Denver Botanic Gardens add quiet beauty to the season — Photo courtesy of Scott Dressel-Martin / Denver Botanic Gardens
Take in all that fall has to offer at Denver Botanic Gardens, where 23 acres of specially themed gardens brim with fall colors. More than 700 native Colorado plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs come to life this season in reds, oranges, golds, and purples certain to stun you. Pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, and other Halloween decor finish things off nicely and are well worth the visit.
Chicago Botanic Garden, Cook County, Illinois
Sunsets at the Chicago Botanic Garden add seasonal drama — Photo courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden
Autumn colors abound at the Chicago Botanic Garden, with 28 spectacular gardens on nine islands in the Cook County Forest Preserves. From special events like Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns to tram tours, visitors can enjoy fall colors throughout the gardens.
Trees, shrubs, and vines start to change colors, and thousands of annuals show up in full fall shades. Don’t miss the chrysanthemums, striking pumpkin pie orange mums, asters, black-eyed Susans, violas, ornamental cabbages, and coral bells visible throughout October.
New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York
A visit to the Bourke-Sullivan Display House is a New York Botanical Garden highlight — Photo courtesy of New York Botanical Garden
This 250-acre verdant landscape, including a 50-acre old-growth forest and more than 1 million living plants, shines as the summer ends. Walk around the New York Botanical Garden and see vibrant oaks, maples, and beech trees on a Fall Foliage Tour. Take part in Fall-o-Ween, or stroll the grounds for stunning views and picturesque vantage points with flowers galore.
Biltmore Gardens and Grounds, Asheville, North Carolina
Fall colors pop at Biltmore Gardens and Grounds in Asheville, North Carolina — Photo courtesy of Brad Balfour Photography / iStock Via Getty Images
The Biltmore Gardens and Grounds features six formal and informal gardens, a conservatory, and nature trails brimming with brilliant seasonal colors. In October, blooms offer incredible beauty, and dogwood and sourwood trees start out the season’s palette, with maples, hickory, gum trees, ferns, and perennials following close behind in spectacular form throughout this incredible property.
Editor’s note: Due to damage from Tropical Storm Helene, Biltmore Estate is closed until further notice as of this writing. Check their website for updates.
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Longwood Gardens features vibrant blooms as far as the eye can see — Photo courtesy of B. Krist / Visit Philadelphia
Meander the pathways throughout Longwood Gardens, which consists of more than 1,100 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in the Brandywine Creek Valley in Kennett Square, near Philadelphia. In fall, the gardens deliver vibrant seasonal blooms, from chrysanthemums to asters, goldenrod, orchids, dahlias, red berries, colorful leaves, and a variety of gourds. Walk to your heart’s content and take in the season’s best colors and textures.