A Garden of Wonder in Wheaton

Little boy and grandpa sitting on a bridge overlooking river

One of my favorite things to do with my children is visiting botanical gardens. Any time we go on vacation I look to see if any are within a short distance of where we are staying. I feel like the kids always have fun exploring and we always wind up with fantastic pictures.

Brookside Gardens is only 45 minutes from Annapolis and it is an absolutely beautiful place to take the family. We spent a few hours walking around the grounds looking at the different floral displays. They have a children’s area with things to play in and with. They have some large ponds and a tea house to view the gardens from. We saw lots of wildlife such as butterflies and turtles.

Brookside Gardens is Montgomery County’s incomparable, award-winning 50-acre public display garden within Wheaton Regional Park. Included in the gardens are several distinct areas: Aquatic Garden, Azalea Garden, Butterfly Garden, Children’s Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Style Garden, Trial Garden, Rain Garden, and the Woodland Walk. The Formal Gardens areas include a Perennial Garden, Yew Garden, the Maple Terrace, and Fragrance Garden. Brookside Gardens also features two conservatories.

There is an annual exhibit called Wings of Fancy where you can go into a greenhouse filled with butterflies. This was a big hit. Although they are not hosting it this year, check the website to find out when it returns in 2024.

This is also a great place to visit during the winter when the park hosts its annual Garden of Lights event featuring walk-through holiday light displays.

Admission to the park is free but special events such as the holiday lights or butterfly exhibit cost extra. Food, drinks and picnicking are not allowed in the gardens but there are picnic facilities available nearby at the Shorefield Area of Wheaton Regional Park. The outdoor gardens are open from sunrise to sunset.