Brookside Gardens is a hidden oasis in Montgomery County, Maryland. It spans 50 acres and includes more than ten decorative gardens as well as ponds, sculptures, and gazebos. Depending on the season you visit, you will see tulips, azaleas, wisteria, roses, and many more beautiful blooms.
Although the National Arboretum is much larger and more well-known, it is more manageable to see all of Brookside Gardens in one afternoon. The gardens are looped by a 1 mile “Heart Smart Trail” with plenty of opportunities to break off the trail and wander around the various gardens, ponds, and pretty paths. Markers every one-tenth of a mile guide you around the trail.
In addition to trees and flowers, adventurers can commune with nature by watching the baby geese waddle across the lawn. The pond by the Japanese Tea House is also filled with adorable turtles and fish. If you stop by at a time without noisy visitors, it’s very meditative to watch them swim around.
Although I usually don’t care for roses, the Rose Garden at Brookside has so many unique varieties that it is hard not to find one you enjoy. I won’t be able to post just one photo on Instagram, but this Scentimental Floribunda Rose was my favorite.
Since the Gardens are off the beaten path, they typically aren’t very crowded and make a peaceful retreat from the city without a huge time commitment. You could walk through in less than an hour, but I recommend adventurers explore Brookside at a leisurely pace more suited to lowering your blood pressure and catching up with friends.
The official “garden etiquette” prohibits picnicking, but several families were enjoying an undisturbed lunch on the lawn the day of my visit. Brookside is also a great place to go on a photo walk. The formal gardens are set up like picturesque rooms while the rambling nature of the remaining gardens encourages photographers to explore different perspectives.
Since the gardens are run by Montgomery County Parks, admission is free. Special events like the Wings of Fancy Butterfly Exhibit do have a fee, however. The butterflies are on view from April to September, and tickets can be purchased in the gift shop of the conservatory. Hundreds of butterflies in a variety of colors and sizes fly around inside the conservatory. While adventurers are discouraged from touching the delicate creatures, plenty are willing to land on the flowers and trees long enough to be admired and photographed. I definitely recommend the extra expense to check out this exhibit.
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Address
1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD
Metro Station
- Glenmont (RD)
Directions
Brookside Gardens is about a one-mile walk or a ten-minute bus ride from the metro station. Adventurers arriving on foot should enter the Gardens through the pedestrian entrances to avoid getting caught in the deer exclusion grates. When entering from Glenallan Avenue, this is to the left of the vehicle entrance, and by the conservatory it is on the right.
Cost
Free
$8.00 for the Wings of Fancy exhibit
Hours
Gardens open from sunrise to sunset
Visitors Center open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
Conservatories open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
Length of Adventure
2-3 hours
Website
http://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/
