Discover Huntsville Botanical Garden

Discover the Amphitheater at Huntsville Botanical Garden—a captivating outdoor venue nestled within nature’s embrace. Ideal for concerts, theatrical performances, and special events, this scenic space combines natural acoustics with stunning garden views, providing an unforgettable experience for both performers and audiences alike. The Amphitheater is a vibrant hub for cultural gatherings, where the community comes together to celebrate the arts under the open sky.

Nestled within the heart of Huntsville Botanical Garden, the Anderson Education Center stands as a beacon of learning and discovery. This innovative facility is not just a building; it’s a gateway to understanding the intricate connections within our natural world. Here, we host a wide array of educational programs designed to inspire minds of all ages, from curious youngsters to seasoned garden enthusiasts.

The Bush Azalea Trail at Huntsville Botanical Garden showcases over 3,000 azaleas, both native to the southeastern U.S. and Asia. Amidst a canopy of red maple and sweetgum, the trail also features hydrangeas, hollies, and camellias. Named after Vernon Bush, a dedicated volunteer, this trail began in 2009 and is a testament to his commitment to the Garden’s enrichment.

Explore the serene Cedar Glade at Huntsville Botanical Garden, a tranquil haven that showcases the unique beauty of native cedar trees. This peaceful retreat is perfect for quiet contemplation and nature walks, offering visitors a chance to reconnect with the natural world amidst the aromatic cedar trees. The Cedar Glade is also the perfect shaded retreat for enjoying outdoor performances throughout the summer during event series like Global Rhythm & Blooms and Golden Hour.

The Damson Aquatic Garden is a formal space at the Huntsville Botanical Garden, featuring a large round pool and an Aquatic Pavilion. It’s a picturesque setting with Victoria lilies, water lilies, and other tropical water plants. This garden provides a serene escape, with water jets adding a playful element to the tranquil environment​​.

The Demonstration Vegetable Garden at Huntsville Botanical Garden, maintained by the Master Gardeners of North Alabama, showcases various gardening styles like traditional row, wide row, raised bed, and square-foot gardening. It features a collection of All America Selections and heirloom vegetables suitable for the region. The garden not only produces a bounty of vegetables donated to local organizations but also demonstrates composting techniques, offering valuable insights for home gardeners​​.

The Dogwood Trail, accessible from the Summer House, borders the Four Seasons Garden. It’s a serene path, best visited in spring when dogwoods and shade-loving plants like azaleas and hellebores bloom. This trail showcases an upland forest ecosystem and features species native to Alabama​​.

The Fern Glade at Huntsville Botanical Garden is a serene area showcasing nearly 150 species of ferns along winding paths. This shady oasis, located at the Nature Trail’s northern end, features both deciduous and evergreen ferns that thrive in the region. Notable species include the Christmas Fern and the Cinnamon Fern. The glade also features a waterfall, pond, and belvedere, enhancing the tranquil atmosphere.

The Four Seasons Garden at Huntsville Botanical Garden is a captivating space marked by a striking gateway and a bronze sculpture named ‘An Unlikely Landing’ by Frank Fleming. It showcases a diverse collection of perennials, bulbs, shrubs, and trees, with themed borders like the Spring and Summer Borders. This garden is a source of inspiration for gardeners, offering a serene pathway from the Entry Court to the Damson Aquatic Garden​​.

The Garden of Hope, established in 2006, is a tranquil space designed for cancer patients and their families to find solace and express their emotions through the beauty of nature. With a variety of flowers, trees, and plants, this garden also offers therapeutic benefits and features benches for quiet reflection by a gentle stream.

The Garden Railway at Huntsville Botanical Garden is a favorite G-scale display, featuring a European village with a church, fire station, restaurant, and homes, set among a waterfall, ponds, and a stream. This charming scene is brought to life with over 1,000 plants and the sounds of a solar-powered steam locomotive, creating a delightful experience for both adults and children.

The Herb Garden at Huntsville Botanical Garden spans a quarter-acre and features 13 themed gardens alongside a charming herb cottage. Central to the garden is a Knot Garden, with beds designed for accessibility. Themes range from Culinary to Fragrance, with a special Tussie Mussie bed conveying messages through the language of flowers. Maintained by the Huntsville Herb Society, the garden is a living showcase of herbs’ rich history and utility​​.

The Holmes Trillium Garden at Huntsville Botanical Garden is dedicated to Harold Holmes, who aimed to establish a renowned trillium collection starting in 2006. This garden, nestled within the Mathews Nature Trail, is a shaded retreat hosting over 30 trillium species from the Tennessee Valley and nearby areas. It has achieved accreditation from the Plant Collections Network, showcasing a significant array of Eastern U.S. trillium species and cultivars​​.

The Lewis Birding Trail, dedicated to Herb and Terry Lewis for their long-time volunteerism, is a haven for bird conservation, education, and enjoyment. It meanders through varied ecosystems within the Garden, offering views of diverse birdlife. The trail is recognized as a birding hotspot by eBird, a project by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Download the Birding Trail map

The Mathews Nature Trail at Huntsville Botanical Garden takes visitors through a southeastern lowland forest, showcasing a variety of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. It’s known for its seasonal beauty, with spring wildflowers, summer blooms, and vibrant fall foliage. The trail also includes a section of the Lewis Birding Trail, making it a perfect spot for birdwatching year-round​​.

Located within the Anderson Education Center is the mesmerizing Purdy Butterfly House, celebrated as one of the nation’s premier open-air butterfly habitats. The butterfly house encapsulates a perfectly balanced ecosystem, where every plant and pathway has been thoughtfully designed to support the life cycle of these beautiful creatures. Visitors are invited to meander through this tranquil setting, witnessing the magical dance of butterflies up close. The best time to visit the Purdy Butterfly House is during the peak butterfly season, extending from May through September.

The Spencer Volunteer Tribute Garden celebrates Huntsville Botanical Garden’s founding volunteers and the ongoing spirit of volunteerism. Featuring carefully selected plants and flowers, the garden includes brick pathways honoring past and present volunteers and a stone seating area for reflection.

Tweetsville at is an engaging experience within the Wicks Family Garden, focusing on the interdependence of birds, plants, and humans in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. This area offers a chance to watch birds in their habitat, learn about bird-friendly environments, and engage with nature interactively. Key attractions include the “See Rocket City” Bird House, Lewis Bird Watch, a giant bird nest for imaginative play, and tiny homes demonstrating bird-friendly practices in various living settings.

The Van Valkenburgh Daylily Garden is a display recognized by the American Hemerocallis Society. It boasts around 800 daylily cultivars, offering a rich tapestry of colors, sizes, and forms. Each plant is labeled with its cultivar name and hybridizer, and the collection is continually updated with new cultivars. The peak bloom season starts in late May, reaching its zenith in mid-June, and continues with reblooms until frost.

The Wicks Family Garden is a diverse two-acre area at Huntsville Botanical Garden, offering eight unique garden experiences. It features a dinosaur-themed area, a real Space Station node, and interactive installations like a giant sunflower maze and pollywog bog. This garden is designed to engage visitors of all ages in playful and educational experiences.