10 Gardens Kids Will Love at the Berkshire Botanical Garden
On a recent trip to the Berkshires, we made an impromptu stop on our way to the Berkshire Botanical Garden– and we’re so glad we did! It is now one of our favorite spots in the Berkshires and very family friendly. The 20+ acre garden is spread out over both sides of Route 102 and includes over 30 gardens, greenhouses, walks, and buildings for classes, workshops, and family events.
Travel Tips:
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The Berkshire Botanical Garden is open every day through mid October. Check here for more information and advanced ticket sales
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The gardens have a great calendar of lectures, classes, and special events- check here for more information
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On weekends, the Garden offers a drop-in Activity Table at the outdoor schoolhouse with nature-based crafts, activities, and education for children, included in the admission fee.
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Check here for updates on guided tours.
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Wear sneakers or closed toe shoes.
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Restrooms are located on both sides of the Garden, in the Center House and Education Center.
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The Visitor Center includes admissions and a shop that sells a wide variety of gardening tools, books, and gifts.
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Bring a stroller for the toddler crew- guests must cross busy Route 102 to see both parts of the gardens and little children will be safest in a stroller (and it’ll be easier if they tire out before you’re finished exploring the grounds).
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There are plenty of dining options in nearby Stockbridge. My favorite is No. Six Depot Roastery & Cafe for super yummy homemade pastries, salads, and sandwiches and a wide variety of warm and cold drinks.
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Plan on spending two hours to fully explore all the gardens, more if you linger in some areas.
10 Gardens Children Will Love Exploring:
1. The Children’s Discovery Garden, which includes a chicken coop, purple playhouse, Fairy Garden, and a tic tac toe set and table carved out of wood.
2. The Edible Garden with over two dozen vegetables (everything from lettuce to peppers and tomatoes and carrots). Sampling is allowed!
3. The Herb Garden, with dozens of medicinal herbs, a fragrance bed, and culinary beds of herbs. Learn about the benefits of each garden and check out how the herbs are used in products such as mustards and vinegars sold in the Garden Shop.
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4. The Rain Garden, where surface water draining front he parking lot is captured and used to feed the soil. Keep an eye out for many birds that feed off the shrubs.
5. The Fitzpatrick Conservatory, home to dozens of succulents of various shapes, sizes, and even colors.
6. The Meadow Walk, a wide open space that little ones will love (safely) running amongst the wildflowers.
7. Lucy’s Garden, which showcases over a dozen animals carved out of boxwood bushes and arborvitae- everything from an elephant that shoots water to llamas and peacocks. There is even a table and chair set!
8. The Pond Garden ,a manmade pond that is home to many frogs, toads, salamanders, and often visited by dragonflies. See how many you can spot!
9. The Tree of 40 Fruit, which grows (you guessed it!) 40 varieties of stone fruit like nectarines, peaches, and plums, on display near the greenhouse.
10. The Vista Garden, which has different plants and flowers each season of the year and tons of evergreens that bloom all year.
Looking for more family fun in the Berkshires? Check out our posts on Hancock Shaker Village, Naumkeag, and Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort. And follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
