A Sparse List of the Botanical Gardens and Arboretums in CT

A stroll through a botanical garden or arboretum is a great way to take in the beauty of exotic plants and skilled landscapers, but where can you find the beautiful gardens in Connecticut?

Did you know that there is a Tulip farm in the Eastern part of our state? Have you heard that Hartford has an incredible rose garden tucked into the woods along Asylum Avenue? Connecticut doesn't have many botanical gardens, but wow do we have trees.

As the weather gets warm the smell of fresh mulch and spread fertilizer is filling that fresh Spring air, but if you want to get enveloped by Mother Nature's handiwork, you should go to one of the few botanical gardens or arboretums in our state. The most prominent arboretums in Connecticut are located in Stamford, New London, Rocky Hill, Redding, and West Hartford. Stamford's Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens on Brookdale Road features over 93 acres of lush gardens, parks, and hiking trails. Over 3,500 flowers, plants, and specimens are displayed each year.

Westmoor Arboretum in West Hartford, Connecticut College Arboretum in New London, and Highstead Arboretum in Redding are also worth a trip during the warmer months.

The New York Botanical Garden next to the Bronx Zoo is the standard to which I compare anything in the Northeast, and Connecticut does not have anything close. Hartford's Elizabeth Park Rose Garden on Asylum Ave will still take your breath away. Hartford has had a Hartford Botanical Garden in the works for almost 30 years in Colt Park in downtown, but the project has never caught on, unfortunately.