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Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden

Whether it's a spectacular bloom, a mass of color or an unusual plant structure, there's always something growing on at Riverbanks Botanical Garden! Hailed by Horticulture magazine as one of 10 gardens that inspire and by HGTV as one of 20 great public gardens across America, Riverbanks Botanical Garden boasts 70 acres of unparalleled beauty.

Upcoming Garden Events & Programs
May 2013

Thursday, May 23

Backyard Buds: From Flowers to Fruit
@ 10:00-10:45am (ages 3-4)
Pretend to be a flower, spread your pollen and grow a fruit as we explore the magic of blossoms in the Garden.
Cost: $9 per child per class
Register for ClassGarden Programs Listing

Music and flowers after hours—you won't experience a night like this anywhere else in Columbia! Guests can enjoy live entertainment and local artists in the Botanical Garden every Thursday night in May. Cash bar and food will be available for purchase at the event.
Cost: Free for Riverbanks members / $5 general public
Order TicketsLearn More

Friday, May 24

String Up Your Garden
@ 10:00-11:30am
Back by popular demand, this workshop will go through the basics of creating a hanging garden. These living root balls wrapped in string and clay can be suspended from an arbor or tree in your yard. Everyone will make a plant to take home.
Cost: $20 per person per class
Register for ClassGarden Programs Listing

Thursday, May 30

Music and flowers after hours—you won't experience a night like this anywhere else in Columbia! Guests can enjoy live entertainment and local artists in the Botanical Garden every Thursday night in May. Cash bar and food will be available for purchase at the event.
Cost: Free for Riverbanks members / $5 general public
Order TicketsLearn More

June 2013

Saturday, June 29

Kokedama Demonstration
@ 9:30-10:30am
A traditional Japanese garden may feature hanging Kokedama moss balls. The spheres are hanging balls of soil, clay and small bonsai trees and plants, which are covered in moss. The Kokedama part of the ball is the bonsai tree or plant that only grows a few inches tall. Traditionally, the Japanese Kokedama ball could also sit on a plate in a lightly lit window. This workshop will demonstrate how you can make your own Japanese Kokedama moss balls.
Cost: $15 per person per class
Register for ClassGarden Programs Listing

 
Themed Gardens
Dramatic and themed gardens showcase more than 4,200 species of native and exotic plants, providing a living classroom for gardeners and non-gardeners alike—and an ideal location for weddings and special events.
Bog Garden
Just inside the Garden gate, visitors will enjoy an impressive welcome in the midst of a waterfall and lush bog-loving plants.
Dry Garden
Botanical Garden adventures begin in the parking lot with drought-tolerant plants and river rocks.
Old Rose Garden
Experience one of the world's largest public collections of Noisettes, known for their sweet perfume, long blooming season and historical ties to South Carolina.
Shade Garden
A leisurely walk over the Treetops Bridge leads to this tranquil garden showcasing traditional shade-loving plants as well as perennials, vines and woody plants.
Walled Garden
This 34,000-square-foot garden is Riverbanks' premier botanical exhibit. This magnificent maze of seasonal and themed gardens inspires new ideas and awakens the imagination, often influencing the design of local backyards.
Natural river views and valley overlooks along the Garden’s Woodlands Walk and River Trail blaze a scenic path to historic ruins from the 1800s, the site of South Carolina's first water-powered textile mills and Sherman's march on Columbia.
Want to learn more about gardening and the fascinating world of plants? Come play in the dirt at one of our hands-on Garden Programs.
Park at the Botanical Garden entrance in West Columbia to enjoy our botanical buds and blooms. Visitors can catch a free tram ride down to the Zoo and back up to the Garden. Or, if you've parked at the main Zoo entrance, you can take the tram up to the Garden and then back down to the Zoo.
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500 Wildlife Parkway | Columbia, SC 29210 | 803.779.8717

Accredited by:
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
A member of:
American Public Gardens Association
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