Born of a garden center developed by the Amarillo Garden Club to develop test gardens in the high plains of the Texas Panhandle, the Amarillo Botanical Gardens grew into a botanically diverse showcase of plants that are able to thrive with assistance in this arid environment.
Plan Your Visit
Location: Amarillo, Texas
Address: 1400 Streit Dr, Amarillo, TX 79106
Phone: 806-352-6513
Hours: Vary seasonally. Nov-Apr, Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM, Sat 1-5 PM, closed Sundays. May-Oct, Mon-Fri 9 AM-7 PM, Sat & Sun 1-5 PM.
Fee: $5 ages 13-59, $4 ages 60+, $2 ages 6-12. Military free.
The gardens are accessible, with ramps leading between the different levels.
Special thematic events are held on a regular basis and may affect garden hours. Restrooms are located at the garden offices.
Directions
The gardens are along the western edge of Amarillo north of Interstate 40. Westbound along I-40 from downtown, use exit 66 for Wolfin Ave.
Turn right on Port Ln and cross under Amarillo Blvd. Make the first right onto Streit Dr, immediately past the Ronald McDonald House. Parking and the gardens entrance are on the left.
Inside the Gardens
Only 4.4 acres in size, these seasonal gardens pack an outstanding amount of diversity into a small space.
Flanked by the Medical Center Park and looking across green space along a small waterway, they are partly shaded and partly in full sun.
In addition to the popular Mary E. Bivins Tropical Conservatory, these terraced gardens are broken up into thematic areas.
The showiest garden area is the Japanese Garden, as you see it immediately upon entering the gardens from the Entry Court.
Its architectural elements and water features draw your attention down the terraces.
Of course, the Conservatory is a must-visit for its humid air. It feels like a rainforest inside, with mist rising and birds fluttering and strutting along the pathways.
Tucked beneath the back corner of the conservatory at the base of the Terrace is a Little Free Library with botanical and garden-themed books.
Among the many gardens, most of which are credited to specific garden clubs or individuals in the area, are a small children’s garden, a rose garden, and a desert garden.
One of the delights of this garden for visitors like ourselves is its native plant collection, with plants from across Texas labeled and displayed so as to help you learn what they look like in their native habitats.
Garden Gallery
Walk through Amarillo Botanical Gardens with us by viewing our photographs from our visit. Click to open the gallery.
