Reviews of JC Raulston Arboretum (Tourist Attraction)

Susanne Moore

Absolutely stunning! A must for all plant lovers and those who appreciate peace and tranquility.

Carla Sinclair

Beautiful garden for a nice stroll or a great backdrop for a few photos. I saw Cinderella and snow white working some photos. One bride doing bridal portraits.

Nicholas Dudde

Really awesome display of plants. Plants are arranged in meaningful groups and paths throughout the Arboretum are numerous and pleasant to walk. The are bathrooms available on-site, and tours are available. Free admission, but donations encouraged. Highly reccomended.

Sal Panettieri

Great arboretum - 10 acres of different areas to visit. Open 7 days a week . May was a great time to visit due to many plants and trees were blooming. Free parking (if you can find a spot) in the busy area around Raleigh. They were setting up tents for a party in the large grassy area near the perennial border, a great spot. There was a water fall , but I wish they had a formal fountain. But I’m picky. There are FREE guided tours Sundays 2PM March-October!!

Catherine Truxillo

You can spend hours and hours enjoying the beautiful plantings, learning about what grows in NC, get inspiration for your garden, or just have a picnic. Every week in the springrime there are new surprises. I especially love the Lath House

Ayana Clark

Love the layout and variety of plants.

Fereydoon Sadri

I've been to this place few times actually, and many cool plants one can find along with description about it. one must visit this place.

Barbara Albro

Lovely, peaceful, well maintained gardens. All of the signage is greatly appreciated. NCSU does an amazing job with the arboretum. It was one of the highlights of our trip to Raleigh.

Arlene V.

Great place for Photography! Photography by: Black Print Photography @blackprintphotography

Ronny Kirste

This botanical garden is open almost every day from 8am to 8 pm. The area is about 10 acres with plenty of paved paths. I think you can spend about 90 minutes in the park if you take it slowly. It is typically not too crowded so if you go with children there is plenty of space to run and have fun. The garden has a visitor center, an education center, and several bathrooms across the area.

Logan C

It's a beautiful place with a large variety of exotic trees and plants. The best part is that admission is free. Great for a date.

Molly Rpelofs

Beautiful place. Been here ones before. I'am from Michigan. And I ask my daughter if we could go back today. I still have to see the rest of the garden. But love what I did see. Friendly staff and bathroom vary clean. Easy to find too.

Upen R

Decent place to walk among the plants and trees.

Blotfa

Love the place, too hot in the summer though. I melt like a ice cream cone on the stove.

Onsilius Nobloc

The blooms and cool weather this past weekend made for a special visit with the kids. Gorgeous everything.

Holly Del Grande

My favorite place to visit in Raleigh. It is always so beautiful and you can tell that there is so much hard work put into it everyday. There is always going to be something blooming and it the perfect place to discover new plants and garden ideas.

Katy B

So lucky that the Arboretum is so close by! It is absolutely gorgeous year round. It's a great place to take the kids to check out a huge array of plants and flowers. Also a stunning backdrop for photos--my clients always love it!

Erin Pierce

This place is beautiful year round! Great place to have a picnic! They even have multiple places for weddings which are amazing!

Eve Stelzenmuller

Gorgeous gardens, great classes, and classrooms for other learning opportunities. Ten or so acres of beauty near the State Fairgrounds.

Tom Archer

Great experience at a very educational asset of our community. The weekend tour is very informative and worth the time.

Patricia Meigs

Very pretty plants, flowers, bushes and trees. Interesting little Japanese gardens, gazebos, etc. Even the rest rooms building is so stinking cute! Looks like a little palace from a fairy tale.

Ron Brown

Great place to chill and see lots of really cool plants and trees!

logan messer

Very cool place. Evidently it's cheaper for photographers than Duke gardens as far as photography fees are concerned.

Ronald Perry

The best horticultural facility in the southeast. Put their plant sale on your calendar and join the membership

Jessica Gecsey-Ray

I've been visiting the Arboretum for quite some time now that I've lived in Raleigh. I've seen a lot change there, some agreeable and some not so much. My favorite times to enjoy all the beauty is early morning. When you can silently reflect and take your time to inhale the smells of the fragrant flowers and trees. I have had some NEGATIVE interactions while visiting previously, such as a older man smoking while walking in front of us and then in an audacious and cavalier manner, he threw the butt on the ground to put the fire out. I was angered and offended. I looked upon the Arboretum as something collectively "owned", but also something I felt like I would fiercely defend as an individual because nature in that setting was a great and valuable thing to behold. So, I informed the man that not only how the Arboretum was strictly non-smoking. How it was also summer time and dry. And finally that I didn't appreciate his blatant disrespect towards the staff and hard working volunteers and regular staff as well that worked very hard to keep up the beautiful Arboretum so that we ALL could enjoy the beauty before us! He mumbled and just walked on. YES. I'm an impassioned person. And I don't tolerate disrespect very well. SO, Next issue was a grandmother with her grandson. This was on another visit, the grandmother was allowing her grandson to climb the smaller trees like a monkey and was photographing him at the same time. Alright, obviously I'm not letting this go down as I watch. I told the lady that she needed to remove her child and it didn't matter to me if she did or didn't listen, because I was headed straight over to speak with management.

Joseph Carr

This is a beautiful place for an afternoon walk, or for a full afternoon. The arboretum is small enough that you can walk around it in about 20 minutes, but they pack in flowers really densely so you can spend hours exploring them all. There are so many flowers that you can come every couple of days in spring and see one plant start to bloom as others fade away, giving you a new experience each time. Their rose garden has something blooming all summer and into fall, so that's definitely a place to stop and smell the flowers. Just be careful not to get a nose full of bees! Speaking of gardens, they have many sub gardens, each with their own theme. There is a Japanese garden, a desert plant garden, a section for something like 17 varieties of magnolia trees, and the white garden, which is popular for weddings. They have a tour every Sunday at 2 p.m. They have a big line up of children's activities too. And they're always open for a picnic. Neomonde is nearby, so you can pick up delicious Mediterranean food and bring it over to eat! Parking can get a little crowded during popular times like lunch. They have a small parking lot, plus street parking on the small access road that leads to the arboretum.

Beatrice Nelson

Beautiful cool morning graceful lay out scenic pathways lovely visit

Kat Lewberg

Beautiful! Had my maternity photos taken here

Evan Garner

It's one of the premier plant collections in the southeastern United States! The perennial border is world class and the horticulturists are excellent.

Cassi Lovato

It was peaceful when I visited, mid week around noon. I enjoyed the ability to push a stroller on the unpaved and paved paths so we didn't miss too much of the gardens. As a new mom I'm usually stuck in a situation I'm not quite prepared for, here there was no changing table in the rest room. But otherwise we truly enjoyed the space.

Corinne Goudreault

The arboretum is such a great stop - a really lovely addition to NC State’s campus. I’ve been to meetings in the event space and find it really nice, would certainly recommend. The gardens are lovely and the staff is very helpful!

Barbara Guillory

Beautiful place to wander around admiring and/or discovering all of the different species of plants and trees. Ample on-street parking near the front gate if lot is full.

Tiffany Bargeman

Beautiful place for a wedding. No shade though. We were literally baking and sweating in the sun. Maybe tents over the chairs can be an added option. Lovely though.

VICKI St. Pierre

Magical place. So much to see and learn here. Beautiful plants, trees, bushes, wildlife (birds, squirrels, rabbits, butterflies, and even snakes).

Tiffany Andrews

Went to the Arboretum after a visit to a business location in North Raleigh. Got there at 5:30pm and walked for an hour. Used the available map and enjoyed the many areas of the arboretum. It is well maintained has a lovely Japanese garden and is well cared for. Tons of butterflies and bunnies- unexpected surprise. I did come across what I assumed were volunteer gardeners who were friendly and made small chit chat. Beautiful end to the day. Make a donation - they will make good use of it.

Jason Wills-Starin

A beautiful series of gardens used for public and private events. See foreign and local flora and cone for ideas about ornamental plantings and water and erosion control. Also a great place to catch a wedding or 4.

nate Kooldown

Clean, some private spots to just lay around and paint/work/meditate. Fantastic work

Rajanikanth T

It's hidden gem and must visit place in spring. Visited in April 1st week and there are beautiful flowers. You will finish the park just like that looking around. Parking is small inside but there is long road side parking. I tried to capture most of pictures.

Autumn Racine

JC Raulston Arboretum is an awesome place to stroll & enjoy nature. It's a really peaceful spot with benches to stop & sit awhile. It's also a nice spot to bring a casual picnic.

Alex Place

I love this place so much. There are so many paths and gardens, you always feel like you’re stumbling upon something new. There are quiet areas of reflection and larger spaces where kids can run around. I like coming here for photography and to take a break from the city.

Al Thompson

Perfect weather to enjoy the plants and trees of this state treasure. Plants are clearly marked with informational markers, for novices such as myself. There are many places that invite you to sit down and relax amongst the growth. Trust to return at various stages of plant life. Taking photos today!

Sully Gibbs

Very nice place. The flowers are beautiful. Great place to go on a date when they are blooming.

anusha v

This place is packed with lot of varieties. Beautiful plant collection. This is the must seen place for those who love gardening. Parking is free and available. They even sell few variety of plants. We can bring kids and there are lot of benches available to rest ourselves. There is a beautiful artificial waterfall inside. There is also a rooftop garden. Butterflies are another attractive ones which you can find on most of the flowers.

Kailyn Miller

Absolutely beautiful gardens. Very accessible and wasn't crowded despite it being a beautiful Sunday. Not much parking.

Jacalyn Thomas

Beautiful day. Very knowledgeable volunteer. Excellent places to sit comfortably and have a pleasant conversation or just relax. Many people there with professional photographers having their pictures taken. Two weddings as well.

Jordan Reed Hanson

Ralston was the first garden I visited when I moves to North Carolina in 2004. I love that there are things that just remain and love all the changes that have and are taking place. If you love gardening and you are in Raleigh. Its a must visit. I love being able to just come here and think. Enjoy!

Cynthia Jones

Its a beautiful place to visit and meditate

Jodi Devores

Even if you don't think you'd enjoy an arboretum, I encourage you to visit this one. It was well laid out, and we found all the trees and flowers very interesting. A highlight for us was seeing the quince fruit on the tree.

Sonia Sandoval

I came here with my friend for a relaxing walk and enjoyed this little gem. Beautiful flowers and trees, the Japanese area was simply magical. It was "snowing" blossoms! Tranquil, great photo opportunities, and free.

Lara McGuire

Loved this place! Gorgeous gardens.

Janice Corsello

Fabulous gardens. The best Arboretum in the state!!

El Bascha Production

Amazing place to explore, specially if you go with kids amazing nature

Andreas Willis

What a beautiful arboretum! We went there on a whim, not wanting to spend a gorgeous afternoon indoors. Plants, trees and flowers were nicely identified. Coming from Minnesota, it was fun to see the range of trees and plants that would never survive the cold winters in MN. There are places where one can just stop, find a bench, relax and admire the surrounding beauty. We would definitely go back for another visit!

Renee Ashley

Beautiful grounds with a very large variety of plants. Obviously popular as there were a lot of people enjoying the gardens. Well worth the visit.

Giselle Santamaria

I totally loved this place. For those who love nature, this arbotetum is the perfect spot. Here you will find a lot of American plants, but also many foreign nature that will blow you away. My favorite thing was all the flowers that I was able to watch in September, in fall. I can't imagine how beautiful this place will be on spring. I highly recommend this place if you like to be surrounded by nature. Also this place is free, and perfect for kids.

Dave Jenkins

A wonderful place to take an afternoon stroll. Relatively small, but all of the different winding paths make each trip here interesting and enjoyable.

Carson B

This place is amazing! Lots of windy paths that help you feel secluded and keep the adventure going. Its size is perfect for an short stroll or a picnic.:)

Juliette Me

Beautiful, well-maintained, and the only thing "bad" is that we didnt have time to walk all the way around through the park in the trails. We will come back when we have more time - it was worth the visit!

Nancy Wilder

A wonderful place to visit with a wide variety of plants and flowers.

Josey Buescher

This is a beautiful garden. It's great to take curious children to, because there are so many different types of plants there. The plants all have little descriptions next to them, to really enhance the learning. It is also a beautiful to take pictures for prom, engagements, or senior portraits.

Charles Koscenski

It was a very nice to take a stroll through and take photographs. The parking lot could be bigger to allow more visitors. There needs to be more maintenance in some areas. The rear restroom needs more TLC and a water fountain. It is free for admission so with that in mind it’s a fairly decedent location. It is a great location for photography. Access to water needs to be revamped especially during summer temperatures. I think a pond with a fountain would be beneficial. The Japanese garden is kinda on the sad side compared many others.

Christopher Winkler

Beautiful little arboretum. It's serene and peaceful here, with plenty of benches and seating for relaxing and enjoying the trees, flowers, and plants. There are plenty of trails and a large open green space in the middle, along with a very small welcome center and a large education center. Great for children! Parking is free and there is usually plenty of street parking in front of the arboretum.

Laura Yu

Beautiful, extensive botanical garden. Pets not allowed but you'll see squirrels and lots of birds. Many scenic spots for photos. Nice, long walk to see everything. Beautiful flowers and plants all year round. Lovely place.

Leslie Klatt

Really beautiful gardens to explore. So many different plants to look at! This was in September so some things were not blooming but I can imagine at different times of the year it would look totally different. It will take you and hour or two to go through. I really enjoyed visiting these gardens and will definitely go back.

Iryna Shcharbinskaya

This is a beautiful garden to visit all year round.

Christina Root

Attended Moonlight in the Garden here. It was beautiful, well run and I loved the fire pits and roasting marshmallows. Live music, beautiful lighting, cider..Perfect way to spend a chilly fall evening outdoors. Would love to see more events being held here!

Lisa Tomey

I love this place! Always something new to enjoy.

Nancy Mingis

I have worked here over many years, but today was especially memorable as we celebrated the life of August DeHertogh. I left feeling refreshed after Gus' family, friends, and coworkers shared memories of a life so well lived.

mike

Great place to walk around. Beautiful flowers and plants. Love the Japanese garden

Edward Trevaskiss

Peaceful . Makes me wish my lunch was longer

Ember K.

It was beautiful at the end of summer. It's beautiful now at the beginning of spring. I can't wait to see how it looks mid spring, and mid fall.

John Bentley

We went with our grandchildren. It was late in the year so only a few things were green but enjoyed the layout and the different areas laid out in the arboretum. It was nice to see very clear labels on everything. This allowed me to look up the various trees and shrubs on my phone to see what they looked like in season.

Joshua Rainwater

This garden is a must visit for Raleigh residents & tourists alike. One of my favorite arboretum's in the Southeast.

Robert Melegh

Very nice, lots of flowers, must be no deer around, the hostas looked great!

Brian Wu

It's so pretty and very well maintain. Definitely worth a trip ya'll.

Becky Parent

Loved it! Beautiful place. I am definitely going back.

h h

A beautiful way to appreciate nature and horticulture. Went as part of our anniversary weekend, Great place to take pictures

Vince Morris

I absolutely love this place!

John Kanich

Very nice place. Great place to spend time outdoors.

Rebecca Quidley

Beautiful grounds. I go as often as possible. So serene. It's a perfect place to get out in nature and see the beautiful plants, trees, and flowers.

Anil gandhi

Plant lovers delight!! Beautiful gardens with stunning trees and shrubs. Good family place too.

Nel Byzio

Such a wonderful spot to come to and relax. Love having our picnic there with my child for May years now.

Tom

Absolutely gorgeous. There is an education center where NC State students have classes occasionally, a Japanese zen garden, and a variety of other specialized settings. Amazing trees and flower gardens, as well as a path you can walk over water on. Definitively my favorite site from my trip to Raleigh.

Jim Northrup

Great place to hang out for a picnic.

Dmitry Rashkeev

Beautiful gardens. Parking can be tight on holidays and weekends, but there's always plenty of parking in the streets.

Amanda Wilkins

Whether you're a plant nerd, a family with children who need a nature break, or a human in need of quiet solitude, there is something for you at the JC Raulston Arboretum. They host children's programs, evening lectures, workshops, plant sales and giveaways, and symposia for the public. The gardens are open for perusal and study, and are a great way to spend a few hours getting lost in the trees. This is one of the most premier public gardens in the country and is host to some national collections. Definitely worth your time to stop in for a visit. You will be back for every season!

Jim Weimer

This place is a real surprise. They call themselves an arboretum but they're really a garden. They have many different areas addressing different collections of plants... Both flowers and trees... Including a long perennial bed and flower beds. The Rock planters were a real surprise. All in all an enjoyable two hours.

msliwows

Great walking trails. Good amount of shaded spots. Grab a map that shows specimen tree locations.

Rex D

We had a few hours to fill in our day before we had to catch our flight home from RDU. Since we love visiting botanical gardens, and had visited the North Carolina Botanical Gardens on this trip, we decided to visit this arboretum because of its proximity to RDU. This place is absolutely beautiful. the various gardens remind me a little bit of the much larger Huntington Gardens out on the West coast in that they have gardens organized somewhat by climate zones, plant type, and gardening style. As a gardener myself, I especially enjoyed their teaching gardens over near the yurt. I always enjoy seeing how other gardeners' gardens are setup and the different methods they use when growing vegetables. I think we were able to experience almost every garden on the property, except for the White Garden, Model Gardens and the Perennial Border. It was an enjoyably peaceful way to spend a few hours before our hectic trip back home.

Erin Flynn Boston

Absolutely beautiful little spot with very friendly staff and volunteers. The road noise is a little loud at times and in some places, but having a green space like this so close to downtown means that happens and I don't see it as a detriment to the arboretum. Thank you for creating beauty and educational opportunities so close to the airport!

Patty Korman

Beautiful garden. Great location. This is a great place to take out of town guests. It's a little jewel box.

Jamie Mills

Very relaxing and enjoyable with a great variety of things and I love how most paths in the garden are hidden and mysterious looking! Enjoyable for the entire family with great events!!

Niki Saylor

Wonderful garden and beautiful peaceful space to take in some respite.

ryan adams

It’s a wonderful stop to enjoy botanicals. I’ve been to better ones however they likely have a higher revenue plan.

Olive Sanders

The arboretum is perfect for photos, videos and weddings. I look forward to signing up for a newsletter to keep up date with all of their events!

Wan Dee Xiong

Today was my first time at the arboretum. It's really beautiful and has lots of places for different tastes. I saw several young children, people picnicking, photographers and people touring with guides. I'd recommend exploring the arboretum. I'm definitely coming back :)

World of Calligraphy

Very nice place. If you love flowers of all kind, this place is a great destination for you

Blanca Petrillo

Beautiful layout of plants and flowers!

Nate Harned

Beautiful! It was a wonderful setting for the annual picnic we attended

Mary Kyle

One of my favorite botanical gardens.

Terry Burke

Gorgeous area. It was the best place for my bestie's daughter's wedding. Can't wait to go back when the flowers are in bloom

Chasta Collins

Felt like I had to keep telling kids no . Wish there was more for them but for adults would be great

Georgette Becerra

So beautiful. Would research to see the best time to see the most blooms.

jonna artisan

Spring! Beautiful flowers have bloomed. Notice anything missing? Its ALARMING! The JC Raulston arboretum makes every effort to protect the environment. The have bee gardens and beeskeeps. Even so after touring the gardens for 3 hours I counted 7 honey bees, 13 bumblebees , saw 2 white butterflies, 1 lizard. The decline in the insect population is very scary! Beautiful gardens, children's garden, education center, pond areas, Events, membership and volunteer opportunities. Wheelchair accessible. Free parking. Plant sales. No dogs. Personal events like weddings can be booked. Check website for events and more information.

Emma Lorraine

A really lovely spot to walk around. Larger than it seems at first and with a nice variety of settings.

Salt&Sea *!

Accessibility is less than great, many of the paths lead to steps, and many more lead to pavers placed atop loose fine gravel. There are no indicators as to which paths lead to steps or inaccessible areas. There are also no baby changing stations, expect to change your little ones on the ground so be prepared. The sights in this place are lovely and when the flowers are in bloom the air is filled with them.

Mehrdad Persian

I love how this place has improved so much over the last 8 years that I have been around it. It keeps on getting better and better, and more interesting events. I hope they can do better with communicating those events to the public but other than that, it’s a great place to visit!

Scott Cloyd

My son's wedding among the May flowers, and fauna. Spectacular beauty and awesome weather made the ceremony a big success. Side note: trains are close by. If planning an event check train schedules.

Will Valentin

Excellent arboretum with lots of shade. Parking lot is small, may have to park on the street (adds 1 minute of walking). Will definitely go again.

Delaney Davis Spence

Always something blooming and lots of nooks and crannies to explore. I always come home with a plant or two that they have for sale and with new ideas for my own garden.

Daniel Sude

Nice array of native and non-native plants. Impactful garden design (love the white garden and the rooftops).

Josh H.

The perfect place to go when you need to clear your mind and relax

vincent barber

As I am an avid gardener from Ireland I really enjoyed my visit. The layout was very good and the array of shrubs,flowers and trees were spectacular.

Crystal Lefoy

This place is absolutely beautiful and really inspires you to connect with nature. It is so peaceful and tranquil - perfect for a day of reading or brainstorming. Of course the arboretum is perfect for photos, videos and weddings. I look forward to signing up for a newsletter to keep up date with all of their events!

David Short

Lived here 11 1/2 years and wish we would have visited a lot sooner. This place is a well maintained outdoor botanical garden attached to major university. Neat specimens of local and a lot of Asian plants. Also it is free to the public with street parking.

Cameron Flick

Absolutely beautiful a wonderful free way to spend the afternoon

Tammy Kaufman

Spectacular array of flowers, trees and other plants. The arboretum is thoughtfully designed and beautiful. Trails are easy to walk and well maintained, and this is a lovely place to spend a morning or afternoon.

Scott Souva

View nature's best. The mixture of plants, scrubs, and trees are outstanding.

Megan Perkins

Pretty nice area to just walk around. Garden currently seems to be a bit rundown after the winter and some heavy rains, but doesn't hurt the experience at all. Nice area to walk around and take in some beauty in Raleigh. Parking lot is pretty small, but parking along the street seems fine.

jimmy math

Beautiful place I was amazed at the flowers even though it was spring, 35 degrees at night loaded with flowers? Magnolias were in bloom as well water falls in the entry great place for peace and photos

Homeagain 95

This is the North Carolina State Aboretum. It's always nice to explore the grounds, but I believe it is in need of some TLC. Many areas are overgrown and there are lots of places that need some work. We did get some nice pictures today and there were lots of visitors. There was even someone taking bridal portraits. Lots of people were having picnics and the weather was great.

Angelica Lucas

Beautiful gardens, easy paths for walkers and canes. Lovely outing for the elderly and young children. A must see!

Robert Gibbs

What a marvelous place to visit. This was a 3rd grade class trip. The volunteers set up 5 stations with activities. Everything from seed starting, to the nutrients and oxygen. To how leaves are formed and the process of making air for all of us to breathe. My granddaughter asked if we could go there again when it gets warm out. Great place for anyone that loves plants.

Helen McCracken

The J. C. Ralston Arboretum is a wonderful respite from the city and an excellent collection of specimen plants, font miss the conifer garden, the white garden, and the educational yurt!

AngieH Annespirationals

This was an amazing experience for my children and a great opportunity to learn about various plants while taking a relaxing walk

James Timothy

Great place to relax and get back to nature!

Jim Dalton

One of the top destination locations in the state. We visit regularly as it is great to see the seasons unfold.

Nadia Russes

Of all the wonderful arboretums in the triangle area this one is my favorite. The staff are kind the flowers are beautiful and it's just such a relaxing place to spend a few hours. I go often in the spring and summer just to sit and read.

Alesia Robinson

Absolutely beautiful. We went for family photos. We thought the variety of plants and structures was lovely.

Mike M

Very nice place to walk around.

aurther hill

Always a nice place to visit a must go and nice place for a date

Steven Smeltz-Zapata

Beautiful! Though parking can be a challenge if you find in peak times. Since it is so we'll kept and lovely, photographers are everywhere (myself included) handling portrait sessions. Keep this in mind if you're attempting a Dawn or dusk visit.

Adaptive Nourishment

I love coming here! There are always new plants to see and new things to learn. They give regular tours (for free!), have a small bookstore, sometimes have plants for sale, have great walking trails and benches scattered throughout.

Nick Miethe

Beautiful collection of plants, especially from Japan.

Buddy King

Wonderful variety of plants, trees, shrubs, all connected with winding footpaths. Easy parking too. A photographer's ideal site for photos with beautiful backgrounds.

Lynn Canada

One of my most favorite places. Like a plant "Zoo" so you can check year round to see how plants perform in our area. BUT there are consistently excellent classes, volunteer opps, walks, events...and just being able to walk around is so calming. The staff are consistently friendly, and enjoy what they are doing.

Brian Talty

Gorgeous!!! Could spend all day there.

Bob Mathias

Lovely gardens with trails and helpful information about the plants.