I have to admit that I have a tendency to forget about Fort Wayne, though having had a recent volunteer for my Tenderness Tour has put the city back on my mind. The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory was a place I didn't get to spend a lot of time while in the downtown area, but I did enjoy the time I got to spend there. The conservatory has three indoor gardens and 1,000 varieties of plans (and 2,000+ plants). You can see cacti, palms, a chocolate tree and more. The conservatory was started by News-Sentinel publisher Helene Foellinger and Bill Sowers, a Fort Wayne attorney. The two often visited gardens and wanted Fort Wayne to have a similar experience. The conservatory opened in 1983 and houses 24,500 square feet of indoor gardens, four outdoor gardens, and is owned/operated by the Fort Wayne Parks and Rec department with charitable support. Fun fact 1: A beefsteak begonia was the first plant installed. Fun fact 2: In February 2024, the Conservatory had its three millionth visitor. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for youth (3-17), and free for ages 2 and under. There's a $1 Thursdays deal from 5-8pm and there's no admission fee for the cafe, conservatory shop, or sales garden. There's venue rental available and quite a few classes to take. I generally found things accessible - maybe a bit iffy in a couple spots, but I could generally function just fine. I will say I didn't quite explore everything as I was on a schedule, but for what I experienced I really enjoyed it and could get where I wanted to get. read more

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Entry fee is $1 on Thursday and Friday in December 2022 so we went thru the holiday display. It is based on a children's book written by a Fort Wayne resident! It was super court and very well done. There are even lights in the gardens outside. We've been there many times before during the day so it was different to see it at night. We sat up in the top level of the tropical area enjoying the sounds of the waterfall and lights. It was beautiful. Downtown in December is magical. $1 night is a cost effective way for the whole family to enjoy the gardens. Thank you parks and rec! read more

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While not as large as other gardens we've been to, this is a beautiful oasis in the city with beautifully curated indoor gardens. Highly recommend for a stop if you are in the area! read more

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

It's a very small botanic garden for what I'm used to. They were just setting up their Christmas decorations which looked like they were going to be so cute. They have a desert area with some cool cacti and aloe plants. In the first room there's lot of banana leaf plants and a waterfall where you can go up and sit. The gift shop has some cute locally made gifts. There's candles, lotions, teas, earrings, and much more. I got a couple bags of the loose leaf tea and I'm excited for that. read more

Visiting Fort Wayne, we were able to drop in at their botanical garden thanks to the buy one get one coupon from the Fort Wayne Passport App that I downloaded. The plants are labeled throughout the Gardens. Not a big establishment, but we enjoyed the indoor exhibits that were in bloom. Outdoors, things are still dormant. There is currently a train exhibit that I enjoyed viewing, having grown up surrounded by the train world! The men running the train exhibit were full of interesting facts and knowledge! read more

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This is one of our favorite things in Fort Wayne. They change one room seasonally and we have loved every exhibit they have created! From butterflies to California adventure, Christmas trees and the floor is lava my kids and I find adventure every time. read more

Me and my partner visited during the holidays and had a great time. The lobby is nice to sit in for a while next to the the water. The plants are very pretty and very well placed. I would love to come back during the summer and see what it's like again . read more

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I especially enjoyed wide variety of cacti and unusual tropical plants. Note that most paths but not all are wheelchair accessible. In particular, the cacao (chocolate) tree is up some stairs. Some plants are labeled but many are not. Overall good experience. Be sure to get facility map. Note that breakfast items available in shop but not lunch. read more

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It was just ok. Went for the butterfly exhibit, and it was the last day for it. The information was that they only live like 2 months and you could really tell some of them didn't have much time left. As for the botanical part of it lots of the foliage was dead or dying. It didn't look like care was taken to maintain the place. The $7 charge was a fair price considering the whole experience, I would not have paid more. Would not recommend this. read more

What a beautiful place in the middle of downtown Fort Wayne. Botanical gardens are my happy places, and as soon as I stepped into this one, I felt relaxed. The live butterfly exhibition was in full swing when we visited, so we got to step inside a big room and be surrounded by butterflies. These were friendly butterflies -- many of them came right up to us and gladly landed on our fingers, a la Snow White. My kids found out that there was a slide in one of the areas, so it was hard to pull them away from that. There is also an indoor nature center area with lots of things for kids to do, with a little house and a tree that you can play inside of. My favorite space was the tropical area. I am a tropical plant fiend, so this was heaven to me. This area also has a couple of little waterfalls, which is pretty neat. This isn't the largest botanical garden that I've ever been to, but it has enough to keep a plant person like me busy for an hour or so, as well as my two kids who could care less about plants. Plus, admission is only $5 for adults and $3 for children (kids ages 2 and under are free). read more

Very lovely! This place has really blossomed. The development of the garden has been very well thought out. It is inviting and interesting. The changing props and themes make each visit feel fresh and new. I love all the ways they have incorporated tactile activities, it certainly keeps the kids engaged. I appreciate the coffee house and the darling outdoor patio dinning area. read more

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

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I was in Fort Wayne at the zoo and had some extra free time so I decided to stop in here. It was Mother's Day Weekend and moms were getting in free. They are also doing their Butterfly Showcase currently (4/23-6/26). The front desk staff were very sweet. This conservatory is stunning and so well laid out. When you head in there's a little play house area for kids (the kids playing in it we're having a blast). You continue down a hall into the Showcase House, this is where the butterfly exhibit was and will changed per exhibit. They also have some more local plants in this house. After a short hallway walk, which has exhibits as well you ended the next house, Tropical House. It's like you walked into your own private rainforest, walk under waterfall and all. I could have hung out in there all day. So beautiful, so relaxing. Even with other people there there are so many wonderful plants you can pretend like they aren't there. The next house is the Desert House. There are these wonderful metal sculptures of desert animals. They have a beautiful outdoor garden as well. There are benches everywhere inside and out. It's definitely a wonderful place to visit. read more

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We called to inquire about hours. We were told their Holiday hours were until 7pm on 12/23/23. Booked a photographer for family photos at 4:30pm and then we were planning to explore the gardens afterward. When we arrived we were told they were closing today at 5pm. Overheard them telling another patron who inquired about early closing that even though Holiday hours were to be open until 7pm they decided to revert to their non Holiday hours and close at 5pm. We had to rush through family pictures and did not get to explore the gardens. Many other patrons were turned away. read more

Took my daughters and granddaughter to visit the butterfly exhibit going on. Didn't realize they closed at 5 which is my fault but to walk in the door 5 min after 5 and have the lady at the desk yell NO! at us all is very unacceptable! She then yelled are you here for the plant sale in an extremely rude manner and I said no we are here for the butterfly exhibit to where she yelled NO at us AGAIN. WE ARE CLOSED. we literally stood there in shock and turned to take a peek into the gift shop where other customers were also shopping my granddaughter found a pen that she wanted and it had no price. There was an older man in there with a vest and I asked how much it was and he didnt even look my direction and said I don't know the price of anything in this store and walked on by. Dont think I've ever been treated more rudely by a business than this. Only getting a star bc I have to leave one read more

Even better than the botanical gardens around home- organized well and well maintained Friendly staff Reasonable pricing Great experience read more

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This is a nice conservatory close to downtown. Admission is cheap. This is a good way to spend an afternoon, before or after a stop at DeBrand for truffles of course. read more

My husband and I had our wedding here this year on July 23rd! Only a few days ago! I was impressed with the amount of space and the setup you get for the price! Such a bargain for what they give you! Everyone was easy to work with and they did an incredible job! Thank you for an incredible day! Best, Mr. and Mrs. Hiatt read more

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory - Our wedding at the Botanical Garden's, Fort Wayne, IN - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

Had a marvelous time with 4 friends this Sunday! We parked on the street around the corner, and were glad to find that parking was free on Sunday's. We grabbed coffee at the Conjure Coffee inside. I've been to a lot of Botanical Gardens, and I've never seen one with a full coffee shop inside. Loved that touch! The price is extremely reasonable for the experience. It only took us about 45 minutes to walk through, and that included stopping for group pictures. We had a great time! Would love to go back next time I'm in Fort Wayne! read more

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Fort Wayne Botanical Conservatory is really fun. Conservatories and botanical gardens are my thing and I was very impressed with the collection of species and educational aspect at the FW Botanical Conservatory. High on the list was a kids garden that was staged as the 100 Acre Woods. Furthermore, they have beautiful waterfalls within their rain forest green house and a cactus that is over 100 years old in their dessert green house. This is definitely on my list for our visit in June. I know my daughter will love playing in the children's garden. read more

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

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What a pleasant surprise. I had a hard time deciding what to do with my four-month old grandson, as it was our first time out alone together. :) We decided on the botanical garden and both of us feel that it was a good choice. The gardens are divided into different sections. The waterfall in the tropical area was fascinating to us both. We spent most of our time out in the last garden, sitting by a small waterfall and watching a little bunny and butterfly who came to visit. Older kids would enjoy the gardens, as well. What a peaceful hideaway in the middle of the city. read more

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory - Captivated by waterfall. - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

Mostly not much to see here. There are a few interesting plants, but compared to a real botanical garden. It's very tiny really it's hardly worth spending the time to go through it. I think Fort Wayne can do better if it really put the effort into it and spent the money. read more

My mom came to visit me from Phoenix, and I was searching for things for us to do. I thought this would be a fun idea, and I was right! The plants were beautiful and the curation was great. A lot of the plants seemed to be dying however... the desert garden certainly did remind us of home however! I also appreciated that the attendant at the front desk gave us some tips for things to look for as we went through the gardens! It's fun to just wander around and take photos of all the plants. I'm certainly no photographer, but it was a fun afternoon. And for only $5 admission, you can't pass this up! (As of November 2021 masks were still required, but it certainly wasn't troublesome to wear them while indoors) read more

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Took my god children here for X-Mas to see Santa and reindeer on a whim looking for something to entertain them and use up pented up energy. So did not disappoint me and them! Walking in, was greeted kindly. The place was decorated so beautifully. Masks were required but 1/2 people wore them. It didn't bother me but if one is bothered or immune compromised this could be an issue. They set up places to take pics. Our favorite was one with us looking like we were skiing. There is their usual interactive displays were available but unfortunately only 1/2 worked. Reason this is 4 stars. There was a room that had almost all decorations in poinsettias. It was just breathtaking. Some couple was married there. There is a nice shop that has unusual things you can buy for yourself or for your children. And there's a coffee shop that they have added since the last time I've been here. The girls did go and see Santa it was outside and it was beautifully put on they got to pet Nutmeg the reindeer. This place always has fun interesting stuff to look at and learn. Any age would love this place! read more

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I really enjoyed my time with a friend there , seeing all the wonderful plants and flowers in display.

I love this botanical garden. Located next to the Embassy Theatre, there is so much to see. Adult tickets are just $5. During my visit, I saw lots of families and grandparents with their grandbabies. The gardens are stroller friendly for those of you with little ones. The Showcase Garden is really beautiful, although I think my favorite of the gardens is the Tropical Garden. It has some hidden spaces that can be found by taking the steps up on either side of the waterfall. There are some benches and a great view of the palm trees and waterfall from above. It's a nice space for quiet reflection. There are some large koi swimming in the water, however it almost feels like there should be tropical birds and other animals living in the garden. The Desert Garden is the smallest of the gardens and kind of reminds me of Arizona. The Exploration Garden is outdoors. During my visit, the Exploration Garden was filled with pumpkins, and perfectly decorated for cute fall photos. read more

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Lovely surprise. Beautifully-kept gardens attractive exterior welcomes visitors indoors. Could there really be a botanical garden in the midst of downtown? Answer: yes! These garden areas just continue to amaze. An unbelievable number of plant varieties well-marked and arranged with engineered perfection. Think you've seen all the plants imaginable only to find yet another door to another themed glass-roofed garden. Decor matches plants...koi in the rain forest, metal dessert sculptures in the desert, and on. Designed so kids can enjoy just as much! Sweet gift store. We were just amazed at the bounty of botanical joy here. Very affordable way to spend an earthy afternoon amongst the flora beyond your imagination inside Indiana. Beautiful. Simply zen read more

Always fun, have never came here and didn't have a nice relaxing time, it's also fun for kids

This is a local treasure, (on the small side though) that nearly everyone knows about. It shows up on repeated '(top XX places to XX in the Allen county area)" and that many local schools utilize as a field trip stop year after year. So if you haven't been there, you should go. The Holiday season displays are phenomenal a small town). That alone is worth going and making a tradition of visiting this space. That they do charge admission (donations are gladly accepted. And nearby parking has a minimal charge). But this is a garden, yelpers. Featuring local flora. Which means it changes and evolves with the seasons like that other thing, what's it called. oh, yeah, nature. It is a fantastic way to spend a few hours. The trails? are well kept, the "displays" are gorgeous a small town), (and educational if that's your bag), and there are open spaces where you could sit and simply enjoy the weather and scenery. This would be good for photos. Both of nature, or if your thinking of engagement pics, senior pics, family photos. The options, scenes, various lighting in different areas, are all just great. for that, as well. You might want to check out the area beforehand though. For a relaxing and romantically? way to spend a few hours: a fun outing for the kids: a great steward of education in the community: and a beacon of green space in a crowded downtown area: The Botanical would makes any top twenty Li'st read more

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory - Greek garden exibit - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

Only $5 a person for adults. Very nice place to visit if you like plants and flowers. In the first room, they change out the plants and theme once a quarter. They have two other rooms: one tropical and the other is desert. The tropical room is my favorite. It has a water falls and carp in the ponds that the falls runs through. It is lush with greenery. read more

This was a peaceful respite in the middle of a city. Wow! The first garden entrance transported me to a much better mind space. There were several precious sitting areas in the first garden, too. In the Tropical garden, I saw a cacao tree as well as coffee bushes. Never saw one of those in real life. There were lots of plants that one would never see locally. The Desert garden was authentic with all the different desert plants and an added bonus was the sweet sound of a cricket(?) in there. Loved that! I also loved the location of this place in the city with the beautiful cathedral across the street that chimed at noon. I was going to skip this place, but am so glad I decided to go. read more

this place is such a fun little thing to do! it's so cheap and great for when it's cold outside and you want a little taste of spring/summer. there's a couple little kid spots here and there just in case they get bored throughout. read more

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

This botanical conservatory is a great place for younger children. The exhibits are very kid friendly as well having various learning opportunities for children. If I had a child in the 5-10 year range, this would be fun for all concerned. On the other hand, if you're an adult and have seen other botanical gardens, it's a bit of let down. Arriving today, the friendly cashier told us that the showcase garden was decorated for the holidays (Christmas). Sure enough, the main hall was decked out (pun intended) with all kinds of poinsettias, paper lilys and other Christmas flowers and accompanying Christmas decorations. Not only was the showcase garden decorated for Christmas, so were the tropical and desert gardens! It's a bit jarring to lite snowflakes handing off of palms or other tropical plants. Similarly odd, is seeing Christmas lights on desert plants or moving decorations nestled between the cactus. Again, if you've younger children, they'd enjoy it immensely. Overall, I was a bit disappointed, but having paid only $4 for adult admission, didn't feel cheated. read more

My daughter and I spent a marvelous couple of hours here today. The different garden areas brought back so many good memories of places that I have visited around this country and around the world. Each season there is a diffdisplay. This time it was Autumn and they're having a "guess the weight of the large pumpkin" contest for a free 1 year pass. Do a survey and get a free pass for your next visit. Adult fee is only $5. There is no senior discount, but it's still less expensive than a movie and you can spend as long as you like in each are. There are kid-friendly areas and lots of interactive things to help children learn about their environment. There is a gift shop and a room for plant sales. This is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon with your family! read more

Took my girlfriend here for Valentine's Day. We loved it! Such a nice place to spend a few hours in the middle of winter. The paths were nice and clean, most of the plants were marked with a name and where they can be found in the world. The back walls could use some color, but other than that, no complaints! My girlfriend loved this place so much that we actually returned the next day and walked around for a couple more hours before heading back home! We will definitely be back in April for the concert series. read more

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I visited here for a reception as part is a conference I was attending. The conservatory is small but the planting seeds are dense and full of greenery. There was not a lot of color but I went in November so it may have been off season. The lobby looks new and the rest looks rather old. The room for large groups is very plain but enough room for tables and buffet, and if your guests are mingling in other areas. There are stations to engage kids but not many. I don't know what the entry cost is but if it's more than $5-10 I'd be unhappy. May be worth one visit if you need something to do. read more

I agree with the previous reviewer; it's not as impressive as other botanical gardens we've visited. However, it's still one of the nicer attractions in Fort Wayne. read more

I am rating this from a wedding/reception point of view, not general admission. The idea of the Botanical Gardens for my wedding reception sounded like a dream, but turned into a nightmare. I will start by saying there is construction going on that we were NOT informed about when we booked. We rented a room at the conservatory for myself and my bridesmaids to get ready in during the day and during that time there was a power outage. One of the staff members barged into our room, without knocking (keep in mind we were all females getting ready...what if someone was changing), screaming at us that we tripped a breaker and caused an outage. I'm sorry but two curling irons plugged in vs. all of the construction equipment that was being used did NOT cause the outage. He continued to come in and out of the room and was extremely rude throughout the time until they restored the power. The outdoor venue is beautiful but due to a large storm that rolled in very last minute, we were forced to tear everything down and move it inside last minute (literally 1.5 hours before guests were to arrive). We managed to make that happen, but the staff at the Conservatory was the rudest I have ever experienced. There was no event coordinator present which is stated to be available and I could not handle the attitude of the guy on staff. It was crowded, the ceiling was leaking our our guests, and overall I feel like my dream wedding was sort of ruined mainly by the attitude of the staff. To make matters worse, during clean up we forgot to grab some charger plates that I purchased and they were stowed in the event coordinator's office (Nate) and he was extremely rude when my family called while we were on our honeymoon to ask if they could pick them up. I would never recommend this venue for your dream day. Horrible experience. read more

A very small, but pretty conservatory, I would imagine, it would be even more enjoyable during the winter. You walk through the door and there are a couple of nice fountains in a garden setting. There is a gift shop and a cafe and deli. The admission is very reasonable. The first stop is a children's area with a talking tree. There are educational activities along the way. There are two large glass rooms, with full grown trees and plants. There is a desert room and a room with a roaring waterfall. This is a very peaceful place to hang out and they have free WIFI. There is an outdoor garden area and a space that can be rented for special events. This a great place to hangout with family and friends and to get some great pictures. read more

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Fort Wayne, Indiana

I'm sharing my experience with booking the venue for 12/12/2020. I put a deposit down in Sept 2019 to reserve the venue.  I was told that December is the slowest time of year but wanted to make sure I had my spot reserved. Come January we had to make the decision to cancel our venue and wedding 11 1/2 - months before the date.  I asked if it was possible to get some type of refund since it's so far out and unlikely to get booked. The contract does state after 1 month of booking it will only be refunded if it can be booked by someone else.  This is highly unlikely to get booked on my date - they didn't miss out on business by me putting my name down for December.This could be use towards unforeseen expenses that are accruing.  I was told no and then told they would send my request to the appropriate parties and would get back to me, took 2 weeks after asking for an update and Nate said I was denied.  I'm assuming he didn't ask and didn't have any intentions  of getting back to me.  They will not tell me what will be done with the money I put  down if it's unable to be refunded. I've asked several times with no response.   I'm very disappointed in the Botanical  Gardens for being so heartless.  And especially Nate  for being so heartless and inconsiderate of my request.  Again,  I know I signed the contract but for being 11 months out during the unpopular  booking time there is absolutely nothing that can be done?! Very disappointing! read more

Wife won this from visitfortwayne.com and it was ok. The price might have kept us away but we had tickets so we went. Daughter was petrified of the worm crawl thing but other children were loving it so it was just my kid. The shopping game on the other had she loved so there was stuff for her, there was some other activities that were cool too I just don't recall all. Oh the tree was a bit creepy. They also validate parking so park in the garage north east of the gardens. read more