Brookside Gardens

Brookside Gardens is Montgomery County’s incomparable, award-winning 50-acre public display garden within Wheaton Regional Park. Included in the gardens are several distinct areas: Aquatic Garden, Azalea Garden, Butterfly Garden, Children’s Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Style Garden, Trial Garden, Rain Garden, and the Woodland Walk. The Formal Gardens areas include a Perennial Garden, Yew Garden, the Maple Terrace, and Fragrance Garden. Brookside Gardens also features two conservatories for year-round enjoyment. Admission to the gardens is free.

Brookside Gardens’ vehicle entrances feature deer exclusion grates, which also preclude pedestrians from crossing. All pedestrians should enter the Gardens through the pedestrian entrances on Glenallan Avenue, on the left of the vehicle entrance, or the conservatory pedestrian entrance, to the right of the vehicle entrance. Crossing the deer exclusion grates on foot could result in injury.

The Gardens are open for your enjoyment, relaxation, and exercise from sunrise to sunset.

Visit the website:  Brookside Gardens

The Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens returns starting April 10, 2025! 

A dazzling display of live butterflies from North America, Costa Rica, Africa, and Asia await visitors at Brookside Gardens. Discover the fascinating biology of butterflies, the vital role they play in healthy ecosystems, and how to ensure these beautiful insects thrive in our own gardens. 

The Experience will be open:

• July-August: Monday-Friday, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm (last ticket sold at 12:20 pm); Weekends, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm (last ticket sold at 3:20 pm)

Tickets are timed entry and must be purchased online. Click here to learn more and to purchase your tickets online. As tickets are limited, advanced purchase is recommended to ensure availability. 

Butterfly Experience Spotlight

The Orange Dead Leaf butterfly (Kallima inachus) is native to broad swaths of dense forests throughout Asia.  Though often hunted by birds, this species is very rarely found, thanks to an evolutionary defensive tactic that employs camouflage. When its wings are closed, this butterfly has mottled brown tones and dark lines that bear a striking resemblance to the veins of a decaying leaf.  Yet when it spreads its wings, a dazzling display of vibrant shades of orange, black, and blue help this species attract a suitable mate. Could you tell from the image that it was a butterfly?    Buy your tickets today and discover all 40 brilliant butterfly species from around the world at The Butterfly Experience. Starting Tuesday, July 1, The Butterfly Experience will close at 1:00 pm on weekdays during July and August. Weekend hours will remain 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Rachel Carson Conservation Park Walking Tour Tuesday, July 15 / 9:30 - 11:30 am Fee: $30 / FOBG: $27; registration required Instructor: Ryan Colliton, vegetation ecology & management unit leader, Montgomery Parks Location: Brookeville, MD (Address & parking logistics will be sent after registration.) Rachel Carson was a pioneering environmentalist who called Montgomery County home. Explore her namesake park to learn how Montgomery Parks’ restoration projects protect these natural habitats. Journey through colorful meadows housing rare plants and discover a prime example of a chestnut oak forest. Prepare for this active hike with sturdy shoes and a water bottle!

What's In Bloom

• Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
• Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)
• Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
• Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
• Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus)
• Coneflower (Echinacea sp.)
• Large coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima)
• Lavender (Lavendula spp. )
• Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
• Scarlet beebalm (Monarda didyma)
• Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)
• Stokes’ Aster (Stokesia laevis)
• Threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
• Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)

  JCS