Discover It All at The Garden This Fall

(Sponsored content) – Fall has arrived and along with it, a welcome change of pace from the high heat and humidity. The temperate transition to autumn allows for the opportunity to comfortably enjoy the changing of the seasons outdoors—and nowhere is that opportunity on display more beautifully than at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Located in Henrico County, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has been ranked by USA Today as one of our nation’s top botanical gardens, thanks to its 50 acres of lush, gorgeous garden landscapes. Visitors to Lewis Ginter’s easy-to-access location at 1800 Lakeside Avenue will discover a vibrant variety of colorful, seasonal blooms, along with an iconic Conservatory showcasing tropical plants from around the globe. There are also plenty of open spaces and woodland paths to explore, including a Children’s Garden, making the Garden the ideal outdoor destination for nature lovers of all ages. But it’s not just the nature lovers who enjoy fall’s lower temperatures at the Garden—the flowers are fans of the cooler weather as well, especially roses. Most roses will enter a period of dormancy during the summer, as a reaction to the season’s high temperatures. Once fall arrives, however, those same roses can engage in a fantastic display of color, often lasting through the middle of October. The middle of October is also the time when most of the summer annuals at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden reach the end of their run, although with a diverse assortment of trees, shrubs and ornamental grasses, there is still more than enough color to delight visitors on any day of the week.

And speaking of delight, the Children’s Garden at Lewis Ginter is one of the Garden’s most delightful areas, especially during the fall. Not only are there trees that children are encouraged to climb, a sand play area and more, but a special Storytime for children is offered every Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m., with tales told beneath the tall trees just outside of the Garden’s library. This fall, Lewis Ginter is celebrating all that the season has to offer with HarvestFest, a two-day event included with admission to the Garden, featuring live music, food and plenty of family-friendly activities. You can join in the festivities when you visit the Garden on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday, the Ken Kellner Trio will perform in the Cochrane Rose Garden from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., followed by Hazeltone—an original, roots rock band taking influence from Neil Young, John Mayer and others—outside of the Bloemendaal House from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Ken Kellner Trio returns to the Cochrane Rose Garden on Sunday, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., while the Gypsy Jazz Duo brings their unique sound outside of the Bloemendaal House, also from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.Family-friendly activities will play a big part in HarvestFest on both days as well, including a pumpkin-carving demonstration, a lesson in how to build a fairy house using fall material, chances to give petal pounding a try, and even a spooky Storytime in honor of Halloween! The Garden is open daily, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit lewisginter.orgto plan your visit today and discover all that fall has to offer … outdoors!

Garden admission is $14 adults; $11 seniors (age 65+); $8 children age 3-12; free for children under age 3 and free for members. Membership includes a year of unlimited visits for non-ticketed events. The Garden is a partner with Museums for All, which offers reduced admission for SNAP/EBT participants. For those who are fully vaccinated, masks are not required outside. For those who are not fully vaccinated, masks are required when 6-foot social distancing is not possible. We are encouraging universal indoor masking while in public spaces for all regardless of vaccination status.