Red Butte Garden

I have been to the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre many times for concerts but I have never actually seen the gardens before.  Sean and I decided to visit yesterday and we spent a wonderful morning wandering around.  There are lots of different themed gardens and both Sean and I decided that our favorite was the Fragrance Garden (it smelled really good).

Red Butte Garden has over 50 different plants that are particularly suited to the growing conditions in Utah and I especially enjoyed the purple coneflowers.

Some of the many structures throughout the gardens.  Each area had benches and even swings tucked into little nooks where you could sit and relax.  We sat on a few of these benches and it was so peaceful and relaxing, especially when there was a breeze.

The landscaping in the gardens has won many awards.  Sean really liked the pattern in this garden.

There are streams (Sean took my picture while I was standing on a bridge crossing a stream), ponds, waterfalls, and other water features throughout the garden.  I loved listening to the water!

In addition to the paved walking paths around the gardens, there are also five miles of hiking trails through natural areas in the foothills of the mountains.  Sean and I took a bit of a wrong turn and hiked a lot more than we had bargained for (hence the reason we sat for a little while on a bench) but it was so beautiful with meadows filled with wildflowers.

There are many whimsical sculptures placed throughout the gardens.  These are Sean's favorites!

To get to Red Butte Garden we drove east on 400 S. (which eventually becomes 500 S. and then Foothill Drive) and then we turned left on Wakara Way and followed it all the way to the parking lot in front of the Visitor's Center.  It took about 25 minutes to get there from my house in Bountiful.  The garden is open seven days a week from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.  Due to Covid-19, entrances into the garden are staggered every 30 minutes and you must reserve your entry time online (go here).  Tickets for adults are $14.00, seniors (age 65+) are $12.00, and children (3-17) are $7.00.  Both Sean and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit (I want to come back in the spring) and I highly recommend it!

Note:  As previously mentioned, I love seeing concerts at Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre!  I've seen Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Natalie Cole, Crosby, Stills & Nash,  Time for Three with the Utah Symphony, and Howard Jones (twice).  I miss outdoor concerts!