Wash Park Pollinator Gardens
Visit Washington Park's Pollinator Gardens
Washington Park features two grand pollinator gardens—The Big Gardens and Mount Vernon Garden—which host a variety of vibrant plant life and attract diverse wildlife like bees, butterflies, and birds.
The Big Gardens
This 3-acre public pollinator garden located between Exposition and Ohio on Downing Street on the west side of Washington Park. This garden changes seasonally with colorful native plants that create an ideal pollinator and wildlife habitat.
Mount Vernon Garden
Located at Mississippi and Franklin, is a 1-acre pollinator garden is filled with color using “charismatic plants” chosen for their unique colors and textures. Come see all the bees, butterflies and birds who visit this beautiful garden.
The Big Gardens
Park Horticulturist: Skyler Smith
The Big Gardens at Washington Park are a 3-acre public garden located between Exposition and Ohio on Downing Street on the west side of Washington Park. The gardens were founded in 1917 and historically have rotated between perennials, annuals, rose garden displays, and even global plant collections (there was a large cactus garden at one point!) For the latter half of the 20th century, the gardens consisted of 50 annual display beds that were replanted each year.
Around 15 years ago, we began to transition them to more perennials, and the last 5 years have been a solid push toward native plants and wildlife habitat gardens. We have been systematically removing turf, replacing annuals with perennials, and expanding native plant communities with amazing results for local bird and pollinator populations!
Big Gardens Gallery
Mount Vernon Garden
Park Horticulturist: Jane Packard
Established in 1926, this one-acre garden perched near a bird-filled lake is a replica of Martha Washington’s garden at Mount Vernon. The garden features formal layouts with billowing perennials and annuals with a focus on native, water-wise plants that support pollinators.
The garden attracts bees, butterflies and other wildlife with “charismatic plants” chosen for their unique colors and textures.
