Brookside Gardens, Montgomery Parks

Brookside Gardens, Montgomery Parks Hours: Visitor Center, 9am to 4pm; Conservatory, 10am to 4pm; and Gift Shop, 10am to 3:30pm.

Brookside Gardens, a public garden part of Montgomery Parks, features intricately-designed landscapes with exquisite combinations of color, scent, and textures.

In honor of World Environment Day, we’re celebrating some of the wild neighbors who share Brookside Gardens with us. Thi...
06/05/2026

In honor of World Environment Day, we’re celebrating some of the wild neighbors who share Brookside Gardens with us.

This week, while wrapping up annual planting in the Yew Garden, staff spotted a snapping turtle and a toad making their way through the landscape.

Each year, snapping turtles return to Brookside Gardens—especially the Yew Garden and Rose Garden—to lay their eggs, a reminder that our gardens are not only beautiful spaces for people, but important habitat for wildlife too.

If you see wildlife during your visit, please observe from a respectful distance and help us protect the many creatures that use the gardens to nest, rest, and make their homes.

Love the Butterfly Experience and want to support butterflies in your own local habitat? A great first step is learning ...
06/04/2026

Love the Butterfly Experience and want to support butterflies in your own local habitat? A great first step is learning about native plants that attract pollinators!

The Lindera benzoin, or spicebush, is a deciduous shrub native to Maryland. Growing anywhere from 6 to 12 feet tall, the spicebush produces small clusters of yellow flowers that produce a light and sweet fragrance. In addition to growing berries that provide nutrients to multiple local birds, the spicebush is also considered a host plant for the many caterpillars, such as the Spicebush Swallowtail or Promethea Moth. The spicebush can be grown in most soils, ideally in partial shade. At Brookside, look for spicebush all along the edge of the aquatic gardens on the creek side.

Learn more about the importance of pollinators at The Butterfly Experience: https://mocoparks.org/3Dj0TQX

Photo Credit: Miri Talabac, University of Maryland Extension

Arborists monitor tree health, identify issues early, and use targeted treatments like this one to help preserve individ...
06/03/2026

Arborists monitor tree health, identify issues early, and use targeted treatments like this one to help preserve individual trees and protect the broader landscape. This kind of proactive care plays an important role in maintaining a healthy, resilient tree canopy for people, plants, and wildlife alike.

Last week, Montgomery Parks arborists treated a beech tree at Brookside Gardens to help protect it from beech leaf disease, an emerging threat that can weaken and damage these trees over time. Do you see the darker stripes on the leaves? This is evidence of beech leaf disease.

The Costa Rican Clearwing Butterfly (Greta oto) is one of our favorite butterflies because its wings are clear! Their wi...
06/02/2026

The Costa Rican Clearwing Butterfly (Greta oto) is one of our favorite butterflies because its wings are clear! Their wings lack scales, so the clear chitinous membrane between the visible veins appears see-through. In Costa Rica, this butterfly is often referred to as mariposa espejitos, meaning "the butterfly with little mirrors" in Spanish. We love it because it's like having our very own game of Where's Waldo every day — they can be so tricky to spot!

To check out the amazing variety of native and exotic butterflies at The Butterfly Experience, visit https://mocoparks.org/3Dj0TQX

As we welcome Pride Month this June, we’re reflecting on a special visit in May, when Brookside Gardens horticulture and...
06/01/2026

As we welcome Pride Month this June, we’re reflecting on a special visit in May, when Brookside Gardens horticulture and education staff joined Bayard Rustin Elementary School as student members of the Rainbow Club and the Green Club planted their rainbow garden. 🌈

Representing not only the diversity of the school community and the work of its LGBTQIA+ club, also the importance of engaging in stewardship of the planet from a young age, the garden is a meaningful expression of inclusion, growth, and belonging. We were grateful to be part of this joyful project and to celebrate the many ways gardens can help communities feel seen, connected, and valued.

Our horticulture team combine science and artistry to preserve cultural practices. Here, one of our team is engaging in ...
05/29/2026

Our horticulture team combine science and artistry to preserve cultural practices. Here, one of our team is engaging in the practice of Yakisugi, a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation. In the West, it is known as burnt timber cladding.

Made from locally sourced Eastern White Pine, this wood was reclaimed by Montgomery Parks, milled at Pope Farm Nursery, and repurposed at Brookside Gardens. Extra boards were cut into 1”x1” pieces and charred to help resist moisture and decay—while adding a beautiful finish.

These were prepared for decorative fencing near our visitor's center- on the path to the Gude Garden, home to our Japanese tea house and several Japanese maples. Have you seen Yakisugi fencing anywhere else in the gardens?

Only a few more Yoga Sprouts classes for the season! Sunday, June 6 will be the last class for the season. Classes will ...
05/28/2026

Only a few more Yoga Sprouts classes for the season! Sunday, June 6 will be the last class for the season. Classes will return in the fall. ​

Catch the last classes by registering on ActiveMontgomery: https://mocoparks.org/4cONUW7

The Giant Swallowtail butterfly, Papilio cresphontes, is native to the Eastern United States. It’s caterpillar mimics bi...
05/27/2026

The Giant Swallowtail butterfly, Papilio cresphontes, is native to the Eastern United States. It’s caterpillar mimics bird droppings to deter predators from snatching them off the leaf they are feeding from.

"Mark your calendars! Our popular Summer Twilight Concert Series is back every Tuesday in June from 6:30 – 8pm. Bring yo...
05/26/2026

"Mark your calendars! Our popular Summer Twilight Concert Series is back every Tuesday in June from 6:30 – 8pm. Bring your friends and family, and don’t forget your chairs, blankets, and picnics (allowed in the Gardens on concert evenings only). This FREE event is made possible by the Friends of Brookside Gardens https://mocoparks.org/3R9po69

Check out the rest of the music performances and delicious food truck line-up by visiting here: Brookside Gardens - Special Events https://mocoparks.org/4aR2bOb

Address

1800 Glenallan Avenue
Wheaton, MD
20902

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm
Sunday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

(301) 962-1400

Website

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