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An Experience Designed by Nature

 

Northwest Indiana’s premiere outdoor venue for weddings, corporate retreats, live events, or just a quick escape from the chaos of modern life.

Upcoming Community Events

Wander and Wonder: A Forest Therapy Experience

Wander and Wonder: A Forest Therapy Experience

Join us for a Forest Bathing therapy experience at the Gardens!  What is Forest Bathing, you ask? The term refers simply to immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the forest. It’s about spending time in the forest and actually being aware of, but most importantly,...

read more
Wander and Wonder: A Forest Therapy Experience

Wander and Wonder: A Forest Therapy Experience

Join us for a Forest Bathing therapy experience at the Gardens!  What is Forest Bathing, you ask? The term refers simply to immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the forest. It’s about spending time in the forest and actually being aware of, but most importantly,...

read more

We’re Hiring!

Would you enjoy outdoor work in a forested, peaceful, garden setting?

If you or someone you know would be interested in working with The Gardens, click the button below to view our current job postings and apply!

Yoga in The Gardens!

Thursdays from 9:30 – 10:30AM

Join Maureen Duffy-Daugavietis to unplug, connect with nature, and experience all-levels yoga in a vibrant garden setting from May – September, when temperatures are above 60 degrees.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert, this class is for you!

Please bring your own mat and water and arrive early to take the 5-minute walk to class.  Please check in at the Welcome Cabin for each day’s yoga location.  Feel free to take a nature walk after class! Gates open at 9:00 am, students are welcome to come early and wander The Gardens before class begins.

Classes are $20 each, cash or Venmo – paid directly to Maureen. Admission to the class also admits you to The Gardens so feel free to take a Garden stroll after class!

COUNTLESS WAYS TO EXPERIENCE NATURE ALONE OR WITH FRIENDS

Children's Garden

Exercise your child’s body and mind

Walking Trails

More than 3 miles of trails

Furry Friends

Bring your pet along for a walk

Fishing

Snag trout or salmon in Trail Creek

Cross Country Skiing

Miles of snowy trails

Birdwatching

The Gardens…it’s for the birds (too)

The wedding you’ve been dreaming about

 

With over 100 acres of landscaped and wooded areas for you and your guests to enjoy, weddings at The Gardens are truly magical.

Our wedding professionals take care of all of the details so you can focus on creating lasting memories.

Open to the public May 1st through October 31st

​Hours

TUESDAY – SUNDAY: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM CDT

MONDAY: CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC

Open Late: Thursdays, June through August, until 7 pm.

Daily Rates

Admission tickets may be purchased at the gate.

Admission tickets are discounted to $5 every Wednesday!

Friendship Botanic Gardens Adult Admission
Senior Admission
Veteran Admission
Friendship Botanic Gardens Adult Admission
Friendship Botanic Gardens Adult Admission
Museums for All

Museums for all members can access the gardens at a reduced daily rate of $3

Please present your Museums for All Membership Card at the Gate

The place for outdoor gatherings

 

Whether you’re interested in hosting your own private event or joining us for one of our highly regarded community events, The Gardens is Northwest Indiana’s destination for gatherings inspired by nature.

What People Are Saying

Google
Jo C profile picture
Jo C
August 12, 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Staff was wonderful, even through a storm, things went smoothly.
Google
Melissa J profile picture
Melissa J
August 7, 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Stand out venue for weddings! It’s like a mini Chicago Botanical Garden 🪴!! So so so cute! Pictures don’t do it justice! ABSOLUTELY adorable!! Paved walkway- flowers and trees throughout, options for small and medium sized weddings! Even a park for the kids!!!🧒🏼 Bells along the walkway to ring!( Large and small! ) Friendly staff. Beautiful wooded backdrops! Areas for catering.And affordable. Just so so so nice!!!! Less than an hour from Chicago- say no more- can’t miss this !!
Google
Jeff J profile picture
Jeff J
August 3, 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
A beautiful area with flowers from different countries
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Elena A profile picture
Elena A
August 2, 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
ONE FINE DAY Special Events and Wedding Planning had the pleasure and extreme ease of working with Kylie and her team at Friendship Gardens for one of our amazing clients a few weeks ago. The reflecting pond at Symphony Gardens lent itself as a beautiful backdrop for our couple to say I Do! And the Celebration Pavillion was the perfect location for their friends and family to eat, drink and be merry! With the unfortunate weather challenges that presented themselves that day, the staff was accommodating in getting vendors where they needed to be and getting guests from the parking lot to the ceremony area without issues. Kylie was very responsive to emails and questions and communicated everything we needed to know in a positive and professional manner, making the planning process incredibly easy and stress-free. We would love to work with her and her staff again in the future and know they would be just as accommodating and easy to plan another event as they were with this one. 5 stars across the board! Elena and Sarah, ONE FINE DAY Special Events and Wedding Planning
Google
Michael B profile picture
Michael B
August 1, 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Wow What a cool place I was driving by and on a whim I pulled in to see what the garden was all about This place is incredible , both paved paths and off road paths, beautiful gardens, and lots of cool birds I ended up becoming a member right away, 50 bucks a year for an individual and I wanna say I GOT MY MONEY'S WORTH WITH ONE HIKE. I will definitely take advantage of this membership and the greatest part is the membership is good at a network of other gardens across the country Highly recommend this place
Google
Flori C profile picture
Flori C
July 29, 2026
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5
Bonito lugar bonita vista me encantó,

Exclusive Access for Members

 

Members of The Gardens take advantage of unlimited year-round admission, World-class trout and salmon fishing on Trail Creek, discounts to over 200 American Horticultural Society Gardens, and much more.

Board of Directors

Officers

Ms. Jackie Carrol (Chair)
Ms. Carly Kwiecien (Vice Chair)

Members

Mr. Thomas Rubey (Treasurer)
Ms. Connie Kaminski (Secretary)
Mrs. Leslie Samelson
Dr. Richard Houck (President-Emeritus)

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