Pittsburgh Botanic Garden offers 60 acres of cultivated gardens and woodlands for the community to connect to plants. Through this innate experience: young minds are engaged, gardeners are inspired, and all visitors find a sense of calm.

The concept for this outdoor public garden was conceived in the early 1980s, and the land was acquired in 1998 through a lease with Allegheny County. Since opening to the public in 2015, visitation steadily increased to nearly 40,000 in 2019. Families come to explore, school-age children conduct hands-on experiments about the environment, guests celebrate milestones, and life-long learning continues. During the summer of 2020, with the pubic being cautious and following CDC guidelines, the Garden’s admission is staying strong with many new and returning visitors.

The Garden sits on 460 acres of forested land which previously supported farming and coal mining in North Fayette and Collier Townships. The Garden offers unique learning experiences, a partnership to regional green businesses, and a community gathering space situated within a therapeutic natural setting. Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is dedicated to creating a holistic environment for individuals and sharing the natural world in ways that are accessible, regardless of physical or cognitive impairment.

The key features of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden include:

Garden of the Five Senses

The Garland Cutting Ceremony on July 30, 2020, opened this interactive and whimsical garden. This feature connects all to nature with particular attention given to various elements that make it welcoming to people of all abilities. This includes placing the viewing tubes of the kaleidoscope at wheelchair height, planting raised vegetable beds, and providing an open learning space with shaded areas.

Heritage Homestead

Early European settlers’ life is reflected on this site demonstrating human interaction with the land beginning in late 1700s. The connection with plants and animals was very important for the day-to-day existence of these frontier residents.

 Margaret Lawrence Simon Dogwood Meadow

This ecosystem is different from other woodland areas on the property and provides a unique environment for visitors to discover insects and native sun-loving plants.  Surrounding the meadow is a naturally occurring population of more than 500 native Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood) trees.

Allegheny Plateau Woodland

This woodland area highlights trees, shrubs and herbaceous plant species native to the Allegheny Plateau, the ecoregion where Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is located. Plants found here can be grown by home gardeners who live in this ecoregion.

Accomplishments

While the Garden showcases each season through display beds of annuals and curated plantings for all to see, it also maintains a commitment to the environment.

• As one of the first recipients of funding from the United States Department of Environmental Protection’s Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Pilot Program, the Garden currently is taking necessary environmental precautions to ensure the cleanup of additional acid mine drainage on sites throughout the property as well as the removal of remaining mining industry hazards. This notable federal funding is allowing the Garden to complete reclamation of previously unusable lands where new gardens will thrive.
• Nearly 10,000 saplings were planted to reforest the Garden’s abandoned coal mine site.
• Pittsburgh Botanic Garden was awarded the 2014 Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for its passive filtering system to neutralize acid mine drainage of more than five million gallons of water annually before polluting Robinson Run Creek, Chartiers Creek and the Ohio River.