New Orleans Botanical Garden

Overview

The New Orleans Botanical Garden is a 12-acre garden within City Park, featuring themed gardens, a conservatory, and the Enrique Alferez sculpture collection. It is one of the few remaining examples of WPA-era public garden design.

Highlights

• Tropical Rainforest Conservatory: Exotic plants in a climate-controlled glass house.
• Rose Garden: Hundreds of varieties in formal beds.
• Art Deco Fountains: Original 1930s WPA-designed fountains and sculptures.

History

Created in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project during the Great Depression, the garden was one of the first public botanical gardens in the Deep South.

Visitor Tips

• Tip 1: Spring (March–May) is peak bloom season.
• Tip 2: Small and walkable — great paired with NOMA or the Sculpture Garden.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.