Central Indiana’s Free Garden Oasis: Trees, Blooms, Ponds, and Scenic Walking Paths

From America’s oldest public rose garden in Connecticut to the world’s largest garden devoted to California’s native plants, the United States is blessed with natural havens. Central Indiana is no slouch either, home to the free-to-visit Avon Gardens. These five-plus acres of lovingly maintained plants are not only a place to immerse yourself in nature but also to gain inspiration for your own garden at home. It’s a living and breathing oasis, home to lily ponds, waterfalls, various plants, and serene walking paths.

A 2014 Stanford University study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition found that nature walks can boost your creativity by up to 60%. A couple of years later, in 2016, Time magazine published an article detailing how the natural compounds released by plants can help immunity, blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease, and depression. “The quiet atmosphere, beautiful scenery, good smells and fresh, clean air in forests all contribute to the effects,” said Dr. Qing Li, a professor at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo at the time. All these benefits and more can be experienced while strolling through the resplendent nature abounding in Avon Gardens, the perfect place to revitalize your body and mind.

Avon Gardens prides itself on being a source of inspiration for established or aspiring green thumbs. In fact, many of its perennial and annual plants on display are also available to purchase in its on-site shop. However, if you’re not in the mood for shopping and simply want to be at peace with nature, you can do that very easily here.

The late Karen Robbins, founder of Avon Gardens, turned her grandparent’s farm into the lush oasis you see today. “Plants are like friends, each year returning to visit you,” Robbins is quoted saying on the Avon website. This rings true today in a place filled with seasonal blooms that come and go throughout the year. These “friends” welcome people from around the world, who visit the gardens on tours, for events, or on self-guided walks.

While it’s free to walk around on your own, guided tours take about one hour and at the time of writing cost $10 for groups of 10 people or less or $5 for more than 10 people. There are hundreds of plant varieties to admire, from roses and peonies to shade plants. One of Avon Gardens’ biggest events is its free Spring-Palooza Peony Festival, held in May. Along with over 100 types of peonies, the festival features a local artisan fair, live music, garden craft workshops, and scavenger hunts for the kids.