Fountains, a conservatory, and 1.5 miles of paths fill White River Gardens, the botanical garden you reach inside White River State Park. Established in 1999 and managed by the Indianapolis Zoo, this 3.3-acre place was home in 2021 to nearly 50,000 plants representing more than 3,000 species. Walk the listed amenities in your mind: a conservatory, fountains and water features, outdoor gardens, a dining and event facility, and 1.5 miles of paths that weave through it all.
The gardens sit to the east of the zoo's entry plaza on the western bank of the White River, and they overlook downtown Indianapolis. The idea began in the early 1990s as zoo officials wanted to highlight the interdependence of plant and animal habitats. The inaugural Bloomfest in the spring of 1992 was an early effort, and when Jeffrey Bonner arrived as president and chief executive officer in January 1993 he envisioned additions including a botanical garden.
The zoo earned accreditation as a botanical garden in October 1996 from the American Association of Museums, and the Gardens opened in 1999. Notice that the idea began in the early 1990s, when zoo officials wanted to highlight the interdependence of plant and animal habitats.