Our Story

Established in 1984, Idaho Botanical Garden (IBG), connects people and encourages a curiosity and appreciation for nature. Our mission is best summed up in three words – cultivate, educate and celebrate. We work to accomplish this mission through our garden spaces, educational programming, and our cultural and personal events. The Garden occupies land which originally served as the farm and nursery for the Old Idaho State Penitentiary, in our historically rich Old Pen District. Today, IBG serves over 150,000 visitors each year on our 15 acres of developed gardens. Visitors learn about drought tolerant and native plants to gain a better understanding of landscapes that thrive in the Treasure Valley. Our year-round education programs for over 15,000 youth and adults each year, nurture a fascination with the natural world and act as a resource for botany and horticulture. We help get kids hands dirty, early and often, to grow into our future gardeners, and designers of beautiful spaces. The Garden also acts as a community gathering place bringing people together to enjoy cultural and musical events (some big like Steve Miller Band, and some small like regional artists from the Treasure Valley) in Idaho’s beautiful landscape.