A couple begins their walk through the UT Gardens.

Take a summer stroll through UT Gardens, Knoxville’s most beautiful free attraction. With a vision to become the premier university garden, UT Gardens is awe inspiring.

A beautiful entry into the UT Gardens whets your appetite for more.

A grand entrance leads you through a winding pathway of annuals, herbs, perennials, tropicals, trees, shrubs, vegetables, and ornamental grasses. Benches are plentiful along the way, allowing for a rest or time to soak up the beauty of the many garden types.

These gardens are a photographer’s paradise with thousands of plants and lots of butterflies.

The best time to visit the gardens is in the evenings. Free parking is available behind the Agriculture building. The gardens are open from sunrise to sunset daily. Parking between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. is limited. There are 10 parking spaces reserved for UT Gardens visitors during that period of time.

A visit to the gardens provides an opportunity for families to spend leisure time together while teaching children to appreciate nature. It is also a great time to take family photographs with breathtaking backdrops. As I walked through the gardens, I saw friends enjoying time together and lovers sneaking a romantic kiss next to a gorgeous garden.

The gardens are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture and were recognized in 2013 as the official botanical gardens of the state of Tennessee, along with the gardens located in Jackson and Crossville. Both the Knoxville and Jackson gardens are TN Certified Arboreta.

The UT gardens are located next to the UT Agriculture building on Neyland Drive.

The website at utgardens.tennessee.edu offers gardening tips, news about special events, staff information. To support the Gardens, please visit utgardens.tennessee.edu/membership.html.