Highfield Discovery Garden: Where Fairy Tales Come To Life

The Highfield Discovery Garden is located inside Glenwood Gardens off of Springfield Pike.  This means that in order to visit the park you will need an annual Great Parks to permit or pay for daily admission to enter Glenwood Gardens.

Tip: The main entrance to Highfield Discovery Garden is through the visitors center.

Daily admission into the Highfield Discovery Garden is sold separately inside the visitor’s center. Children under two are free. For the latest information regarding pricing and hours visit Great Parks.

Highfield Discovery Garden does offer winter pricing, usually half of admission,  November through March.

Family pass options are available which offer special benefits like member-only days, discounts, and priority registration for special events.   The daily educational programs which are offered are free with admission, whether daily or pass holder.

Address: 10397 Springfield Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45215

Hours

Hours do vary month to month so be sure to check their schedule before loading the kids up! They are always closed on Mondays.

Parking: There is plenty of parking in the parking lot.

Educational Programs

One of the best things about this park is that they offer educational programs that are included in the cost of your admission. These programs can vary from building a fairy garden to learning how to grow your own vegetable garden at home.

They also offer special programs throughout the year; for example, they host Frankenstein’s Garden during Halloween and my personal favorite Owl-o-ween! Even if there are no scheduled programs happening visitors young and old are always welcome to visit the Garden Workshop to learn about the natural world.

The Garden Workshop is home to a few resident animals, educational materials, and craft opportunities.

Program Times:

April-October 

• Tuesday–Saturday: 10:45 a.m. & 1 p.m.
• Sunday: 1 p.m.

November-March 

• Wed–Saturday: 10:45 a.m. & 1 p.m.
• Sunday: 1 p.m.

Gardens of Discovery

It is hard to miss the most notable feature of the park which is the 25-foot Discovery Tree. My daughter loved peering into every nook and cranny and crawling through every hole. There is even a ramp to access the tree from behind.

Parents with multiple children may find this area a shade difficult to manage as kids can easily run in multiple directions with limited visibility.

In addition to the Discovery Tree, there are seven smaller themed gardens to explore.

Frog & Toads Garden

Located next to the discovery tree you will find the frog and toad garden. This peaceful garden is known for its resident frogs that flood the pond. Fish can be seen swimming between lily pads as you step across the stepping-stones.

Tip: If you don’t keep a close eye on little ones they will likely end up in the pond trying to catch the frogs.

Wizard’s Garden

After you have entered the park you will come to a crossroads. Take the wooden steps down and enter the land of fairies, wizards, and a sleeping dragon. The resident fairies have made their home here so be sure to find the fairy garden before you venture over the bridge.

Vegetable Garden

Take a look at what produce is growing in the raised flower beds. This allows little ones to get a bird’s-eye view of a variety of vegetable plants often time with veggies on them.

Grandma’s Scent Garden

The aromas coming from this garden will leave you questioning which scent you are smelling. Have fun discovering the different scents and maybe stay for an afternoon tea party!

Morph Garden 

Kids of all ages love seeing gigantic mushrooms, caterpillars, and more! This play area is perfect for young children as the mushrooms are bigger than they are! The Morph Garden is home to a kid-sized cottage and tea set.

Butterfly Garden

Take a stroll through the perfectly manicured butterfly garden and be greeted by a multitude of winged beauties. Beautiful plants are everywhere, making this one of my favorite spots.  Butterflies of all sorts can be found in just a short walk through this garden that is actually shaped like a butterfly!

Trolley Garden

This is a favorite of ours. Running in front of the Discovery Tree are four small scale model trains making their way through storybook land.  Train track runs high and low making it a great place to bring little train lovers.

Pretend to be the conductor in the train station by pressing buttons to turn on the train signal, horn, and even start one of the trains.

However, the fencing around the trains can be easy to get through to reach those tempting trains.

More About Highfield Discovery Garden

• A paved walkway makes this park very stroller-friendly.  Be sure to check out the walking trails in Glenwood Gardens for more paved and serene options.
• The majority of the park is handicap accessible.
•  Highfield Discovery Garden does not allow dogs.
• An outdoor patio is available for guests to bring food.
• Bring a school group, your scout group, or have a birthday party here.
• Be sure to check out the awesome gift shop that offers a variety of books and toys to engage your little nature enthusiast.
• There is currently a train table located inside the visitor’s center. It makes a welcome distraction while you make the final preparations to enter the gardens.
• Guests can purchase snacks and beverages at the gift shop.
• Bathrooms are located at the Garden Workshop inside the gardens.

This has been one of my favorite places to bring my daughter. It is a park that has grown with her through the years. Each visit she keeps discovering more while learning about the environment around her.

Are you looking for another fun park to check out in Cincinnati?  We recommend visiting the following:

Caldwell Nature Preserve 

Rowe Arboretum 

 West Fork Park

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Highfield Discovery Garden In Glenwood Gardens