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Romantic Spots to Pop the Question
Love is in the air...we ❤️ the date nights, meet-cutes, and anniversaries at the Garden—and watching the 50 or so couples who got engaged last year at our holiday event Lightscape. So we got to thinking about romantic spots on our 385 acres and heart-fluttering engagement moments.
Esplanade: We’re not crying. You’re crying.
Recently, a bystander came upon this scene on the Esplanade and posted a charming play-by-play on Twitter: She said….yes!
Graham Bulb Garden: Flower power
In spring 2005, Heather Sherwood’s then-boyfriend found the perfect sweet spot in the Graham Bulb Garden. The couple stopped at a bright red tulip; something was shining. Heather, a senior horticulturist at the Garden, peered inside—at a diamond ring. You can guess the happy ending.
The Ken: We are so not over dancing flash mobs
One summer, a group of people gathered at “the Ken,” the lovely green field with a photo-perfect view of the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden.
That's what we're talking about.
Sure, there’s something to be said about just waiting for the right moment. But it doesn’t hurt to scout out a memorable place.
More hot spots to pop the question:
- On summer evenings, the bridges to Evening Island—the Arch Bridge and the Serpentine Bridge—are lit at night. And at sunset, golden light typically illuminates the bridges. A bridge is a lovely place to start a future with your beloved.
- Head up the hill between the Japanese Garden and the Arch Bridge. The Puryear Point view is breathtaking—an extended panorama from the Japanese Garden to Evening Island to the Great Basin—and the symbolism is subtle. The Martin Puryear sculptures, made of stone and steel, speak of the inevitability of change and the dream of permanence. Just sayin’.
- Romantic memories need an unforgettable background. At the top of the Sensory Garden is the photo-worthy frame you’re looking for.
Tucked away in the Sensory Garden is this shady arbor, ready for a romantic moment. - A summer walk through the Dixon Prairie is inherently romantic, with grasses and prairie flowers taller than your head, and late-day light filtering through the foliage. Maybe pause at the golden blooms of Ohio goldenrod for good luck—and to look ahead to your golden 50th anniversary.