Outdoor Spaces

Outdoor spaces in a truly unique setting. For additional images of the spaces, visit our gallery.

McGinley Pavilion

This dramatic canopied terrace is a breathtaking setting for a summer party, dance, meeting, or reception.

Located at the water's edge across from the Garden's Theodore C. Butz Memorial Carillon, McGinley Pavilion is available for rentals from May through October (heaters and clear side walls are available).

McGinley Pavilion's Waterfront Patio has spectacular views of Evening Island.

English Walled Garden

For old-fashioned romance, nothing rivals the secluded charm of the Helen and Richard Thomas English Walled Garden. A variety of English gardening styles are demonstrated in this lovely space, ideal for a cocktail party before dinner in McGinley Pavilion. The English Walled Garden is also an exquisite site for a wedding ceremony. An indoor back-up space is always reserved when this space is requested. Available May through October, evenings only.

Rose Terrace

Perfect for a cocktail party, the Rose Terrace also is ideal for an intimate dinner or wedding ceremony. Enjoy cocktails here before dinner in McGinley Pavilion. A back-up space is always reserved when this space is requested. Available May through October, evenings only.

This intimate outdoor courtyard—fragrant with roses in season—overlooks the Krasberg Rose Garden.

Buehler Enabling Garden

Hanging baskets and vertical beds bursting with vibrant color, raised beds brimming with plants, and lovely fountains make the Buehler Enabling Garden a uniquely beautiful choice for a gathering. This site overlooks the Gardens of the Great Basin and Evening Island—perfect for a cocktail party and a lovely location for a dinner party. An indoor back-up space is always reserved when this space is requested. Available May through October, evenings only.

Rose Garden

The Krasberg Rose Garden displays the best rose varieties for use in the Upper Midwest. With more than 5,000 rosebushes to delight your senses, the Rose Garden is the perfect venue to host a wedding, gala, and more! This prime garden space requires the addition of a tent for private functions.

Searle Courtyard

A Japanese aesthetic infuses this grassy courtyard displaying the Garden's renowned Bonsai Collection. This open-air setting offers the option of patio seating under a sheltered roof to make it the perfect spot for dinner, cocktails, and all occasions. Available May through October, evenings only.

Esplanade

The Esplanade showcases dramatic elm allées, a pavilion lined with sheared cone topiaries, and a row of waterspouts emerging from pools of water. Conceived by one of the greatest landscape architects of the twentieth century, Dan Kiley, and designed by colleague Peter Morrow Meyer, the Esplanade is one of the Chicago Botanic Garden's most public spaces, bringing visitors down to the water in a most inviting way. This space encompasses the Waterfront Terrace and O'Neil Plaza.