Explore!
The Sawtooth Botanical Garden is a community resource showcasing native and cultivated plants that flourish at high altitude. The Garden connects people to the region’s unique beauty and fosters environmental stewardship through education, events, displays and plant collections.
Jump to a specific section or scroll through the page to see it all!
Biome Display Gardens
Perennial Beds
Educational Spaces
Meditative Spaces
Special Spaces
Art in the Garden
Biome Display Gardens
Montane Garden
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The montane biome is extraordinary both in its beauty and its wide range of habitat. The Rocky Mountains are 65 million years old which is fairly young, geologically speaking. The upper boundary of the montane biome is defined by the tree line (below the sub-alpine zone). This unique high altitude ecosystem hosts a variety of plants due to the variations in soil, temperature, climate, and slope.
Alpine Garden
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Although often confused with the Montane ecosystem, the alpine biome occurs specifically above the tree line, usually found between 6,560-7,220 feet. This alpine zone is also commonly referred to as the high mountain biome. Not all alpine plants throughout the globe grow at the same altitudes; for example, Mt. Kilamanjaro’s alpine zone starts at 11,480 feet while in the Alps you’ll find high alpine plants at 5,900 ft. The alpine zone is further broken down to the sub-alpine, alpine, high alpine and snow zones. Extreme conditions have created a variety of adaptations within the flora creating an abundance of beautiful and unique plant varieties.
Riparian Garden
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The riparian zone can be identified by both wetland soils and vegetative type. The riparian zone is especially important in the arid west. This zone, adjacent to rivers and streams, us utilized by wildlife such as moose, elk, deer, several bird species, and small mammals. Riparian zones also help keep rivers and streams healthy for fish. In our region, the riparian overstory is dominated by cottonwoods, willows, and red-osier dogwoods. The plants in the riparian area help to prevent erosion, increase water filtration, and provide excellent habitat for wildlife.
Sagebrush Steppe Garden
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The sagebrush steppe is the main ecosystem found in South Central Idaho. Dominated by Wyoming sagebrush, (Artemesia tridentata) this ecosystem also hosts a variety of drought tolerant grasses and wildflowers commonly referred to as forbs. The sagebrush steppe ecosystem hosts a large variety of plants, over 400 species of wildlife, and over 1,000 invertebrates. Most notable are those species know as Sagebrush obligates, species dependent on the sagebrush biome for their survival. Examples of these species are: Sage Grouse, Brewer’s Sparrow, Sage Thrasher, Sage Sparrow, Pygmy Rabbit (endangered), Sagebrush Lizard, Sagebrush Vole, and Pronghorn Antelope. The main threats to the disappearing Sagebrush biome are human use and fires.
Lava Rock Garden
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Unique to South Central Idaho and most evident in the eastern portion of the Snake River Plain, is the lava rock biome. This unique volcanic landscape is a result of the North American plate moving in a southwesterly direction over the stationary Yellowstone hotspot. Over millions of years of volcanic activity, basalt and rhyolite now dominate the landscape. Currently, the earth’s crust is being pulled apart by what is known as basin and range type faulting. Although seemingly inhospitable, this unique desert ecosystem is home to over 600 pant species and a large variety of migratory and indigenous animals.
Perennial Beds
Carol’s Wildflower Garden
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Named for Carol Blackburn, our dedicated and knowledgeable horticulturalist, the Wildflower Garden consists of beautiful native wildflower species. Purposefully scattered collections of flowers are reminiscent of hiking a trail through the many wild lands of Idaho. You’ll see: scarlet gilia, cbluebunh wheatgrass, many leaved lupine, pinleaf penstemon and more.
Priscilla Balint Garden
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Information coming soon!
The Knot Garden
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Information coming soon!
Educational Spaces
Garden + Veggie Beds
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Our Education Beds, located on the southeast corner of the property, are a great space for kids and adults alike to get hands-on education about how plants grow and where our food comes from. During the growing season you’ll see a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, root vegetables and more.
Also, you can see multiple ways to recycle organic matter for the benefit of your garden with our various compost bins.
Parents, volunteering with your children at our Ed Beds is a fun educational way to spend your summer. This teaches children a sense of community, gratitude and empathy. Volunteering is also a great way for children to find new interests beyond what they are exposed to at home and in school.
Tipi Meadow & Medicinals
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This space is currently being designed as a showcase for regional medicinal plants. We will be working with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe to create this space.
Sawtooth Sandbox
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The Sawtooth Sandbox provides a play space for children of all ages to safely explore the outdoors while their parents relax and enjoy the surrounding mountains and gardens. With picnic tables, sandbox toys, nets, and buckets the Sawtooth Sandbox is a perfect place to have a picnic and spend the afternoon out of the heat of the sun as children build sandcastles and catch water skippers in the nearby stream. The Sawtooth Sandbox was a gift from the Dondero Family.
Meditative Spaces
The Garden of Infinite Compassion
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This Garden was created in September 2005 to honor the visit of the Dalai Lama to the Wood River Valley. A contemplative garden, it is a place of both inner and outer repose; it is a place where we abandon the chatter of our minds and the distractions of our lives to enter the serenity of nature and find the calm of a quiet mind.
The Rocks
There are sixteen dominant rocks in the Garden which represent the sixteen Arhats, or disciples, of the Buddha. The impressive rocks serve as silent sentinels but also serve to retain the soil as the slope drops six feet from the top of the stream to the bottom.The Serenity Pond
The Serenity Pond features riparian plants while nearby a memorial bench sits in the aspen grove as a place for quiet contemplation. In the center of the pond is a beautiful quartz crystal from Minas Gerais, Brazil. The crystal’s tip was broken, most likely, by earth movement during its formation millions of years ago. Because the crystal was still forming when the break occurred, it began reforming or re-healing the tip. The tip that reformed however differs in shape, clarity, and design as if to say, “we have grown from one body, but our clarity comes from the synergy of our many heads uniting as one”.
Pet Memory Garden
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Our Pet Memory garden is located beside a flowing creek, surrounded by blooming flowers and under a canopy of aspen. This space holds custom plaques in honor of our patron’s pets and serves as quiet space to remember your bond with your pet. If you would lvisit this pageike to reserve a plaque for your pet and create a long-lasting memory of your beloved pet in a special garden just for them please call 208.726.9358 or visit this page for more information.
Covid Memory Garden
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Information coming soon!
Serenity Garden
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Information coming soon!
Tibetan Prayer Wheel
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Information coming soon!
Special Spaces
Visitor Center
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Information coming soon!
Greenhouse
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The Greenhouse has gone through many changes since its creation nearly twenty years ago—and it continues to evolve. It’s been used for a production garden, a space for relaxation and contemplation, a venue for festivals and parties, and is now planted with a citrus grove and education and demonstration beds as well as providing an area for classes and events year-round. The smells of the blooming plants are sure to invigorate your day, no matter the weather outside.
Ellen Long Garden Pavilion
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Named for the lovely, late Ellen Long, the Garden Pavilion is situated perfectly between the formal gardens, perennial beds, and our riparian pond. With amazing views of the mountains to the north and a host of color all around, it’s easy to find yourself in another world. Designed by Jolyon Sawrey, it’s a beautiful venue to incorporate nature’s beauty and elegance into your next event.
Art in the Garden
Art in the Garden
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The Sawtooth Botanical garden is fortunate to host an extensive collection of art donated by collectors and community members.