Luthy Botanical Garden — Attraction in Peoria

Review Visit: October 21st, 2012

A neat little garden tucked away in the corner of Glen Oak Park.

Like many things on my travel list, Luthy’s was one that I never heard of until I started looking around for things to do and places to visit. Discovering that there was a botanical garden next to the Peoria Zoo/Glen Oak Park was a surprise as I had been through the area a handful of times but never noticed it before. Sure, I saw the signs along the roads in Peoria but I figured it was nothing more than a place to buy flowers. A quick Google search soon proved I was way wrong. Doing what I do best, I loaded my car up with a few people and set out to see what the Luthy had to offer.

If I remember right, there was a small parking lot available to use despite the fact the gardens is tucked away in this recreational area. We approached the front entrance and headed in. There is no fee to access the gardens but donations are very appreciated. After talking to the person at the entrance, we dropped a few bucks in to a donation box and headed towards the first part.

The first place was kind of a greenhouse garden. It was inside a building that facilities the growth and sustainability to a multitude of flowers and plants. I am no green thumb but the fact that they could have so many different species in a small space was impressive. Also, they had a bunch of Nightmare Before Christmas decorations up at the time of our visit. Seeing as it was 10 days before Halloween, this must be how they were decorating for that year. I’m not a big Nightmare fan but it was cool to see them use that movie to spook the place up.

As we moved on past the greenhouse, we emerged in to this open area that had a bit of a trail you could follow to see most of the outside gardens. This little path was not so little once you realized how sprawling the outside area was. There were many things to see along the way as we slowly walked and took in the scenes. They had a not just flowers and plants but small sculptures and statutes scattered throughout. Similar to what you would see in the movies when there are public gardens or mansions with a garden area the size of a city block. You can see some of these in the gallery below but in the years since, they may have changed stuff around.

I said earlier that I am no green thumb, so trying to describe Luthy in technical detail is beyond my capacity. Despite that, you don’t need to know the difference between a dandelion and a tulip to enjoy the sheer beauty of this place. It’s a combination of quaint, serene, beautiful and peaceful. Sometimes you need those things in this day and age.

If you are able to visit, please do so. You won’t regret it. If Peoria, IL is no on your radar due to a million reasons, check your local area to see if there are any botanical gardens to visit. I am sure they are...

The Luthy Botanical Garden is a nice size--not so big that it will wear you out, but with plenty to see. Still, your experience may vary depending on the season and the weather. There is a gazebo and a few shade trees, but on a hot day you might be miserable. There are a few benches scattered throughout.

Depending on the time of year, there may not be much in bloom. There is a lot of grass lawn area in the middle, but some pretty landscaping if you go​ around the outside.

The greenhouse is pretty cool in and of itself, and one time I saw an accordion ensemble play Christmas songs there. I always like the birds of paradise.

Fortunately, the garden returned to a donation-based entry instead of the fee they had put in place for a few years, but the shop is gone. There is some sculpture scattered throughout the gardens, and I believe many of the sculptures...

This place is AMAZING! It's hidden behind the zoo and I only found it after searching for "Things to Do in Peoria." I've lived in Peoria or near it, for 6 years now, and NEVER knew about this place. It's gorgeous, it has a vast variety of plants and trees, plus some nice shady spots for hot days. It even has a tropical conservatory I look forward to visiting in winter. Check them out, a wedding here would be incredible! A word of advice, please don't low ball review due to lack of workers. I spoke to one a few days ago, they've been cut down due to the pandemic. As of this review, there are 2 people managing this vast sprawl. Bless them, I hope they get some more...