Garden Etiquette

The use of skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, and other individual recreational transport devices is not permitted in the gardens.
Such devices must remain in vehicles or secured at the appropriate racks for the duration of one’s garden visit.

For your safety, and to protect our plants, please stay on the designated paved pathways, patio, and plaza areas.
Do not walk or step in mulched or planted garden beds.
Please leave flowers and plants for everyone to enjoy.
Do not collect or remove seeds, flowers, fruits, plant labels, etc. from the gardens.
Do not wade, swim, or climb in fountains or on rocks.
No soliciting.
Please keep your personal items with you at all times and be sure to lock your vehicle. WBG is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or missing items.
Weapons and firearms are not permitted at WBG. The Gardens includes the grounds, buildings, parking lots, and other facilities of the property.
WBG reserves the right to ask a visitor to leave for inappropriate or offensive behavior.
Visitors will be held liable for any damage to WBG property.
For their safety, please supervise children at all times. One adult should accompany every five children.
Collapsible lawn chairs, stools, and blankets are only permitted in conjunction with WBG-sponsored events.
Formal and informal parties or gatherings are not allowed to hold meetings, weddings, memorial services, or christenings at the Gardens without advance space rental. Please refer to our Rentals Page for more information.
The rights of other visitors to enjoy the gardens must always be respected.
Drones of any size and other unmanned aerial vehicles, including remote control aircraft, cannot be flown.

Photography sessions are permitted during public visiting hours free of charge. However, we do not provide changing rooms, nor storage space for any props, equipment, or other items. All photographers and subjects are to follow all the same protocol as any other garden guests: stay on plazas and pathways and do not walk or set up in planting beds, do not climb in or on any water features or other structures, etc.
Please respect the privacy of garden guests and do not photograph individuals without their explicit permission.

At this time, picnicking is not allowed anywhere on garden property. No outside food, picnic baskets, coolers, grills, or open flames are permitted. Visitors who wish to picnic may do so nearby at Waterfront Park.
No climbing, running, sports (anything involving ball tossing, throwing, or kicking), or games.

Shirts and shoes are required at all times.
Out of respect to all garden visitors, we ask that any clothing not display images or messages that may be taken as profane, vulgar, sexist, racist, or sexually suggestive.
Visitors may be asked to change clothes before entering the gardens.
Please change small children’s clothing only in the restroom space.

NO PETS ALLOWED.
In accordance with federal law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, service dogs and miniature horses are permissible within the Gardens provided they are controlled (leashed) and do not enter garden beds and damage the plant collections. Therapy and comfort animals do NOT meet the definition of a service animal and thus are not permitted on Gardens property.
Do not feed or handle any wildlife you may encounter on the grounds, as it can be harmful to you or the wildlife.

Light collapsible chairs (no lawn chairs) are permitted for artists at work. Please position chairs so that walkways remain passable.
Painters, please dispose of wastewater safely in sinks. Do not dispose of wastewater on walkways, benches, rocks, plants, garden areas, or pavers, as they can become discolored.

WBG is a tobacco-free environment.
Smoking tobacco products and devices and electronic smoking devices are not allowed on gardens property, including all buildings, grounds, restrooms, and parking lots.
We care about the environment, please dispose of waste in recycling bins when appropriate. Do not litter.