Ogden Botanical Gardens Celebrate 25 Years

The Utah State University Extension Ogden Botanical Gardens will be a quarter of a century old this year, and a celebration will be held Aug. 1 at the gardens from 4 to 8 p.m.

According to Jerry Goodspeed, Ogden Botanical Gardens director, the gardens have been a work in progress over those 25 years and have continued to improve each year.

“The relationship between USU, Ogden City, Weber County and private supporters has been a great force to create such a beautiful oasis in Ogden,” he said. “In 1994 when we dedicated the garden, all we had was an unfinished building, some pavilions, a rose garden and a handful of plants. To see the growth of now having over 12 acres of gardens and public spaces is incredible.”

Goodspeed said they have added an arboretum with more than 75 different trees, an oriental garden, edible demonstration area, accessibility entrance and garden, several newer, smaller gardens, and this past year finished up the water usage demonstration garden.  

“I have loved watching the growth and the involvement of our citizens,” he said. “The first few years we had maybe a couple hundred people who took advantage of the gardens, but now we estimate every summer that we host around 120,000 people. I love that, and I’m excited to have a celebration commemorating something we as a community have created from what was once an eyesore.” 

Events for the celebration include Run through the Roses 5K, a kids’ fun run,

live music, garden tours, youth activities, a scavenger hunt, an art walk, a silent auction, information about roses, food trucks and free Aggie Ice Cream for the first 250 people to visit the gardens’ education building.

Visit ogdenbotanicalgardens.org for further information on the celebration and to register for the fun run.

Writer: Julene Reese, 435-757-6418

Contact: Jerry Goodspeed, 435-919-1276