Tizer Botanic Gardens & Arboretum - Jefferson City, MT - High-Altitude Botanical Garden Attraction

The Tizer Botanic Garden and Arboretum is the only botanic garden and arboretum located in all of Western Montana. It is open to the public seven days a week from mid-May to late September, offering visitors the opportunity to take in the beauty of thousands of different plants and flowers, as well as participate in a number of charming and popular events that the owners of the gardens organize throughout the season. The gardens are also notable as part of the Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University Plant Select program.

The Tizer Botanical Garden and Arboretum first came into being when amateur gardeners Belva Lotzer and Dick Krott obtained the property in 1998 and seeded the grounds with a variety of different wildflowers in an attempt to get the abundant weed growth under control. It wasn't long before the natural beauty and potential of their property blossomed and began to attract the notice and attention of surrounding neighbors and the rest is history.

The gardens themselves cover a total area of three acres and are located at an astounding altitude of 5,000 feet above sea level. Visitors are amazed at the incredible variety of plant life that can be grown and maintained at such an altitude, making the gardens a popular destination for gardening enthusiasts, as well as nature lovers. Many of the flowering plants and trees included within are very rare and come from all over the world, even from areas as remote and exotic as Tibet.

The property is further arranged into various themed gardens through which visitors and patrons are allowed walk and even stop for picnics. These include the Lewis and Clark Native Plant Trail, the Children's Garden, the Rose Garden, the Old Time Vegetable Patch, the Patriotic Garden, and the Herb Patch. The various trails that span the property will also treat guests to crossings over six different bridges, a stroll along the famous and beautiful Prickly Pear Creek, and a jaunt through the Wildlife Woodlands.

Each one of the various areas is peppered with plenty of places for guests to sit, rest, have a picnic, or simply take in the beauty of the surrounding plants and wildlife. These include two historic cabins that were restored by the owners when they purchased the property in 1998. The largest of the two, the Goldminers Home, currently doubles as an event center, as well as a changing area for the many weddings that are hosted from time to time on the property.

In addition to the hosting of private events and weddings, the owners of the Tizer Botanical Gardens also arrange and host internal events for the general public. These include three-course high tea events (to which admission tickets must be reserved in advance), a Mother's Day special event to open the season, guided tours, and even a scarecrow festival to close out the open season on a high note. These events, combined with the attraction of the property's natural beauty and rare collections of flowers and plants, has ensured that since its opening the Tizer Gardens have continued to grow in popularity as a destination, currently drawing up to 15,000 eager visitors a year.

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